Does anyone else find their hands ache when in a normal seated riding position? Like there too much pressure on them? I’ve had big bikes, small bikes. long bikes & short bikes, high rise bars, low rise bars, long stems, short stems, inline posts, layback posts etc. etc. and always had the same problem.

I’m 5’8″ with 29″ inside leg – At prsent ride a bike with 22.25″ effective top tube and 70mm 6 deg. stem, have the seat pushed back on an Easton layback post – its a Malt 4 15″

Any tech heads out there point me in the right direction or at least give me a starting point.

Any comments most welcome

Raise the bars several inches?

Padded gloves like spesh BG ones or try different grips, used to get hand ache and tried ergon grips, no more hand ache.

TJ I do think that would work, almost like riding a cruiser, hi rise stem, hi rise bar but not sure on the practicalities of such an upright position.

Votchy, I’d been thinking about those, may well be worth a go on payday – sometimes wonder if I am in the correct position but with a very heavy top half of body pushing down on bars too much……well it’s a thought

I had the same problem the other week and i am dead fussy on setup.

I always start at getting the saddle right first, using this principal. (opinions vary on this but I like it)

http://www.bottombracket.co.uk/saddle-position.html

That gives me a start point, then as I run 2 bikes I try and match the cockpits up for a similar stretch and try to get the bars a similar height to the saddle (I like mine about level with the saddle).. All that and I still found my Hardtail a little less comfy sitting position to my full suss, then I had a revelation last week, I just rotated my risers forward slightly (maybe 15mm) and voila I stopped getting numb hand and everything now feels just right.

Best bike fitting guide I have come across is in a book by Andy Pruitt, “Complete Medical Guide For Cyclists”.

ISBN 13: 978 1 931382 80 9

He has a great way of making complicated things accessible. Good tips on health, nutrition, looking after injuries and bike fitting. Not all roadie oriented either.

HTH

I tend to mess about with the riding position on my bikes but I find bars just about level with the seat or an inch above works for me.

Its just my opinion but many bikes seem to have bars far too low for a comfy riding position

I screwed my hands up at SiTS years ago. 24 hours of slumping onto narrow grips in thin troy lee gloves gave me all the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome through bruising to my palms. Loads better now, but my lower palms still ache loads from time to time.

Personally, I’d much rather leave my position as it is cos I like the way the bike handles and work around the problem in other ways.

So, top tip time:

Move your hands around on the bars more. ie. grab the ends like bar ends; move hands inside and kind of rest on the brake lever body; move thumbs around. This works surprisingly well.

Speccy gloves – help loads

Ergon Grips – completely stop the problem, but look ridiculous so I only use them for 24 hour races and the like.

Cheers, you’ve given me plenty to think about / look at there – so it isn’t too odd to have the bars slightly higher than the saddle, but looking at mags and pictures you dont see to many bikes set up like that (as you say TJ) – also maybe the fact I’m riding a hardtail i.e. if there was a full suss looking to have the same set-up as mine side by side then obv as soon as you sit on a full suss the back end will drop down an inch or so………..I’ll get there eventually

Try the ‘ergo grips’ they have a wide platform for your palms to rest in.

Brown – I do have particularly hard / thin grips and thread bare gloves – both due for a change

Ritchey WCS foam grips work for me.

you do realise that you have to hold yourself up with your core muscles not just rest on the bars, it may be that you need some core strengthing?

Rotate your bars too, it worked for me, and is free to try..

After about two years of intermittent riding due to work demands, I’m finding after a couple of hours that the outer edge of my palms (fleshy part under the little finger) is bruised. I’ve put this down to adjusting to the increased hours on the bars.

I was thinking a bar with a greater backsweep would suit the natural orientation of the hand better. Who makes the the most backswept bar without going all Mary or H-bar?

I was going to say the same thing as AJ. I have a tendency to put most of my weight on my saddle, but I imagine a more professional cyclist would say you should be loading through the pedals mostly, with the saddle and handlebars as much ligher contact points. That would certainly make sense for maximum power output, and a lower center of gravity and handling. Can anyone confirm how much of your weight should ideally be put on the contact points? Maybe I’m off the wall here, but it’s food for thought from a weekend warrior.

Danny,

I had the same problem for years mate. Got a set of these:-

Ergon grips[code]

and all in now well. It spreads the load out over your full palm. It just makes your bars look like they have butt plugs attached to the ends.

I have a spare set on my commuter that you can try if you like, just let me know and I'll drop em off.

Try the BBB version of the ergon grips. I’ve solved a problem with my wrists using them, had to try various positions but got there in the end and a lot more comfortable now.

I was reading the Lopes/Mcormack book and they talk about centering over your feet for balance which leaves your hands light for quick steering. To me this seem to apply more then freewheeling, but maybe also to climbing and powering along.

Lowey, cheers for the offer pal but just called in Merlin at lunch and picked a pair up, thought it had to be worth a go for £20. Must admit they’re about as aestheticaly pleasing as my crudguard, but that works well so hopefully these will too. Meant to be having a pootle around Lee Quarry with Jonny on Sunday morning so will give them a good test then – fancy it on Sunday?

What time on Sunday ?

Make sure you set up the angle of the grips right mate… Its a bit of trial and error.

Not finalised a time but I’d guess around 10ish – I’ve been informed I’m round at the inlaws for lunch with it being easter sunday but thats not till about 4pm so as long as I can get back by about 2:30-3pm I’ll go whenever.

Gonna have a play tonight with the grips before heading down to Prestwich for the match, but I’ll just take an allen key with me on Sunday and have a lpay as we go along.

What time good for you Mr Lowey? morning better for me but should be OK any time…might try some as well at £20 that does seem cheap …may just wait for Dannys though bet I can get them free with an unused but fitted carbon bar set up 😆
PS JOHNNIE like the whiskey Johnnie walker (from same town)

science officer: check out salsa pro motos 11° or 17°.

i have the 17’s they feel so natural, they don’t seem as if the sweep is extreme at all. unlike mary bars.

I’ll be up for it I think. Cant check with the wife yet as she in away with the kids for a couple of days.

Anytime from 9am should be ok. Be prepared to laugh immensly at my astonishing technical ineptitude. Having seen the videos, I might even take some flat pedals.

Johnnie, if you want to try before you buy, I’ll bring my spare set with me on Sunday and you can try them out. I’m not planning on commuting for a few weeks yet. Just give me them back when you find my socks 😛

ssssshhhhhhhh theres nowt wrong with those carbon bars, I got told on a forum 😯

you know I did actually take them on the last ride and forgot and did not even wear them when I borrowed them will bring em and borrow your grips ta

I look forward to seeing them on your bike then on Sunday

Thanks thomb. They look like they’ll do the job nicely.

is it the vibration from the front or the weight on your hands that causes the problem

Ade, its more the weight over the front rather than vibration – I got some of those Ergon grips yesterday – had a little ride up and down our road and they seemed very comfy, however, I think that AJ has probably hit the nail on the head. Whereas the ergons will def help reduce the pressure, I think its more to do with me being in a lazy riding position and slupming on the bars……..core training then 🙁 As comfy as he ergons are, I do wonder what they’ll be like when I’m hurtling down some rocky chute off the back of the bike hanging on for dear life – we’ll find out Sunday.