This problem is starting to become a problem - my right hand goes numb on the bike. started out couple of years ago not so bad, now it gets so bad I can hardly maneuver my shifters. And my fingers seem swollen and crooked. I have been adviced to take a neurological examination, but I don´t like the idea of having any needles stuck in my neck and shoulder (they did it once on my lower back). So what shall I do with this crap?
Ugh. Try putting gel under your bar tape? I’ve heard it’s helped some people.
My wife has been off the bike for a month for the same issue. Rest should fix the problem. Position on the bike will generally fix the problem. If this is a road bike, shift your weight and change hand position often. I have never heard of the numb hand on a tri bike. The f’zik gel can help. It is a gel thing that goes under the tape. Strengthen your core so you are not supporting all your weight on your hands as much.
I have this problem when I ride, both road bikes and mtn bikes. I know many others do too.
For the longest time I thought it was loss of circulation to the hand but I now think it’s pressure on a nerve in my wrist. It’s especially problemmatic when mtn biking to have the hands numb and be unable to reliably grip the handlebars or execute a shift.
I just keep taking my hands off and shaking them out as often as I can while riding.
I wonder if there is a simple solution? Perhaps a wrist splint while I ride?
This may or may not be the issue but it’s likely. The Ulnar Nerve can get pinched in certain positions on the bike - especially an ill fitting bike.
http://www.hughston.com/hha/a_15_3_2.htm
Ian
Same problem here in my left hand. Gets weak too the more I ride. I found after a few weeks of intense biking I couldn’t turn a door knob with my left hand. All the problems went away for me when I put on aerobars and stayed off the hoods. Try rebalancing your weight so less is on your hands.
Ding Ding Ding. We have a winner
Yeah, it might be something like that. But I have some pain in my shoulder too, indicating the nerve might be pinched higher up… I mostly ride on a tri bike, but I get the same problem riding MTB (and I can get reallly numb in my fingers when I´m standing on the pedals)
I didn´t mention my hand easily goes numb sleeping too. Yeah, often when I sleep with my hand under my head.
Well now we’ve entered a whole different arena. Now, I’m thinking a possible pressure point on the nerve in the neighborhood of…C5 & C6. If pain is presenting there and you’re getting numbness in fingers while sleeping then it could be a spinal point of origin. Are you getting pins-n-needles on the arm or lack of strength in the arm?
I only say this because of personal experience. I had a ruptured disc that pressured the nerve bundle coming off the spin and down my arm. I, too, had numbness in fingers and pain in upper back area. I tried lots of non-evasive stuff and if it had been a small rupture I’m sure PT would have solved it. Turns out mine was bigger (finally discovered after MRI) and required surgery. 100% now.
I don’t want to transpose the severity of my thing onto your situation. It could be something simple, small, quickly fixed.
Ian
Great. Did you read about me not wanting the needles in my neck? You´re talking just the things I was afraid of - one club mate also had neck surgery recently to fix a ruptured disc which pinched a nerve and caused tingling, numbness and weakness…I haven´t noticed any weakness or clumsiness, just tingling and numbness. Surgery kind of scares me, I had surgery on the lumbar spine already…
I’m certainly no expert, but I went through similar issues about 15 years ago. Besides the numbness, sometimes a sharrp jolt (like a pothole or pavement crack) would send a wave of intense pain up through my wrists and elbows.
In my case the root cause was nerve impingement in my neck and shoulder. It wasn’t caused by cycling, it was caused by poor posture and habits at the computer. Once I modified and restricted my keyboarding (and mousing), the cycling issues went away. To this day I can’t use a mouse with my right hand for more than a few minutes without feeling discomfort.
Could it be that the root cause of your issues lies elswhere?
Hope this helps.
Yeah, well, I´ve probably been riding as much as you´ve sat at your desk 
might be an explanation.