Been suffering with pain in the base of my left thumb, and finally got round to getting it looked at and it turns out I've got arthritis.
I've played around with lever position, bars etc with no improvement, so next move is grips, any recommendations from fellow sufferers
Cheers
Out of interest what's the basis of the diagnosis? Just curious, as I've had similar pain on/off with both thumbs, and the doc has said in the past 'probably arthritis'.
For me, left is the worst, and improves with reduced phone use. A day of jumps/drops training inflamed both thumbs, which subsided over a week or so.
On a straight/easy section during a ride I rest the thumb on top of the bar. Slightly thicker grips help for me. Ergon are well regarded by some but I didn't like their GA2 grip which tapers down to 29mm towards the thumb. Option to rotate 90deg with barend or inner barend is helpful.
Ibuprofen gel doesn't seem to help, but I've not tried other stuff yet (apart from anti-inflamm diet which I've done for semi-gradually for 10+ years, age 61 active/sporty). Self-massage and rest help.
A continuous dull pain in the base of the thumb with an awful shooting pain with certain movements and also loss in grip.
Got sent for an x-ray which confirmed it, and now the temp has gone lower the dull pain has increased
Was looking at the GA2 grips 😕
Self-massage and rest help.
I suppose it takes your mind off it
no idea about arthritis, but ive been using Ergon and ergon style grips for years. Cant fathom how anyone uses straight grips without wrecking their wrists and hands
ive settled on GA3s. Subtle, but plenty of support, and not paticularly expensive.
ergonbike.com/en/article-ga3.html
Unless I'm on technical terrain or going downhill / preapring to brake I ride with thumbs on top of grips.
When I ride my motorbike I'm unable to do this and get pain at the base of thumb after around an hour.
I preload with Ibuprofen or neproxen when I'm off out for a ride longer than an hour.
I had ge1 on an older bike that got pinched and agree they were comfy, just got in a bad habit of running what's fitted, which hasn't been a problem until this last year.
Ibuprofen doesn't seem to work on me anymore having used it in big doses in the past 🙄 shame they dichlofenac in tablet form as that worked 🤣🤣
It’s the gear shift that gets my thumb pain aggravated. I use the Ergonomic grips which help but I think I am going to have to go electronic before too long. How much thumb pressure does AXS require?
Yep, have arthritis in thumbs, more in the top knuckle, but spreading to the lower knuckles too. Have been riding some spesh grips that look similar to the Ergon GA3, since before the arthritis got worse. Comfortable in general, but not sure how well they protect the thumbs. Thinking of getting some SQ LAb innerbarends so that I can spread some of the load/alter wrist and thumb positions when terrain allows. Riding XC on south downs which probs allows innerends compared to other terrain.
A continuous dull pain in the base of the thumb with an awful shooting pain with certain movements and also loss in grip.
Got sent for an x-ray which confirmed it, and now the temp has gone lower the dull pain has increased
Was looking at the GA2 grips 😕
Maybe I should persevere with my GA2s. It's a fairly subtle taper, 31mm down to 29mm, but felt somehow unwelcome on my first ride, compared to a couple of straight 30mm others.
Quite interested to try GA3s, and possibly bars that sweep back a bit more.
2 fused wrists here, no backward bend at all.
ergon gp1 and gs1 on my 2 bikes. ergo bars work too. jones bars or ritchey kyote.
Unless I'm on technical terrain or going downhill / preapring to brake I ride with thumbs on top of grips.
When I ride my motorbike I'm unable to do this and get pain at the base of thumb after around an hour.
I preload with Ibuprofen or neproxen when I'm off out for a ride longer than an hour.
I run Progrip 714 grips on motorbikes that I do distance on - slightly thicker and subtly barrel-shaped. On a sportsbike, Daytona 675, I run standard grips but suffer when I've done distance on that.
Ergon, without a shadow of a doubt. They're pricey, but last forever.
Which type of arthritis? I had rheumatoid, but with a slight diet change, its gone
Gonna pick up some ergon then.
Got osteoarthritis 😕 got a nice lumpy thumb joint 🙄
Thinking of getting some SQ LAb innerbarends so that I can spread some of the load/alter wrist and thumb positions when terrain allows
Works for me susepic 👍
Which ones are you using Watty, I can't tell the difference between 410s and 411s
Gonna pick up some ergon then.
theyre finicity to get right. i find you kinda dont want to be able to feel the wing, it rests under your hand, rather than turning your hand inward. Maybe do them up 90% tight, so you can still move them with some force and then ride around the park and try a few angles. I seem to recall my Ergons have gradations on the, but my bars dont so theyre as good as useless. it would be helpful to get reference marks printed on bars.
To increase comfort on my old Brompton, when I use gravel paths, I was glad to discover that Ergon make GT1s, which features a “thumb rest for slip resistance and reduced gripping forces”
I had no real estate spare to install TOGS thumb hooks www.mbr.co.uk/news/togs-are-bar-ends-for-your-thumbs-351600
Ergon GT1 are a clever integrated design , cheaper than alternative inner bar end/togs + grips combination and the giant wing, having previously enjoyed the original wing on the GA3s, is awesome, it’s meant to have 4 different hand positions, but I’ve only managed 3 of them
•••••••••••
edit: mbr article is 9 years old by some knowledgeable chap called Benji
i guess MBR is not dead then.....sorry wrong thread....... 😉
Which ones are you using Watty, I can't tell the difference between 410s and 411s
@susepic The box says 411, but there appears to be a mark 2 version on their website now.
i've got an assortment of ergons (2xGA2 1xGA3 1xGP3) some shimano PRO ergo model that i'm not even sure what it is. Not seen any since i bought them, hell, they might even be fakes, but they're comfy. And some ESI chunkies too.
All work to varying degrees with my dodgy thumbs.
Had the ergons long enough that the GP3s are completely knackered and have been moved onto the shopping bike.
Going to give a set of GA3s a go me thinks and take it from there.
I've had the GAS3s on my hardtail for about 18 months and really like them. I'm about to try the GS1 which has a more pronounced wing to see what they are like.
I've had Ebay copies of the TOGS for several years and love them, more so than the SQ Inner bars ends which cost a lot more.