Cycling UK Forum

I'm getting hand problems after longer rides. As a newish cyclist, I wondered if this was common, and if anyone has ideas on mitigation. I did a couple of longer runs last week - 75 and 85 miles - as part of my lejog training. Afterwards, my hand felt like it had cramp for several days, with grip strength reduced and limited little finger mobility. Yesterday, 100miles, and today it's more pronounced still. I do try to vary riding position (possibly not enough!!) - being on Devon roads mean I'm on the hoods most of the time to brake or change gears. (The bike, I should say, is a steel road bike: fairlight strael). I'm getting occasional pins and needles when I ride too, which is a prompt to sit up and shake off. Might pop in and find a physio locally but I didn't know how common this is. Any advice or thoughts welcomed.

It's pretty common.

How long does it take for the cramp or pins and needles to wear off?

Please could you add photos with you pointing with one finger to where the symptoms are worst.

And some of your riding position, both side-on and close-ups of your hands and wrists on the bars.

Jonathan

It's very common particularly on long rides. Compression and vibration forces causing temporary palsies of the median and ulnar nerves most commonly. It's usually caused by too much weight on the hands and a lack of cushioning. The former is remedied by improving your position on the bike. You can pay for a professional bike fit or try a diy approach. 531colin has produced an excellent guide found here
http://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/upl ... -2017a.pdf
For better cushioning of the hands, wrists and their associated nerves you can use thicker gel bar tape, gel inserts under bar tape and/or gel padded gloves. Ensuring you're not overinflating your tyres (esp the front) or larger tyres appropriately inflated also help.
I'd look at bike fit and tyre pressure first.
There are other causes of numb tingling hands but they are less common if the precipitating action is cycling and you're otherwise symptom free. If the changes suggested don't help it's worth getting checked out with your GP.

Thanks both, that's enormously helpful! I'll probably not post photos simply because it's my feeling that if this comes down to biomechanics, I'd be best advised to get a f2f consultation. I'm confident this isn't a wider health issue.

I'll get my padded gel gloves out of the drawer, reduce tyre pressure a bit, and work through some of the guidance posted, with spanner and allen keys to hand. I guess I'd prefer to avoid a professional £200 bike fit but it's probably worth investing in if my position is what's causing this. Really appreciate the responses.

Freeweel wrote: ↑22 May 2024, 4:18pm Thanks both, that's enormously helpful! I'll probably not post photos simply because it's my feeling that if this comes down to biomechanics, I'd be best advised to get a f2f consultation. I'm confident this isn't a wider health issue.
...

Good decision. If the symptoms don't go away quickly or if they match any of the specific nerve pressure syndromes then I recommend not putting this off.

Remember to write down any questions so that you don't forget them in the consultation. And to talk to them about cycling.

It's quite likely that the first consultation after contacting the general practice will be with a physiotherapist.

Jonathan

Freeweel wrote: ↑22 May 2024, 4:18pm ...
I'll get my padded gel gloves out of the drawer, reduce tyre pressure a bit, and work through some of the guidance posted, with spanner and allen keys to hand. I guess I'd prefer to avoid a professional £200 bike fit but it's probably worth investing in if my position is what's causing this. Really appreciate the responses.

Experimenting with the position is sensible. I'd include reducing extension at the wrist. And you could also try padding on the bars/hoods to decrease the curvature of your fingers.

Jonathan

Don't ignore it, my hands became so weak it was a two handed job to lift a pan on and off the stove before I did something about it, and they've never recovered full strength, even after ~25 years.

Cyclothesist wrote: ↑22 May 2024, 3:53pmFor better cushioning of the hands, wrists and their associated nerves you can use thicker gel bar tape, gel inserts under bar tape and/or gel padded gloves.

You can also easily mould some custom made cushions from silicone bath sealer.

viewtopic.php?t=35438
Read the above, from "too good to lose"
As posted by "Richard Yorkshire" there are 2 nerves which supply the hand, and the distribution more or less follows Spock's salute on Star Trek.....so that tingling of the ring or little finger always results from interference with the ulnar nerve; the interference can be at any "pinch point", that is in your neck, shoulder, elbow or wrist, as well as the most obvious, hand contact with the bars.
Recreational/touring cyclists who expect to ride for more than a couple of hours don't need a lot of weight on the handlebars.

Balanced position by 531colin, on Flickr

Edit; just trickling along I have just enough weight on the bars to steer without curling my fingers round the bar.
Working a bit harder, (up a rising road) I have no weight at all on the bars, and actually climbing a hill I am pulling (up and back) on the bars, even while seated.

Freeweel wrote: ↑22 May 2024, 2:19pm . I do try to vary riding position (possibly not enough!!) - being on Devon roads mean I'm on the hoods most of the time to brake or change gears.

I don't know just how big a %age you are on the hoods, but I do see riders who seem glued to them, and it's not the best way to be comfortable on long rides! (don't forget you can shift/brake from in the drops too! )

Different question: are you climbing out of the saddle a lot? Is wrestling the bike while you're stood up a big factor? Bike fit might be irrelevant if that's what is causing your cramp. Just a different way of looking at the problem ...

axel_knutt wrote: ↑22 May 2024, 5:06pm

Cyclothesist wrote: ↑22 May 2024, 3:53pmFor better cushioning of the hands, wrists and their associated nerves you can use thicker gel bar tape, gel inserts under bar tape and/or gel padded gloves.

You can also easily mould some custom made cushions from silicone bath sealer.

ooooh, there's a hack I hadn't considered!

(I'm a big fan of my gel pad things, since I discovered them).

I’ve always used padding in selected ares af my bars since my Audax days. Gives a larger diameter to grip and removes some vibrations.
I did change my opinion on padded gloves during my LEJOG. By the time I got to Perth I was experiencing some numbness in my hands. I felt the padding in the gloves was putting extra pressure, effectively filling the void created by a gripped hand. I removed the gloves and was completely pain free again by Inverness. I’ve rarely worn padded mitts since that day.

Riding with thickly padded gloves and handlebars is a curious solution to poor cycle design.
Tony Oliver, I think

mattheus wrote: ↑22 May 2024, 5:44pm

I don't know just how big a %age you are on the hoods, but I do see riders who seem glued to them, and it's not the best way to be comfortable on long rides! (don't forget you can shift/brake from in the drops too! )

Different question: are you climbing out of the saddle a lot? Is wrestling the bike while you're stood up a big factor? Bike fit might be irrelevant if that's what is causing your cramp. Just a different way of looking at the problem ...
[/quote]

Thanks, all helpful! I'm probably on the hoods about 90% of the time. (Does that make me bad? ). Honestly, the state of some of our roads mean I need to look that bit further ahead, or at least that's how it feels, so I'm appreciating the visibility of a more upright position. Plus, the scenery is nice. I'm trying to pace for longer distances so out of the saddle time is pretty minimal, I'm not going at it aggressively.

I've now shifted the saddle forward a bit, decreased the front tyre pressure a tad, and got the gel gloves back out of the sock drawer. Next long ride in a week, so we'll see how that goes. If no change, I think a bike fit might be on the cards. Reassuring to know that it's not just me though, and it's so helpful to have so many sound advisors on hand. Thank you

531colin wrote: ↑22 May 2024, 7:00pm Riding with thickly padded gloves and handlebars is a curious solution to poor cycle design.
Tony Oliver, I think

This paper agrees with that:
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... lebar_Tape
They only looked at the effects of bar tape and gloves riding on the hoods. TL;DR Bar tape was more effective than gloves.

Shifting the saddle FORWARD will throw MORE weight onto your hands.
To take weight OFF your hands the saddle needs to go BACK …. Maybe with a shorter stem to reduce reach