Painful wrists

[Camerabag]

Hello - I'm new to the forum. I've cycled for decades - but just as daily transport around town, so have rarely been in the saddle more than an hour or so.

This summer we spent 10 days in Bavaria with some Bavarian friends, who run the local cycle touring group and we did a tour (along the Romantic Road, which was really lovely). We covered 379km cycling 6 - 9 hours a day and had a great time. I was surprised how easy I found it, I didn't get overly tired although I'd expected to, and didn't get saddle sore. It was a great introduction to touring and on our return my husband and I decided to upgrade our bikes and invest in some panniers and try on our own.

However, the problem I did have was that my wrists got very very painful and on my return to the UK my hands were weak and numb for a few days. It passed off, and the couple of little trips I've done on my new bike didn't seem to cause a problem. But yesterday we went out on a quick Christmas flab-busting trip along an old railway track, part tarmac, part cinder path about 26 miles in total. My wrists quickly started to hurt again particularly over the bumpy parts.

Any hints as to why? What I'm doing to hurt my wrists and how to correct it? In Bavaria the bike I rode was too big for me and I could feel I was leaning heavily on my hands but my own bike (Dawes Galaxy Cross) is smaller and I don't lean so much - possibly still a bit though, but I can vary my *hand* position on this one. Is it something that will improve as I ride more and get stronger? So I just have to ride through it? Are there gloves I could get that would support my wrists?

I'd appreciate any thoughts! Thanks

 

[screenman]

If you rotate the bars slightly to bring the hoods closer to you it may improve things.

 

[the snail]

Could be that you injured your wrists on holiday, and now riding is bringing the pain back, so they just need time to heal.

 

[Crackle]

There is a certain amount of adaptation when riding a bike. Bum, neck pain, wrist pain might be expected to some extent until your body becomes used to it. How long and how much will depend on you, your riding and the bike but it shouldn't last long and it should begin to get better each time you ride.

If it isn't that, do you have the bike set up correctly for you. Moving the seat backward and forward a few mm can make a difference, likewise raising the bars it it's an option. Then there are things like decent padded gloves to remove vibration and even changing the grips to a different ergonomic one can help. Likewise you can change the bars too, from flat to a more curved bar which move your wrist to a different alignment. There's a good article here from the late great Sheldon Brown, which discusses the differences

http://sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html

My wife had a similar problem and I fitted her bike with moustache/trekking bars and ergo grips which solved her problem, piccie below.

 

[drummerbod]

As above with regard to Ergo grips...

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ergon-gp1-grips.171119/

 

[Camerabag]

Useful stuff folks! Thanks! Yes, the bike needs a few adjustments - and it's brand new too so needs to bed in a bit - I have been reading up about fitting the bike to yourself as well, so I'm sure I can nail this!

The good thing is, that in spite of the wrist pain, I'm still itching to get back out on it! So that's encouraging!

 

[drummerbod]

Good going in Bavaria by the way.

 

[Camerabag]

Good going in Bavaria by the way.

Thanks! Loved it! I'm sure we'll be back! Dead jealous though - they have lovely cycle paths and roomy trains with loads of space for bikes and the trains were dirt cheap! We paid about €54 for four of us plus four bikes plus one trailer for a 5 hour train journey home!

 

[ayceejay]

You are more likely to damage your wrists (especially on bumpy tracks) if they are cocked, that is bent and not straight.
This site explains it fully cyclemoles.com/2014/01/5-tips-to-prevent-numb-hands-when-you-ride/

 

[cyberknight]

You are more likely to damage your wrists (especially on bumpy tracks) if they are cocked, that is bent and not straight.
This site explains it fully cyclemoles.com/2014/01/5-tips-to-prevent-numb-hands-when-you-ride/

http://www.cyclemoles.com/2014/01/5-tips-to-prevent-numb-hands-when-you-ride/
and
http://bikedynamics.co.uk/achesandpains.htm

 

[ayceejay]

Thanks cyberknight, that makes it much easier to find

 

[paddypete]

i used to have the same problem,changed to butterfly bars,(or treking) same thing,its gone now

 

[Bike Boomer]

This information is very helpful for me too!

 

[paddypete]

Hello - I'm new to the forum. I've cycled for decades - but just as daily transport around town, so have rarely been in the saddle more than an hour or so.

This summer we spent 10 days in Bavaria with some Bavarian friends, who run the local cycle touring group and we did a tour (along the Romantic Road, which was really lovely). We covered 379km cycling 6 - 9 hours a day and had a great time. I was surprised how easy I found it, I didn't get overly tired although I'd expected to, and didn't get saddle sore. It was a great introduction to touring and on our return my husband and I decided to upgrade our bikes and invest in some panniers and try on our own.

However, the problem I did have was that my wrists got very very painful and on my return to the UK my hands were weak and numb for a few days. It passed off, and the couple of little trips I've done on my new bike didn't seem to cause a problem. But yesterday we went out on a quick Christmas flab-busting trip along an old railway track, part tarmac, part cinder path about 26 miles in total. My wrists quickly started to hurt again particularly over the bumpy parts.

Any hints as to why? What I'm doing to hurt my wrists and how to correct it? In Bavaria the bike I rode was too big for me and I could feel I was leaning heavily on my hands but my own bike (Dawes Galaxy Cross) is smaller and I don't lean so much - possibly still a bit though, but I can vary my *hand* position on this one. Is it something that will improve as I ride more and get stronger? So I just have to ride through it? Are there gloves I could get that would support my wrists?

I'd appreciate any thoughts! Thanks

its a bit like,you know when you use heavy power tools, the vibration can cause white finger,good grips and padded gloves will help,and bar extensions or bars you can change your hand position

 

[Camerabag]

You are more likely to damage your wrists (especially on bumpy tracks) if they are cocked, that is bent and not straight.
This site explains it fully cyclemoles.com/2014/01/5-tips-to-prevent-numb-hands-when-you-ride/

Yup - that makes sense! My wrists are really bent and I can tell I'm leaning heavily.