Weight all on palms

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Post Reply
Rob87
Posts: 53
Joined: 7 May 2016, 7:42pm

Weight all on palms

Post by Rob87 »

Eyup all.
Been for my first ride without incident (ie puntures, lack of derailure etc) and loved it, who knew road bikes could be fast!.
Anyhow, as my prevuoys posts/whinge about the bike (a 52cm specialized allez sport) will tell yous ive had my issues. This time its not mechanical it's to do with all the weight being on the palms of my hands.
Im 5'6 on a good day and accorsing to bike factory that's the right sizes frame. The bike feels small but then it's my 1st road bike ao this may be natural.
Could the bike be too small and placing weight on my hands by pushing me forward? Or could this be a set up issue?
When i grip the underslung part of the bars i feel too bemt over, ny elbows are about half way between knee and hip bones. If that makea any sense.

So would a hugher riser help? Or do you (the think tank of cycling) reckon bikes too small? Be a [inappropriate term removed] as ive spent money it.
User avatar
531colin
Posts: 16083
Joined: 4 Dec 2009, 6:56pm
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Weight all on palms

Post by 531colin »

Too much weight on your hands is invariably caused by the saddle being too far forward.
Slide the saddle as far back as it will go in the fitment on the top of the seatpost.....if there is still too much weight on your hands, try a layback seatpost https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=104331&p=1153253&hilit=layback#p1153253
There is a link in my sig. strip to a basic bike fit guide.
A link to the bike geometry table and photos of you on the bike similar to the photos on my guide would be useful
eileithyia
Posts: 8399
Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: Weight all on palms

Post by eileithyia »

Try Saddle back a bit?
Post a picture of you on your set-up so we can see what it looks like?
Get a bike fit?
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
whoof
Posts: 2519
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Weight all on palms

Post by whoof »

With regards to the size of your bike. You are 5'6" and have a 52 cm Specialized Allez sport. I'm 5' 8" and have a 52cm Specialized Tarmac which fits me fine. I was replacing a bike with a top tube length of 54 cm and this has a 'virtual' top tube of 53.7 cm. I have therefore managed to get of my contact point in the same position as my previous bikes for which I had someone set me up on.

Looking at the relative geometries of the two bike they are pretty much the same (the odd mm different here and there) so I useless one of us is shaped very oddly (extremely long legs and tiny body etc) then it is unlikely that the bike is too small for you. As above if you can post a picture of you on it that would be useful.
mercalia
Posts: 14630
Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Weight all on palms

Post by mercalia »

could also be seat too high or bars too low?
Rob87
Posts: 53
Joined: 7 May 2016, 7:42pm

Re: Weight all on palms

Post by Rob87 »

Sorry about late reply. Have slid yhe seat back and this has helped so thanks for the advice.
The bars being low is also a factor i reckon but wouldnt know how to heighten them. Ive pulled the bacl to raise the hoods but thats about it. Maybe some other bars would be an idea.
malvandy
Posts: 71
Joined: 5 Mar 2017, 7:34pm
Location: Central France

Re: Weight all on palms

Post by malvandy »

Well this comes as a bit of a surprise to me a 52cm frame for a 5'6" guy, now there's a thing. I am 2" taller than you & ride a 50cm & all seems ok for me . I must admit though, never had a bike fit, don't get to much pressure on my palms. Hey ho one day I will get the fit if needs be.
User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Weight all on palms

Post by foxyrider »

Rob87 wrote:Sorry about late reply. Have slid yhe seat back and this has helped so thanks for the advice.
The bars being low is also a factor i reckon but wouldnt know how to heighten them. Ive pulled the bacl to raise the hoods but thats about it. Maybe some other bars would be an idea.


I know it might sound like blasphemy but if you don't know how to flip the stem you could go see your local IBD.

Tilting the levers up is not any kind of solution and will likely make you less comfortable and able to control the bike.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Vorpal
Moderator
Posts: 20700
Joined: 19 Jan 2009, 3:34pm
Location: Not there ;)

Re: Weight all on palms

Post by Vorpal »

Have you followed the set-up guide from Colin's post? If not, try that first. If you still feel the handlebars are too low, try an adjustable stem, or get your local shop to put a stem with (more) angle.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Post Reply