Wrist pain

Barrie_G
Barrie_G Posts: 479
edited March 2010 in MTB general
Well I managed to get out for my first decent length ride on my Ego build :D problem is now my wrists are, while not quite killing me I definitely know they're there.

The discomfort started after about 40 minutes and slowly got worse for the rest of the ride of about an hour and a half, does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might be able to adjust my riding position to eliminate or at least reduce the discomfort.

The bike isn't set up agressively (too old and stiff at 46 :( ) and while I enjoy my road bike (no problems on here) I would like the option of being able to mess around off road during the summer months.

All suggestions welcome as I'd hate to have to try to sell this after having spent so much on it but my health has to come first.

Comments

  • davehm
    davehm Posts: 22
    Not too sure about specifics of bike setup but I imagine the angle and position of the brake levers may have quite an effect on wrist pain.

    Try either tipping them further forward (ie towards the ground) or back (towards the rider) to see if any of these positions feel more comfortable.
  • Beardface
    Beardface Posts: 5,495
    Sounds like you need to play about with Saddle, stem & bars.. sounds like your 'cockpit' isn't set up as well as it could be. I could be wrong, but maybe a longer stem is needed or the saddle needs to go back further? (To me, it sounds as though maybe too much weight is being put on your wrists, suggesting you're too cramped, although, I could be wrong!)

    Another thing that you could look into are ergonomic grips, which help distribute the weight around your hands. That may also help?

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Sear ... =ergo+grip <, there are some options :)
    Bird Aeris
  • Old_school_JSS
    Old_school_JSS Posts: 29
    Are you using straight bars?

    You may find risers give you the angle you need for a more natural fit, dare I say it have a fiddle about with bar ends too.
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    i had this a while back, i think my cockpit was a bit stretched out, as i've not had a problem since i got a shorter stem...
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • robertpb
    robertpb Posts: 1,866
    Try moving the saddle forward first, this will shorten the cockpit and take weight off your wrists.

    If that improves things you could go for a shorter stem and a higher rise bar.

    I've got 13 years on you and when I do recovery rides sometimes my wrists play up, but when I'm riding aggressively not a problem.

    I'm down to a 40mm stem with 690mm wide bars and a 76mm rise.
    Now where's that "Get Out of Crash Free Card"
  • JayKingFunk
    JayKingFunk Posts: 411
    I had this same problem a few months back when I started riding more so got some new 'chunkier' grips, the 'waffle' style ones and they make a huge difference.

    I also rolled my riser bars forward which helped a lot!

    J
    I love the sound my tyres make on dusty single track!
  • JayKingFunk
    JayKingFunk Posts: 411
    I had this same problem a few months back when I started riding more so got some new 'chunkier' grips, the 'waffle' style ones and they make a huge difference.

    I also rolled my riser bars forward which helped a lot!

    J
    I love the sound my tyres make on dusty single track!
  • peter413
    peter413 Posts: 5,120
    I sometimes get this problem when going down a rough bit of trail. Try bending your arm a little (a centimeter or two) just so your elbow isn't completely straight. Helps to absorb shocks from the trail.

    Hope this helps and keep riding!!! :D
    Transition Patrol
    Cube LTD 29er

    Glentress Trailfairies
  • Barrie_G
    Barrie_G Posts: 479
    I've had a quick look and the saddle does look like it needs moving back a smidge, I've got bad wrists any way (coming of my last mtb over the bars :roll: )

    I'll have a play about and see what it's like, I only built it up to mess around on and get along the bridal ways and dirt tracks that I don't want to take my roadie down in the summer so if I do end up selling it I won't be heart broken.
  • covelove
    covelove Posts: 209
    again i have had the same, i tried moving my bars up a little so that my forearm, wrist and hand was in straight line and that my brake on that same line, that way your wrist is not under a constant strain and is not bending at all. you just need to tinker and see what works for you.
    does my tail look hard in this?

    cove stiffee

    orange 222
  • mikeage
    mikeage Posts: 150
    as you mention a road bike I think it may be in part down to your hand position and the angle you are gripping the bars at in comparison to how you would on a road bike. it's a long time since I rode one but on drops or the hoods on a road bike you are gripping with a much more side on position with your hands compared to mtb bars.

    maybe worth looking for some bars with more backward sweep or going to a friendly shop that will let you play around with a few handlebar options!

    edit - or, dare I say it, maybe try some bar-ends
  • Barrie_G
    Barrie_G Posts: 479
    I managed to have a quick ride on it again today and the thought of bar ends did occur to me as riding with my hands on the ends of the bars stops the discomfort, though this didn't surprise me as it's pretty much the same position as I have when on the hoods of the road bike which I have no problems with.

    The length of the bike seems a lot better now with the seat moved back a few mm, and my wrists are fairly straight on the bars, I also have the brake levers set so that there is a straight line through my arm and I'm not having to turn my wrist up to use the levers, though there was still some numbness after 15-20 minutes.

    Next step to turn the bars up a little as I felt as though my hands were getting pushed in by the bars ( the outside of the wrist pushed out and the thumb pushed towards my chest sort of thing) these are the bars http://www.ritcheylogic.com/dyn_prodfamily.php?k=98022 s o you can see why I'm not in any hurry to start swapping them out for something else.

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