Uncomfortable on Campag shifters?

jonny_trousers

Anyone suffer? I've used Campag for years without much problem, but post bike fit, when I was advised to ride more on the hoods rather than the vertical part of the bars leading up to them, I'm really struggling to get comfortable and have sore, pressure marks on the lower palm below the little finger after about 40 minutes in the saddle. I may well need to change my approach to using mitts with little padding, and will check the issue out with the fitter, but I was wondering if anyone's found Campag levers to just not be comfortable for them?

owenlars

I have a number of bikes with Shimano, Cane Creek, Microshift and Campag hoods. The most comfortable are Cane Creek but Campag are also good. Never had a problem. I wonder if your fitter set your saddle back a bit and you are therefore leaning on your hands a bit more than you were.

JayKosta

Move the hoods to where they are most comfortable for the amount of arm reach that you want.
Also adjust the inward tilt of the hoods so that your hands fall most naturally onto them.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

jonny_trousers

Thanks guys. I'm actually attempting to use less pressure on hands/wrists/arms since the fit. There is definitely experimenting still for me to do with shifter positioning. I'm actually enjoying the feel when I grip the pointy part of the shifter with straight wrists, so maybe bringing the shifters higher might be an idea. I do think some mitts with a little padding might be an idea too.

declan1

I used to have exactly the same pain and nice padded mitts solved it for me. Also, do you have classic bend or compact bars? I find it's most comfortable when the top of the bar is in line with the hoods, rather than at an angle.

jonny_trousers

declan1 wrote:

I used to have exactly the same pain and nice padded mitts solved it for me. Also, do you have classic bend or compact bars? I find it's most comfortable when the top of the bar is in line with the hoods, rather than at an angle.

Cheers! 3T Ergosum compacts here. The shifters are at a slight upward angle.

declan1

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

declan1 wrote:

I used to have exactly the same pain and nice padded mitts solved it for me. Also, do you have classic bend or compact bars? I find it's most comfortable when the top of the bar is in line with the hoods, rather than at an angle.

Cheers! 3T Ergosum compacts here. The shifters are at a slight upward angle.

That seems just like my position then. Do you feel like you have a lot of weight on your hands? It might be an idea to get a bike fit (if you haven't already) and mention it to them.

First of all though I would recommend some nice mitts - they solved that exact problem instantly for me!

triban

I've zero experience in this but...

wouldn't a good bike fit allow you to hold the handle bars anywhere and be comfortable?

sloppyschleckonds

triban wrote:

I've zero experience in this but...

Brilliant

jonny_trousers

declan1 wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

declan1 wrote:

I used to have exactly the same pain and nice padded mitts solved it for me. Also, do you have classic bend or compact bars? I find it's most comfortable when the top of the bar is in line with the hoods, rather than at an angle.

Cheers! 3T Ergosum compacts here. The shifters are at a slight upward angle.

That seems just like my position then. Do you feel like you have a lot of weight on your hands? It might be an idea to get a bike fit (if you haven't already) and mention it to them.

First of all though I would recommend some nice mitts - they solved that exact problem instantly for me!

Thanks again! You've been very helpful already, but could I cheekily ask what mitts you ended up going for? I'm not big on ones that offer a lot of padding over the muscle beneath the thumbs, but at the moment I'm using Giro Zeros that give nothing.

As for the bike fit thing from Triban: it's a reasonable comment, but I guess bike fit is not an exact science. A follow up fit is all part of the cost (yet to have mine) and the fitter made it very clear that he was there to offer his thoughts and advice on any aspect of the fit any time I want to swing by.

declan1

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

declan1 wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

declan1 wrote:

I used to have exactly the same pain and nice padded mitts solved it for me. Also, do you have classic bend or compact bars? I find it's most comfortable when the top of the bar is in line with the hoods, rather than at an angle.

Cheers! 3T Ergosum compacts here. The shifters are at a slight upward angle.

That seems just like my position then. Do you feel like you have a lot of weight on your hands? It might be an idea to get a bike fit (if you haven't already) and mention it to them.

First of all though I would recommend some nice mitts - they solved that exact problem instantly for me!

Thanks again! You've been very helpful already, but could I cheekily ask what mitts you ended up going for? I'm not big on ones that offer a lot of padding over the muscle beneath the thumbs, but at the moment I'm using Giro Zeros that give nothing.

As for the bike fit thing from Triban: it's a reasonable comment, but I guess bike fit is not an exact science. A follow up fit is all part of the cost (yet to have mine) and the fitter made it very clear that he was there to offer his thoughts and advice on any aspect of the fit any time I want to swing by.

I use the Pearl Izumi Select gloves, which are excellent for £20 - the quality is much higher than any other mitts I've used and they're very comfortable.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/pearl ... 3ZlczoxOjc

jonny_trousers

Cheers, Declan! Spotted some at Evans for £9.99. At that price they've got to be worth a try.

declan1

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Cheers, Declan! Spotted some at Evans for £9.99. At that price they've got to be worth a try.

No problem - hope they sort the suffering!

ugo.santalucia

I wonder if they give the same advice for Paris-Roubaix... riding on the hoods can be a good way if you want to head towards a brand new set of veneers...
I ride on the hoods a lot, but it's not a good place to put your hands... :?

de_sisti

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I ride on the hoods a lot, but it's not a good place to put your hands... :?

Why not?

ugo.santalucia

De Sisti wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I ride on the hoods a lot, but it's not a good place to put your hands... :?

Why not?

Not paying much attention, not grabbing them hard enough, get a pothole and your hands are off... your chin on the bars and the rest of your body on the tarmac... this is especially true if you are drinking... one hand only on the hood is lethal...
Drops is the correct place, bar top can be OK on quiet roads, with excellent visibility and its the perfect position for the cobbles and off road

jonny_trousers

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I wonder if they give the same advice for Paris-Roubaix... riding on the hoods can be a good way if you want to head towards a brand new set of veneers...
I ride on the hoods a lot, but it's not a good place to put your hands... :?

Oh, Ugo, you're such a cynic! Are you and Shut Up Legs having a competition to see who can be the grumpiest member of the forum?

Maybe I didn't make myself clear in my first post: the fitter wasn't advocating hoods only. Just hoods rather than the section of bars leading up to them - all to do with pressure on the ulnar nerve and tingly fingers and wotnot. He's very happy for me to ride on the drops or the tops as well as the hoods. It's possibly also worth me mentioning that I have no intention of riding Paris/Roubaix any time soon.

I know you're notr a fan of bike fits, but I honestly don't think this chap was spinning me a load of nonsense simply to take my cash. He's revolutionised my pedalling technique and no more numbness/tingling in the feet. I just need to get the upper body sorted now.

PS. I've finally discovered what the clicking is with my back wheel. You'll be pleased to hear it has nothing to do with the wheel at all and is a result of something far simpler. It shows I'm an idiot and my LBS are worse.

ugo.santalucia

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

PS. I've finally discovered what the clicking is with my back wheel. You'll be pleased to hear it has nothing to do with the wheel at all and is a result of something far simpler. It shows I'm an idiot and my LBS are worse.

Saddle rails?

jonny_trousers

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

PS. I've finally discovered what the clicking is with my back wheel. You'll be pleased to hear it has nothing to do with the wheel at all and is a result of something far simpler. It shows I'm an idiot and my LBS are worse.

Saddle rails?

More embarrassing. I haven't sorted it yet, but I noticed how the clicking would come and go over periods, but I couldn't understand why. A few days ago, after being on holiday for 10 days, I had a lovely quiet ride into work. The next day I pumped up the tyres, as the pressure had dropped while I'd been away and guess what returned? Clearly the tyres are knocking against some part of the mudguard when inflated above 90psi. I deflated them a little and the clicking almost disappeared. I'm an idiot!

ugo.santalucia

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

I'm an idiot!

I think you are too young for mudguards...

jonny_trousers

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

I'm an idiot!

I think you are too young for mudguards...

I look young for my age