After 15-20 years of MTB on a variety of flat bars I've spent the majority of the last three or four years on road bikes, or at least bikes with drop bars.
Every time I've dragged the flat barred Superfly out of the garage it seems to get more uncomfortable, hands get sore within 5-10 minutes and end up with all sorts of weird numbness before an hour has passed.
I'm going to work through the basic stuff e.g.:
- rotate grips and brake levers to try and achieve a 'straight' wrist
- move/tilt saddle back slightly to improve weight distribution
- lowering saddle slightly
- new gloves (Specialized Grail)
I'm also working on core anyway although I don't think I agree with the idea that my core should constantly be supporting my upper body, sounds like trying to maintain a squat for an hour which I'm not sure is possible!
I checked bar height, and it is slightly lower than my saddle, but no lower than e.g. my road bikes, which makes me think it is a 'flat bar' thing. I would try bar-ends but I race CX on the bike and bar ends are banned. Already have Ergon Grips and the bars are On-One Fleegles so already have a 15d bend. Might try a shorter stem but this feels like it would result in me being too cramped.
Is it just a case of getting used to the flat bars again? Do the heels of my palms just need to toughen up again?
I would get the shortest cheapest adjustable stem and borrow as many handlebars as you can and go from there.
I found more sweep and a higher bar worked for me.
Yeah... the more I think about it the more I think perhaps positioning the flat bars at 'roughly' the same reach as the hoods on my road bikes might be the problem, will experiment with shorter higher stems.
The sweep on the Fleegle's is still pretty minimal compared to something like a Jones Bar. You could try something sweepier?
Didn't mean this to be a stealth add, but I have an On One OG bar laying around doing nothing that I could part with for very little money. I think it has 27deg sweep or something, def more than the 23deg Salsa Bend I use on my MTB, but less than the 40deg Mary on my single speed.
Thanks lego, to be honest moving from my straight flat bars to the 15d Fleegles almost seems to have made the discomfort worse, so for now I don't think additional sweep is the answer.
Have ordered a shorter/more upright stem, will combine with new gloves and various tweaks to grips etc. and see how I do.
Get fatter grips. I find Ergon GA2s to be pretty good. But I still find drop bars with cork tape more comfy (though less easy to balance on rough ground).
I get the same every year. I ride more road in the Spring and Summer, then when the weather turns move back to MTB. I find that it takes me a good couple of weeks to no longer get any wrist/hand numbness. Transitioning back to road I don't notice it - just when moving back to MTB.
I'm going to put a new carbon bar on this winter and also different grips. You're not still on the stock grips on the superfly are you?
Bar-ends? Not fashionable but they work very well for climbing and offering different hand positions.
No worries. Fatter grips also worth a try, I've got these huge things which make ESI grips seem narrow...!
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/fatpawgrips
I get the same, find the road position much more comfortable.
Went out on the hardtail last night for first time a couple weeks and noticed it.
I don't think it's anything wrong with cockpit setup. Most likley you just need a couple weeks of riding for body to readjust. Diffrent biomechanics. You can feel the glutes are working in a different way going from aero road postion to upright MTB
OK good, glad others have noticed similar.
You’re not still on the stock grips on the superfly are you?
God no, stock grips on Superfly lasted about a week, now on Ergon GA3s but had also tried ESI Chunkies.
Bar-ends?
Am also a fan, just can't use as will be racing CX with the bike. For non-CX purposes am tempted to try SQ Lab inner bar ends between grips and shifters, look handy.
Will start commuting on the MTB whenever possible then, got to race on it in three weeks!
I've been struggling with numb hands for a while now (a flat bar Swift is my only bike) and have been toying with trying drop bars.
However, I do like the look of these:-
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Sadly very spendy & no UK distributor.
Those Fat Paws look great, tempted to get some just because!
PJay - linky no worky? Edit: now it does! They do look cool...
Have you considered Spank Vibrocore bars with esi grips
Have you considered Spank Vibrocore bars with esi grips
Not yet, didn't really believe it was a vibration thing, hands are OK on my road bikes which are all aluminium bars on 25mm tyres, so not exactly plush compared to the mountainbike with 45c WTBs and 100mm Rebas! Plus I already use chunky ESIs and the numbness still occurs, which makes me think it's a position thing (or 'getting used to it again' thing).
Am still tempted by the Fat Paw grips above if all else fails, but will try and give it a couple of weeks first.
I’ve been struggling with numb hands for a while now … However, I do like the look of these:
Why, have you been struggling with numb eyes as well? 🙂
Back on topic…
I seem to have the same problem. 15+ years on MTBs with no hand numbness, merging into 15+ years on road bikes, and now when I go back to an MTB (even one of the exact same MTBs I had no numbness with before) or any flat bar bike, I get problems in no time at all.
So I'd be interested to hear what solution you find, if you find one…
Ha, well simply rotating the Ergon grips 'up' and my brake levers down to encourage a straighter wrist made a big difference on the commute home, previously the heel of my palm would drop below the level of the palm. Had also lowered saddle a bit.
Shouldn't have jumped in and bought that shorter/more upright stem, could only find one the right size in one of the German online stores... Hopefully can cancel order tomorrow.