I have a constant issue of my hands going numb on a ride. Even a short commuting ride (10k) this is an issue. I usually try to prevent this by wearing cycling gloves and frequently switching hand positions, but my current bike is just a commuter with a straight bar. I was going to buy a drop bar, but then I would have to change my entire shifting and break setup, in which case I might as well buy a new bike (I live in Norway – everything is expensive). What else can I do to avoid numb hands? Bar ends? Track-style bullhorn bar? I would like to figure this out before my 8-day tour next month!
by branston2010
6 Comments
Bar ends (long ones) and raise the bar a little. You are probablyputting too much weight on your hands.
Your fundamental issue is that you have too much weight on your hands. Gloves don’t help with that.
Shorten the stem, raise the bars, bring the seat forward. Or just put less weight on your hands.
There are lots of potential reasons, and it’s surprisingly rarely about the contact point itself.
Among the potential reasons: my hands stopped going numb when I started to pay attention to “pushing against” the handlebar, applying a bit of muscle tension in the chest, shoulder and upper back area. How and why did this work? Turns out, my shoulders are just a touch loose, and “hanging” my upper body instead of bracing allowed a nerve to be pinched.
Handlebars that are angled back will also help
I would be surprised if your saddle angle isn’t making this so much worse, it’s pretty tilted downward which would slide you forward putting more weight on your hands and wrists.
Thanks for the quick responses! This all makes a lot of sense. I used to ride a track bike for short sprints; clearly I have not made necessary adjustments for long distance.