Did a 100 mile roady sportive yesterday -just to see how the other half live… and quite enjoyed it.
Point is… towards the end of the ride, my left hand was a bit tingly. On the MTB, I'd ofter suffer with a tingly hand – and bought some of those Spesh BG gloves which seemed to help. Never had any long term ill effects after a MTB ride. Problem is, after yesterday – my hand isn't my own! Well… maybe not that bad.. but if I hold my left hand up – palm facing me – fingers stretched – no matter what I do I cannot close my ring finer or little finger in towards the rest of my fingers. My hand is also pretty weak – noticed it pressing the button on my handsfree headset this morning.
All very odd. Had something similar after a road training ride a couple of weeks ago – another 100. Took a week for the hand the return to normal…

So – before I book in to see a doc… any ideas from the STW massive..?

Sounds like you have (temporarily) damaged the nerve that runs under the fleshy part of your thumb. It is a common complaint (thus gloves like the Spesh BG). I am no Dr but I suspect healing is just a matter of time. You might have too much weight on your hands on your road bike – can you play around with your position on the bike to reduce pressure on the nerve?

It'll be pressure on your ulnar nerve – it's under the fleshy part on the other side of your hand to your thumb. That's where the padding is on your BG gloves.

It will clear in a day or two, but the advice above is good – you should sort your position so it doesn't happen, otherwise healing will take longer and longer. Eventually, it's possible that it won't come back at all (extreme cases!)

Do you have your hoods slightly angled in? I found this made a whole world of difference on my commuter.

Any other symptoms? I had this problem a couple of years back and it turned out to be a shoulder problem.

Thanks for the replies so far guys.
The bike is something I bought 2nd hand- have tweaked the position swapping stems to try and minimise back pain (got osteoarthritis.. lower back). Felt ok yesterday – painkillers helped. Was struggling to change gear with my left hand though – using 105 shifters. Was having to put a lot more effort in as my hand was gettign weaker…
I sometimes get tingly feet (on the MTB) – strangely – no tinkling yesterday – but right foot was numb in the middle (odd!).
I have angled the bars so the hoods are slightly higher than what you might call traditional – again, to relieve back pain.
Not tried owt else yet – really want to get the fit 'prefect' before buying a new one!
🙂

I find the term "spaz hand" a little offensive. Spastic being a derogatory term for someone with cerebral palsy. Do you have cerebral palsy?

I think you've overlooked the real meaning of the word there JtotheP68

It'll be pressure on your ulnar nerve – it's under the fleshy part on the other side of your hand to your thumb

Oh yes. Got my parts of hand wrong!

I think you've overlooked the real meaning of the word there JtotheP68

– and the real meaning is?

I had that same tingling so bad, I couldnt turn a door knob or hold a key for a couple of days.

I found rotating the lever/hoods upwards on the bars worked a treat. No pain ever now.

I've found that the padding on some MTB gloves is not so effective when riding on drop lever hoods, because it is designed to cushion the palm and heel of the hand on a flat bar, rather than the V between thumb and index finger.

Some interesting stuff guys, thanks.

Mcmoonter – I'm there…lol…. had to open a jam jar this morning with t'other hand!

kcr – good point – noticed that yesterday.

I can't add any spacers under the stem – which might help – maybe on the next bike (another excuse to buy one!)

PtotheP68 – no offense meant – but stop over-reacting – the term spaz was used about my own hand not someone else's!

The term spastic used use to describe a continuous state of muscular contraction/increased tone. People with cerebral palsy were reffered to as spastics, initially quite innocently. The term spastics, eventually became a derogatory term. Scope, the cerebral palsy charity was once oficially "the spastics society"

The ulnar nerve provides innervation to the 4th and 5th digits, and typically gets entrapped as is passes over the elbow (cubital tunnel). Likley to just resolve itself.

Did a 100 mile roady sportive yesterday -just to see how the other half live… and quite enjoyed it.

The Cheshire Cat I take it? How did you get on?

Re the hand problem, it's not uncommon and seems to affect the left hand more than the right, I'm guessing to do with the extra stretch required on the longer throw of the lever when shifting.

Try setting the levers a little higher or angling them inwards fractionally. It also helps if you can drop your elbows a bit, not only does it lower the whole uppper body but it takes a lot of the pressure off the hands as well. Too many people ride with locked out elbows and this forces the shoulder muscles to tense up as well. Try conciously relaxing your shoulders, dropping the elbows and just resting your hands on the hoods, you don't need a death grip on them.

Swap position regularly as well – drops, hoods, tops and also the curve of the bars just before the hoods.

Yep – it was crazy-legs… first one I've done. Tough with the headwind (from about miles 40 to 70). Managed 107 miles though due to a missing sign (I and the other 60 riders thought anyway!). Does your head in – being knackered and riding past the 100 on your speedo/garmin….really enjoyed it though – totally different experience to MTBing. Am trying to decide what to do next (after HONC).

I think I do tend to ride with my arms locked – so another thing to consider next time I get on the road bike, thanks…

In the meantime, does it feel like someone else is doing it?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sleeping%20beauty

Compact bars might help, brings the hoods closer and gives a shallow drop, I also use slim shims which bring the shifters closer to bars.

Yeah, I got caught out by that missing sign as well, we ended up doing 104 miles. That headwind in the middle stretch was demoralising!

Well done on completing your first Sportive! 🙂

How very dare you say 'spaz' on STW !

look out,the p.c. p.c.'s are coming……..