Brazos

I have another newbie question. I have ridden over 300 miles in the past 4 weeks on my new road bike. When I first started my ass hurt (Ponza seat), my lower back hurt, and my hands hurt. My ass doesn't hurt anymore at least on the 20-30 mile rides I do. I now like my Ponza seat a lot. My lower back seems to be adjusting is is not much of an issue anymore. My hands, though getting better, get sore/numb during the ride. Strangely though it is more in my left hand. I thought it strange as I broke my right hand (4 metacarples right above my wrist) earlier in the year. I figure if either hand would act up it would be my right hand. That being said I am very much left handed so I then assumed I am naturally putting more weight on that hand, etc. But then I got to thinking that there is a crown in the road so my left hand is always on the uphill side of the road so naturally there would be more weight balanced on my left hand. So my for my first question is this normal (left hand being more sore due to being on the uphill side for an extended period of time)? Second I did a little researching and on the long distance riding forum I found a thread about hand soreness and a nerve that goes down the middle of the hand in the crease. Can anyone point me in the direction or have advice for hand placement for me to try out. Once I get my hands going right I will be in good shape.

Thanks,

Brazos

fatdad

It might just be an issue of getting good quality gloves...these are my current faves... https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/...jsp?spid=40515

It could just be getting more time in the saddle to toughen your hands.

Most likely it is a fit issue and you are putting too much pressure on your hands, also probably your neck and shoulders. Try raising your handlebars, a simple test is to just flip your stem which will raise your bars and change your position on the bike that should distribute the weight in a more hand/neck/shoulders way.

Getting a professional fit should address any comfort issues on the bike and should re-position you to be more efficient as well.

bobthib

100+ Go for it. It is worth it!

Brazos

https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...2&postcount=30

The above thread I found searching the problem and at this time I am inclined to at least consider it. I experimented with the knowledge I gained in the thread yeaterday on a 21 mile ride and it did help. I did get fitted by my LBS to the bike and they spent a considerable about of time with me and though I am sure it could be better I feel they did a good job. After my first few hundred miles there is a big improvement and I feel very good. I would like to try some proper hand placement options before I start turning screws and adjusting things and screw up what I got. I am not discounting the advice given thus far and I will be thinking about it. I guess it raises a new question in that no matter how the bike fits I will always have pressure on my hands. To me there is no way to lean over for extended periods of time without some sort of fatigue on your hands. To me it is more on how to put place your hands on the bar/hoods. I guess to head off any comments that "there should be no pressure on your hands" I would have to say BS. Otherwise I could just lean over and only touch the handle bar to steer as needed. I will say I am new to this and maybe I am all wrong. 3 years from now I may look back and think how stupid I was for asking.
After re-reading the above I need to add my shoulders and neck feel great before, during, and after the ride.

gvonne

I too had numbness in my left hand more than the right but I broke my LEFT wrist twice as a young skateboarding punk. I had the whole sore butt thing and found that when I adjusted my weight forward on the brake hoods for a longer period the butt problem got way better BUT on came numbness in the tips of my fingers like yourself. The gloves I was using had NO padding in them and once I switched to a new pair with padding on the palm and in that between the thumb and pointing finger area, problem solved! 30+ mile ride this weekend and no problem. Not sure if this will help but its my two cents.

johnny99

Do you lock your elbows when you ride? Locked elbows are a common cause of hand/wrist/shoulder/neck pain. Bend your elbows (and waist) and the pain will usually go away. Your arms should never be straight when you are riding a bicycle.

Roadrocketman

I would suggest situps. Your midsection strength will allow less leaning on your handlebars when you get tired.

slowride454

my hands are junk no matter which bike I ride. My MTB is a bit better especially if I road ride with the forks unlocked. I've been professionally fit on both bikes. Funny thing is I don't really have hand problems when I'm really working single track, but on the road bike I suffer from hardcore cramping and pain most of the ride. Even my 3.8 mile commute. Again, professionally fit and added 4 gel pads per side. 2 on top, 1 under the hood, and one on the drop then wrapped with decent foam tape. Good Bontrager foam gloves too. My right hand is worse than my left. Seat has been checked and rechecked. Handlebars have a full stack of spacers and the Ritchey Pro stem is flipped up. The bike frame is pretty stiff since it is aluminum with a carbon fork. Looking for any other advice. I have a century in a week and a half and then a 90 mile race 3 weeks after and then another century 3 weeks after that.

DannoXYZ 

I've got an updated thread that shows some cut-away views of the nerves and tendons that run through the wrist and how pinching them can cause soreness and numbness in the hands: Numb Hands. Also has feedback from people who used my hand-positioning ideas.

I think you have the right idea in changing just a few things at a time. That way you can isolate the causes of your issue. Not having sore shoulders and neck would tend to indicate that you've got fairly good body-positioning and fit on the bike and your elbows are bent enough when you ride to absorb shock.

And you are correct, there's no way your back-muscles can support all of your upper-body weight. Especially when you're leaned over enough to have a flat-back. As a test on a trainer, lean over just 45-50 degrees and take your hands off the bars. See how long you can hold that position. What muscles are sore? That's right, your back. Wouldn't hurt to do back workouts as well. Core strength refers to ALL of the muscles around your mid-section. The stomach muscles pull you into a fetal position, shoulders moving towards the knees. The back muscles pull your shoulders in the opposite direction, away from the knees and straightening out your body. These are the muscles that are used to support your upper-body and counteract the upward push of your leg muscles when you pull on the bars.

I spent about 30-days in bed when I started my 10-years of racing due to having really strong leg muscles from 15-years of soccer. But my back was really not matched for my leg muscles because you hardly ever use your back when running upright. I did a sprint workout, pulled on the bars really hard to keep from getting launched off the seat by my powerful legs and that was it. After 30-days of bed-rest, 2 more months of physical-therapy and 2 months of workouts in the gym, I was finally recovered. The doctors, PT and chiropractors really worked together to put me back on the road. The most important thing I took away from that was the need for strong back muscles. I had done sit-ups all my life, and I needed to do just as many of these back-lift exercises to bring my back into balance:



After those 2 months in the gym, I was doing those back-lifts while holding a 25-lb weight behind my neck. I was finally ready to get back on the bike and train for racing. I never ever had any problems with my back again in the next 10-years of seriously racing crits, TTs, road-races, stages and 6-years of track.

AK404

Hm, good advice, Danno. I should give that a go.