Numb fingers after long ride

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Just Us
Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result half
way through day one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I
felt throughout the ride that the palm of my right hand was
uncomfortable and gradually my fingers just went numb. It is
now almost 48hours post ride and still my two fingers remain
numb! We slept by the road over night and I was dismayed to
wake up and still they were numb. So here I sit, still numb!
grrrrr!!! Any suggestions on what other positions I can try
to set up my bars as it is obviously related to position of
my bars/body on the bike. I seem to think I would be better
off with very old fashioned bars that make you sit up
straight and look like a goose! Anyone else had numb
fingers? Kathy.

Yes, after rides over an hour for about a month I had that. It sort of just passed. I did more riding with my hands on the cross bars or on the drop bars. Found the numbness was mostly happening when I had my left hand on the bar just short of the gear/brake handle. Didn't happen on the RH. Weird!

Did you get pins and needles in your hand or fingers at any stage?

Usually these sort of things result from being too tense. Perhaps try doing a few finger wiggles every so often, or change hand position.

Another thing to check is how tight you have your glove around your wrist or fingers.

Can't think of much else, except congrats for sticking at the long ride in discomfort.

Hi Kathy You didn't mention what type of bars you have but
regardless of whether they be drop bars or flat you could
look at putting extensions on them so that you have more
than the one the position to choose from thus eleviating
the constant pressure on the one part of your hands. Maybe
a better padded gloves and bars may also help but if that
all fails be a "goose" if you find it more comfortable.
Regards Rod

"just us" <[email hidden] wrote in message
news: [email hidden]... Well we rode some
230kms on the weekend and as a result half way through day
one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I felt throughout
the ride that the palm of my right hand was uncomfortable
and gradually my fingers just went numb. It is now almost
48hours post ride and still my two fingers remain numb! We
slept by the road over night and I was dismayed to wake up
and still they were numb. So here I sit, still numb!
grrrrr!!! Any suggestions on what other positions I can try
to set up my bars as it is obviously related to position of
my bars/body on the bike. I seem to think I would be better
off with very old fashioned bars that make you sit up
straight and look like a goose! Anyone else had numb
fingers? Kathy.

I get a slight numbing of the fingers when I go for longer
rides with an older (and hence tighter...) top on. I think
it pinches a nerve or a vein under my arm or something. It
is worse when I use my arm warmers too.

"just us" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result
half way through

day

Quoted message said:

one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I felt throughout
the ride that

the

Quoted message said:

palm of my right hand was uncomfortable and gradually my
fingers just went numb. It is now almost 48hours post ride
and still my two fingers remain numb! We slept by the road
over night and I was dismayed to wake up and still they
were numb. So here I sit, still numb! grrrrr!!! Any
suggestions on what other positions I can try to set up my
bars as it is obviously related to position of my
bars/body on the bike. I seem to think I would

be

Quoted message said:

better off with very old fashioned bars that make you sit
up straight and look like a goose! Anyone else had numb
fingers? Kathy.

just us said:

Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result
half way through day one my ring and pinky fingers were
numb. I felt throughout the ride that the palm of my right
hand was uncomfortable and gradually my fingers just went
numb. It is now almost 48hours post ride and still my two
fingers remain numb! We slept by the road over night and I
was dismayed to wake up and still they were numb. So here
I sit, still numb! grrrrr!!! Any suggestions on what other
positions I can try to set up my bars as it is obviously
related to position of my bars/body on the bike. I seem to
think I would be better off with very old fashioned bars
that make you sit up straight and look like a goose!
Anyone else had numb fingers? Kathy.

Try riding with your wrists straight, instead of bent back
(at least when you feel the numbness starting). This advice
(with an explanation) was given on rec.bicycles.tech at one
stage, and I find it helps a lot.

John

Getting stuck in the one position can be bad, especially on longer rides.

You need to change poitions regularly (altho I get 'stuck on my ergos all the time wearing my thumbs/ball of hand out constantly...)

Flat bars can be very bad on longer rides, especially if your riding poition means you are placing alot of weight forwards onto them.
The position your hands are in on flats is particualrly bad for your wrists/forearms over extended periods as your elbows are pointing out, as opposed to down/in when on drop-bars (refer to touring bikes which use drops mainly for this and the wide variety of hand positions they give you)

Bar-ends are really a must on flatbars, no matter what the riding and wide flatbars actually make the problem worse over extended periods too

PS where'd you ride?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Just Us
Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result half
way through day one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I
felt throughout the ride that the palm of my right hand was
uncomfortable and gradually my fingers just went numb. It is
now almost 48hours post ride and still my two fingers remain
numb! We slept by the road over night and I was dismayed to
wake up and still they were numb. So here I sit, still numb!
grrrrr!!! Any suggestions on what other positions I can try
to set up my bars as it is obviously related to position of
my bars/body on the bike. I seem to think I would be better
off with very old fashioned bars that make you sit up
straight and look like a goose! Anyone else had numb
fingers? Kathy.

sounds like you have ulnar nerve neuropraxia - the nerce has been squashed! It will recover (slowly) but suggests a bike setup problem. Your handlebars may be too low relative to the seat height and you may benefit from either another layer of handlebar tape or some of that new Specialized Bar Phat. Check your bike setup first though.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by ProfTournesol
sounds like you have ulnar nerve neuropraxia - the nerce has been squashed!

oops - nerve not nerce!

Thanks all - I do think it is related to my bars, as I am
leaning forward all the time and find that my full weight is
on my hands. I am going to go in search of different bars
and positions. ( btw my fingers are still numb and it is
Tuesday night and this first started on Saturday!) Flying
dutch, we live in Far North Qld and are in training for the
Coast to Coast ride
ridefnq.comframeset2.htmlOpen ↗ so are out
riding over 2 days most weekends. This ride was from Tolga
to Lakeland Downs - hot and hilly. Chased by bulls and
pigs!! This weekend I will try a different position with my
bars and see if my fingers are better. We are on a tandem -
so probably I could look like a goose up the back!!! Kathy.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Just Us
Thanks all - I do think it is related to my bars, as I am
leaning forward all the time and find that my full weight is
on my hands. I am going to go in search of different bars
and positions. ( btw my fingers are still numb and it is
Tuesday night and this first started on Saturday!) Flying
dutch, we live in Far North Qld and are in training for the
Coast to Coast ride
ridefnq.comframeset2.htmlOpen ↗ so are out
riding over 2 days most weekends. This ride was from Tolga
to Lakeland Downs - hot and hilly. Chased by bulls and
pigs!! This weekend I will try a different position with my
bars and see if my fingers are better. We are on a tandem -
so probably I could look like a goose up the back!!! Kathy.

if your up the back of a tandem youre weight doesnt need to be so far forward. can you adjust the position so you are more upright and get your weight off your hands more?
No type of bars are going to solve this until you do, most likely!

If your tandem has the standard stoker bars on em you may just have to slide your hands laterally along the bars for variety. Maybe slide the bracket/stem thats attached to the drivers' seatpost up a bit rather than adjust the angle of the bars alone

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Just Us
We are on a tandem -
so probably I could look like a goose up the back!!! Kathy.

Maybe you could get someone to build a stocker flex stem for a tandem?
That might relieve some of the jarring if that's what is causing problems.
I have a "normal" flex stem kicking around and it wouldn't be that difficult to TIG weld a different clamp to fit a seat post - not that I am looking for another job at the moment to add to all the personal ones.

Pete - Canberra

(or you could try one of those funny recumbent bikes - I've heard they are pretty comfortable after a long ride)

"just us" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well we rode some 230kms on the weekend and as a result
half way through

day

Quoted message said:

one my ring and pinky fingers were numb. I felt throughout
the ride that

the

Quoted message said:

palm of my right hand was uncomfortable and gradually my
fingers just went numb. It is now almost 48hours post ride
and still my two fingers remain numb! We slept by the road
over night and I was dismayed to wake up and still they
were numb. So here I sit, still numb! grrrrr!!! Any
suggestions on what other positions I can try to set up my
bars as it is obviously related to position of my
bars/body on the bike. I seem to think I would

be

Quoted message said:

better off with very old fashioned bars that make you sit
up straight and look like a goose! Anyone else had numb
fingers? Kathy.

Yep... numb fingers and neck/arm/hand pain doing all sorts
of things. 10 years of a physio fiddling around with my neck
and telling me it was all from a pinched nerve in my neck.
Another doctor sent me off for a nerve conduction study
which quickly identified carpal tunnel troubles. Once I had
surgery my neck came good, no more pain and discomfort! My
hand hasn't recovered well, though, after having the nerve
compressed for so long. With your ring and pinky numb it
won't be carpal tunnel (tht affects the thumb and index).
You could have a compressed radial nerve though.

My advice would be twofold:
(1) Get thee to a quackery and have your doctor refer you
for a nerve cnduction study. It may save you treating
the wrong thing and causing further damage to what's
wrong. The trouble may be referred from elsewhere (neck,
elbow, shoulder...)
(2) For the time being, until the problem is properly
diagnosed, pay attention to where the most pressure on
your hand is while riding. If it's on the pinky side,
you could be compressing the radial nerve. You can try
rotating the bars a little to even the out pressure
across your hands.Alternatively you can try a slightly
higher or shorter stem or different bars. If you're too
stretched out you may have too much weight on your
hands. A shorter stem may help by closing you up a
little and without perching you too upright (which can
be uncomfortable on the bum when too much weight is on
the seat).

Overall, get seen to by a proper health/cycling/sports
doctor and the people to which he refers you.Take any advice
from here as a interim measure until someone who can explore
more sees you. I took too long to get proper advice and, two
years down the track, still have trouble holding my bars.
Nerves take a long time to regenerate.

Toodles,

Frank