My Sad, Sad Bike

[rowyn]

I've been doing a fair bit of biking in the last few weeks -- on my actual bike instead of in the basement. Like, around a hundred miles of biking.

I bought this bicycle about nine years ago, for $35. It is worth approximately what I paid for it. The front handbrake doesn't work. The gel pad on the seat moves around and squishes out of a hole in the fabric at the back while I'm riding. It shifts into the two bottomost gears so clunkily that I've actually jerked to a stop more than once when shifting. It doesn't shift into top gear at all -- if I try, the chain comes off the rear gear entirely. The kickstand swivels around on its mount randomly, occasionally bumping into the pedals while I'm riding, and is no longer usable as a kickstand. I keep thinking "my bike needs some repair work" but honestly, what it probably needs is to be a new bike.

The most annoying thing about riding, though, is that there's something about the way I grip and/or lean against the handlebars that causes the tips of my ring and pinky fingers to go numb, especially on my left hand. The worst part is that they stay numb long after I get off the bike. As in "three days after a ride, the pads still feel a little not-quite-right." I think I'm pinching a nerve in my wrist, but I have no idea how or why, or if getting a different bike will help. My current bike does have the sort of "racing" design, where you're forced to hunch over the handlebars. I remember sitting up straighter on the bike I rode as a kid.

Anyway, I haven't looked into getting a new bike yet, but I should. Does anyone have any recommendations for bike features/styles/brands to look for or avoid, and why? Advice appreciated. :)

Comments

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

It's apparently quite hard to find "sit up straight"-type bikes for adults, which baffles me. When Laurie and I went looking for some, there was only one model in the bike shop that fit the bill (not counting recumbents). And this was in Vienna VA, a town that loooooooooooooves its bicycles.

-TG

[argonel.livejournal.com]

I don't recall what the style is technically called, but I like mine. I think it might be a cruiser or hybrid. It has wider tires than a road bike and an upright stance with shock absorbers in the seat and front fork. Generally pretty comfortable to ride and rideable off pavement as well.

[alltoseek.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the hybrid is what you are looking for. It is a cross between a road bike (the hunch over kind) and a mountain bike (sturdier and more upright for control and visibility). The hybrid is more upright, with handlebars that go straight out instead of curving over, allowing for you to have more visibility - looking left and right for traffic, etc - but it is not a heavy in design as the mountain bike, because you are going to be riding around town instead of over rocks and mud. It is designed for city biking, casual biking, biking as a method of getting from point A to point B.

But what you really want is a really good bike shop with people who know what they are doing and spend the time looking at you riding the bike to make sure the bike fits you, and is not putting you in awkward positions. I also have handlebar extensions that allow me to put my hands in different position.

FIND A GOOD BIKE SHOP AND GET A NEW BIKE! (even if it is used :-) You will love cycling on your functional bike. You will not be dreading it anymore. And you will not be numb and hurting. YOU WILL FIND EXCUSES TO RIDE YOUR GLORIOUS NEW BIKE ON NEW ADVENTURES AND WONDER WHY YOU DIDN'T DO THIS BEFORE.

Also think about biking gloves. They are fingerless (you can get 'em with fingers for cold weather) and have padding on the palms. V comfy.

[the-vulture.livejournal.com]

I'll echo the "FIND A GOOD BIKE SHOP." You want experienced bike mechanics to, not only help you select the right kind and size of bike, but adjust and readjust your bike's brakes, gearing, etc., as needed. If it weren't for the hand numbing (which, to me, indicates the wrong kind/size of frame for you), they'd also be likely to fix all the other issues for much less cost than replacing the bike.

[rowyn]

FIND A GOOD BIKE SHOP AND GET A NEW BIKE! (even if it is used :-) You will love cycling on your functional bike. You will not be dreading it anymore. And you will not be numb and hurting. YOU WILL FIND EXCUSES TO RIDE YOUR GLORIOUS NEW BIKE ON NEW ADVENTURES AND WONDER WHY YOU DIDN'T DO THIS BEFORE.

SO VERY VERY TRUE.

[alltoseek.livejournal.com]

YAY! :D

[sf-reader.livejournal.com]

The bike gloves may help some. I still get that numbness, but when I move my hand off the grip and shake it, the numbness quickly goes away. I like the gloves more for the protection of the hand if I take a spill.

Two of my last three bikes have been hybrids. For my use (little off road biking and not trying for consistant speeds above 14 MPH) the hybrid makes the most sense.

Do get a bike from a real bike shop, not a big box store. Cheap bikes are less safe, for example they take a longer distance to stop and are worse when it is damp. I think that the shop making sure the bike fits you and doing the maintenance after the sale are more important than the brand and model which you choose.

[kores-rabbit.livejournal.com]

All advice and thoughts are within my own sphere of experience. I am not a trained medical or massage therapy professional. Seek advice from a professional.
With that out of the way!
Due to having similar sensations, I can tell you it could be a bit of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoracic_outlet_syndrome
Your posture while riding hunched over is compressing nerves in your neck and shoulders. It's causing your fingertips (likely the same ones affected by carpal tunnel, the thumb, forefinger, middle and half of the ring finger) to feel numb.
There are some stretches you can do to help alleviate that sensation and the pressure on your nerves. If you can afford it, a little massage therapy is helpful and the advice an RMT can give is pretty priceless. There are some non-invasive stretches suggested on the above wiki link.
I hope that helps!

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

Yes, I have carpal tunnel and I get that numbness from time to time too.

[rowyn]

I have been doing the stretches and the numbness is definitely reduced by them! I've also been trying not to hunch my shoulders when I ride, which may also be helping. In any case: awesome advice! Thank you. :)