Talk to me about numb hands

[Skott5]

I seem to be suffering with numb hands after about 15 minutes or so on the bike, what are the things that I can reasonably try and do to alleviate this?

Is it something that improves with TITS?

 

TITs makes everything better ...

 

But the as others have pointed out, you need to look at your setup and distribute your contact point across the bike.

 

A good pair of shock absorbing silicone grips also helps ease the numbness after 2 or 3 hours in the saddle, but you should not be feeling numb after 15 minutes. 

[Amberdrake]

15min is a very short time frame, Most likely your setup is incorrect and you would need to change something with seat position as mentioned. The grips and gloves route made it worse for me but better for a friend. Good Luck start small and if you havn't yet had a bike fit maybe go for one.

[forkie]

it may also be carpel tunnel (as it was for me) and surgery could be required

[The Ghost]

Yeah, so many things because nothing is easy   

The seat height is as per the BG fit, the bars we did lift slightly with a spacer (for my neck though) and I'd be loathe to lift them higher as steep inclines already have the front wheel very light   .

The stem is also quite short, and I deliberately looked for a bike with a shorter reach to the bars.

I can look at the seat angle, and even change the seat, but I recall having this problem on my previous bike as well as my motorcycle. I think that contour grips helped a bit some time back but I cant remember.

[Geronimo]

15min is a very short time frame, Most likely your setup is incorrect and you would need to change something with seat position as mentioned. The grips and gloves route made it worse for me but better for a friend. Good Luck start small and if you havn't yet had a bike fit maybe go for one.

I used to get numb hands after about 45 mins. Went for a bike fit and had to change my stem from 100 to 80mm. My saddle was also slightly adjusted. I still get numb hands at max 60 mins into a ride. No idea what to try next.

[Li Mu Bai]

I seem to be suffering with numb hands after about 15 minutes or so on the bike, what are the things that I can reasonably try and do to alleviate this?

Is it something that improves with TITS?

You need to develop your core muscles through specific core exercises. This will enable your body core to carry your weight better than forcing your arms to do all the work once you get tired after a little while of riding.

Helps for both road and mtb. You do move about a lot more on a mtb, so numb hands might be less noticeable.

 

Bike fit helps partly too, but isnt the solution.

[Li Mu Bai]

As weird as it may sound, but what are TITS?

What ladies have.

[EmJayZA]

I started cycling 10 months ago, and only really sorted my numb hands issues now. My left hand would get so numb that shifting was almost impossible. 

 

What I did:

 

- Double taped my handlebars. 

- Got a proper fit. My saddle was raised, put in a shorter stem, lowered it and moved my hoods up a bit. 

- Worked on relaxing and making an effort to move my hands more. 

 

I wear gloves, but that's more for protection in case of a fall. My left hand still gets numb, as I think there is a nerve right running where I make contact with the handlebars, so I have to move it around quite a bit. 

 

15 minutes sounds extreme. My longest ride to date has been 4.5 hours and I don't have any major discomfort. 

[Irons]

raise your brake levers and shifters a few degrees and test quick 

 

This. My numbness was a function of a poor bike fit (i.e. 2cm to small, and poor saddle, handlebar config). Pivoting the angle of the bar upwards by a few centimeters solved my issue.

[GrahamS2]

I can look at the seat angle, and even change the seat, but I recall having this problem on my previous bike as well as my motorcycle. I think that contour grips helped a bit some time back but I cant remember.

A minute adjustment to seat angle (even 3 degrees) has a massive effect on hand pressure. I had the same issue and it was seat angle that caused it.

[The Ghost]

Just to confirm, that would be adjusting the front upwards slightly?

[Warthog]

I had the same problem, especially pinky and ring fingers. Tried many things. Contour grips made it worse for me, but what really helped me was the specialized gloves (Grail) that Dieter mentioned.

 

But of course everyone is different, and experimentation can be expensive.

 

That is carpal tunnel. There are 2 "main nerves" going to your hand. The one nerve reguates the pinkie and outer half of ring finger, and with the other nerve the rest of the hand.

 

Had my right hand repaired some 20+ years ago, need to get the left done sometime...

 

Go check there's been a fred on it.

[GrahamS2]

Just to confirm, that would be adjusting the front upwards slightly?

Yes.

[Karman de Lange]

Do the balance test ... ride bike, take hands of the handle bar without pushing off, if you faceplant the handlebars you have to much presure  on bars.

 

http://www.ilovebicycling.com/fore-aft-saddle-position/

 

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/kops.html

[bikebloke]

That is carpal tunnel. There are 2 "main nerves" going to your hand. The one nerve reguates the pinkie and outer half of ring finger, and with the other nerve the rest of the hand.

 

Had my right hand repaired some 20+ years ago, need to get the left done sometime...

 

Go check there's been a fred on it.

no it isnt ...

A relatively common complaint among cyclists known medically as Ulnar neuropathy but also as handlebar palsy. It's caused by compression of the ulnar nerve, which enervates your ring and little finger, and manifests in the fingers as tingling, numbness or pain or weakness in the hand

[lechatnoir]

Your saddle might be tilted nose down causing you to be heavier on your bars. 

 

I had the opposite... had numb hands until I tilted nose downwards, but then i also moved the saddle FORWARD for more improvement

 

I still struggle a bit, but I have a slipped disc @ C5/6, and that affects my pinky and ring fingers when I stay in one position too long. Also, I've found that gloves exacerbate the issue for some reason.