Numb hands with mtn bars: Ergons? SQlab?

[weaponsgrade]

I need some recs on how to deal with numb hands w/ mtn bars. I can go all day on my road bike w/o any hand problems, but not so with my mtn bike. I usually address it by just shaking out my hands. I think things are getting a little worse due perhaps in part to some soreness I'm having with using a mouse. So, I'm revisiting solutions.

I tried a set of On-One Mary Bars once. I couldn't control the bike as well as compared to regular mtn bars so I promptly got rid of them.

I've been looking at the SQlab bars, specifically the 30x16. The 16 deg sweep is less than the 21 of the Mary's so maybe I won't be giving up too much control? Another thought are the Ergon grips, like the GA3. I need something that will still give me lots of control.

Anybody have experiences w/ Ergons, the SQlab bars, or other thoughts?

[CMiller]

Ergon grips solved hand problems on my commuter bike! Totally recommend them. The swept bars shouldn't effect handling at all if you use a long stem to make up for the change in reach.

[veggieburger]

Ergon grips solved hand problems on my commuter bike! Totally recommend them. The swept bars shouldn't effect handling at all if you use a long stem to make up for the change in reach.

Bad carpal tunnel here. I needed more surface area and found a flat MTB grip instead of the round Yeti grips I was running. Made a massive difference.

[JAGI410]

Are you riding in the saddle a lot? Maybe tip the nose up a hair. I’ve tried Ergon grips, and they aren’t for me. I’d try ESI Chunky first.

[linger]

Try some Jones bars. I have the loops, both in 660 and 710. The 660s I have the bio cork ergons, and the 710s I have the ESI chunkies in the 8.25" version. My favorite bars ever!

Also Groovy Cycleworks has a new ti dig it riser that is super smooth. I like it too, but my Jones are a notch above.

[KonaSS]

This is a whole can of worms, but I would also check your position on the mtb. In my experience, numbs hands can often be a sign of something bigger with position.

That said, I have tried Ergon and like them.

[douglas]

I have the ergots too and they work for me

[HenryA]

I really like the Ergons. You might try the ones with small bar ends built-in for additional hand positions.

[tele]

I switched from some smaller Ergon grips to bigger and softer Ourys. Mo better for me. Way more comfortable.

[benb]

Forget the grips, something is wrong with the fit on the mountain bike.

I'm going to guess you have the bars higher and with less reach on the MTB than the road bike. If the road bike is not making your hands go numb you've clearly got something going on where your pedaling is not unweighting your hands on your MTB.

I would start with saddle positioning. Obviously this can be tricky with MTBs due to suspension.

Chances are if you fix the bike the mouse will stop bothering you. At least that has been my experience.

[Pastashop]

Indeed, either the weight or the angle on the hands isn't quite right no' mo'. That said, when running flat bars, I really really really like Ergons, especially ones with the short bar-ends integrated. Old-skool meets Neu-skool. :banana:

[Ken Robb]

I like Ergon grips too. I wonder if you are riding very challenging terrain that makes you grip the bars VERY tightly?

[John H.]

I agree with this- Look at fit 1st.

Is the bike a hardtail or full sus?

Full sus can be hard to fit with just a tape measure.
When you sit on the bike, the suspension squats and changes the saddle position. This can change the amount of weight on the bars.

Also consider the cockpit.
People are putting really short stems on bikes without thinking of fit- Putting the bars too close can change the amount of weight that your hands carry.

Lastly- Consider bar width, amount of sweep, and especially upward sweep. The upward sweep that many bars have can put the pressure right into the heel of your hands causing the pain that you speak of.


Forget the grips, something is wrong with the fit on the mountain bike.

I'm going to guess you have the bars higher and with less reach on the MTB than the road bike. If the road bike is not making your hands go numb you've clearly got something going on where your pedaling is not unweighting your hands on your MTB.

I would start with saddle positioning. Obviously this can be tricky with MTBs due to suspension.

Chances are if you fix the bike the mouse will stop bothering you. At least that has been my experience.

[azrider]

Ok I'll be the odd guy out and recommend trying to find a better grip that suits you first. I have bear paws for hands (9 inches from wrist to tip of middle finger) and most grips were just too small.

I tried Oury, Ergon's (people still ride those :p), lizard skins.....and finally ended up with some ESI Extra Chunky grips. These solved a ton of issues for me, are super cush, and fit my size hand MUCH better.

If you think your fit is good (which I agree is most important) try a different, more cushy grip first. A few of my other XC buddies swear by Specialized Contour XC's (neon pic below) which have a softer compound to alleviate wrist hand ailments. I might try 'em one day but I've been stoked enough with my "extra chunks" so I'm sticking with those for now.

Good luck in your search! Hope you figure it out.

http://tfe.me/image/480_345/HT5320.jpg

http://happyearth.in/store/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/p/-/p-grips_mtb-grmesi-esi-extra_chunky-_-_-_-_-aqua_5.jpg

https://images.amain.com/images/large/bikes/specialized/25517-1151.jpg?width=475

[p nut]

I'm not a fan of the Ergon's. I tried a couple and for whatever reason, the inside of my thumb (near the web) would just get raw. Gloved or not. Went back to regular ESI grips and all was good.

Now, I do have "regular" Ergon GE grips and they work great for me. I just have had issues with the ergonomic versions.

But I also agree with fit. I used to get numb hands quite a bit. Went to a set back seat post, and now very rarely do I get numb hands.