My hands are getting numb...

R

ridnwarrior

Guest
I took a 6 mile ride around town today to get the blood flowing.
It worked but I found my hands going numb.
I would shake it off and keep going but what is causing this?
Am I leaning too far forward?
Maybe my seat height is too high?

Thanks.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
This could be many things..

Death grip on the bars
Stem / bars too close or low
no gloves??
The saddle height is not relevant. The saddle height should not be influenced by bar position.

I would look into Ergon grips.

Many of us use and swear by these. I didn't even realize how big a deal they were until 2 weeks ago I was riding demo bikes for 2 days with round grips. I certainly missed them as my hands hurt.
 

GSTim

Formerly M3Tim
Same thing

I had the same problem and thought that gloves were the issue. Checked a few bike fitting sites and found that my seat was too far from the bars. Moved my seat forward and the problem went away, almost too simple.

Tim
 
R

ridnwarrior

Guest
I had the same problem and thought that gloves were the issue. Checked a few bike fitting sites and found that my seat was too far from the bars. Moved my seat forward and the problem went away, almost too simple.

Tim

Could you clue me into these bike fitting sites?

I do Cross Country ATV racing so I understand the death grip thing.
I am not doing that.

Gloves, no gloves or padded gloves will make a little difference but this numbness is major. I was quite surprised, actually.

I appreciate all the help I get here as I am not new to racing but am definately a newbie when it comes to mountain biking. I am eager to learn from all the experienced riders here.

Thanks.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
You're riding your mtb on the road? Try not to. Also, maybe think about Ergon grips.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
what's wrong with riding one's mtb on the road? :confused:

Nothing specifically. But many people (myself included) have had issues like this more when riding the mtb on the road.

Possibly a better way to say it is that a bad bike fit will be amplified on the road.
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
ah, yes. much better wording. when i rode my poorly fitting(it really was) 1x1 transcon, my hands would get numb after about 20 minutes in the same position. i found that just varrying my hand position and grip solved it. all fingers across the tops of my levers. knuckles on top of gripssit up and just grab the grips with fingers. forearms on grips, hands near stem....
 
J

JDG1317

Guest
seat angle.

I had this issue for a while and solved it by tilting the nose of my saddle up a bit. It was nosed down ever so slightly and now appears to be level to the ground. I read this in some book that explained how even the smallest adjustment to seat angle will cause hips to roll and decrease/increase the weight you put on the hands.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
I had this issue for a while and solved it by tilting the nose of my saddle up a bit. It was nosed down ever so slightly and now appears to be level to the ground. I read this in some book that explained how even the smallest adjustment to seat angle will cause hips to roll and decrease/increase the weight you put on the hands.

Careful here...

Sore hands and better than sore balls.

really.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
ah, yes. much better wording. when i rode my poorly fitting(it really was) 1x1 transcon, my hands would get numb after about 20 minutes in the same position. i found that just varrying my hand position and grip solved it. all fingers across the tops of my levers. knuckles on top of gripssit up and just grab the grips with fingers. forearms on grips, hands near stem....

My original mtn bike had/has a terrible cockpit. The bike is too small and everything is just wrong. When I used to ride it on the road my hands really took the worst of it.

I had this issue for a while and solved it by tilting the nose of my saddle up a bit. It was nosed down ever so slightly and now appears to be level to the ground. I read this in some book that explained how even the smallest adjustment to seat angle will cause hips to roll and decrease/increase the weight you put on the hands.

At some point a while ago I realized my road bike saddle was tilted way forward, not even close to horizontal. I tried making it level with the ground and it was far too much, but now the tilt is slightly down, and things are better with my hands on the road bike.
 
R

ridnwarrior

Guest
Sorry for taking so long to check back.
I understand what you mean about seat position.
I will rock it back a little and see what results I get.
I can go from there.

As far as riding my MTB on the road, sometimes, time only allows for a quick pavement run after work.
 

Minotaur

New Member
I ride my mtb on the road too, and have always had an issue with numb hands. What works for me is to slightly raise the heel of my hand off the handlebar grips and shift a little more of the weight to between my thumb and forefinger. Works like a charm. :)
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
i just threw a pair of the ESI silicone grips on my riser barred commuter. i'll let ye all know how my hands like them tomorrow. they are supposed to reduce numbness.
 
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