Road Cycling - Newbie, Numb hands/Seat Adjustment?

I am both new to the forums, and to road biking. I wish I had found the forums prior to purchasing a bike, but, unfortunately, that is not the case.

My hands are going numb on any rides over 30 minutes. I wear gloves with some padding, although not great padding. I constantly move my hands. I have noticed that the most comfortable position for my hands is when I slide back on my seat and sit up straighter with more pressure on my butt bones.

The problem I am having is whether to move the seat forward or back to make this position more natural. Additionally, my knees are currently positioned forward of my cranks and I was planning to side the seat back to get them in line. So, how should I move my seat, and why?

Thanks in advance.

Have you been professionally fitted to the bike? If not, I would seriously consider it. Numbness in the hands can be caused by a variety of things - usually fit and fitness related. If the bike fits, then it could be a matter of conditioning. Your midsection handles a lot of the weight balancing and if it's not strong enough, the excess will go to the hands. Next time out after you've confirmed bike fit, consciously think about supporting your body through the middle while keeping the elbows slightly bent and the hands relaxed.

The good news is the numbness should subside as you put in more miles and get stronger.

55/Rad

You might wanna experiment with seat angle too; a slight tilt up may be worth a try.
You could have your handle bars too low, which (in my opinion) throws more weight down and forward.