CheesyD

I'm trying to get back into shape by riding my '04 Specialized Expedition in the morning before work. I'm only riding about eight miles a day but it's a start. I'm 5'9" @ 262 pounds as of this morning. I want to get down to 200 and will reward myself with a road bike at that time. Long way to go but I'll get there. I recommend reading "Heft on Wheels" to anyone who hasn't yet.

Anyway... when I return from my ride my left wrist is buzzing... like it's asleep. Same goes for my privates in the nether region. I wear Nashbar bib shorts. The Expedition is a Medium. I think my seat height is OK because I extend my legs fully (for the most part) on the down stroke but not so far that I'm reaching and rocking back and forth. Would lowering my handlebars help?

JumboRider

I am a noob, so take what I say as noobish, but it sounds like you may have too much of your weight forward over you shoulders. Like your cockpit is too long for you.

lil brown bat

What have you got for bar tape, and what are you wearing for gloves?

Air

Check my sig - I went through a lot of issues with fitting the bike for my wrists and there's plenty of links in there that helped me out! It's tough to tell without pictures.

mwrobe1

Any of the following may apply...

Adjust your saddle "tilt" so that you aren't leaning forward as much, taking pressure off your hands.
Adjust your saddle position forward so that so that you can have your elbows bent, taking pressure off your hands.
Make sure your saddle is at the right height.
Make sure your stem is at the right height.
Don't lock your elbows when you ride.
Wear gloves.
Don't sleep on your arm(s) when you go to bed for the night.
Don't grip the handlebars "handshake" tight.

rs hunter

If you are having numbness or pain ANYWHERE in your seat or crotch, you're on the wrong saddle. Despite popular opinion, you don't just toughen-up or strengthen the muscles for the problem to go away. If someone has, or has had, this problem before and it's gone away, I've got bad news. YOU ARE SUFFERING NERVE DAMAGE!!! The problem doesn't just go away, the nerves are pinched off until they are cut off from sending the pain impulses.

This is due to supporting your body weight with the muscular structure surrounding your pelvis. These muscles were never intended to support this weight. The ONLY proper way to support your body weight is with the pelvis itself, or more precisely the "ischial tuberosities". These are the bony protrusions you will feel if you sit on your hands.

The solution to this problem is a saddle which places the load on these two points, while minimizing pressure elsewhere. The easiest way to find the saddle which is best suited to your specific skeletal structure, and individual riding style, is to visit a Specialized Body Geometry dealer. They are able to measure the width of the ischial tuberosities, as these are unique to everyone, and have absolutely no correlation to your size, weight, or gender. The properly sized saddle should be approximately level.

For similar problems with the hands or wrists, it is an indication of placing too much weight on the handlebars. A number of things can help in this situation. Raising the bars, bringing them back towards yourself, or moving the saddle forward are all options. Moving the saddle forward should only be done if it's NOT currently in the proper position relative to the pedals.

Cheers

v1k1ng1001

Don't know what to say about your wrists, that Expedition looks comfy. Maybe you are pulling on the handlebars?

Time for a new saddle!

Neil_B

Not to hijack the thread with yet another complaint of mine, but my hands are going numb on rides. I've recently lowered the handlebars three notches to try to get rid of my scoliotic back pain - which is now reduced, if not eliminated. I have been pulling on the handlebars, because this is the second time in a month they have become loose.

breadbin

It is also a fact that if your core muscles are not strong enough to support your weight, the onus falls onto the wrists to pick up some of it and that is why they might be giving out. Ideally you should be able to lift your hands off the handlebars while keeping the same body position i.e. have the stomach, back muscles keep you in that position. -ed

CheesyD

I raised my handlebars about 1" this morning and went for a ride. I concentrated on not gripping too hard and relaxing my arms so I wouldn't lock my elbows. I could tell I was sitting more upright so it felt better on my butt. But, I still had the same issues... I had to dangle my left arm twice just to get my left hand to stop buzzing... and when I finished the ride I had a sleepy nether region (which passed in a few seconds).

Wish I could go down and pay to get fitted and get a new bike but it will have to wait. This one will have to do me for a few months any way...

Thanks for all of the replies.

Wogster

For the privates, it's easy, you have the wrong saddle, you should be sitting on your sit bones, the saddle is probably too narrow, go to a Specialized dealer and have them measure your sit bones, they will tell you what width saddle you need. Pick a fairly hard one, or one that has the cutout, too soft saddles that are too narrow are what cause the numbness. Get this fixed sooner rather then later.

As for your wrist, the bars are probably not quite in the right place, your putting pressure on the nerves running through the carpel tunnel. Try raising the bars a little, see if that helps.

lil brown bat

Once more with feeling: what are you using for bar tape, and what are you wearing for gloves?

rs hunter

It doesn't cost anything to be sized for a saddle, so get your butt to a Specialized Body Geometry dealer (pun intended)!!! While you're there, take a look at their BG gloves and grips, which are designed to remove the pressure from the ulnar nerves. To get a better understanding of just what the principle behind the Body Geometry system is, and the bio-mechanical engineering it involves, go to www.specialized.com/bc/techlab_bg.jsp .

milkoholicBear

My expedition does not have any bar tape, but rather a thick rubber sleeve about 4 inches long that sits on the end of the handlebars.

lil brown bat

Uh huh. And are you wearing any gloves? Probably not.

If you want to cure that "hand buzzing", you should stop by your lbs and get an opinion on the effectiveness of that "thick rubber sleeve", and pick out a good pair of bike gloves.

rs hunter

He's not the OP, 'lil brown bat'. He just threw that in for sarcasm, I think.....

v1k1ng1001

My earlier response implied the opposite, that maybe the problem is that your handlebars are way too high and far away, and that you are pulling on them. People tend to think that an upright position is is always more comfortable but I find that's not true if you're riding a lot. It would also explain your other problems because all of your body weight is now on your saddle. You should try to distribute some of that weight on your arms.

Even so, a new saddle is probably a good idea.

CheesyD

That wasn't my post, but he's right. The Expedition doesn't utilize bar tape but has rubber grips on the bar ends. As far as gloves, I wear fingerless weight lifter gloves... yeah, I know... but they're padded and it's what I had. I'll get to the LBS and ask about the seat measuring thing and see what gloves they can recommend.

Here's what the Expedition looks like...

CheesyD

Interesting. I've heard the bars are too low and they are too high. I guess when I go to the LBS I'll get their opinion on it.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Wogster

Gloves can help, but may not solve the problem, which may come from several things. It can be vibration related, where gloves will help, or it can be from pressure on the median nerve where it goes through the carpel tunnel, in the wrist. This is often caused by too much of a riders weight on the arms and wrists, usually because the rider's centre of gravity, front to back is too far forward. Moving the bars back and/or up, and assuming a more upright riding position can help, by moving weight off the arms, and placing it on the saddle and pedals. Ir may also be resolved using a different shape bar, or even a lower bar. A good solution is an adjustable stem, allowing the rider to try both up and back or more forward and down. If allowed to continue over a longer period of time, this can lead to carpel tunnel syndrome, which can be extremely painful, but can be corrected surgically.

The problem for the OP, is that this re-balancing of position, would make the saddle problem worse, and it's actually more critical, it's a blood supply problem, and can, if not dealt with, lead to permanent damage, and impotence. A saddle with a depression in the front, or a cutout, can help significantly, as can a saddle of the proper width. Since the OP rides a Specialized, and Specialized has equipment for measuring the width between sit bones, it's a good place to start.

Another solution for both problems is a recumbent bicycle, although I would try the other things first.

jmarkley710

Bars are too low vs. Seat. Is your seat adjusted so that your leg sits slightly bent (not extended) when in the full down position? Also, make sure your handlebars are adjusted to put you in a semi-upright position. You shouldn't be in a roadie type riding position. This is my theory. You have the seat set too high and it is causing the numbness in the nether regions because of all the leg stretching while pedaling. Common mistake that your leg should still have a slight bend and not extend when on the downstroke.

b_young

I have been fighting numbness for a while now as well. It usually comes around mile 8 in my hands. I will have to shake them a couple of times and it is good for a while. I have a Specialized Sirrus but it uses the same type of grips you described. I just got fitted today and it wasn't as bad but still there. My toes also go numb sometimes. Any suggestions on feet numbness?

CheesyD

I went to the LBS today and talked to one of their guys about the buzzing. He looked my bike over and raised the handlebars a bit. If I need to go any higher I'll need a new headset he said. He suggested better gloves and better shorts (I was using Nashbar bibs). I ended buying some Trek Moby Gel gloves and Descente Classic bibs. He told me the gloves and higher quality bibs should help but if I still experience problems to come back with the bike and I could test ride different saddles. I'll post an update after I've gone for my next ride... won't be today but probably Sunday.

rs hunter

No matter how good your shorts are, they won't solve a saddle problem. Go to www.specialized.com/bc/SBCDealerLoc.jsp and find out who your local Body Geometry dealers are, not all Specialized dealers are one. After entering your address details, highlight "Show all categories" under "Dealer Category". Then look for ones with either a "BG" or "BG Premier" icon. It seems like the guy you're dealing with is making this a helluva' lot harder than it needs to be.....

I could also understand that a new stem might be needed, but a new headset??? I don't think he knows WTF he's talking about, to be blunt.

CheesyD

Thanks... I wasn't overly impressed with the guy myself. The LBS I went to is not a Body Geometry dealer. The nearest one (and apparently the only one in Maine) is 65 miles away... I'll try to get over to that dealer next weekend.