Bikes and numb arms and hands.

[Chris51]

Any ideas about numbness in the back side?

 

[PhilMary]

Any ideas about numbness in the back side?

Don't take bad advice about super soft gel saddles. Look at the saddles that have just completed the Tour De France.
It's better to get the correct saddle and break it in, just like a new pair of shoes.
Phil

 

[mushy]

Padded shorts work better than a gel seat. Plenty of riding will harden up your bum muscles. I also bought a wider seat with springs and that is a vast improvement.

 

[Chris51]

Have tried padded shorts but wont a wider saddle tend to to rub the inside of legs---probably a thinner saddle may help this ?

 

[Off da Grid]

Tyre choice won’t make much difference but pressure and road surface will.
Suspension travel only makes a difference if you’ve actually got proper suspension 120mm plus that can be property adjusted, tuneable rebound and firmness.
Most bikes on the cheap end of the market sold with so called suspension are a waste of time.

Try and put the saddle further forward this will make you a little more up right.
If the handle bars are not flat you may need to turn them slightly as the angle may be wrong.
Adjust the brake levers so they feel comfortable.
I got my wife a stem extension to raise the handle bars by about 100mm, this made a lot of difference.
With regards to a numb lower back or backside a gel saddle will help actually raising the saddle a bit can also help.
If your backside rolls from side to side the saddle is to high.

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[bridgedino]

I think you need to see your doctor, it sounds like carpal tunnel trouble, that’s how mine started

Same here

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Numb backside is about having the right saddle for your pelvis. Not necessarily gel, sprung whatever but something that supports the right part of your sit bones. Google for cycle saddle fitting brings up useful YouTube sizing method with little more than a bit of cardboard and chalk

 

[DiggerJon]

I tried all the above and as I didn't do any mountain biking I decided to go "radical" and tried a recumbent cycle. What a revelation! Comfort, no aching bum, no aching shoulders and wrists - what's not to like! Well, unfortunately I have a poor sense of balance which is what you need to start off on a recumbent, especially on a hill. You also have to learn an entirely different cycling technique of leaning back into the seat to push harder on the pedals to go uphill. It is incredibly difficult to get used to when you've spent your entire cycling life pulling yourself forward to put more weight on the pedals. Reluctantly I had to sell the cycle, but bought myself a recumbent tricycle instead - brilliant! Comfort all day, good carrying capacity, it folded to go in the back of the car - and I loved it! So much so I cycled, unescorted, from Edinburgh to my home in Dorset and still treasure the memories to this day. Sadly, arthritic knees forced me to sell the 'trike as I found it too difficult to get out of the seat. "Is it dangerous being so low down?" was a question I was often asked. I never felt vulnerable as, with a "kiddie flag" and a day glow pannier I think most drivers wondered "what the **** is that?" and were very cautious about passing you - especially going up hills where you were not going to wobble around anyway - three wheels good! Oh yes, and with a narrow track it was no wider than a normal cycle!
Oh yes, happy memories - and a wonderful conversation piece, especially cycling in France with my late wife whose French was up to the task of answering all the questions!

 

[63720]

I have fitted Bar Ends to my hybrid handlebars. This allows me to change grip frequently between the horizontal and vertical grip. Although I still experience some numbness I try to keep my wrists straight and shake out my arms and hands when it starts.

 

[rb62]

If the conditions persist I'm another advocate of getting down the doctors,a friend of ours who did a lot of cycling had the same symptoms,it turned out to be a compressed disc in his neck which was sorted out.(I won't bore you with the details!)

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[Silver-Fox]

Any ideas about numbness in the back side?

Find what size your sit bone is.

Then buy the correct size seat

Plenty of info on the net about this and setting up the correct seating position

 

[Nasher]

Get rid of the bike and get one of these - no handlebars equals no numbness

 

[mushy]

Fitting an adjustable handlebar raiser helped the wife's wrist as she has already had carpal operation. This allows you to not only raise the bars but tilts them back towards you and makes you sit more upright. Setting the seat height to be the most ergonomical position is important if you are going for performance but not the most comfortable if you are simply a going for a little jolly just for fun and relaxation.Try lowering the seat so you are not rocking from side to side to get the pedal to the bottom.

 

[Minxy]

Any ideas about numbness in the back side?

Don't take bad advice about super soft gel saddles. Look at the saddles that have just completed the Tour De France.
It's better to get the correct saddle and break it in, just like a new pair of shoes.
Phil

Have a look on Ebay for a 'big bum saddle' ... we got them and they are brilliant, so comfy and don't impede riding.

 

[busby]

We did the Tissington Trail on one day last week and Carsington water the day after.
We stayed at the CCC Ashbourne site.
Both rides are for us, long ones , cycled on an electric bike, so no massive effort.

However, on both rides I suffered both arms and hands rendered completely numb from the obvious vibration from the gravel surface.
This is made a little worse by quite a lot of weight , bike posturewise, still being carried on the arms.
I know this is a good thing for control and balance with off road cycling.

My ebike is a low end one but it has front suspension.
I compared the witness mark from the seals and could see that the plunge range of the forks was about maybe 40mm , so it's working.

I also suffer from numb arms and shoulders when sleeping, so probably it's me, not the bike.
We fixed this on the motorhome by replacing the mattress with a custom one from customsized beds , very comfortable, better than home.

Now, after all this preamble, the question I would ask, please, is has any Funster had a similar cycling problem and solved it with a new bike?
Possibly one with adjustable rate and damping on the front forks?

It's possible one needs suspension movement purely for off road ability and it confers no advantage in secondary ride comfort. ie. vibration from small regular surface imperfections still get to the handlebars?

I go numb somewhere else and padded shorts don't help either,,BUSBY
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[busby]

Padded shorts work better than a gel seat. Plenty of riding will harden up your bum muscles. I also bought a wider seat with springs and that is a vast improvement.

I don't get a numb bum it's somewhere more personal,,It wears off after I get off my bike..BUSBY.

 

[Vanderek]

We changed handle bars and changed the stem for a very short one , so much more comfortable , handle bars similar shape to image below.. search for North Handlebars

 

[mushy]

I don't get a numb bum it's somewhere more personal,,It wears off after I get off my bike..BUSBY.

Sounds like you need a narrower seat so you can hang them either side like saddle bags.

 

[PhilMary]

I don't get a numb bum it's somewhere more personal,,It wears off after I get off my bike..BUSBY.

I suggest you adjust your saddle angle.
It's simple but effective.
Phil

 

[Ridgeway]

If you don't ride that often or are a slightly nervous rider then you'll likely be gripping the handlebars far too tightly, it's extremely common that people do this. Before changing your entire bike set, swapping parts and going to see your doctor i'd simply go to ride with a relaxed (minimal) grip on the bars, really the loosest you can, try on a smoothish surface first as on anything bumpy you'll probably just automatically tighten up.

Worth trying.

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[Johnen]

Try changing the bars to a cranked bar that will raise the Bars a bit higher. This means that there will be less weight on your wrists

 

[Jake Royd]

Try changing the bars to a cranked bar that will raise the Bars a bit higher. This means that there will be less weight on your wrists

Yes, that could work, or possibly a longer stem.
The bikes riding stance is fairly upright but I think where it may be affecting me (have not measured it) is that the seat to bars dimension seems a little short. ie. the frame size maybe a bit small.

 

[Themselves]

I believe the main problem is your hands are in the same position for the entire ride. That’s the advantage of drop bars on a road bike, it gives you a choice of positions. You could try some butterfly bars. Also padded gloves.

 

[maison]

I have a stiff spine following an accident. In an attempt to avoid a bent posture I fitted a riser to the handle bar stem. It also reduced the numbness in my hands by transferring a lot of the weight from hands to bum.