Conference noted::bicycle

	I didn't have wrist pain but had some numbness in my arms
	after every ride for a while last year.  Solved it by buying
	some Spenco gel gloves.  Never had the problem again.  If
	you try them make sure you get the regular gloves, not the
	"racing" ones which don't have much gel.  At $25, they're
	expensive, but for me they solved the problem, so were
	worth it.

	chris

    .1 has the correct advice, I think.
    
    However, as someone who's never managed to feel comfortable in
    cycling gloves, I had the same problem with one of my bikes,
    and traced it to other causes... with other solutions.
    
    Moving from my Fiorelli (which broke) to the Baldi, the wrists
    started giving me problems.  Why?  The handlebars were narrower,
    and the top-tube was shorter.  This put me in a tenser, more 
    crouched riding position, with the wrists more "cocked."
    
    I helped alleviate this problem with semi-padded handlebar tape
    ("Bike Tape").  But the advice suggested by this is: go for the
    gloves, but also check out the frame- and handlebar-dimensions
    (plus your overall riding stance) to make sure you aren't 
    contorting your physiognomy overly much.  Even with gloves,
    you will come out ahead if your stance is comfortable.
    
    -john

< Note 1108.2 by SHALOT::ELLIS "John Lee Ellis - assembly required" >
                          -< check out your geometry >-

I agree with John.  If your new bike puts you in a significantly different 
position, who knows what kind of aches and pains will develop until you get 
used to the new position.  If you ever do.  I would imagine there's quite a 
difference between the bikes.  

When I bought a new bike last year, I made the mistake of just guessing that 
the new bike was set up right.  It felt ok.  I went out and rode hard and 
injured a knee.  I THEN checked out the bike and found the seat fore/aft 
position was significantly different.  Now I take great care to ensure that my
seat position on all 3 of my road bikes is EXACTLY the same.  And my knees are 
fine (well almost).

When changing position on the bike, the general consensus is to make the 
changes in very small increments to allow your body to adjust.

Kevin

    
            Along with all the other good advice already given here,
    don't forget good ole' weight work. I personally am a strong advocate
    of weights and feel that if you were to do some wrist curls, standard
    and reverse, using moderate weight, this would strengthen the wrists
    to give you the added support you need. Probably 3 sets of each,
    8 - 12 repetitions, two or three times a week is all it would take.
    I think you would see great improvements after 2 weeks of this,
    but don't stop there either. Good luck !........
    
       Dave
    

    Were you riding on the "drops"?  I'm just wondering....if your bars
    were set at an angle different from your previous bike and you were
    on the drops then perhaps your wrists were at a different angle.  This
    "may" be a possible source for your problem.
    
    Good luck..
    
    Bob
    

Changing hand position more often help also. When I notice my elbows getting 
stiff I move my hands from the drops to the brakehoods, to the top of the bar
when climbing. The more I change hand position the less my elbows and hands
hurt and get stiff.

Tom

    
    I've had this problem with two different bikes.   It seems to be
    caused by the overall stiffness of the front end of the bike.
    If the wheel is real tight, and the fork is stiff and the handlebars
    have no flex, then all the road bumps are transmitted into your
    hands and arms.     I agree with .1 that gloves might help,
    and with the other suggestion someone made that handlebar padding
    might help.    Another option is longer handlebars, or lighter
    weight bars that might flex more, allowing for more shock
    absorbing.     If you ever get around to changing wheels on
    that bike, go for low flange hubs that will also absorb some
    more shock than high flange hubs would.
    
    						Alan.

    Thanks to everyone for getting back....
    
    Re: 1108.1
    I have been using cycling gloves, although they are about two years
    old. They don't look worn, but they could be. They still appear
    to have pleanty of padding on the palm. How do you tell if cycling
    gloves are worn. On the Spenco gloves do they make much of a 
    difference from standard cycling gloves?
    
    Re: 1108.4:
    I have been working out with weights all winter, but I have not
    done any wrist curls, I will give this a try. 
    
    Re 1108.5 & 7:
    According to the kit fit the standard stem and bar would not do.
    So the bike shop installed a cenelli bar and stem, I'm uncertain
    what size thought. The new bar does feel a lot stiffer then my old
    set up. In addition the new bar is much narrower then the my old
    bars. 
          

    
>    Re: 1108.1
>    I have been using cycling gloves, although they are about two years
>    old. They don't look worn, but they could be. They still appear
>    to have pleanty of padding on the palm. How do you tell if cycling
>    gloves are worn. On the Spenco gloves do they make much of a 
>    difference from standard cycling gloves?


	The Spenco's make a BIG difference.  I was using standard
	gloves when Ihad the problems mentioned in .1 - switching	
	to Spenco solved the problem.  If you sqeuuze the palm of
	the glove between your fingers the gel feels kind of
	weird but all you notice when riding is the extra padding.

chris

RE: .8,
    
    	One of my bikes that had this problem also had Cinelli stem
    and bars.   This brand is often unusually stiffer than other brands.
    I guess it wouldn't matter how long the bars are if you aren't
    in the habit of holding on to the ends.   Do you often hold on
    right near the stem?
    
    	Another factor on both of my too-stiff bikes is that both
    have very little fork rake, so that the front wheel rides very
    close to the down tube.    One was a Masi that had been
    wrecked, making the fork angle even steeper, and increasing
    the problem, but finally I sold that bike.    On the other
    bike I was able to alleviate the problem some by using fatter
    tires, longer bars and padded grips.
    
	Spenco gloves do have a lot more padding than most other
    gloves.

    							Alan.