Numbness in hands

[Tigerbiten]

Go recumbent.
It takes are the weight off your hands/arms and shifts it to your back.
Therefore minimal stress/strain left on your wrists.

I'll admit it is a bit extreme but it will fix your problem ..........

 

[johnblack]

I did a 100 mile MTB ride at the weekend, I'm still struggling with pins and needles in my right middle and little finger. A few people have said I need to switch from round to flatter grips but I also think I may have been bending the wrist too much, especially in the later stages, so maybe flatter grips will help stop me doing it.

 

[contadino]

Ensure that your elbows are flexed and your shoulders relaxed

^ This. I used to have exactly the numbness you describe - first on my mountain bike, then again on my road bike. It was worse on flat bars but still happened on drops. Anything over about 15 miles used to bring it on.

It took a self-reminder (elastic band) every 5 minutes or so to check my posture as I was riding and years later I still occasionally find myself all hunched over.

Trying to get my elbows facing outwards (unless climbing when they face downwards) seemed to work well for me.

 

[johnblack]

It took a self-reminder (elastic band) every 5 minutes or so to check my posture as I was riding and years later I still occasionally find myself all hunched over.

I'd forget why I was wearing the elastic band!

 

[Drago]

Sounds like you're getting pressure the ulnar nerve, likely somewhere at the wrist nut possibly at the elbow too.. I suffer this from when my elbow was broken, perpetually numb feeling that radiates down the back of my forearm, through the wrist, and into my little finger and the outside of my 3rd finger.

Experiment your your position and/or different mitts, and good luck.

 

[Nebulous]

I've just changed my gear cables. Bar tape didn't come off very well, so on an impulse I went to my local Evans (which is closing down) to buy some new tape. I bought their own brand FWE tape, which came with 4 gel pads to put under the tape. I'm quite positive so far, I did 50 miles on Friday with less numbness in my left hand than I normally have. Standing up out of the saddle going up hills it feels slightly squishy, but apart from that it appears to be helpful.