[Closed] Sore hands on 'crosser

To some extent it is mtfu but the gel inserts do work up to a point.

Also deliberately loosening your grip helps a huge amount.

Puff!

i have the same problem at the moment. I think it's just a case of getting used to it. I grip loosely which helps as does a thumbless grip. we just need to mtfu more.

I always put two layers of bar tape on the bars. Don't have to grip the bars as strong then and they seem more comfortable, works great if You have large hands. Had a similar problem on my MTB, thicker lock on grips helped there as well.

Bar tape is only about £5-8 so always worth a try.

Top tube/stem too long?

I suffer from bad middle finger cramp sometimes, and have been told that gel padded mitts will help. I've yet to get some, so cant advise first hand. Maybe they could help you?

I use this bar tape and it is the best I have tried

[url=Proo Adhesive Bar Tape] http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Pro_Adhesive_Gel_Bar_Tape/5360036005/ [/url]

I find it easy to fit and super comfy. I don't think this alone will solve your problem but it will help.

Puff

I'll try the extra bar tape and loosening my grip. I don't think it's the riding position. The bike looks slighly odd in that I have very little seatpost showing but that is because at over 6'1" I have relatively short legs and a long body on a 58cm frame and it keeps the bars level which, in theory at least, should reduce pressure on the hands/back.

Bike set-up - any excuse to post a pic 😆
[img] [/img]

Your hands are recoiling at the uglyness of your ride...............kill the bike and your hands will be fine 😐

I know its been mentioned before that your bike looks large and wonder if this could be the problem. It seems odd that your hands hurt as there should nt be that much difference to the padding between road and mtb grips apart from the different hand hold positions.
Have you tried riding a mates road/cross bike? perhaps see if you find a smaller bike and have a quick spin and see if the hands still hurt.
If they hurt now dont take it off road your hands may fall off!! 😆
HTH
Ben

Nose - It has rarely seen tarmac but also nothing remotely gnarly/bumpy. Re the size - when I said I hadn't been on drop bars for 20 years I should have mentioned that I had a 54cm road bike and a medium Pompino for a very short time a few months ago. Both were too small and killed my back and neck. The salsa is only 4cm different on s/tube and t/t although it looks huge by comparison.

I'll put some extra bar tape on and take it for a quick spin right now and see what it feels like.

Cheers for the advice except for MHAS who can ...koff 😉

Ok, Are you pulling to hard on the bars trying to turn the gear off road?

carpel tunnel syndrome?

Try some decent drops instead of the default mtb cx bars. Something with a nice standard shape as this bars look as though you have to ride like an ape just to get to the levers. I am refraining from mentioning the stem...

get the tops on your bars level for a start, can never work out how that could be comfortable for anyone

As sssimon says...

Rotate the bars in the stem so that the top of the bars are level. Then move the shifters to carry on that line. That will give you a much flatter platform.

Bar gel works.

Oh - and that bike looks completely the wrong size

I found the webbing between the thumb and first finger ached like crazy when I started riding drops again.

Abit like newbie saddle soreness IMO

Gel inserts do work! I have the Fizik ones. I like them better than wrapping the bars twice - as they only provide extra padding where you need it (top section of drop tubing), but you keep the tactile response from the underside of the bars. (And I think wrapping bars twice looks 'orrible)

Also, you will get more used to it as time goes on (but get gel inserts, they're great!)

Having now seen the pic, level off the bars/shifters as suggested. My bike below for reference. Makes a big difference.
[img] [/img]

Hoik those levers right up, you must be aching reaching over the bars to get to the hoods.
Is it the heel of you hands that are aching?

It's hard to explain, and not necessarily the cure. Try to get the hoods in a position where your hands sit on both the bars and hoods i.e creating a large contact area.

Otherwise I'd recommend something like Deda Fluidas, they're not expensive.

Mine are almost opposite to yours. I tend to ride and brake from the hoods. I also remove the spacer to lower the drops to the height of the fork crowns, but rarely brake from the drops.
[img] [/img]

I've been out for about 10 miles stopping and adjusting the bars to try and get a better position, obviously couldn't do anything with the hoods as I put a a double lot of bar tape on before I went out but they are in a good position for me as I'm always on the drops when I'm braking anyway.

Extra tape helped a lot and lowering the seat about 1cm also took a load of weight off the hands (utter stupidity on my part getting the wrong saddle height but probably due to being too conscious of a small amout of post showing and offending the 'fashion police'). No real repeat of the problem and that was without gloves which I forgot to put on 🙄

If you look at other pics of Las Cruces [url= http://www.google.co.uk/images?q=salsa+las+cruces+pics&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=k3ZBTP3NDuTR4wbrz4yvDg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCwQsAQwAA ]HERE[/url] there are quite a few bikes set up very similarly to mine. Whether that is a geometry/sizing trait of these frames I don't know but a small amount of seatpost showing appears quite common, as are the multitude of bar positions. The steering is nice and quick and and it really does feel very nimble when out of the saddle.

Druid - it looks much less like a gate in the flesh and once I trim down the steerer it will look pretty 'normal'.

aP - what's the matter with the stem BTW - it's 110mm x17deg ?

I'm very happy with it now, it really does ride very well. The only things I'm going to do now are change the saddle and put on different cranks.

Thanks for all the input.

Otherwise I'd recommend something like Deda Fluidas, they're not expensive

So you don't think the Salsa Woodchippers I have on order are a good idea? aP obviously won't !

I just think high rise stems look wrong. More a matter of taste.

Have to sort a cross ride out sometime woody.

Definitely, once I get some miles in the legs. I can't find the pic of your new crosser but I seem to recall that you had some comments on number of spacers. Seems to be something about 'crossers that they have to be adjusted well above the norm to suit individuals !

There was yeah but tweaking the bar angles was enough for me seems comfortable enough. I wouldn't worry about the legs mine aren't too great.

Great. It'll have to be next month as I've got crap shifts coming up and I need some gears, or rather a rear wheel that can take a cassette as I've got everything else .

I'm going to Scotland for a few days but other than that I've nothing planned.

Snap. August is clear except for a trip to Scotland.

Whereabouts and is it with bikes ? I'm going to see my folks but want to get up to Glenshee to try the new DH track.

On the West Coast south of Malaig, it's a family hol but the Cross is going with me.

Now for the correct answer: Your bars are too high. This means that you are putting way too much weight through them which results in your pain/numbness or whatever.

I dont think your bike is too big though.

I cut open old mtb grips and taped over them on my crosser.

Wouldn't you put more weight on the bars if they were to low? As all your weight would go through your hands as you leant down onto them?

[i]Your hands are recoiling at the uglyness of your ride...............kill the bike and your hands will be fine [/i]

proper LOL!

What everyone else is saying, your bars are too high, the bike is too big for you.

Those forks look very unforgiving too, have you thought about some carbon forks? They'd take a lot of buzz off the trail and they'd make it look a lot nicer too. Salsa actually do some very nice orange carbon forks you know.

[i]Wouldn't you put more weight on the bars if they were to low? As all your weight would go through your hands as you leant down onto them? [/i]

If the bars were lower, they'd be in the right place for his body position.
Since they're too high, he's actually leaning on the bars *too much* if you get my drift.

Also make sure your brakes are rotated slightly in to follow your natural hand position so less pressure is applied on the wrist. Got to be honest that set up looks about as comfortable as waking up next to Gordon Brown smiling at you.

Sorry I didn't look at the op's picture .Yes that bike does look a bit big for him.Can I retract my previous statement?

TBH samuri I see that the other way around. High and your resting on them, low and they're supporting more bodyweight.
Suppose it depends what's hurting and as we don't know it could be position or vibration anything.

Tell you what are comfy, those carbon flat top wing bars but at dollar dollar bill me, only the road bikes getting them.

seriously what is with your hand position i think your bars need some pick me up tablets 😉 because the levers seem to have flopped forward

top tubes likely too long causing you to lean forward too much ....

oddly my cross bikes the only bike i get pain on - its set up with high bars for being upright in traffic (i commute on it) did a century on it today and my elbow felt like it was going to explode along with my palms ! - my road bike is uber low upfront - likewise my TT bike. MY mtb has no spacers under the stem and a 120mm 10 degree drop stem on it .... all have the same tt length give or take half an inch ....

ps - the 1970s called - they want their frame fitting guide back ... that bikes mileeeeees too big if thats where you run the saddle jeepers

Right. I've now been out on the bloody thing 3 times today plus a spin on the mtb to regain a sense of normality. The one thing everyone seems to be agreed upon (including me) is that it's bloody ugly, so.............

1. chopped 1" off steerer which still leaves plenty scope for adjustment.
2. Stem flipped and now looks right IMO
3. Tried to level bar tops but that doesn't work as drops are then at too sharp an angle when out of saddle
4. Double layer of bar tape

Conclusion from brief 'final' ride (ignoring Stevie Wonder colour scheme) are that it seems more comfy but I will have to consider different bars to achieve a better hood/brake position. It is possibly a little too big but not too bad and I'll just MTFU and use it. Cheers

With 'tweaks'

[img] [/img]

looks loads better - if it persists - try a shorter stem .... will speed up the likely already twitchy handling but should be more comfortable ....

There's a dog in your garden BTW.

Handling, much to my surprise is 'fast' rather than twitchy. On the Pompino I always felt really cramped, even with a 130mm stem. I think this is about right at 110mm.

2 dogs, including a nose 😉

PMSL! @ the stupid Lab.

Always trust a clumsy lab to get in the way.

That looks 17 times better, and that's what matters. eh? 😉

trail-rat - both saddles are slap bang in the middle of the rails on a post with approx. 1 1/2" layback. BTW went to Durris Woods for a look (potentially very good) and there were 2 real live eagles perched on the entrance gate of the triathlon centre. Made my day but they went as I was getting my camera out.

The colour scheme is growing on me.

Can't make up my mind re bars. I think I'll start a pic thread to see what is recommended and what weird and wonderful set-ups appear.

Can we have a thread "Post you pics with a daft Lab just getting in the way at the wrong time!"

Looking better but I think you brakes are too low on the bars, look at other bikes hoods are noramlly higher to give a easy hold. They are a bit 1970s height.

Maybe a bit more like this

[img] [/img]