sore hands

[Randochap]

As an aside. I managed to fix my hand numbness problem today buy changing the stock, deep-rimmed wheel for a 'normal' shallower one that was lying around. I'm guessing the original wheel was too stiff and transmitted every road bump straight to my hands.

Yep. That's why I asked about tyre pressure. There's a very hard to dislodge misapprehension around here that the narrower and harder the tyre, the better the performance -- which completely ignores conditions, rider weight and other variables.

For long distance riding, the prime consideration is not how fast you can sprint for a mile, it's how long you can endure sitting on a bike. Therefore, comfort, not fashion or race-centric orthodoxy, should form the basis for all kit choices.