Cycling Causing Numb Fingers-Ulnar Nerve Compression

Handlebar Palsy, Ulnar Nerve Pinch from Cycling

Look out for Handle Bar Palsy!

I went out and did a 37 mile ride with Rob and Gene last week on my Bianchi San Jose Single Speed Cyclocross bike. I’ve turned it into a commuter rig with moustache handlebars. It was a great ride out to Hacienda in Gobles to have some Mexican food. However, my hands started going numb on the way out, and then really really numb on the way back. In fact now, I am still getting some tingling and lack of strength in my right hand.

The compression of the ulnar nerve from pressure on the handlebars makes your hands go numb. Gotta be careful to adjust hand position and wear cycling gloves. Also I am suspicious of the moustache bars, as these have a different hand position than standard racing drops. I’ve ridden up to one hundred miles on my racing drops on the Felt F1x and never had a problem. I also ride on the hoods and with biking gloves. So this is obviously a clue.

Luckily I hardly ever ride more than about 6-7 miles at a stretch on the moustache bars, so it shouldn’t be an issue.

One Comment

  1. Wikle, You’re a train wreck these days….