Sore hands

fooshnicken

I've recently switched from a moutain bike to a road bike aas my main mode of transport. One of the things I've noticed since making the switch is that my hands hurt while I am riding. Specifically it seems to be around the soft fleshy part of my palms, when I use the flat part of the handlebars, and the around my thumb joint, when I ride on the hoods. I am hoping that with time this will settle down as my body adjusts to the new riding position.

My question is, is this normal? Is there anything I can do to alleviate some of the aching?

alfablue

Are you wearing gloves? Is the bike the right size/set up right? It could be the top tube and/or stem is too long causing you to carry too much weight on your hands.

GavH

I believe this is normal as I suffered the same when I recently bought my first road bike. I started using a pair of weightlifting gloves which had a padded palm until the wife bought me a pair of Specialized road gloves which have gel padding in them specifically to prevent pressure on the ulnar nerve, which runs under the 'ball' part of your hand near the base of the thumb.

I think you can do 3 things, 2 of which have thus far worked for me and the 3rd is on my to do list.

1 - Get gloves
2 - Ride more, you will get more used to it
3 - replace the bar tape on the bike which I'm told will improve the comfort.

I'm also assuming you have carbon front forks which will soak up a lot of the road buzz. I initially didn't but changing to CF forks seemed to help a trouch as well.

fooshnicken

Are you wearing gloves? Is the bike the right size/set up right? It could be the top tube and/or stem is too long causing you to carry too much weight on your hands.

Thanks Alfablue I am wearing some, some winter gel padded Sealskinz which I've had for about a year or so. I was measured for the bike, but I think the weight on my hands may be an issue.

1 - Get gloves
2 - Ride more, you will get more used to it
3 - replace the bar tape on the bike which I'm told will improve the comfort.

I'm also assuming you have carbon front forks which will soak up a lot of the road buzz. I initially didn't but changing to CF forks seemed to help a trouch as well.

Thganks Gav, I may look at getting some Specialized Road Gloves. I'm currently riding about 4 times a week doing anything round 50 miles or so. I do have Carbon forks, but it may be just a case of riding more to get more used to it.

chuckcork

I'd second what Gav said, been using the Specialized gloves few a years and don't have problems with the hands, and if you ride enough your body will adapt. I've personally developed thicker skin at the thumb joint, precisely where the thumb would hook over the bars.

A suggestion I would make is move your hand arounds a bit to find the most comfortable riding position for you, this may involve moving the bars up/down/forwards/backwards a bit of course!

Lagavulin

+1 for Specialized BG gloves

manick0de

You may have too much weight on your hands or your bars may be too low.

Mettan

fooshnicken wrote:

My question is, is this normal? Is there anything I can do to alleviate some of the aching?

Yes, it is normal - I had the same - you could always raise your bar height and use gel padded gloves? - After a month or two you'll possibly find that your hands/body have got used to the new bike - just takes time.

Marko1962

I'll third what Gav said, it does take time to get used to having weight on your hands but having gloves with padding helps a lot, I have the Specialized BG gel gloves and Pearl Izumi's that have padding it does definitely help but the more you ride the easier it gets until it hurteth no moreth. I just need to sort something out for my skinny a** for it to stop hurting.....

fooshnicken

Thanks for the advice everyone

I've ordered some specialized BG gloves and I flipped the stem for the ride home. The ride home was better on my hands, now I just have to wait for the gloves.