HELP and bike riding

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Sarahsmiles0875
Sarahsmiles0875 Posts: 95 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay so this is my problem...I took up bike riding almost every night as part of my cardio routine, but I have noticed the last couple of rides that I have been on, my finger tips are going numb. Does this happen to anyone out here and if so do you have any suggestions to make it stop. BTW...I love riding through the cemetary's around our house....they are sooo peaceful...

Namaste

Replies

  • DryHeet
    DryHeet Posts: 61 Member
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    Hi,

    A couple of possibilities come to mind: you might need to adjust the saddle height and/or handle bar height of the bike to fit your body's reach. These adjustments depend on the type of bike you are riding: racing style, hybrid style, cruiser style, mountain bike style, etc, so its difficult to make suggestions on this forum. Ideally, make a visit to your local bike shop with the bike and ask if they would help fit the bike (if you didn't buy the bike from the shop, they will probably charge a fitting fee).

    Another possibility is that you are putting too much weight on your arms and hands. One of the (many) good things about cycling is you should engage your core muscles when you ride, so you are working your abds and your back in addition to your legs when you ride! Pretty nice, huh. When you ride, try to think about supporting your upper body with your abds and back and not leaning on your arms.

    Another suggestion is take one hand off the handlebar and just shake your hand around, then switch hands. Of course, you'll want to wait to do this when you are in a "safe" area and you feel comfortable with just one hand on the handlebars.

    Hope you get your problem resolved - and good luck with your riding!
    Susan
  • jcmartin0313
    jcmartin0313 Posts: 574 Member
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    ^^^this with an emphasis on getting fitted properly. No matter how expensive or cheap the bike is a proper fit makes the difference between you continuing and giving it up. Even with a proper fit it will take time. I have been fit but because my core muscles are not where they need to be I place alot of weight on my hand causing numbness. Key to solving that is time in the saddle.
  • cloveraz
    cloveraz Posts: 332 Member
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    Hi,

    A couple of possibilities come to mind: you might need to adjust the saddle height and/or handle bar height of the bike to fit your body's reach. These adjustments depend on the type of bike you are riding: racing style, hybrid style, cruiser style, mountain bike style, etc, so its difficult to make suggestions on this forum. Ideally, make a visit to your local bike shop with the bike and ask if they would help fit the bike (if you didn't buy the bike from the shop, they will probably charge a fitting fee).

    Another possibility is that you are putting too much weight on your arms and hands. One of the (many) good things about cycling is you should engage your core muscles when you ride, so you are working your abds and your back in addition to your legs when you ride! Pretty nice, huh. When you ride, try to think about supporting your upper body with your abds and back and not leaning on your arms.

    Another suggestion is take one hand off the handlebar and just shake your hand around, then switch hands. Of course, you'll want to wait to do this when you are in a "safe" area and you feel comfortable with just one hand on the handlebars.

    Hope you get your problem resolved - and good luck with your riding!
    Susan
    I have started to incorporate more biking into my cardio routine...Thank you for pointing out that in need to engage my core muscles. I will be working on that for sure!..Thanks for the tip.
  • serviceburo
    serviceburo Posts: 2 Member
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    If you are riding every day, I cannot recommend getting a professional fitting highly enough. Poor bike fit can cause a lot of long term problems with your body.

    Any reputable bike shop should have a qualified fitter or be able to direct you to one. They'll usually charge you about $50-100, but the increased comfort while riding as well as the significant improvement in your efficiency and power output will be more than worth it.
  • Sarahsmiles0875
    Sarahsmiles0875 Posts: 95 Member
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    Thank you so much for the suggestions...the bike that I have been using is a mountain bike and one that I have had for years. The last couple of rides that I have been I have attempted to straighten out during the ride and focus a little on my belly or core, but never really thought about the pressure that I was placing on my hands as I rode. I am loving riding and want to continue without thinking about having the tingling/numbing sensations before I go on them. The height suggestion is a great one too. Cheers for that!
  • Sarahsmiles0875
    Sarahsmiles0875 Posts: 95 Member
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    ^^^this with an emphasis on getting fitted properly. No matter how expensive or cheap the bike is a proper fit makes the difference between you continuing and giving it up. Even with a proper fit it will take time. I have been fit but because my core muscles are not where they need to be I place alot of weight on my hand causing numbness. Key to solving that is time in the saddle.

    Love the "time in the saddle" bit....cuz every day my tush hurts but I just keep getting on!
  • CameoDouglas
    CameoDouglas Posts: 78 Member
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    I get this often. I think it has something to do wit my circulation so I usually shake my hands out a bit every 10 minutes or so.
  • snrose
    snrose Posts: 233 Member
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    Do you have padded cycling shorts? (i recommend 8 or more panel padded shorts...pearl izumis are great!) they definitely help a lot with tush soreness! a properly fit/adjusted saddle will help that also. :) i also dont engage my core enough and my elbows tend to hurt after a long ride. but thats just something i need to work on. i've already been fitted properly on my bike. but it usually only happens on 20+ mile rides
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
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    Bike gloves can really help, too. They'll provide cushioning and reduce pressure on the nerves in your hands, which could be what's causing your numbness. I echo the recommendation for a bike fit, too.
  • madmickie
    madmickie Posts: 221 Member
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    Use bike gloves, relax your hands, change their position on the bars. Check your bike position.

    Dont spend $100 on getting a bike fit for recreational cycling! If the bike is the right size for you then basic adjustments to saddle height, handle bars, stem etc can be done by your local shop for a lot less.
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
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    Another possibility is that you are putting too much weight on your arms and hands.

    That. Many peeps new to cycling have a weak core. As you increase your distance, your already weak core (both back and front) mean you're kind of hanging in the bars, ending up with numb fingers an possibly achy wrists and elbows.

    I would suggest you do some core strength work in between your rides, and something more sophisticated than just sit ups, which are often badly executed. Have you ever tried pilates? I find it great for building back as well as abdominal strength.

    You might also find that your bike set up is a little too aggressive at this stage, and you could try bring the handlebars up a little and / or sometimes it helps to bring the saddle forward a little (subject to positioning of knees to pedals).

    :flowerforyou:
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
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    Do you have padded cycling shorts? >>> they definitely help a lot with tush soreness! >>>

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :drinker:
  • Sarahsmiles0875
    Sarahsmiles0875 Posts: 95 Member
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    Thank you all so much for all of the encouragement and advice! I will be trying to employ many if not all of the given advice into my cycling regimine so that I not only enhance the riding experience but that I am also doing it safely:) Cheers to you all...

    Namaste

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