Numb fingers

[Mr Pig]

maybe strengthening the hands might be an idea, I've used these for years:-

That's an idea actually. I'd never thought of that but it wouldn't hurt. Think I'll get a set of those.

 

[Dave5N]

Wriggle your fingers. It works.

 

[magnatom]

I tried new gloves today and the fingers just as bad, if not worse.

It is really affecting my riding at the moment, and I need to keep easing up whilst I wave my hand around to get feeling in the fingers again (just the index and middle fingers).

Does anyone know the anatomy of this, i.e. is it likely to be blood flow or a nerve I am pinching? If I could work out where the problem was originating from I could work out what I need to change on the bike (i.e. tilt of handlebars etc).

I'm also getting a numb area on my left foot just above where the cleat is (I'm using spds). I assume this is pressure related and points to the need for road specific pedals and shoes?

 

[gavintc]

Specialized sell a gel pad that you put under the bar tape. It deadens some of the vibration. I have used it in the past and had it fitted for my Tour of Flanders experience last year. It could also be that your balance - fore/aft is off with too much weight being applied to your hands. Try riding holding the bar flats and concentrate on pushing back onto the saddle a little. It may need a measurement of the fit and perhaps adjustment to your stem length / height and perhaps the fore / aft of your saddle. Chasing a problem like this can become tricky and advice on line is never easy.

 

[magnatom]

Specialized sell a gel pad that you put under the bar tape. It deadens some of the vibration. I have used it in the past and had it fitted for my Tour of Flanders experience last year. It could also be that your balance - fore/aft is off with too much weight being applied to your hands. Try riding holding the bar flats and concentrate on pushing back onto the saddle a little. It may need a measurement of the fit and perhaps adjustment to your stem length / height and perhaps the fore / aft of your saddle. Chasing a problem like this can become tricky and advice on line is never easy.

Hmm, the roads are a bit rough, maybe sponge bar tape or gel pads might help.

I know advice on here is not going to solve it, but it might give me some ideas.

Hows the shoulder Gavin?

 

[gavintc]

Hmm, the roads are a bit rough, maybe sponge bar tape or gel pads might help.

I know advice on here is not going to solve it, but it might give me some ideas.

Hows the shoulder Gavin?

I am not good at this inactivity thing.

I was operated on last Tue - pinned back together and I will see the consultant again tomorrow. Apparently, the sling will be with me for about 4 weeks. It is still a little tender and I am popping the pain killers on a regular basis. But, that is to be expected. Hopefully, I will be back on the bike in a month or so. After all, Lance is racing about 5 weeks from his break!!

It is has made me pretty grumpy and I notice that some of the comments I have made to CC threads have been in a less than cheerful mood. I must try to chill a little and not take my predicament out on others.

But, I hope you get the hand pain resolved. Bike fitting is an art - sometimes it just comes together and other times, you can chase a problem. I know my wife is still trying to get her good bike to fit properly.

 

[magnatom]

It reminds me of the time I bu%%ered my knee up. I was doing judo at the time and I had to take 9 months off after I had an op (ACL reconstruction). I hated being off the mat, but I resigned myself to it very early on.

You just have to look at each day passing as being a day closer to getting back on the bike/mat. Even if a particular day feels like a step back, it is still one day closer to to the day you get back on. Worked for me.

As for the fingers, I'll get them sorted. I'll start by playing with the angle of the bars. I do feel like I am putting to much pressure on the hoods, so I wonder if tilting the bars back will help....or maybe I should tilt them forwards...

 

[MacB]

Mags, when riding along can you sit with very little weight on your hands? I had no numbness after 13.5 hours in the saddle yesterday. Before sorting out my position I was getting numbness, that wouldn't go away quickly, after less than 2 hours of riding. As I mentioned elsewhere I'm finding it better to work from saddle forwards. So getting saddle height, tilt and position relative to BB correct first, then:-

Angle/tilt of bars, gloves, grips, height of bars relative to saddle, reach to the bars.

A few of the sites talk about your main ride position, ie on the hoods, whereby you should be able to stay in position if you move your hands away. If you would fall forward and hit your nose then your position isn't right. Guess this wouldn't apply to time trial setups etc but for commuting and social riding it could.

A couple talk about the sizing and design of modern road frames and how they are setup for too big a drop from saddle to bars. If this is the case then you can switch to a more steeply angled stem. If more is needed then new forks, with steerer uncut, would be an idea and just use more spacers.

 

[xpc316e]

I tried all sorts of measures to combat numb hands and fingers; I even built up a new bike with an upright riding position. It was all for nothing and eventually I gave up cycling. After a couple of years I spent a considerable sum on a recumbent, never having ridden one beforehand, to see whether it might be the answer to these, and other, problems. In short, it was; I now own a trike too.

I hope your issues can more easily be solved, but do bear in mind the 'bent solution.

 

[Dayvo]

I hope your issues can more easily be solved, but do bear in mind the 'bent solution.

He's got to get the fixed first!

 

[buggi]

for hands try padding under the bar tape and gel gloves. sounds like you are compressing a nerve or stopping the blood flow so maybe adjust your bike so you are more upright and not leaning on your hands so much. Specialized do a handlebar that is shaped different, slightly flat, rather than round. it's on their roubaix bike but you can get it separate and have it fitted to yours. i've sat on a roubaix and it seems dead comfy, and my friends swears it is.

As said, sounds like it could be a bit like carpel tunnel thing and if it is you will have to see the doc because, if i rightly remember, the only way to cure that is to have an op to drain it. my sister had it.

as for the feet. try loosening the middle strap or bottom strap of your shoes. that worked for me. Also, Specialized [again! are they the cycle Gods?] do a shoe insert/foot liner with a special "button" gel insert that sits just where your cleat is. the idea is that when you press down, the button spreads your foot out, helping the blood flow and stopping that tingly feeling.

hope that helps

 

[cyberknight]

I am still getting this problem on my flat handle bars every day .

tried altering seat height/position and handlebar height , got some better gel gloves all to no effect i even change hand position every couple of minutes.

It always happens on the way to work and not on the way back , and i use the same route very odd

 

[spandex]

Mags sorry but I have not read the hole thread but has any one told you to twist up your bars?. As having the bars set up the 'right way' is the way your bars should be set up if you was racing and not if you are commuting or touring..

 

[magnatom]

Thanks for all the suggestions. MacBludgeon, I think I could reduce the weight on my hands a bit.This morning I noticed that since my seat post was changed my saddle is a little higher. I'll lower that. I'll also have a close look at tilt etc. It is titled slightly back at the moment.

I also noticed that when my hand are in their normal position, there is a lot of pressure at the base of my palm, right in the centre. the gloves I have just bought have quite a bit of gel on them, but guess where there is a gap in the gel? Yup, right where I probably need it (they gloves are 661 altis gel). Do the specialized gloves have gel across the bottom of the palm?

 

[Mr Pig]

I've tried two different pairs of Specialized gloves/mits and they've not been very good. The gel/padding is in the wrong place, on the ones I've got anyway.

You really need to try the gloves/mits on and check that they sit on the bars/grips the way you want them to.