As an experienced biker for years, I have run into various body pain and issues after a long and hard bike ride. One common issue a biker may experience is numbness and hand weakness which in the long run can affect the quality of your bike ride.
So, how to prevent numb hands while biking? There are many ways and steps that you can take to avoid this problem from happening. From proper bike fitting and changing some bikes to adjusting your bike riding habits, all possible solutions to prevent numbness in the hands during the bike ride will be discussed below.
Contents
Why Do My Hands Go Numb When I Ride My Bike
Before going to the possible solutions to prevent numbness, let us first discuss the possible reasons why the hands go numb during a bike ride. The primary reason for the numbness is the excessive pressure or stress on the nerves.
This nerve is found underneath at the bottom of the thumb and will be subjected to stress and too much pressure during the bike ride. Also, when a biker is doing a longer ride and stays in the bike saddle for a long time, it is normal for the biker to experience numbness which can affect the biking experience.
When a biker keeps the hands bent against the handlebar for a long time during the ride, it will put more pressure on the nerves. Gripping the handlebar continuously for a more extended period will also help put some pressure that can cause numbness in the hands.
Preventing Numbness in the Hands While Biking
If you are suffering from numb hands when biking, there are several ways that you can do to prevent it from happening and make your bike experience wonderful again. Please see some tips and tricks below:
Relax Hands Can Help
How we handle and grip the handlebar can influence the numbness we feel later during the ride. A good example is the new bikers who tend to grip the handlebars too tightly because of nervousness. The result is applying more pressure to the hands, which can affect the nerves and cause numbness.
To rectify this issue, you need to be more relaxed during the right, including how you hold the handlebar. You can try a slight wiggle from time to time to let your hand feel loosened and more relaxed while avoiding gripping the handlebar pretty hard. You can also bend your elbows to relax your hands and shoulders.
Another way to relax during the ride is to engage your core when pedaling. You can even lift your hands off the bars for you to engage the core and reduce some pressure on your hands. When the pressure is reduced, the numbness will be lessened or prevented.
Work on your Bike Setup
Your bike setup is essential in preventing injuries and pain, including hand numbness. If you are just starting to bike ride or have a new bike, the best thing to do is get a bike fit. You need to learn how to fit your bike correctly.
When you are experiencing numbness or soreness in the hands during the ride, you need to check the height of your handlebars if it has the correct height. If the handlebar is too low, you will probably experience numbness when you ride. To solve this issue, try using those spaces to find the suitable height bars. Doing this action will transfer some of the weight to the saddle.
The last thing you want to do is put all the weight on your hands and your bars because the nerve ending in the middle of the hand start to get too much pressure, resulting in numbness during the ride.
Changing Hand Position
When you ride, you can mix up your riding position when using the handlebar. This step is essential, especially when you are doing longer bike rides. You have the option to move your hands from the tops to the flats or even to the drops. Doing this action will lessen the pressure you are giving on your hands.
Investing in Comfortable Handlebars
If you have the means or the capacity, you can invest in some handlebars that provide comfort to you. A good example has aero-bladed bars on your bike. This type of bar offers comfort as it provides more surface area and provides comfort to the hands, especially when riding on the tops or the flats.
Double Wrapping the Handlebars
If you do not have the means to acquire comfortable but expensive handlebars, you can have the option to make your current handlebar more comfortable. Double wrapping your handlebar is a trick that has been used by experienced and endurance bikers.
The best thing about this method is it comes cheap. All you need is two sets of bar tape. You can put one bar tape on and overlay it with another set of bar tape. Doing this action will create a more comfortable handlebar for your hands. It also provides more cushion and creates a bigger diameter for the comfort of the hands.
Conclusion
Experiencing some body pain during the ride is expected, but as a responsible biker, you have to keep your riding experience safe and free from pain and body issues. In connection with this statement, learning how to prevent numb hands while biking is essential, and this article provides many ways to do so. Hopefully, all the tips and tricks we presented can help make your ride more comfortable and free from numbness in the hands.