Painful hands...

[Marazzi Mick]

I cracked my first 30 mile ride yesterday and as I expected found the saddle a little uncomfortable, so much so that hill climbing off the seat was pleasurable! What I didn’t expect was aches and pains in my hands a few hours after getting home - is this usual for a novice?

 

[mickle]

Is that your bike in your avatar?

 

[Vantage]

During a ride maybe if the setup is wrong and you're new to cycling but several hours after? That's not something I remember ever having. If as mickle has asked that bike in your avatar is yours, it might be worth flipping the stem around to alleviate some of the pressure on your hands.
A 'slammed' stem looks cool, but for most folk can be damn uncomfortable.

 

[Marazzi Mick]

Is that your bike in your avatar?

That’s the very one....

 

[Marazzi Mick]

During a ride maybe if the setup is wrong and you're new to cycling but several hours after? That's not something I remember ever having. If as mickle has asked that bike in your avatar is yours, it might be worth flipping the stem around to alleviate some of the pressure on your hands.
A 'slammed' stem looks cool, but for most folk can be damn uncomfortable.

It’s almost as if it’s from vibration but as I have implied I’m very new to this so perhaps it’s just getting used to a few aches and pains - don’t get me started about the saddle!

 

[mjr]

Too much weight on the hands. Position wrong. See the DIY bike set up guide in the side menu of www.wheel-easy.org.UK or pay someone money for a bike fit to be told similar.

Edit to add: if you've loads of core strength, you can hold weight off your hands leant forwards more, but few beginners have that unless seriously into yoga or gym.

 

[vickster]

Try a double wrap of bartape once you've sorted your position or a thicker tape like Specialized phat (now available in colours other than black thankfully). Plus better padded gloves if needed

Roads are very rough in most places which won't be helping.

 

[Vantage]

It’s almost as if it’s from vibration

Is the pain like pins and needles by any chance? If the tyres are too hard that could be the reason.

 

[biggs682]

Try a double wrap of bartape once you've sorted your position or a thicker tape like Specialized phat (now available in colours other than black thankfully). Plus better padded gloves if needed

Roads are very rough in most places which won't be helping.

Or go cheap skate and use an old tube under the exsisting ape along the flat / top section

 

[Marazzi Mick]

Too much weight on the hands. Position wrong. See the DIY bike set up guide in the side menu of www.wheel-easy.org.UK or pay someone money for a bike fit to be told similar.

Edit to add: if you've loads of core strength, you can hold weight off your hands leant forwards more, but few beginners have that unless seriously into yoga or gym.

Wow, just checked that and indeed there is loads of reasons to make sure your position is correct. I’m going to check this out when I have more time - thanks for the link...

 

[Doobiesis]

I had that a lot when I first started. You’re too close to the handle bars. Get fitted to your bike it’s well worth it. Also make sure you shake your hands out every now and then that helps a lot too. Saddle soreness will go in a few weeks never to return again.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Move your hands around on the bars if you do not already. Do not just ride with the hands in one position.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

What sort of tyres and pressures are you running and how heavy are you + the bike? If you've got the front tyre pumped up rock hard in relation to the load the wheel is carrying you can expect a hell of a lot of vibration to be transmitted up from the road surface, and that soon becomes pretty unpleasant. On a regular bike with normal weight distribution, the front tyre needs to be run at a good bit lower pressure than the rear.

 

[Trigger369]

I too had pins and needles in both hands . What I done to help it was swap my 100mm stem which was slammed to an 80mm stem turned up .the bikes a tad twitchy with the 80mm stem but the pins and needles is gone. I still give plenty of hand movement so there is no constant pressure on them

 

[Stef 1]

Used to get painful hands whilst riding, but not afterwards.
Sometimes just a little pins & needles, that would so turn into pain and often a numb sensation. Shofting my hands around didn't seewm to help too much for me.

I did do three things though that helped a lot (even if just phscyologically)...
1) Bought better padded gloves (fingerless and full length depending upon time of year)
2) Reduced the PSI in front tire a little
3) Learnt to notice when the uncomfortable feeling was starting and conciously reduced the force & weight I was applying through my arms and hands. Suppose that means engaging my core more. Admittedly I don't have much strength there, but even a little helped.

Number three helped me the most I think... but I'm still working on getting better at it.