Originally Posted by
chris93263
Hello Ladies and Gents, I’m new to road cycling. My hands go numb after about 5 miles. My right (dominant) hand in particular. It gets to the point where I can barely feel/find the brake.
Im sure this is common. What do I do?
Generally, the issue is that you are putting pressure on one main nerves in your hands. Even if you wear padding or other protection, it's going to be fairly easy to get numbness if you hold the bars in a way that pressures these nerves. Google the nerves in the hands and find a picture of them - it will all become clear.
Fundamentally, you need to hold the bars so any weight is not borne between the pads of your hands or the area on your palm that is between the fingers. If you think about any weight being carried on your hands by the same parts of your hands that bear your weight when you do pushups, you should be fine.
I suffered for this for many years. When I finally got smart enough to look at a picture of the anatomy of a hand and then talked with my physical therapist, it all became crystal clear. From that time on, I have had no numbness. I could ride with no gloves and no tape on the bars and I'd be fine for hours and hours. So bottom line, don't pressure the nerves and you should be ok.
J.