I just bought a road bike and am having problems with numbness. Is this normal, and if not, what can I do?
Question by ButchF16: I just bought a road bike and am having problems with numbness. Is this normal, and if not, what can I do?
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5 Responses to I just bought a road bike and am having problems with numbness. Is this normal, and if not, what can I do?
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Cashane R
May 18, 2014 at 4:52 am
The best thing you can do is to invest some money into a better saddle. The bikes normally come with stock saddles that aren’t bad for short rides but are bad for longer ones. Ask your local bike shop if you can try out some saddles for a few days. You need to ride on a saddle for at least 25 miles or so to get a feel. The problem is you don’t really know a saddle until you have had it for some time. However, a good style of saddle to go for are the ones that have a hole cut out in the middle of the seat. That abates some of the pressure. A low tech way is to just stand more while you bike. So just stand and peddle for a few minutes every 15 min. That way it will not go numb that much.
aviman_banana
May 18, 2014 at 5:37 am
It’s a matter of how you are set up on the bike. If you bought it from a bike store, even if you didn’t, go to a good one and make sure you are set up correctly. You need to have someone explain to you how to sit on the seat properly and you’ll be fine. It does not matter that it is “stock”. It’s all in the positioning and how you sit. I’m on my stock saddle and love it. I can ride for hours now that I’m set up properly, and yes, I had numbness issues at one point.
Chris C
May 18, 2014 at 6:18 am
Ditto on the seat. Look for one with the depression through the center. If you plan on riding your body will get used to it. However, you could buy a nitrogen pad to go on top as well. You might also want to look at some of the suspension seat posts, or at least some carbon fiber. The CF will reduce the vibrations a bit. You can also make sure you are wearing the padded shorts…racing or mountian.
GL
boscatman
May 18, 2014 at 6:45 am
This may sound like a dumb question – numbness where?
genitals – most likey an issue with saddle adjustment. First it has to be at the correct height. With the pedal at the bottom of the rotation, the ball of your foot on the pedal spindle, and your foot parallel to the ground, there should be a slight bend to your knee. The nose of the saddle should be pointing slightly upward. If you still have numbness after this, try pointing the nose of the saddle more downward. You _may_ need a new saddle, but experiment with the one you have first. Even a cheap saddle can be made comfortable if set up properly. Also, your handlebars may bee too low. Raise them slightly, about an inch. WARNING: Newer bikes don’t have the old stem that you can just loosen and pull up. These days, YOur likely to need a new stem.
fingers/hands – You’re using your arms to support your upper body too much, you need to use your back more. Until you get used to doing this, raise your handlebars (see warning above), and be concious of the amount of weight you’re putting on the bars. Always ride with a slight bend to the elbow – this uses the upper arms and shoulders as shock absorbers. Practice by riding on flat straight roads and just use your fingertips on the bars for control, using your back to support your upper body.
The best way to make sure this gets done properly is to go to a shop that offers fit services. The will make the necessary adjusments to your bike and make sure you’re comfortable.
MadMonkey
May 18, 2014 at 7:14 am