thickly padded gloves for XXL hands

[Casey Miller]

I'm trying different ways to combat hand numbness.

One of the folks at the LBS suggested that I try different gloves. Of
course, the Nike XXL "thickest padding ever" were out of stock.

So I ask ye riders w/humongous hands -- what works for you?

[landotter]

Casey Miller wrote:
> I'm trying different ways to combat hand numbness.
>
> One of the folks at the LBS suggested that I try different gloves. Of
> course, the Nike XXL "thickest padding ever" were out of stock.
>
> So I ask ye riders w/humongous hands -- what works for you?

Might be helpfull to tell us folk what your current setup is. You
problem might be solved with gear rather than gloves, who knows?

[Gooserider]

"Casey Miller" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I'm trying different ways to combat hand numbness.
>
> One of the folks at the LBS suggested that I try different gloves. Of
> course, the Nike XXL "thickest padding ever" were out of stock.
>
> So I ask ye riders w/humongous hands -- what works for you?


I have a hand numbness problem too(carpal tunnel syndrome). Good gloves can
help, but they're not a cure all. First thing you need to consider is bike
fit. How much weight are you putting on your hands---how low is your
handlebar? I keep my bar at saddle height, which helped a lot. I also change
hand positions every 5 minutes or so, drops to flats to ramp to hoods, etc.
There are gloves on the market which are supposed to eliminate hand
numbness. They're the Spenco Ironman:


http://www.ironmancycling.com/

However, I don't know if they come in your size.

[Casey Miller]

> I have a hand numbness problem too(carpal tunnel syndrome). Good gloves can
> help, but they're not a cure all. First thing you need to consider is bike
> fit. How much weight are you putting on your hands---how low is your
> handlebar? I keep my bar at saddle height, which helped a lot. I also change
> hand positions every 5 minutes or so, drops to flats to ramp to hoods, etc.
> There are gloves on the market which are supposed to eliminate hand
> numbness. They're the Spenco Ironman:
>
>
> http://www.ironmancycling.com/
>
> However, I don't know if they come in your size.

Indeed, gloves are just one of the variables I am tweaking in my search
for a comfortable setup:

1.) Cockpit setup
2.) Riding posture
3.) Supportive exercise and stretching
4.) Gloves

1.) I have my saddle adjusted as far aft as it will go, and now I am
trying to find the "sweet spot" for my handlebar. I am trying to get my
handlebar level with my saddle, or higher. It's a pain, though. My new
steer tube is just long enough to clamp a stem on it, and that's it. No
spacers. I'm using a very steep stem and some high-rise handlebars, but
it isn't enough.

2.) Trying to keep my head up and my shoulders relaxed, so my nerves
don't get pinched anywhere.

3.) sit-ups, stretches, back exercises

4.) I ordered a pair of the Spenco Elite gloves in XL, I'll let you
know how they work for me.

BTW, I am 6'5" and 300lbs, arm length 26".

[gds]

Casey Miller wrote:
> > I have a hand numbness problem too(carpal tunnel syndrome). Good gloves can
> > help, but they're not a cure all. First thing you need to consider is bike
> > fit. How much weight are you putting on your hands---how low is your
> > handlebar? I keep my bar at saddle height, which helped a lot. I also change
> > hand positions every 5 minutes or so, drops to flats to ramp to hoods, etc.
> > There are gloves on the market which are supposed to eliminate hand
> > numbness. They're the Spenco Ironman:
> >
> >
> > http://www.ironmancycling.com/
> >
> > However, I don't know if they come in your size.
>
> Indeed, gloves are just one of the variables I am tweaking in my search
> for a comfortable setup:
>
> 1.) Cockpit setup
> 2.) Riding posture
> 3.) Supportive exercise and stretching
> 4.) Gloves
>
> 1.) I have my saddle adjusted as far aft as it will go, and now I am
> trying to find the "sweet spot" for my handlebar. I am trying to get my
> handlebar level with my saddle, or higher. It's a pain, though. My new
> steer tube is just long enough to clamp a stem on it, and that's it. No
> spacers. I'm using a very steep stem and some high-rise handlebars, but
> it isn't enough.
>
> 2.) Trying to keep my head up and my shoulders relaxed, so my nerves
> don't get pinched anywhere.
>
> 3.) sit-ups, stretches, back exercises
>
> 4.) I ordered a pair of the Spenco Elite gloves in XL, I'll let you
> know how they work for me.
>
> BTW, I am 6'5" and 300lbs, arm length 26".

Good for you on # 3) I think core strength is too often ignored. I ride
in a pretty low position (bar tops ~3" below saddle height) and have
little feeling of weight being on my hands which I attribute to good
core strength low back flexibility. My prejudice is that one needs to
adapt/train the body to the function not just add padding to correct
for lack of conditioning.

[[email protected]]

Casey Miller wrote:
> I'm trying different ways to combat hand numbness.
>
> One of the folks at the LBS suggested that I try different gloves. Of
> course, the Nike XXL "thickest padding ever" were out of stock.
>
> So I ask ye riders w/humongous hands -- what works for you?

I find that no gloves works better than ill-fitting ones. They all seem
too short and the pad that is supposed to be protecting my palm ends up
just creating a pressure point where it ends in the middle of my hand
somewhere instead of back by my wrist where it should be.

I used to have a hand numbness problem that I got rid of by moving my
saddle back to change my fore-aft balnce and weight distribution. I
also raised my bars a little, and moved them back. They are still 3-4"
below the seat, but I find that quite comfortable.

Key for me was fore-aft weight balance, by moving the saddle back and
forth. This balance changed as I lost weight and my upper to lower body
weight distribution changed.

When riding along on the tops, can you lift your hands 2" above the bar
and ride like that no hands no problems? If you tip over forward, I'd
say it's not weak back muslces, but poor fore-aft weight distribution
resulting in too much weight on your hands, increasing the chances of
numbness.

Joseph

[[email protected]]

Casey Miller wrote:
> > I have a hand numbness problem too(carpal tunnel syndrome). Good gloves can
> > help, but they're not a cure all. First thing you need to consider is bike
> > fit. How much weight are you putting on your hands---how low is your
> > handlebar? I keep my bar at saddle height, which helped a lot. I also change
> > hand positions every 5 minutes or so, drops to flats to ramp to hoods, etc.
> > There are gloves on the market which are supposed to eliminate hand
> > numbness. They're the Spenco Ironman:
> >
> >
> > http://www.ironmancycling.com/
> >
> > However, I don't know if they come in your size.
>
> Indeed, gloves are just one of the variables I am tweaking in my search
> for a comfortable setup:
>
> 1.) Cockpit setup
> 2.) Riding posture
> 3.) Supportive exercise and stretching
> 4.) Gloves
>
> 1.) I have my saddle adjusted as far aft as it will go, and now I am
> trying to find the "sweet spot" for my handlebar. I am trying to get my
> handlebar level with my saddle, or higher. It's a pain, though. My new
> steer tube is just long enough to clamp a stem on it, and that's it. No
> spacers. I'm using a very steep stem and some high-rise handlebars, but
> it isn't enough.
>
> 2.) Trying to keep my head up and my shoulders relaxed, so my nerves
> don't get pinched anywhere.
>
> 3.) sit-ups, stretches, back exercises
>
> 4.) I ordered a pair of the Spenco Elite gloves in XL, I'll let you
> know how they work for me.
>
> BTW, I am 6'5" and 300lbs, arm length 26".

Unless you are built like Jerome Le Banner, you are probably overweight
with an overly heavy upper body. This means you may need an extreme
set-up with the seat WAY far back. At 6'5" it is very easy for you to
end up on a bike that is too small. If you're seat is all the way back,
and you still are having problems, this may be an indication that your
bike is too small. When you have a pedal in the forward position, and
drop a plumb-line from your knee-cap, where is it relative to the pedal
spindle? At your height and weight, I wouldn't think having your knee
as much as 2" (even more maybe?) behind the spindle would be too
extreme. If you change your weight distribution by losing some weight,
your position can be modified to be more "normal".

FWIW I'm 6'3" went from 265 to 215 and my position need to be adjusted
significantly underway.

Joseph

[Peter Cole]

Casey Miller wrote:
>> I have a hand numbness problem too(carpal tunnel syndrome). Good gloves can
>> help, but they're not a cure all. First thing you need to consider is bike
>> fit. How much weight are you putting on your hands---how low is your
>> handlebar? I keep my bar at saddle height, which helped a lot. I also change
>> hand positions every 5 minutes or so, drops to flats to ramp to hoods, etc.
>> There are gloves on the market which are supposed to eliminate hand
>> numbness. They're the Spenco Ironman:
>>
>>
>> http://www.ironmancycling.com/
>>
>> However, I don't know if they come in your size.
>
> Indeed, gloves are just one of the variables I am tweaking in my search
> for a comfortable setup:
>
> 1.) Cockpit setup
> 2.) Riding posture
> 3.) Supportive exercise and stretching
> 4.) Gloves
>
> 1.) I have my saddle adjusted as far aft as it will go, and now I am
> trying to find the "sweet spot" for my handlebar. I am trying to get my
> handlebar level with my saddle, or higher. It's a pain, though. My new
> steer tube is just long enough to clamp a stem on it, and that's it. No
> spacers. I'm using a very steep stem and some high-rise handlebars, but
> it isn't enough.
>
> 2.) Trying to keep my head up and my shoulders relaxed, so my nerves
> don't get pinched anywhere.
>
> 3.) sit-ups, stretches, back exercises
>
> 4.) I ordered a pair of the Spenco Elite gloves in XL, I'll let you
> know how they work for me.
>
> BTW, I am 6'5" and 300lbs, arm length 26".
>

I'm 6'10" with proportionately large hands (feet, and everything else).
I find Pearl Izumi XL gloves to fit comfortably, although they're not
thickly padded.

When I first started riding long distances over 10 years ago, I had hand
problems. I found some relief in a pair of gloves (sorry, don't remember
brand) that had fairly thick slabs of stiff gel running horizontally
across the palm. It seemed that most of my numbness was coming from
pressure in the "valley" at the base of the palm (see:
http://sheldonbrown.com/pain.html).

I'm not sure exactly why, but over the years hand pain/numbness has
become much less of a problem. The one factor that still seems to affect
it is the angle of the wrist. If I ride with my wrists bent sharply, my
hands will get numb.

I spend a lot of time tweaking the position of handlebars and brake
hoods. I have found that the best way to do this is with the bike set up
on a trainer before the bars are wrapped. The big variables are
handlebar width, bar (rotational) angle and brake lever position on the
bar and ("yaw") angle. The effects are subtle, so I have to ride for a
while (hence trainer) to feel the differences.

I tend to ride with a fair amount of drop from saddle to bars (perhaps
5-7"). My normal position is such that it would *not* be comfortable to
hold without arm support. Over the years I have moved the saddle
forward, going from full back to almost full forward. I prefer stems
about as long (reach) as I can find them (typically 130mm). In the last
couple of years I made the switch to very wide bars (46cm). That made a
big difference in upper body comfort. I think the only way to find the
optimum position is to experiment.

The usual advice about changing hand positions often and avoiding a
"death grip" on the bars is good, I'd add to that a suggestion to
practice no hands riding. It's helpful to avoid numbness and stiffness
to occasionally sit up straighten the back and take all the weight off
your hands. Under the right conditions i may ride several miles that way.

[[email protected]]

Peter Cole wrote:
> I'm 6'10" with proportionately large hands (feet, and everything else).

Too much information! ;-)

>
> When I first started riding long distances over 10 years ago, I had hand
> problems. I found some relief in a pair of gloves (sorry, don't remember
> brand) that had fairly thick slabs of stiff gel running horizontally
> across the palm. It seemed that most of my numbness was coming from
> pressure in the "valley" at the base of the palm (see:
> http://sheldonbrown.com/pain.html).
>
> I'm not sure exactly why, but over the years hand pain/numbness has
> become much less of a problem. The one factor that still seems to affect
> it is the angle of the wrist. If I ride with my wrists bent sharply, my
> hands will get numb.

I have found wrist angle to be important too. This is why I prefer my
bars high and far (relatively speaking) to keep a shallow wrist angle.


> I spend a lot of time tweaking the position of handlebars and brake
> hoods. I have found that the best way to do this is with the bike set up
> on a trainer before the bars are wrapped. The big variables are
> handlebar width, bar (rotational) angle and brake lever position on the
> bar and ("yaw") angle. The effects are subtle, so I have to ride for a
> while (hence trainer) to feel the differences.
>
> I tend to ride with a fair amount of drop from saddle to bars (perhaps
> 5-7"). My normal position is such that it would *not* be comfortable to
> hold without arm support. Over the years I have moved the saddle
> forward, going from full back to almost full forward. I prefer stems
> about as long (reach) as I can find them (typically 130mm). In the last
> couple of years I made the switch to very wide bars (46cm). That made a
> big difference in upper body comfort. I think the only way to find the
> optimum position is to experiment.

Has you weight changed in the period you moved the saddle forward? How
about your average pedal force (riding speed)? Has that gone up as you
moved the saddle forward which would help remove some hand pressure
while pedaling at least?

> The usual advice about changing hand positions often and avoiding a
> "death grip" on the bars is good, I'd add to that a suggestion to
> practice no hands riding. It's helpful to avoid numbness and stiffness
> to occasionally sit up straighten the back and take all the weight off
> your hands. Under the right conditions i may ride several miles that way.

You get a different view that way too!

Joseph

[Bill]

Peter Cole wrote:
> Casey Miller wrote:
>>> I have a hand numbness problem too(carpal tunnel syndrome). Good
>>> gloves can
>>> help, but they're not a cure all. First thing you need to consider is
>>> bike
>>> fit. How much weight are you putting on your hands---how low is your
>>> handlebar? I keep my bar at saddle height, which helped a lot. I also
>>> change
>>> hand positions every 5 minutes or so, drops to flats to ramp to
>>> hoods, etc.
>>> There are gloves on the market which are supposed to eliminate hand
>>> numbness. They're the Spenco Ironman:
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.ironmancycling.com/
>>>
>>> However, I don't know if they come in your size.
>>
>> Indeed, gloves are just one of the variables I am tweaking in my search
>> for a comfortable setup:
>>
>> 1.) Cockpit setup
>> 2.) Riding posture
>> 3.) Supportive exercise and stretching
>> 4.) Gloves
>>
>> 1.) I have my saddle adjusted as far aft as it will go, and now I am
>> trying to find the "sweet spot" for my handlebar. I am trying to get my
>> handlebar level with my saddle, or higher. It's a pain, though. My new
>> steer tube is just long enough to clamp a stem on it, and that's it. No
>> spacers. I'm using a very steep stem and some high-rise handlebars, but
>> it isn't enough.
>>
>> 2.) Trying to keep my head up and my shoulders relaxed, so my nerves
>> don't get pinched anywhere.
>>
>> 3.) sit-ups, stretches, back exercises
>>
>> 4.) I ordered a pair of the Spenco Elite gloves in XL, I'll let you
>> know how they work for me.
>>
>> BTW, I am 6'5" and 300lbs, arm length 26".
>>
>
> I'm 6'10" with proportionately large hands (feet, and everything else).
> I find Pearl Izumi XL gloves to fit comfortably, although they're not
> thickly padded.
>
> When I first started riding long distances over 10 years ago, I had hand
> problems. I found some relief in a pair of gloves (sorry, don't remember
> brand) that had fairly thick slabs of stiff gel running horizontally
> across the palm. It seemed that most of my numbness was coming from
> pressure in the "valley" at the base of the palm (see:
> http://sheldonbrown.com/pain.html).
>
> I'm not sure exactly why, but over the years hand pain/numbness has
> become much less of a problem. The one factor that still seems to affect
> it is the angle of the wrist. If I ride with my wrists bent sharply, my
> hands will get numb.
>
> I spend a lot of time tweaking the position of handlebars and brake
> hoods. I have found that the best way to do this is with the bike set up
> on a trainer before the bars are wrapped. The big variables are
> handlebar width, bar (rotational) angle and brake lever position on the
> bar and ("yaw") angle. The effects are subtle, so I have to ride for a
> while (hence trainer) to feel the differences.
>
> I tend to ride with a fair amount of drop from saddle to bars (perhaps
> 5-7"). My normal position is such that it would *not* be comfortable to
> hold without arm support. Over the years I have moved the saddle
> forward, going from full back to almost full forward. I prefer stems
> about as long (reach) as I can find them (typically 130mm). In the last
> couple of years I made the switch to very wide bars (46cm). That made a
> big difference in upper body comfort. I think the only way to find the
> optimum position is to experiment.
>
> The usual advice about changing hand positions often and avoiding a
> "death grip" on the bars is good, I'd add to that a suggestion to
> practice no hands riding. It's helpful to avoid numbness and stiffness
> to occasionally sit up straighten the back and take all the weight off
> your hands. Under the right conditions i may ride several miles that way.

I think a common problem is that the bar grips are too small in
diameter, thus making you hold a near fist in order to maintain a grip.
The larger your hands the worse the problem. It may not be the biker
fashion but putting some foam over the grip area might help by bringing
up the diameter. I get the same numb effect and I don't have Carpal
tunnel so I do the same thing as you guys, meaning sit up and go it with
no hands for a while. The wrist angle does nothing on my part.
Good luck.
We all could use help on this one.
Bill Baka