Ulnar nerve entrapment (numb hands)

After day 3 of riding my new bike (Dolan PC with drop bars) I started getting ulnar nerve entrapment symptoms on my right hand (fingers lost dexterity and very stiff) due to constant pressure against the base of my palms. I wear gloves and have booked a bike fit to try to alleviate the problem.

Has anyone suffered from the same problem and recommends good gloves or any other tips?

Try this if your bike fit isn’t soon enough for you https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OyE67jKp1To .

IME, getting the saddle angle fore/aft position right and tilting the hood angle slightly up both really changed the weight I bear at the base of my palm. Also getting compact bars.

Bend your elbows, actively try to have a light grip, maybe you need more core strength. Bike fitter should have better answers anyways.

I'll try that. Thanks

I really struggle with this, and I’ve not yet fixed it. I will say that riding in the drops stops it, but that’s a little full on for 100% of riding.

For how long have you been feeling the numbness?
It has been a couple of weeks for me now.
I think it is best to let it heal completely as it can cause long term nerve damage.

When I came back from Bryan Chapman in 2015 I had a full on claw hand that lasted for nearly 6 weeks. It's never really been right since.

I got ulnar nerve palsy after IndyPac.

If you are getting issues after only three days of riding then there is something seriously wrong with your position and / or grip.

I'd stop riding the bike until you get it sorted so that you don't do any lasting damage.

Did you give it a break? I read it is possible to recover as long as you don't cause extensive damage that can cause muscle wasting.

Yes, I spoke to my GP and was here checking for similar experiences. It is quite scary the sudden loss of finger dexterity. Did you recover fully?

Not endorsing this as I am not qualified but these stretches and strengthening exercises seem to give me some relief and improve strength. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/197736239864036498/?nic_v2=1a7sgn22T

If you’re getting symptoms that bad after 3 days then you’re probably putting too much weight on your hands. You need to balance your weight and triangulate your position between the bars, saddle and pedals. If your bars are too low or the hoods too low on the bars then you could be putting too much weight on your hands. Obviously you don’t want to end up with a sit up and beg position as that’s inefficient and you’ll end up with too much weight on the saddle but you need to find a balance. What’s the height difference between the tip of your saddle and the centre of the handlebar clamp on the stem?

I used to get this when I had terrible core strength. After a sportive in the Alps I couldnt straighten my hand for a few days. I can feel it slightly if I'm mashing on the trainer sometimes but not really on the road anymore.
Core strength, raise your bars and try not to rotate your wrists inwards too much would be my advice.

I've had lots of issues with this and other Neuro stuff. Bike position is a big deal. Get a bike fit, is your reach too far? Is your saddle below horizontal forcing more weight onto your hands? I've reduced the amount of cycling I do and have seen an improvement. Also I now ride the majority of time on my steel Merckx's which has been a revelation in reducing Buzz through the bars.
Act now, nerve conduction and velocity testing is not much fun. I had my last tests last week and i can still feel the after effects now.
Edit: Also try grip grab gel mits
Edit 2: just si you are aware most of my other bikes are aluminium frames which I love but i thing their unforgiving stiffness plays a part in road Buzz transmission through the bars

I've been quite lucky to not have too much of an issue with this, but I know others who really suffer.

I personally find not wearing gloves better than having padding adding pressure points, but that's by no means a recommendation, but doing multi day rides I've found it helps. I also double wrap my bars and make sure I change my hand position often on long rides.

I've also had a bike fit every year before riding the bigger events LEL, PBP etc so my fit is up to date.

I was riding a chromoly 430 bike before and didn't have such issues. The Dolan PC is a triple butted aluminium frame and it is very stiff.

That won't make any odds, has to be position / weight on hands

Yes, full recovey. Took a couple of months. I stopped riding completely while it recovered.
Ulnar nerve flossing helps a little bit
Full story here, if you're interested:
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=102871.msg2160763#msg2160763

Do you still have the old bike? Try comparing the riding position and the geometry. Remember the Dolan PC is normally a dedicated track bike so it's geo is probably more on the aggressive side.
I have a large seat to bar height drop on my bikes due to my leg length which doesn't help much. I suspect a full on custom build frankenbike with a long seat tube and short top tube would be the answer for me!

My fingers got numb after PBP for a week or two in 2015, and I had slight similar symptoms after TCR the next year, but after that I've done even longer rides without problems. The fit is pretty much the same still. I do change the hand positions more often now and generally having my hands and core more used to the long rides must have made a difference, even though I had been riding a few hour rides for years before any of this. Just trying to harden the fuck up is probably not the right answer but anyway.

the Dolan PC is normally a dedicated track bike

That's most likely the issue. You probably need to get the saddle further back to take the weight off your hands. Can you lift your hands off the bars when you are riding along in your normal position? If not, too much weight on them. But a fitter who sees you will know best!

I don't have the other bike anymore. I bought a small frame size for the Dolan PC, I got a 50cm, while I'm 5'7. I think I also made the mistake of getting a stem size that is 1cm longer than the one that comes with the 50cm frame. I hope the bike fitter will fix these issues. But I start to think it could be a problem of too small frame size, as I don't think I could raise the handlebars more since the head tube is shorter on this frame. Perhaps a seatpost with bigger setback could help.

Sounds to me like you have a lot to go at there. Millimetre adjustments in setup are the difference between night and day. I suspect a shorter raised/ adjustable stem will push your weight back enough to take the pressure off your hands.
It is still very early days in your ownership of the bike so don't worry too much, it will get sorted. Bon chance.

Hi,

A decent bike fit should sort it out. My guess is that your saddle to bar drop is too great and/or the reach is too much for you. Either will cause too much weight forward.

I’m recovering from serious ulnar nerve compression after 1 year riding a bike that had ~50mm too much drop and reach. I should have known better! Got claw hand on London Edinburgh London and severe muscle wasting. At one point it looked like I needed an op but hopefully not.

It’s a compression issue not a vibration issue. Will be nothing at all to do with frame or any component stiffness/material. Decent padded gloves and thick/double wrap bar tape will help. But they won’t compensate for a position that is out.

Get it sorted and I would advise you to stop riding until it is. Muscle wasting is no fun and can get very serious.

I have sorted my issues, I think it was mostly bike fit but also adapting to riding fixed, I’ve never ridden track bikes or skidded before. Now I am fine and even ride with no gloves. I wish you a speedy recovery!