Numbness in Hands After Spins

Dr_Colossus

Hi
Just checking if some of you experienced cyclists can advise if what's causing the following. Story is that over the past few weekends I've taken to a few spins ranging from 50-90km on routes ranging from fairly flat out along the coast to fairly undulation routes up the dublin mountains. I'm on an mtb with a fixed steel frame and after an hour or two start getting pins and needles in the hands and later the feeling of numbness. Has been worse the first time or two but even on my 4th spin today I now have a bit of numbness in the right hand. Don't wear gloves or anything like that so maybe that would help? Could be the bike and just natural vibrations up from the road as some of them are appalling especially at the side of the road where we cyclists are forced to ride.
Thanks

DirkVoodoo

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

Hi
Just checking if some of you experienced cyclists can advise if what's causing the following. Story is that over the past few weekends I've taken to a few spins ranging from 50-90km on routes ranging from fairly flat out along the coast to fairly undulation routes up the dublin mountains. I'm on an mtb with a fixed steel frame and after an hour or two start getting pins and needles in the hands and later the feeling of numbness. Has been worse the first time or two but even on my 4th spin today I now have a bit of numbness in the right hand. Don't wear gloves or anything like that so maybe that would help? Could be the bike and just natural vibrations up from the road as some of them are appalling especially at the side of the road where we cyclists are forced to ride.
Thanks

What type of MTB is it? Consider wearing some padded gloves (big improvement) and/or getting bar ends to give you more hand positions. I find the mountain bike kills my hands while I rarely get any pain on the road bike. It can also be down to your setup, your weight should be distributed evenly between your hands, feet and sit bones in your bum.

Chips Lovell

Gloves might help. Most have padding along the pressure points. But you may be leaning too much on the bars, i.e. putting your weight on them. Keep your elbows bent.

hillclimber

Gloves will help, as its a mountainbike you could also try a different set of grips. Chainreaction cycles have a huge selection.

brayblue24

I was getting this last year but on a road bike. As above I got a good pair of gloves. I also changed the saddle position, bringing it slightly forwards. I also pulled the handlebars slightly back and, on the advice of the good folk in my LBS he thought one arm was slightly longer then the other so I turned the bars a very small amount to compensate. That allowed me to bend the elbows properly and no repeats this year.:)

Dr_Colossus

Thanks for the advise, I think my weight is fairly evenly distributed between saddle, pedals and handlebars but I don't bend my elbows much. I would keep a small flex in them but maybe not as much as I should. Will also try bringing the saddle forward a bit to see how that works and will consider changing the handle bar grips as they're fairly solid and don't absorb much of the vibrations.
Don't have a road bike but considering it at the moment under the cycle to work scheme as would be nice for a few longer spins without killing yourself in the process.
Thanks again.

gman2k

Just got a pair of ergo grips on my MTB, and they are the comfiest grips I've ever had.
Would never go back to round grips now.

quietobserver

ensure the saddle is level so as not to have your weight falling forward onto the bars?

eggie

Its probably tendonitis in your elbow, the ulna nerve causes the forearm and hand to lose dexterity, power, or go numb.

Happened myself, lowered saddle and brought it forward for some relief. Gloves will help.

I still have it but only cause I havent stayed off the bike for long enough to recede properly.

Lumen

eggie wrote: »

Happened myself, lowered saddle and brought it forward for some relief.

AFAIK bring the saddle forward will increase pressure on hands, not decrease.

Ryaner

There have been a few threads on the boards about this, one of which had a very useful link about what the pain is and how to sort it. Escaping me right now.

Watching the weight distrubtion is great advise though. I ended up with numb fingers last Sunday which then spread to my hand and arm. Didn't fully recover till Thursday. All cause I slightly adjusted how I was sitting on the bike and spent most of the day in the hoods.

dsaint1

Ryaner is this the link you're looking for http://www.cptips.com/handsyn.htm

You posted it on my thread about numbness in hand/fingers a few days back.

Ryaner

That is the one alright. Very useful although I'm still going to visit the guys in Irishfit.eu this week to make sure. Don't want it reoccuring if I decide to head down to the tour of kilkenny.