Numb Hands From Biking

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

Quoted message said:

My hands get numb from biking distances (like greater than
35 miles) without aerobars. It lasts for weeks, and by
then I have another long ride--i.e. I have it all the
time. I wear gloves, and try to remember to change hand
positions. If I can't avoid it, I would at least like to
know of some therapy that would make it subside quicker
(so I can do it all over again next weekend). Any thoughts
on how to make it go away. I serioulsy effects my hand
strength to where I have trouble holding my fingers
together when swimming, or even shifting my road bike
(brake lever doubles as a shifter). Is it legal to tape or
rubberband my fingers together on the swim?

More Info is probably needed:

The obvious question would be about how much weight you have
on your hands.

Based upon the limited info, I recommend a Google search on
"bikers palsy".

rsquared

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Ironic) said:

My hands get numb from biking distances (like greater than
35 miles) without aerobars. It lasts for weeks, and by
then I have another long ride--i.e. I have it all the
time. I wear gloves, and try to remember to change hand
positions. If I can't avoid it, I would at least like to
know of some therapy that would make it subside quicker
(so I can do it all over again next weekend). Any thoughts
on how to make it go away. I serioulsy effects my hand
strength to where I have trouble holding my fingers
together when swimming, or even shifting my road bike
(brake lever doubles as a shifter). Is it legal to tape or
rubberband my fingers together on the swim?

Since you're already wearing gloves, some of this may be a
bike-fit problem. It sounds like you may have too much
weight on your hands.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Th-
en it was every other day. . . ."
- Homer J. Simpson

Thanks. I did the search, and it looks like you hit it on
the head. Are you inside my plan or outside, and do you
accept Mastercard for the Co-pay?

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

My hands get numb from biking distances (like greater
than 35 miles) without aerobars. It lasts for weeks, and
by then I have another long ride--i.e. I have it all the
time. I wear gloves, and try to remember to change hand
positions. If I can't avoid it, I would at least like to
know of some therapy that would make it subside quicker
(so I can do it all over again next weekend). Any
thoughts on how to make it go away. I serioulsy effects
my hand strength to where I have trouble holding my
fingers together when swimming, or even shifting my road
bike (brake lever doubles as a shifter). Is it legal to
tape or rubberband my fingers together on the swim?

More Info is probably needed:

The obvious question would be about how much weight you
have on your hands.

Based upon the limited info, I recommend a Google search
on "bikers palsy".

rsquared

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

Quoted message said:

Thanks. I did the search, and it looks like you hit it on
the head. Are you inside my plan or outside, and do you
accept Mastercard for the Co-pay?

No charge. I am proof that if you stick around long enough,
you become an accidental expert on some things. Glad it
helped. : )

Good Luck!

rsquared

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

Quoted message said:

My hands get numb from biking distances (like greater than
35 miles) without aerobars. It lasts for weeks, and by
then I have another long ride--i.e. I have it all the
time. I wear gloves, and try to remember to change hand
positions. If I can't avoid it, I would at least like to
know of some therapy that would make it subside quicker
(so I can do it all over again next weekend). Any thoughts
on how to make it go away. I serioulsy effects my hand
strength to where I have trouble holding my fingers
together when swimming, or even shifting my road bike
(brake lever doubles as a shifter). Is it legal to tape or
rubberband my fingers together on the swim?

I recently purchased a nice set of gloves. The only
problem is, the padding in the heel is too stiff, which
causes my hands to go numb...to the point of a tingly
feeling for days.

Looks like I'll have to purchase some softer gloves or go
back to no gloves.

a.

Not sure what you're on, but I noticed I was getting numb
hands less often once I switched to carbon forks. Gel padded
gloves helped as well.

I can only assume that tying your fingers together is
illegal for the swim. Perhaps you can ask a race director,
but I know I wouldn't be bold enough to risk
disqualification.

Jeff

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

Quoted message said:

My hands get numb from biking distances (like greater than
35 miles) without aerobars. It lasts for weeks, and by
then I have another long ride--i.e. I have it all the
time. I wear gloves, and try to remember to change hand
positions. If I can't avoid it, I would at least like to
know of some therapy that would make it subside quicker
(so I can do it all over again next weekend). Any thoughts
on how to make it go away. I serioulsy effects my hand
strength to where I have trouble holding my fingers
together when swimming, or even shifting my road bike
(brake lever doubles as a shifter). Is it legal to tape or
rubberband my fingers together on the swim?

"Jeff Alexander" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:Sh6wc.2328$AU1.1838
@nwrddc01.gnilink.net:

Quoted message said:

Not sure what you're on

"I'm on my bike 6 hours a day, working my ass off. What
are you on?"

Just couldn't resist the Lance quote.

[email hidden] (Ironic) wrote in news:38f527b7.0406031417.2c077507
@posting.google.com:

Quoted message said:

My hands get numb from biking distances (like greater than
35 miles) without aerobars. It lasts for weeks, and by
then I have another long ride--i.e. I have it all the
time. I wear gloves, and try to remember to change hand
positions. If I can't avoid it, I would at least like to
know of some therapy that would make it subside quicker
(so I can do it all over again next weekend). Any thoughts
on how to make it go away. I serioulsy effects my hand
strength to where I have trouble holding my fingers
together when swimming, or even shifting my road bike
(brake lever doubles as a shifter). Is it legal to tape or
rubberband my fingers together on the swim?

I can think of three ways to dampen the thousands of tiny
impacts bike riders experience from the road:

- carbon forks are softer than those of aluminium.
- bike gloves with cushion gel.
- adding an extra layer of tape to your handlebars to make
them thicker and softer.

sinc. Kim

"Jeff Alexander" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Not sure what you're on, but I noticed I was getting numb
hands less often once I switched to carbon forks. Gel
padded gloves helped as well.

They can make it worse too. Depends on the gloves, the
bars,and the grip that's used.

Quoted message said:

I can only assume that tying your fingers together is
illegal for the swim.

Tourniquets are hardly used in modern first aid because
there are so many downsides.

Quoted message said:

Perhaps you can ask a race director, but I know I wouldn't
be bold enough to risk disqualification.

If you don't do potentially dumb things then you don't need
to ask if they will be against the rules....

BTW, Jeff, please don't top-post. It makes replying
coherently harder than necessary. TIA.

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

My hands get numb from biking distances (like greater
than 35 miles) without aerobars. It lasts for weeks, and
by then I have another long ride--i.e. I have it all the
time. I wear gloves, and try to remember to change hand
positions.

Do you ever get this off the bike? If so, see a doc.

Do you only get this on the bike? It should be possible to
get the bike set up right, because it's wrong now.

And it may not be gloves or anything, most likely it's stem
length/height and/or seat position.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If I can't avoid it,

I think you can.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I would at least like to know of some therapy that would
make it subside quicker (so I can do it all over again
next weekend). Any thoughts on how to make it go away. I
serioulsy effects my hand strength to where I have
trouble holding my fingers together when swimming,

Well, the latest advice from some leading coaches is that
holding your fingers together provides less drag on the
water than letting them relax, and it uses energy that you
could save for the bike and run to boot.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

or even shifting my road bike (brake lever doubles as a
shifter). Is it legal to tape or rubberband my fingers
together on the swim?

Don't mistake a self-applied tourniquet as anything but a
shortcut to worse troubles.
--
"To ... just not care that there are naked triathletes
running across your lawn, that's just a waste of
exhibitionism."
- Kibo, in alt.religion.kibology

TriDane <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Ironic) wrote in
news:38f527b7.0406031417.2c077507 @posting.google.com:

Quoted message said:

My hands get numb from biking distances (like greater
than 35 miles) without aerobars. It lasts for weeks, and
by then I have another long ride--i.e. I have it all the
time. I wear gloves, and try to remember to change hand
positions. If I can't avoid it, I would at least like to
know of some therapy that would make it subside quicker
(so I can do it all over again next weekend). Any
thoughts on how to make it go away. I serioulsy effects
my hand strength to where I have trouble holding my
fingers together when swimming, or even shifting my road
bike (brake lever doubles as a shifter). Is it legal to
tape or rubberband my fingers together on the swim?

I can think of three ways to dampen the thousands of tiny
impacts bike riders experience from the road:

Thanks Kim:

I have #1 (Cervelo P2K). I have #2. I just did #3.

Greg

Quoted message said:

- carbon forks are softer than those of aluminium.
- bike gloves with cushion gel.
- adding an extra layer of tape to your handlebars to make
them thicker and softer.

sinc. Kim