would new bike with disc brakes and Di2 help my old hands?

[eddief]

I can still ride ok with drop bar bikes but my right thumb joint hates going over bumps and maybe it is exacerbated by braking and shifting too. Not sure about that last part. I also run triples so maybe pushing hard on the left shifter is not helping since it seems to require a tighter grip on the shifter.

Have also done long slow experiments with both Jones and Albastache bars and thumb shifters (not good for thumbs) and both indexed bar ends and friction levers. None of these have led to much general comfort for 35 miles rides and not much improvement for thumbs.

Was wondering if braking with discs and shifting with electricity would be an obvious good idea or just a great excuse for going all modern and getting another new bike.

[Ken Robb]

You might find twist-grip shifters help reduce pain. I don't know what other components you can use with them. I had SRAM on my bikefriday and they worked fine.

[rrudoff]

For my wife with small hands and chronic wrist issues Di2 made all the difference in her wanting to ride versus usual Shimano STI which simply was to much throw and too much pain. She likely would have quit riding without the electronic shifting.


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[Cornfed]

As someone who suffers similarly (left thumb joint shattered in a wreck), I can only tell you that for me, disc brakes do make a difference in hand comfort. (I also have some arthritis in my hands, and that's where disc brakes are a godsend.) Over the years I've found a number of factors help, so fwiw here's my "recipe" for minimizing hand pain:
- FSA K-Wing compact handlebars
- Fizik bar gel and tape
- Ultegra 8000 shifters (nice wide tops)
- Ultegra hydraulic brakes
- Ultegra Di2

All this may not make much difference on a 1-2 hour ride, but I definitely feel less pain on those 8-10 hour days, especially when you string a few of those long days together.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[josephr]

For my wife with small hands and chronic wrist issues Di2 made all the difference in her wanting to ride versus usual Shimano STI which simply was to much throw and too much pain. She likely would have quit riding without the electronic shifting.


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my gf just got a bike with hydraulic braking and its made all the difference for her having small hands and essential tremors...had we had the budget, DI2 would've happened. One of her co-riders has hrydraulic/DI2 and swears by it after coming from regular systems. For some people, it really makes the difference and all of them say they wouldn't go back.

[eddief]

I do use those bars with two layers of gel tape on top of gel strips. Cush!

As someone who suffers similarly (left thumb joint shattered in a wreck), I can only tell you that for me, disc brakes do make a difference in hand comfort. (I also have some arthritis in my hands, and that's where disc brakes are a godsend.) Over the years I've found a number of factors help, so fwiw here's my "recipe" for minimizing hand pain:
- FSA K-Wing compact handlebars
- Fizik bar gel and tape
- Ultegra 8000 shifters (nice wide tops)
- Ultegra hydraulic brakes
- Ultegra Di2

All this may not make much difference on a 1-2 hour ride, but I definitely feel less pain on those 8-10 hour days, especially when you string a few of those long days together.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Black Dog]

In case people forgot that it exists, campy makes an electronic groupe with hydro brakes. Just saying.

[eddief]

you can even program it to shift front and rear derailleurs on the same shifter?

[FriarQuade]

Hydro brakes and electronic shifting definitely require less effort than their mechanical counterparts. Weather that solves your pain issues is something only you can answer.

[Blue Jays]

"...Weather that solves your pain issues..."
Many pain sufferers indicate that prevailing weather is definitely impactful.

[SpeedyChix]

The use of Di2 definitely helped, it was painful to make front shifts with the mech levers. Disc brakes were a bonus and also help. I'd do it a again. eTap is another option if you're not a Shimano fan. Have gone with thicker bar tape (or double wrapping only the tops). I won't go back to mech.

[mcteague]

Many pain sufferers indicate that prevailing weather is definitely impactful.

However, science has a different answer. :D

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/does-weather-affect-arthritis-pain-2019011715789

https://www.clinicalpainadvisor.com/home/topics/back-spine-pain/joint-and-back-pain-may-not-be-associated-with-rainfall/

Tim

[Mikej]

Raise your stem to shift your weight back?

[rollingbarge]

I can tell the difference with my bike with carbon bars and some bar tape that is a bit thicker and more forgiving ( Happen to use a lizard skin tape).

Other bike has nice aluminum bars and tape but beats my hands up on rough roads.


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[palincss]

This can help, too.

https://www.nizoralshop.com/125-large_default/voltaren-gel-emulgel-100g-116-diclofenac-anti-inflammatory-cream.jpg