# Loss of grip strength after ride. (Tingly hands.)



## AythanNyah09 (Jul 14, 2012)

Im a new rider and I even got a fitting. (The fitting makes a world of difference.) But, when I go on rides... i get the "tingly/numb hands" issue.

I know Im not "death gripping" and Im changing grip positions quite frequently. But, when I do those "long rides" I will get tired and form starts slacking. ie. Support is mainly on my hands.

My main question is... does it go away after riding awhile? Ive only been riding for 3 weeks now and put about 3x weekdays (15 miles) and 1x weekend 20-40miles. But those weekend rides are just killing my hands! Its literally to the point where I have difficulty writing with a pen/pencil. Cant even maintain my toothbrush or shuffle a deck of cards.

Just curious if this will just go away after more time? Other from that, I can only attempt to build my core slowly but that is the main reason why i started riding.

Thx in advance.


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## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

To some extend it will get better, but in a nutshell you're putting too much weight on your hands and compressing the nerves there. Relax your hands while you ride, and you will feel your core/back and legs taking more of your weight. This will be tiring at first, but you will get stronger as you ride. Just keep that in mind while you ride so you don't start to gradually put more weight on your hands as you get tired.

Here are some core exercises that will help out your problem, and make you a faster more efficient cyclist as well.

Core routine for cyclists and triathletes - YouTube

It could also be that your fitter did a mistake and moved your saddle too far forward.

Take breaks every so often to let bloodflow back into your hands. Sometimes a 2 min rest is all you need. Or you could do what the pros do and learn to ride with no hands, completely upright, for minutes at a time.

Lastly try raising your handlebars higher. It will be less aerodynamic, but if it makes you more comfortable that's the way to go.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

I had the same thing but it goes away. the more you ride the less you will have it happen and I think this is because of the core strength you get after riding for a couple of months. Make sure you keep your arms bent and try to keep most of your weight off your arms. Mine was so bad when I started I could not shift with my left hand.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

AythanNyah09 said:


> Im a new rider and I even got a fitting. (The fitting makes a world of difference.) But, when I go on rides... i get the "tingly/numb hands" issue.
> 
> I know Im not "death gripping" and Im changing grip positions quite frequently. But, when I do those "long rides" I will get tired and form starts slacking. ie. Support is mainly on my hands.
> 
> ...


Before addressing possible causes, first thing I'd suggest is to dial back your riding 'for a time', because (from your description) the results of your discomfort indicate a need for your body to recover/ heal from possible injury.

Since we don't know some specifics (like you were fitted, but is the bike sized correctly for you?), sidestepping fit being a possibility might be incorrect, so (if possible) address this. 

Even if sizing is correct, that doesn't completely rule out the possibility of this being a fit issue, and (as another member indicated) it may indicate a need to adjust the saddle aft, some. This serves to move the riders weight back, minimizing weight borne by the arms/ hands.

Agree on acclimation to road riding and the need to build core strength as (at least) contributing factors (link below). Also agree with the on/ off bike exercises/ stretches. I think you'll be surprised at how little time it takes for us to feel more refreshed when we do so.

Re: form and it degrading as we become fatigued, welcome to the club. It happens to everyone, including the pros. As we deplete energy reserves, form seems to degrade correspondingly, so... back to dialing back a little, giving yourself time to acclimate to road riding and building core strength.

Here are some pointers on keeping relaxed on your bike. Some may not apply, but (in sum) I think they're a good set of guidelines to follow:
- keep your upper torso relaxed, arms slightly bent
- change hand position frequently (tops, bends, hoods, drops...)
- keep a slightly loose grip on the bars (avoid the 'death grip')
- keep forearms and hands aligned (don't twist at the wrist)
- consider good quality gel gloves
- install good quality bar tape.

Even something as simple as experimenting with tire pressures (second link below)/ running a slightly wider tire can help, especially on longer rides. Serves to smooth the ride and quell road buzz.

Core exercises:
The Best Core Exercises and Core Workouts

Tire pressure guide:
Michelin Bicycle USA - A better way forward®


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Why would you want to build your core slowly? You should start getting some results in about two weeks if you start being good about core work now.

Otherwise, looks like others have posted some good suggestions. If you're only noticing the problem with your hands, and not also general fatigue, back pain, etc., my thought is to follow up with your fitter. People's fits can change quite a lot in the first year of riding - by this time next year, if you keep up with it, you should be developing a lot more power than you are now, and that's going to be reflected some in your bike setup. But that doesn't mean you should be balanced wrong now.


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## AythanNyah09 (Jul 14, 2012)

SFTifoso said:


> 1. It could also be that your fitter did a mistake and moved your saddle too far forward.
> 
> 2. Take breaks every so often to let bloodflow back into your hands. Sometimes a 2 min rest is all you need. Or you could do what the pros do and learn to ride with no hands, completely upright, for minutes at a time.
> 
> 3. Lastly try raising your handlebars higher. It will be less aerodynamic, but if it makes you more comfortable that's the way to go.


1. Not questioning your knowledge but me learning the body geometry of a bike... wouldnt the saddle "more forward" make me sit up right in which would take weight off of my hands?
2. Taking breaks. As in every 15-30 minutes. (Of course being somewhere safe and comfortable to rest at.) I normally dont take a break during my weekday 15mile ride. (it takes about an hour) But on my weekend ride... I take a break at the 20 mile marker (half way). Can you guide a noob some more guidance?
3. Raising handlebars. I was thinking about "reversing the stem" or even getting a new stem with a higher position of the handlebars. This should keep me more upright and Im not concerned abou aerodynamics... Im just concerned to get out there and ride. My concern about this was that I would I need to "redo" the fitting since its a different handlebar position.

@PJ352 - Re: form and it degrading as we become fatigued, welcome to the club. It happens to everyone, including the pros. As we deplete energy reserves, form seems to degrade correspondingly, so... back to dialing back a little, giving yourself time to acclimate to road riding and building core strength.
- What would be the recommended riding pattern of a new rider? 3x weekday 15 miles to much? or 1xweekend 25miles too much? Just curious how or what would be better to "dial back".


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

ride as much as you can for a long as you can. When I first started I was a little uncomfortable and one of the nice veterans here told me to observe rule number 5!
I got a kick out of the video

Velominati › The Rules


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

AythanNyah09 said:


> 1. Not questioning your knowledge but me learning the body geometry of a bike... wouldnt the saddle "more forward" make me sit up right in which would take weight off of my hands?
> 2. Taking breaks. As in every 15-30 minutes. (Of course being somewhere safe and comfortable to rest at.) I normally dont take a break during my weekday 15mile ride. (it takes about an hour) But on my weekend ride... I take a break at the 20 mile marker (half way). Can you guide a noob some more guidance?
> 3. Raising handlebars. I was thinking about "reversing the stem" or even getting a new stem with a higher position of the handlebars. This should keep me more upright and Im not concerned abou aerodynamics... Im just concerned to get out there and ride. My concern about this was that I would I need to "redo" the fitting since its a different handlebar position.
> 
> ...


1. When you move the saddle further forward, one of two things happens. Either your body position remains the same and you really feel the tail of the saddle or your body moves forward. If your body moves forward, your center of mass is further forward relative to the pedals. The action of pedaling doesn't balance you as well, and you have to support yourself with your hands. Hence, pain. Having the saddle too far back can have a similar result if it goes with the reach of the bike being too long. But if you imagine moving the saddle and handlebars together over the bike, think about how your weight must be distributed between the saddle, bars and pedals in different positions.

3. Fitting is an iterative process. Sometimes fitters can nail it in one session. But even then, the fitter probably still tries some things and some different combinations. Changing your handlebar position isn't a reset - more of a refinement.

As far as volume is concerned, finding a good starting point is tricky. When I was in college, I just got on my bike and started riding a lot. Honestly, I have little idea what kind of volume I was doing. Probably more than 6 hours/week and less than 12.  When I decided to really dial it back and try to rehab a knee injury, I dialed all the way back to 90 minutes/week distributed across three 30-minute rides.

It sounds like you're starting to get the pain during your ride - is that right? That should give you a guideline. Dial your rides back to, say, 20% less than the length of time it takes to start bothering your hands. Just do that for three or four weeks. Full-blown overtraining injuries really suck and can blow seasons and take months to heal. So you need to be careful, and you need to talk to a real doctor about it if your hands don't get better.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Here's my take on your questions...



AythanNyah09 said:


> 1... wouldnt the saddle "more forward" make me sit up right in which would take weight off of my hands?


Nope. This is one of those counter intuitive fit issues. Moving the saddle (thus, the rider) more forward actually increases frontal weight, placing more weight on the hands/ arms. Moving the saddle aft 'some' moves rider weight rearward. 



AythanNyah09 said:


> 2. Taking breaks. As in every 15-30 minutes. I normally dont take a break during my weekday 15mile ride. (it takes about an hour) But on my weekend ride... I take a break at the 20 mile marker (half way). Can you guide a noob some more guidance?


You don't need to stop riding to take pressure of your hands. Take one off the bars at a time (when safe to do so), flexing your fingers, turning your wrists, stretching your arm out/ back... whatever you feel works best. Then alternate to the other hand and repeat. Rather than fixate on timing, do this on an 'as needed' basis. As you employ some of the other suggestions made (and build core strength), the need will (hopefully) subside. If not, the underlying cause should be determined. 



AythanNyah09 said:


> 3. Raising handlebars. I was thinking about "reversing the stem" or even getting a new stem with a higher position of the handlebars. This should keep me more upright and Im not concerned abou aerodynamics... Im just concerned to get out there and ride. My concern about this was that I would I need to "redo" the fitting since its a different handlebar position.


Raising bars won't require another fitting, but you have to keep in mind that as you do, reach shortens, so if you raise them 'enough' you may find that you need a slightly longer stem. 

That aside, I don't agree that you need to do this. It's going to have a negligible effect on your weight distribution, so will have little effect on your hand numbness. If you simply want to be more upright, it'll accomplish that. 



AythanNyah09 said:


> @PJ352 - Re: form and it degrading as we become fatigued, welcome to the club. It happens to everyone, including the pros. As we deplete energy reserves, form seems to degrade correspondingly, so... back to dialing back a little, giving yourself time to acclimate to road riding and building core strength.
> - What would be the recommended riding pattern of a new rider? 3x weekday 15 miles to much? or 1xweekend 25miles too much? Just curious how or what would be better to "dial back".


There no general 'right' answer here. My advice is to pay attention to how you're feeling on the bike, the onset of numbness and tailor your rides accordingly. That doesn't mean you need to turn and head home, but it does signal a need to take some action to relieve the hand pressure - on or off the bike. 

The other facet of this is that until you're somewhat healed from what I consider an injury, you need to dial back your riding for 'awhile'. I don't know if that means halving your weekends rides - maybe you have a sense for that. 

Not trying to be the alarmist here, but overuse injuries are very common to noobs partaking in a variety of sporting activities, so it is important to nip this in the bud before it worsens, because it could progress, then you _will_ be off the bike for awhile.


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## Squrkey (Mar 24, 2012)

I am also a novice rider and have recently been through what you are experiencing.

In addition to what has all-ready been mentioned I have found that using a higher cadence has helped as well, by keeping the pedals moving faster (85-90 rpms) it seems that I have better weight distribution. I believe it is as a result of the weight being distributed towards pedal power. 

Before I was slowing often using a lower cadence in the wrong gears (70 rpms). I don't know if it will work for you but as I have progressed I no longer get the hand numbness or weakness. 

Now I am able to spend 80% of my rides in the drops. Good luck!


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

I switched to Ergon grips and it has alleviated some of this, but I am still tweaking the positioning, so it may still yet improve. I have to add that the feeling described doesn't last past shaking my hands out a bit whilst riding and that it certainly doesn't carry over after the ride. I'm also not riding nearly as much as the OP (~70 miles/week). Hope things improve for you, AythanNyah.


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## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

AythanNyah09 said:


> 1. Not questioning your knowledge but me learning the body geometry of a bike... wouldnt the saddle "more forward" make me sit up right in which would take weight off of my hands?
> 2. Taking breaks. As in every 15-30 minutes. (Of course being somewhere safe and comfortable to rest at.) I normally dont take a break during my weekday 15mile ride. (it takes about an hour) But on my weekend ride... I take a break at the 20 mile marker (half way). Can you guide a noob some more guidance?
> 3. Raising handlebars. I was thinking about "reversing the stem" or even getting a new stem with a higher position of the handlebars. This should keep me more upright and Im not concerned abou aerodynamics... Im just concerned to get out there and ride. My concern about this was that I would I need to "redo" the fitting since its a different handlebar position.


1. Moving your saddle forward, would simply put more weight over your hands. At least that was my case when I had the exact same problem. Went to a fitter, and first thing he did was move the saddle way back. Also buying wider handlebars helped me. The original bars on my bike were 42cm, went to 44cm and it helped with the problem. Now I only have this problem mildly, and it's only when I push myself too hard and tire out.

2. It's up to you really, but since you're problem seems to be severe, I would say every 10 mins, until you grow stronger and can space out your breaks every 15, 20, etc. Take it easy, don't try to win the Tour de France on your first ride. 

Learn to ride no handed safely, for a few minutes at a time. That will be a godsend skill to have. It gives your hands and your back a break, and you can open power bar wrappers much easier too. Alternatively, you can always get in the time trial position and just freewheel a bit. Works best if you do it while descending down a mild grade. I don't recommend you do this if you're descending at high speed. Eventually you'll be able to pedal while in this position. Just don't rest your forearms on the bony part, that's painful. Twist your arms so that the back of your hands are facing up.

TT position: 









OR you can get aero bars:









The bars on the pic above are for a TT bike. The bars you would get don't have the shifting levers on the end. Also, notice the pads for your elbows. Much more comfortable than using your forearms.

Just remember that in both of these positions you'll be far away from the brakes, so use your own discretion. Also, don't rely too much on the TT position as it will not make your core strong. Use it to give your hands a break.

3. Reversing the stem is a quick and simple fix, and shouldn't change your fit too much. You can always mark your handlebars with a contrasting marker or white-out so that you can go back to your original fit.

Lastly, you can get gel pads that fit underneath your bar tape. Fizik makes some nice ones.

Cool Gear: FI'ZI:K BAR:GEL


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## skepticman (Dec 25, 2005)

There are a number of "quick and easy" solutions you can try if you want immediate relief:

1. Gel under the bar tape or double wrapped bar tape
2. Gloves with thicker padding in the palms
3. Bars with a flat section on top (3T Ergonova & Tornova, Easton EA & EC Aero models)
4. Lower tire pressure, wider tires, more supple tires or wider rims will reduce road vibration
5. Keep a light grip on the bars over rough sections of pavement


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

More padding, as in double wrapping the bar or thicker gloves can increase the pressure on the nerves. Not saying that would happen to you but I wouldn’t look to that as a solution.

Assuming that the fit is OK, I would guess that it is more a matter of acclimation, the ability to put less pressure on the hands, and moving the hands around or giving them a break. So like others suggested, take the hands off the bar every once in a while and flex and shake them around (kind of like getting out of the saddle to give you butt a break). 

Even if I’m on the hoods for a while, I’ll still make micro movements of my hands around the hoods to dispense the pressure. And I do most things others said as well (stretch my hands, move them to different parts of the bar, etc).


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