Anyone else get a numb hand whilst riding?

[ducatilover]

Recently my thumb and brake fingers have been going numb within 20min of a ride I'm wondering if it's nerve damage, or, if it's the way I hold the grip. I cover the front brake with two fingers, but, as I said it goes numb/pins and needles etc. When I don't cover the brake, it doesn't go numb.

Who else has this problem and who covers the brake constantly? (I bet Katman does)

[Oblivion]

Do you hold you fingers in same position for the whole 20mins? I find that the same happens to me, so i just move my hand around while on the throttle just to the get the blood pumping again. After that its sweet for another 20 minutes

[Ocean1]

Rotate the brake lever down so that when your fingers are resting on it thay're in line with your forearm. Even a tad lower.

There's other reasons it happens, but if you only get the problem when your fingers are on the lever then they aren't likely to be the cause.

[ducatilover]

Rotate the brake lever down so that when your fingers are resting on it thay're in line with your forearm. Even a tad lower.

There's other reasons it happens, but if you only get the problem when your fingers are on the lever then they aren't likely to be the cause.

Thanks very much, will send some rep (internet beer!) your way.

Do you hold you fingers in same position for the whole 20mins? I find that the same happens to me, so i just move my hand around while on the throttle just to the get the blood pumping again. After that its sweet for another 20 minutes

I have been holding my hand there 95% of the time, I move it around to get the circulation going. Must look idiotic

[Oblivion]

I have been holding my hand there 95% of the time, I move it around to get the circulation going. Must look idiotic

Your not flapping your arms in the wind are you? Now that would be idiotic

[hellokitty]

I move it around to get the circulation going. Must look idiotic

I wiggle my fingers too - people must think I am waving at them...

( I waggle my bum at the lights as that gets numb too = god knows what people think...)

[phill-k]

Gloves a little tight restricting movement, one of my pairs is and gives me cramp in the throttle hand.

[slofox]

You might try a "throttle buddy" or "crampbuster" - same thing. Cheap and effective (for me anyway).

I use one because I have scarring in the palm of the right hand due to Duypetrens Surgery a few years ago. There is a raised patch of scar tissue that, if pressured, causes the whole hand to go dead after a while. The throttle buddy stops that.

See pic here.

[MIXONE]

My left hand used to go completely numb within 15 minutes on my bike.One operation later for carpal tunnel and she's as good as.

[ducatilover]

I'll see how well the lever adjustment works, hope it's not carpal tunnel (Too much being a Honda rider?)
Some good suggestions thanks guys.
My gloves are a great fit, not loose/tight.
I put some new grips on just to see if it would help, but, no.

[gatch]

Rotate the brake lever down so that when your fingers are resting on it they're in line with your forearm. Even a tad lower.

There's other reasons it happens, but if you only get the problem when your fingers are on the lever then they aren't likely to be the cause.

+14

I have done this on every bike I ride. Something so simple that is consistently overlooked.

[munster]

I get in on occasion, right in the tips of my fingers. Keeping the fingers wiggling helps a lot.

Best to be avoided if this is anything to go by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_finger

[george formby]

I'll see how well the lever adjustment works, hope it's not carpal tunnel (Too much being a Honda rider?)
Some good suggestions thanks guys.
My gloves are a great fit, not loose/tight.
I put some new grips on just to see if it would help, but, no.

I keep the brake covered, force of habit but I have big hands & am able to have the lever low enough that my fingers actually rest on the lever in a natural position. No tingles. I do find the throttle will slip when I reach those straight roads in the Waikato after 4 hours riding though.

I have nerve damage in both hands caused by exposure. Riding a bike in Scottish winters for years , snowball fights with no gloves & generally freezing them over the years. Symptoms are pins & needles, a sensation of hot or cold, white finger tips in the morning & being unable to open your hand after a long time gripping something, say a rope, shovel or maybe a throttle grip.
I have no problems if my hands are warm & do not grip the bars on the bike hard enough to give me any problems.

I would check the position of your lever & fingers with respect to blood circulation or nerve pinching.

[CookMySock]

Happens to me too. I put my thumb over top of the throttle grip and lean on the bar with the ball of my hand for a while and give the fingers a wriggle - problem goes away in ten seconds or so. It's probably from hanging on too tightly..

[PrincessBandit]

( I waggle my bum at the lights as that gets numb too = god knows what people think...)

Haha me too - I have been known to stand on the pegs and wiggle my derriere to chase away the numbness I sometimes suffer there (eeeek, right up there with pins and needles in your you-know-where from tank vibration).

In my hands though I suspect a seam in my right glove for causing numbness after a while. Reckon it's building a wee pressure point which is really only alleviated by deliberately changing my hand position for a while. What I really hate is in winter my finger tips still go numb from cold (even though my palms are toasty warm!!)