Hand numbness not going away

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Tin Pot

Guru
Hi all,

Changed my handlebars a few days back, noticed numbness on the trainer on Sunday in the right side of my right hand...noticed on the turbo on Sunday and it's not going away.

Trainer on Sunday 1.5hrs, and Monday 1.75hrs, long road ride Tuesday 4.5hrs, Trainer last night 1.25hrs and I'm sitting here with pins and needles some eleven hours after getting off the turbo...

So two questions, what's wrong with the new set up, and what damage have I done to myself?

The bars are set up with the same reach, maybe 10mm narrower, and the grips are slightly flared which I'm going to correct (didn't sand the bars before installing the shifters).

Ta
 

huwsparky

Über Member
Location
Llangrannog
Go and ask the guy who fitted you to your bike.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Hi all,

Changed my handlebars a few days back, noticed numbness on the trainer on Sunday in the right side of my right hand...noticed on the turbo on Sunday and it's not going away.

Trainer on Sunday 1.5hrs, and Monday 1.75hrs, long road ride Tuesday 4.5hrs, Trainer last night 1.25hrs and I'm sitting here with pins and needles some eleven hours after getting off the turbo...

So two questions, what's wrong with the new set up, and what damage have I done to myself?

The bars are set up with the same reach, maybe 10mm narrower, and the grips are slightly flared which I'm going to correct (didn't sand the bars before installing the shifters).

Ta
I can't suggest a direct solution but can tell you that...as you already know...your fit is not correct.

As for the ling term damage. Ibrode for about 6 hours with some friends last summer and one of them suffered agonising carpal tunnel or numb little fingers.

His numbenes continued for about 14 days before it subsided.

I get the same in my left foot oddly, when riding a distance on my SPD's (not the spd sl's).

How much weight do you place on your hands, they should hang loose when riding on the flat with some but not too much weight (so I am told)
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
I can't suggest a direct solution but can tell you that...as you already know...your fit is not correct.

As for the ling term damage. Ibrode for about 6 hours with some friends last summer and one of them suffered agonising carpal tunnel or numb little fingers.

His numbenes continued for about 14 days before it subsided.

I get the same in my left foot oddly, when riding a distance on my SPD's (not the spd sl's).

How much weight do you place on your hands, they should hang loose when riding on the flat with some but not too much weight (so I am told)


Yeah, I wondered if any specific factor I could focus in on.

Just ran for 50 minutes, and still numb.

I made a few changes and checked them against the Zinn measurements, my fitter had already dropped the bars one spacer. Seemed to make no difference in comfort.

Handlebar reach and drop are the same.
Grip reach the same, grip drop 15mm lower than pre spacer removal.
Grip width 10mm smaller, although the shifters have flared out as I mentioned
Bar reach, the same.

I don't think my weight balance has changed, my focus is staying with my sitbones on the wings of the saddle with a little time on the drops for variety or sitting up on the recoveries.
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
If it matters, the handlebar dimensions are slightly different.

Diameter 31.8 -> 31.8
Reach 72 -> 75
Drop 120-> 123
Size 420 -> 400

I also replaced the saddle with the same model (Selle italia X1) which turned out to have slightly different dimensions (taller) so I've compensated to get the same saddle height and saddle to bar distance.
 

Broadside

Guru
Location
Fleet, Hants
You might have bruised some nerves, it could take a while to heal.

Have you changed bar tape recently? I changed nice comfy cork tape on my bike to some Fizik thinner stuff and now get tingly or numb hands. I know the answer is to swap back but I just haven't done it yet.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
If it matters, the handlebar dimensions are slightly different.

Diameter 31.8 -> 31.8
Reach 72 -> 75
Drop 120-> 123
Size 420 -> 400

I also replaced the saddle with the same model (Selle italia X1) which turned out to have slightly different dimensions (taller) so I've compensated to get the same saddle height and saddle to bar distance.
Sorry, I can't help with a specific, fit related cure.

All I can offer is hope. I ride a few bikes and find that the twoni ride least, make me ache and groan the day after, whereas my main ride doesn't.

It could be just a temporary shock to the adjustments. Can you take a break to allow the numbness to fade, then try again.
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
Go and ask the guy who fitted you to your bike.
He's hard to get hold of but I have left him a message.
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
You might have bruised some nerves, it could take a while to heal.

Have you changed bar tape recently? I changed nice comfy cork tape on my bike to some Fizik thinner stuff and now get tingly or numb hands. I know the answer is to swap back but I just haven't done it yet.

Fresh cork tape, but a new brand.
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
So that is one possibility, but it's also warmer so are you wearing thinner gloves?

It could obviously be fit related but I would be looking at padding and protection at the contact point first.

Hmm. I don't wear gloves on the trainer. I've been on it 3-4 times a week since January 1st without problems.

Coincidentally a new pair of fingerless gloves arrived in the post today.

I'll mull that over, cheers.
 
Got to ask. Are the brifters both precisely leveled on the bars? I changed over my bars a few days back and first ride was agony in my left hand. It turns out that that shifter was marginally lower than the right. I couldn't tell by eye, but marking and spirit level helped.
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
Got to ask. Are the brifters both precisely leveled on the bars? I changed over my bars a few days back and first ride was agony in my left hand. It turns out that that shifter was marginally lower than the right. I couldn't tell by eye, but marking and spirit level helped.
I can check.

To be clear, it's comfortable to ride, no pain, feels to me the same as before the changes. In fact maybe even better - I'd usually get some lower back discomfort after riding 4.5hrs but I didn't.
 
I can check.

To be clear, it's comfortable to ride, no pain, feels to me the same as before the changes. In fact maybe even better - I'd usually get some lower back discomfort after riding 4.5hrs but I didn't.

Can't hurt to check. I'm guessing you spend most of the time on the hoods? Sounds like your set-up is almost there. In the meantime, turmeric tea is a good anti-inflamatory that can help with nerves and numbness.
 
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