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I'm getting more than occasional finger cramp (mostly longer rides), I realised that I rest my palms on the outer lock on ring, very much on the thumb pad/ulnar nerve area. Can that cause finger cramp? I don't grip hard, but I clearly need to loose the two ring style lock on grips; are the Ergon type grips easier on your hands?
Finger cramp?
Do you mean pain/numbness in the actual fingers?
The usual Ergon style grips won't stop it hurting if you rest the base of your palm on the outside lock-on. They have a pad designed to help when you're gripping the bar normally. Sounds like you're looking for a wider hand position, so maybe those in conjunction with slightly wider bars? Unless you want something more bar-endy for longer rides.
If you are resting your palms on the end of the grips, so that your fingers are in a good place on the brake levers, then give this a go...
Swap your brakes and gear shifters around, so that the brakes are nearer to the stem than your shifters. This will not only move your hands away from the ends of the grips, but it will make one finger braking easier, and this definitely improved hand fatigue, for me.
It's a cost free change, that's easy to reverse, if it doesn't work for you.
Thumb pad is median nerve not ulnar
Thanks all,
Do you mean pain/numbness in the actual fingers?
yes, cramp in my fingers and thumbs.
slightly wider bars?
Using 800mm so probs not, I'd have thought.
Swap your brakes and gear shifters around
They're on matchmakers, so can't swap them around
I'm assuming this is when you're just cruising along, rather than this being the position you are in to use brake levers etc.
You could try those little stubby bar-ends that Ergon make. But really you just need to remember to keep moving your hands into different positions on longer rides.
I get exactly the same - but mainly numb index and middle fingers. Mine commonly happens when riding on longer flat trails with lots of roots/bumps etc. I've looked at wrist angle, brake lever angle and cockpit setup in general and all seem normal.
Have used Ergon grips and they made no difference (GE1's). Currently I'm experimenting with fork pressures to see if that helps. Next I'm even considering a OneUp carbon bar as they are touted to help with fatigue.