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I find myself riding on the hoods enough that my bottom knuckle on my index fingers hurt. It's definitely a bruise-type pain i.e. the outside and nothing going on with joints or tendons.
Is there anything I can do besides ride in a different position? I'd guess I'm on the hoods for 75% of my 30km flat commute. Should I try a different (unnatural feeling) position, man-up or can you get padding for the rubbery bits?
I'm new to the whole skinny wheel thing!
Thanks
I got my first curly bar bike since I was 14 (32 years ago) a couple of summers ago. CX bike similar enough.
I initially had issues with numbness in fingers and pains in the hands. Not the same as you describe exactly however.
I also prefer to ride on the hoods.I put the pain and numbness down to having more weight on the bars / hands and just having different shape bars.
I got myself some well padded mitts and consciously try and support my significant weight with my core so I am not just leaning my full weight forward. I also try and mix up riding positions before things start to hurt rather than once they start to hurt. Hoods for general peddling, drops for descents or when I need a rest freewheeling (fully tucked?) and use the tops for climbing. Again, not because the terrain warrants all the moving about, I just know that I can ride in comfort for longer if I change position more regular.
my bottom knuckle on my index fingers hurt
If that is the only place where you are experiencing pain, it sounds like a problem with ergonomics (shape and angle of the hoods - which is specific to the brand/model - combined with their position on the bars) and your grip (including whether you are maintaining it for long periods without movement).
If you are gripping the hoods with your index finger inside/behind the lever blade, then I can easily imagine bruising might occur as a result of the knuckle being in contact with the blade and receiving lots of small imperceptible impacts from the normal general vibration of the bars. If so, it sounds like that particular shifter does not have sufficient space underneath the hoods for all your fingers to grasp around (do you have large hands?). Try instead positioning your index finger in front of the lever blade*.
I would echo the advice to use the shape of the drop bars to allow you to move your hands around occasionally. Even getting out of the saddle will alter your grip on the hoods a bit and vary the pressure points.
You could also alter the rotation of the bars and the position of the levers on the bars, which might also improve matters.
* Edit - see this video from 50 seconds in to see what I mean
I don't think I've ever had all 4 fingers under the levers - just maybe when really grunting up a hill, I guess, but I still don't think I do
Try rotating the bars a little up/down in the stem to see if a slight change in angle of the hoods helps? The levers might not be at the best position on the bars - I like a nice flat transitions between the tops and the hoods which spreads the weight across the base of the thumb / palm - not just the cleft. A padded mitt can help whilst you get used to the road 'buzz'
I don’t think I’ve ever had all 4 fingers under the levers
Me neither, but the OP says he is new to riding skinny wheels, and some brake and brake/shifter levers are now so big that I suspect someone with smallish hands could grip them with all four fingers.
Bruising of the bottom knuckle of the index finger sounds very unusual, and it's difficult to envisage what might be causing it. The only other possibilities I can think of are an excessively tight grip (which might result from poor bike fit and weight distribution), or pushing the gear shift blade with the bottom of the index finger (as opposed to keeping the index finger straight/unbent when changing gear in order to use the (stronger) muscles in the palm to make the shift.
Thanks for the replies.
I was running late so a motorbike commute today but will have a look at exactly what my hand position is on the hoods.
I think it's quite like your video [b]slowster[/b] but maybe with my hands rotated in a tiny bit so that the knuckle is on the hood.
I say it feels like bruising and it does but very mild. There's no pain in the joint and it's only really a little sore when I get back on the bike. There's no tingling or any pain from movement so it's annoying as opposed to worrying. I think trying to move things so its the palm / base of my thumb taking more pressure so that the knuckle isn't touching sounds best. I think the hoods might be slightly downward facing. I'll check. It says you should never do this but not why not. Any ideas?
Re. my hands. They're best described as a dinner plate with 5 sausage fingers overhanging the edges.
Thanks