recneps345

I just got into road biking. I rode my first four rides this week. 29,25,25,and 44 miles. Is it that my hands are just not used to it or is this not normal and Im going to have to do something like get some gloves. I know I need to move hand positions, but what else can I do? How much do the gloves and help and which are best? This is really an important matter because I can't work with carpal tunnel issues. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

03FinestAL

Are you asking about pain, or the numbness that is commonly (to my knowledge) experienced with CT?

recneps345

They are mainly hurting right now, but I assume over time this trauma could lead to numbness as well.

manual_overide

Just get a pair of padded gloves. They usually run from $10-$60 at your LBS depending on what you get. I have a pair of Specialized Body Geometry gloves that I picked up at the LBS for about $20. The day I got them, I rode twice as far as I did without them. Because my hands didn't hurt, I just kept going.

I'm a software developer and spend every hour I'm not biking in front of the computer, so I know how bad CT can get. Do yourself a favor and just pick up a pair of gloves.

recneps345

Thanks alot, did this eliminate or reduce your problem?

LordOpie

Did you get a good fitting on the bike? If not and you can afford it, pay to have a reputable shop help you or get the shop you bought the bike to assist you. Or even read up about it. Here's one resource -- https://peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

The answer might be as simple as moving your saddle back a bit.

Chucklehead

i used to think gloves might be the answer, too, but my problem was rooted in my riding position. turned out my stem was too long. got slightly shorter stem and changed the position of my brake levers a little. that took some of the weight off my hands. now i have happy hands. gloves do help a great deal, though, if you don't mind them.

55/Rad

Numbness in the hands can sometimes be caused simply by the fact that you have too much weight on your hands. This can certainly be caused by a poor fit as LordOpie mentioned, or it could just be a matter of getting used to the bike and strenghtening your midsection.

Stronger abs and core will help you to balance more fore and aft rather than "leaning" on the bars. This in turn will alleviate some of the pressure on your hands.

In the meantime, get some gloves and check your fit.

55/Rad

manual_overide

Thanks alot, did this eliminate or reduce your problem?

Yes it did.

Did you get a good fitting on the bike? If not and you can afford it, pay to have a reputable shop help you or get the shop you bought the bike to assist you. Or even read up about it. Here's one resource

YES! Make sure your bike is adjusted properly. My LBS does a fairly detailed fitting before they will even let you test ride a bike. The gloves help alot, but if you are in the wrong position on the bike because your saddle is misaligned or you are on too large or small of a frame, there is only so much they can do.

recneps345

I am going in next week for my fitting. They are using this new computer system they have. The bike has just been grossly fitted, so I am sure this is part of the problem. The bike feels great, but I do feel like I have a considerable amount of weight on my hands.

roadwarrior

Check one thing....make sure your seat is not tipped slightly forward. If it is, you could be sliding slightly forward and using your hands to support yourself as a result.
Best you get the whole bike checked out...the computer is most likely a cyclocomputer, and if so you'll be able to see your pedal stroke on the computer...and watch it improve as your bike gets closer to a proper fit.

Because I fit bikes, I am curious about the story of the purchase of this bike....

SDS

You have to use gloves. We all hope that only the bottom of the tires will touch the road while we are riding, but this is not a sure thing, and when you are coming off the bike onto the road, the gloves are protective gear that is sacrificed to protect the palms of your hands from getting shredded out against the road surface. This is the exact same reasoning that justifies the wearing (not use, we hope) of a helmet. Of course in the overall scheme of things the central processing unit is considered to be more important than peripheral manipulating devices, but after the fact you still will be wishing you had had gloves instead of sore hands.

After you have gloves, as noted above, you need correct fit and the core strength to keep the load off your hands.

JoeOxfordCT

I too second the motion regarding saddle tilt !
I had problems with my hands going numb after 30-40 minutes and tried a number of different things, (stem length, stem height, etc.) before the bike fitter at my LBS looked at my bike for 10 seconds, and tilted my seat back almost imperceptibly. The difference was dramatic !!!

Good Luck !!

Joe

late

Try the Specialized Bar Phat.

bsyptak

As for good gloves, Pearl Izumi Pittards are great. Excellent cushioning throughout.

ht001

I second what 55/Rad said. A stronger core will make it so that you don't have to rely on your hands to hold you up. Certianly fit is an important part of this. No matter how good your core strength you'll be leaning hard on your hands if you've got poor saddle alignment, or incorrectly adjusted bars/hoods for your body. Once you've had a good fitting, things should be properly adjusted. From there see if you can develop the habit of using your core to hold you up and to balance your self.

recneps345

The guy at the bike store mainly fit me by just looking at how I looked riding the bike. I was in between a 57 and 59 Lemond. I rode them both and just could not tell the difference. I am 6ft1 34inseam. I hope the cyclocomputer will get everything perfect. I am just not experienced enough to know what is exactly right. The bike feels great, but I guess there needs to be some adjustments. Again, I am just not experienced enough to know.

jslopez

While all the above will help, do note that it's normal to have pain in the hands and arms about the first two weeks of riding.

You've just not used or put pressure much on those muscles before and thus they're reacting accordingly. I started riding in September and these pains really worried me. My wife started 2 months ago and the pain almost caused her not to get a bike anymore (this is while she was jsut test riding bikes).

give it time and your body should adjust.

recneps345

Thanks, that is one of the main things I was wondering. Knowing this is considered normal for the first two weeks really helps.

clausen

I found buying a pair of gloves with a ergonomic palm eliminated the pain and numbness I was having.

shaq-d

could be normal. on the other hand, it could be a bad sign. raise your stem so that it's level with your saddle. this brings the weight on your hands to a manageable level. when you do your fit, tell them about the pain in you rhands. chances are they'll raise your stem if you don't.

sd

rockmuncher

I would recommend a pair of spenco's for anyone just starting out. They have excellent shock absorbtion gel in them and are extremely sturdy. about USD20

hi565

People have pretty much said what is needed to be said, though i didnt know about what 55/rad? said about body position. Thanks for that, learn something new everyday. Any way Start with getting yourself good gloves, this is one of the places that i tell people to spurge a little bit on because for your ride your hands are somewhere on the handlebar and getting some force on them. But dont go the really expensive route like the 40 dollar gloves.

bikerski

It seems to me a fitting has to match not only what a person wants to accomplish but also how fit and skilled one is. A newby road biker may not have the abs and thigh development to hold up his truck to take weight off the hands. May not understand the technique. Also may have a heavy upper body. While the new road rider may want an aggressive race set up, it may be necessary to raise the handle bars for comfort until muscles and technique are developed. I would suggest the bars be no more than 2" lower than saddle. When I first started the shop set me up 5" lower. Much too much for my skills at the time.

recneps345

Any suggestions on which gloves?