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Numb Hands

Old 09-02-08, 06:45 PM
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Numb Hands

Been riding for a year now. I'm 6'2" and went from 315 to 250 and still want to loose about 20 more. I'm not a fat guy anymore but large frame and wide shoulders. 48yrs old and just went from a Hybrid to a true road bike. Bought a GIANT Defy and love the look, stlye and speed. My question is since I got the road bike I am leaning more and seem to loose feeling in my hands after 20 miles or so. I have to sit up and shake them to get the feeling back. Any thoughts? I was fitted by a professional at the local bike shop where I have a great relationship and have bought three bikes from but he's telling me it will go away after I get use to it just as I did with my rear end in the saddle pain. Thanks and I just love riding...anyone calls me a Clydesdale and I'll smile and watch their skinny butt run when I tell them to come closer and repeat themselves.Love the site and love the sport. Give a big guy a break or else!!!

Last edited by nobull60; 09-02-08 at 06:50 PM.
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Old 09-02-08, 06:56 PM
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1) gloves with good gel padding everyone likes the specilized body geometry series. I have the Trek Version. If your hands still go numb move your seat back a bit to take the weight off your hands a bit.
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Old 09-02-08, 10:41 PM
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Here is a quick check. Put your bike in a trainer or have someone hold it up for you. Sit on the bike with your feet on the pedals, crank arms parallel with the ground. Put your hands on the hoods. Now let go with your hands. If you have to strain to hold yourself up you have to much weight on your hands. Adjust your seat forwards or back until you can let go without straining. I hope that makes sense.
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Old 09-02-08, 10:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Bigboxeraf
1) gloves with good gel padding everyone likes the specilized body geometry series. I have the Trek Version. If your hands still go numb move your seat back a bit to take the weight off your hands a bit.
Moving the seat back without adjusting bar height has the potential to increase weight on the hands. But good gloves are a 'must have'.

As for the 'it will go away' comment from the professional... The problem will either be carpal tunnel (compression) or ulnar neuropathy (otherwise known as 'handlebar palsy', and often linked to vibration).

Do you cycle with straight arms? If not, consider a shorter stem or raise the stem to move some weight off the arms/hands.
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Old 09-03-08, 03:53 AM
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I have no luck with gloves (stopped using em over a decade ago).

I find usually the problem with numb hands is cause by the saddle position... most people angle their saddle nose-down to keep the saddle from stabbing them in the taint. However, this allows your weight to slide forward and you have to push harder against the bars to counter, resulting in pain or numbness.

If the saddle is set level or slightly noe up this will stop.

If angling the saddle level or slightly nose up is uncomfortable, get a new saddle... or possibly adjust the height (too high will put excess pressure on your arse).
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Old 09-03-08, 07:01 AM
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You may want to try to temporarily wrap your bar tops a little bigger, and try it. It adds padding (like gloves), and it opens your grip up to a larger diameter (gloves do this too, because of the material in the glove palm). Sometimes just a small adjustment in diameter is all it takes to help the numbness. I don't know that it ever completely goes away, but you should be able to make it better. The thin, white packing foam works good for a trial run. Bigger bar tape isn't as sexy cool, but neither are tan lines from gloves....
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Old 09-03-08, 08:39 AM
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Sit up and shake those hands out more often, and move them around on the bars. That's what the different hand positions are for. If that isn't enough, you may have to have a look at your position. Too low, too high, maybe too close or too far... but probably your saddle needs to go back a bit for better weight distribution.
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Old 09-03-08, 08:47 AM
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+1 on moving around more as the first suggestion. A road bike offers several positions for the hands. Using a variety reduces the likelyhood of numb hands.
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Old 09-03-08, 09:16 AM
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Originally Posted by abbynemmy
Here is a quick check. Put your bike in a trainer or have someone hold it up for you. Sit on the bike with your feet on the pedals, crank arms parallel with the ground. Put your hands on the hoods. Now let go with your hands. If you have to strain to hold yourself up you have to much weight on your hands. Adjust your seat forwards or back until you can let go without straining. I hope that makes sense.
+1

This was one of the big points that my fitter checked, every single time we adjusted any other measurements.
Moved the seat? Check the reach.
Changed the stem height? Check the reach.
Angled the seat? Check the reach.
He was very insistant that I keep checking that I didn't have to "push" myself upright from a position on the hoods, since I was getting fitted for long distance riding.
You should be balanced between your contact points: Saddle, bars and pedals. No one point should be going sore or numb with the expectation that you'll "get used to it." If you get used to something being numb, then you're doing permanent damage. The only ride I've done all year where anything went numb was a double century, and I discovered that I need different shoes for doing 13+ hours on the bike.

Originally Posted by nobull60
Thanks and I just love riding...anyone calls me a Clydesdale and I'll smile and watch their skinny butt run when I tell them to come closer and repeat
Why? Clydesdale isn't some derogatory slur. Be proud of the fact that you're doing the same ride as guys half your size.
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Old 09-03-08, 09:21 AM
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Originally Posted by CliftonGK1
You should be balanced between your contact points: Saddle, bars and pedals. No one point should be going sore or numb with the expectation that you'll "get used to it." If you get used to something being numb, then you're doing permanent damage. The only ride I've done all year where anything went numb was a double century, and I discovered that I need different shoes for doing 13+ hours on the bike.
Could you elaborate on that last comment? Why did you need different shoes for endurance riding, and what did they recommend?
 
Old 09-03-08, 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by The Historian
Could you elaborate on that last comment? Why did you need different shoes for endurance riding, and what did they recommend?
Well, no one recommended anything, and I'm still looking at shoes. What had happened was 3 toes on either foot went numb and didn't recover full feeling until about 4 days later. It was from my feet sliding forward in my shoes and repeatedly jamming my toes against the front of the shoe.
Right now I wear Forte CM220 MTB shoes which only have 2 straps to close them. I think I need to move to a 3 strap shoe for distance to better distribute pressure over the top of my foot, allowing me to more securely hold my foot in place inside the shoe without getting hot-spots.
I'm fine with riding 100 - 125 miles in these shoes, but past that I start getting some toe numbness issues if I have the straps loose enough that I don't get hot-spots.
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Old 09-03-08, 10:09 AM
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I have had the same issue with hand numbness. I found when I adjusted the seat forward a little and adjusted the angle it got a lot better. Even with perfect sizing on your bike, if you don't move your hands frequently they will go numb a bit. I try to move mine every 3-5 minutes or so...
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Old 09-04-08, 04:58 PM
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Is it possible to get numbness/soreness in one hand? My right hand is killing me but I am not sure if it is from biking.

Wow, looking at what I wrote that could be taken poorly! I really do have a sore right hand/ wrist, honest!
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Old 09-04-08, 07:52 PM
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Originally Posted by puckpack
Is it possible to get numbness/soreness in one hand? My right hand is killing me but I am not sure if it is from biking.

Wow, looking at what I wrote that could be taken poorly! I really do have a sore right hand/ wrist, honest!
That reminds me of a joke about tennis elbow, but since I don't know who might be reading, I'll link to it instead of posting it here. That way anyone easily offended can just choose to not click this link
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