Sore hands & shoulders

[Shropshirelass]

Ok I’m not sure if this is going to be a case of me just adapting to my new bike & needing to toughen up a bit. But I’ve just got a new road / racer bike & I cycle quite regularly around 4-5 miles a month doing probably around upto 20 miles in a round trip & that’s been on a hybrid. I go running twice a day most weeks & swimming 3-4 times a week so it’s not like I’m unfit or the muscles are being underused. I did wonder if I’d started working different muscles.

I’ve only done a couple of short rides on this new bike & both my shoulders & hands around my thumbs & fingers get quite sore, is this just me getting used to the bike as I’m riding in different positions? & any creams or will gloves help my hands?

 

[si_c]

A hybrid bike generally has you in a much more upright position than a road bike, which means you put less weight through your wrists and shoulders and more on your posterior, so it sounds like you're leaning on the bars more than perhaps is ideal. I'd try and transfer the weight bearing to your core a bit more, rather than leaning on the bars use a light touch and hold the weight more like you are doing a sit-up, if that makes sense.

Another possibility is that the bars are a little bit low for you, do you have any spacers above the stem of the bike like this? If so, you could move some of them below to raise the height of the bars, which should help with comfort.

It might help a bit if you give us your height and the size of your bike as well, just as a point of reference.

 

[alicat]

Padded gloves will definitely help. Also padded bar tape.

 

[cyberknight]

http://wheel-easy.org.uk/uploads/documents/Bike Set Up 2017a.pdf
pretty good bike fit , i disagree with the reach as i use fingers to back of bar rather than to stem but everyone has different length arms etc , stll gives me stem hiding front hub

 

[Welsh wheels]

Ok I’m not sure if this is going to be a case of me just adapting to my new bike & needing to toughen up a bit. But I’ve just got a new road / racer bike & I cycle quite regularly around 4-5 miles a month doing probably around upto 20 miles in a round trip & that’s been on a hybrid. I go running twice a day most weeks & swimming 3-4 times a week so it’s not like I’m unfit or the muscles are being underused. I did wonder if I’d started working different muscles.

I’ve only done a couple of short rides on this new bike & both my shoulders & hands around my thumbs & fingers get quite sore, is this just me getting used to the bike as I’m riding in different positions? & any creams or will gloves help my hands?

+ 1 for gloves. Is the bike the right size i.e. recommended size for your height?

 

[Shropshirelass]

Ok well my next step was to try it with gloves & a bit of hand cream after riding, but I wasn’t sure if I’d have to put straps on my hands.

I’m 5.6ft & the bike I believe is a 51cm frame I think, I’m going to measure it properly today I think as I bought it 2nd hand but when looking for a bike this 1 & 1 other were the only 2 I found I felt safe & comfortable on & both had quite a cost difference.

 

[vickster]

I expect your riding position is out and you’re leaning too much on your hands and shoulders. You could try flipping the stem, checking your handle bars aren’t too wide and also that you aren’t over stretched reach wise (you should have bent elbows)

 

[Milkfloat]

To me - bent elbows are what I would look out for first. If your arms are locked and you are tense then I would expect your exact symptoms.