Numb left hand

Hi All - Whenever I ride more than 25 miles or so, I keep getting numbness in the fingers in my left hand. I assume it's something to do with putting pressure on the nerves - any ideas how I can change the set-up on my bike to avoid this?

It could be that you're riding slightly twisted which could be putting more pressure on that hand or the twist is trapping a nerve in your neck/shoulder.

I don't know what you could do to help this without watching you ride a bit.

Cheers, that would make sense. I used to get a number foot after longer rides until I switched to Look pedals - should probably get properly fitted sometime.

I get really bad pins and needles/numbness in both my hands-poor circulation really. Can also be that you're overextended and putting too much weight through your hands (your back should be doing most of the support work) so a smaller frame/shorter stem/ then get bar tape inserts to help absorb some shock should help. And a decent pair of gloves with pads.

(And it happens even when wearing gloves!)

Also, most people have one shoulder slightly lower than the other/one arm slightly longer than the other which may be the reason you're only getting it in one hand.

The stem's a good point too, I've a shorter spare knocking around. I'll try fitting it and see if it makes any difference, ta.

it will be a matter of bike fit, posture and core strength and your levels of fitness and flexion

these are the types of reason people have a cyclefit done

Yeah, I've been thinking about getting a cyclefit for some time - I've a horrible feeling my fixie frame is a little too big for me, which I why I've been putting it off...

this is why fit is so important

spend time on an ill fitting bike and it will cause you problems

short runs tend to be fine, but the further you go the greater the importance

fit is also specced for the activity

eg trackies tend to be hunched over to give higher power over short distance but this would cause major problems on a long road ride

likewise a road position would be unlikely to give you the maximum wattage that a track position should give you

the other thing after fit is the contact points, pressure in tyres, type of handle bar/stem, bar tape - many people prefer carbon bars for their ability to dampen road buzz etc

cant be arsed to elucidate further, please utfs for cyclefit and similar topics

Will do, cheers.

sorry

you are meant to get really vexxed because i mentioned utfs, i then call you a cunt, everyone pitches in and we have friday afternoon popcorn

bettini clearly does not understand how to play on lfgss!

ahaha. It still doesn't explain why only one of his hands gets pain/numbness. Tyre pressures, bar tape etc. would make sense if both hands/wrists were in pain

oz, combine poor fit etc with less than optimum contact points and there could be an explanation

please utb a little

I think the "slightly twisted" theory might also be along the right lines - I used to get a numb foot on the MTB before I changed my pedals

DJ - sorry, didn't mean to lower the tone - you're a cnut, I hope you spend the afternoon blumping the spaceship, licking duck butter and sucking on a shitsicle...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUlgN__Jrxk

Apologies but what does 'utb' mean. Trban dictionary brings nothing up so it's obviously not hipster.

Use the brain?

Yep use the brain

Or utfb

The irony of DJ coining that acronym still makes me chuckle.

sometimes its good to have a numb hand...

just sayin'

I had a similar problem a few months ago. I found that one brake lever was higher than the other, turned out the handle bars were uneven and if you used the marks on the bars to fit the levers they were not even. I also find that I prefer the levers turned inwards slightly, say by a degree or too, personally I find it more comfortable.

I hope Soul (any question answered thread) has stopped riding long enough to read this thread.