Right hand going numb when riding…..

[PaulSB]

As an aside on the bar width aspect of this. As I have grown older, in years only, over the past ten years I have narrowed my bars considerably. My recently purchased road bike has 37cm bars, these are far more comfortable than my old road bike. I'll be converting this to 37 before winter, her new role. My gravel bike is wider, I think 39/40 but need to check, and I need to consider if 37 would be suitable for this bike - I'm a little concerned by the control aspect.

On the new bike, 37 cm bars, the shoulder and neck ache that was beginning to build has disappeared. I have reduced the stem length as well.

 

[Deeferdonk]

I have a fitted a Redshift shockstop suspension stem to a gravel bike and find that i don't get the same hand buzz that i get riding my bikes with a rigid stem. (possibly an expensive solution but if interested its worth getting on the redshift mail list as they seem to have Sales every so often)

 

[sevenfourate]

I'm 72 and don't suffer from this or any similar aches and pains because I've adjusted my position as my body ages to address any discomfort that raises its head. I've done this alone and with professional help. You absolutely should not accept that's just how it is now. 55? You're young.

I've genuinely tried to follow the thread from the start this morning without success. That's my fault. I'll offer two comments. The bars in your most recent image look, to be blunt, ridiculously wide. I'd expect to encounter a lot of discomfort in the position I imagine they give you. Seven hours on the DD must have been very uncomfortable.

Second I genuinely worry those adaptors you've added significantly reduce the control you have over the bike, far too narrow.

Sometimes professional help is the only solution. At the opposite end of the body the soles of my feet began to ache badly around the second metatarsal. I spoke to a podiatrist.

The diagnosis is I have arthritis in the first metatarsal preventing it from functioning correctly. This transfers excessive weight bearing on to the second metatarsal causing it to inflame and ache. A support in my shoe to tip the foot towards the first metatarsal reduced the weight bearing and solved the issue literally instantly.

I doubt I would ever have conceived of this let alone fixed it inside five minutes. You pays your money..........

Thanks for your thoughts.

Bars are wide agreed. We’ve identified and will work on (Further) when back from vacation. As discussed (Elsewhere here ?)…..that may involve reducing the fleet / buying new equipment or bikes / getting fit / only having maybe 2 similar and fitted bikes; instead of 9 ‘random’…….

From that - I bought the inner handles as an immediate, cheap, easily reversed trial. They are 350mm apart at the gripping face. And that is the maximum I could go without the clamp of those interfering with the housing of the gear change levers both sides.

To have the option of a change in hand / body position was great on the last ride. Width felt different for sure ! Not unholy and outright dangerous by any means….

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I understand at 55 it will possibly always be with me now.

I agree with others that 55 is no age to be accepting aches and pains (and numbness) being the norm.

 

[Punkawallah]

To have the option of a change in hand / body position was great on the last ride. Width felt different for sure ! Not unholy and outright dangerous by any means….

You’re obviously not going fast enough, then :-j

 

[sevenfourate]

You’re obviously not going fast enough, then :-j

Oh I dunno. I had a couple of (relative) soles wobbles 😉