Numb hands help!

bmxboy10
bmxboy10 Posts: 1,958
in Road general
Been riding for years but since getting a 2018 Supersix (old version) I’ve had real issues with hand numbness particularly in my left hand. The set up is very similar to my old Tarmac and I have tried all sorts of things to stop it occurring such as swapped bars, stem, bar tape, saddle height etc. From what I read it’s more likely to be a bike fit issue but as I say they geo and stack on the SS is similar to my Tarmac. I’ve tried lots of gloves but it makes no difference and have recently been deflating my front tyre to 90psi to see if that helps but to no avail. Do you guys think it might be the bike? The forks are quite a thin blade completed to the Tarmac.

Comments

  • thomas.d.maw
    thomas.d.maw Posts: 3
    I had similar issues to you a few years back. My solution was wrapping an old inner tube underneath my bar tape to provide additional padding. There is also plenty of gel padding which you can buy online however I have found an old inner tube does the trick just as well. Do you feel particularly different in riding position compared to the old bike? If so, it might be worth getting a bike fit or searching online for bike fit videos to help you alleviate your problem
    Scott Speedster 10
    Giant Defy 4
  • joe_totale-2
    joe_totale-2 Posts: 1,333
    Go tubeless and drop the pressures down to around 70psi?
    There's also the Redshift stem although it's expensive:

    https://road.cc/content/review/249893-redshift-sports-shockstop-suspension-stem
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Do you have neck or shoulder problems as these can cause numbness in your hands.
  • johnnyfartpants
    johnnyfartpants Posts: 566
    Too much pressure going into the arm/hand, it could be a few mm's re your 'set up' but it will have an effect from old bike to new bike set up I figure. Try the padding too as suggested under the bar tape.
    Good luck.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    90 is still fairly high. I'd get the widest tyre you can fit and lower the psi.
  • danx
    danx Posts: 27
    Is the handlebar width or profile different from your old bike?
  • mclaren1986
    mclaren1986 Posts: 23
    I had the same problem a couple of weeks ago. I'm new to roadbiking but I also get this a lot with mtbing. It's not a cure but it does help to stretch your hands and fingers out. I also find not wearing gloves that are tight and avoid gripping too tight on the handle bars helps.
  • bmxboy10
    bmxboy10 Posts: 1,958
    webboo said:

    Do you have neck or shoulder problems as these can cause numbness in your hands.

    No not as far as I am aware.
    danx said:

    Is the handlebar width or profile different from your old bike?

    No and I have tried different combinations of bars and stem length but to no avail.


  • bmxboy10
    bmxboy10 Posts: 1,958
    joe_totale-2 said:

    Go tubeless and drop the pressures down to around 70psi?

    I think my wheels run tubeless so will explore this option

    There's also the Redshift stem although it's expensive:

    Looks like you can buy this from the US for about £100

    https://road.cc/content/review/249893-redshift-sports-shockstop-suspension-stem

  • manglier
    manglier Posts: 1,298
    Do you still have the Spesh? If so it's worth datum measuring all the various points on it then ensuring you have the same measurements on the Dale.
    Put the skewers in from the wrong side but leave the nuts off so that you have the bare skewers projecting from the hubs. Place a metre rule on skewers and using a plumbline measure all the salient points. I would suggest using the rear hub, rather than the BB, as the datum point so that all the measurements are positive.
  • darrell1967
    darrell1967 Posts: 477
    manglier said:

    Do you still have the Spesh? If so it's worth datum measuring all the various points on it then ensuring you have the same measurements on the Dale.
    Put the skewers in from the wrong side but leave the nuts off so that you have the bare skewers projecting from the hubs. Place a metre rule on skewers and using a plumbline measure all the salient points. I would suggest using the rear hub, rather than the BB, as the datum point so that all the measurements are positive.

    Spesh & Dale!!! Is that a new comedy show on tv? :p
  • bmxboy10
    bmxboy10 Posts: 1,958
    Flipped the stem which has helped a bit so will try the saddle next. If not I may get some 28c GP5000s. Thanks for your input so far!
  • singleton
    singleton Posts: 2,523
    Just going to bring the saddle into the conversation.
    I switched from a CAAD12 to a tarmac and started to get some hand numbness. I replaced the saddle on the tarmac as I wasn't getting along with it, and I'm more comfy but also my hands are better as well.
    Maybe the angles are different, or maybe that the old saddle was restricting blood flow.

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