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numb hands
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Posted by: kimbo50---------------------

Hi,
I am a 53 yr old desert racer and have been experiencing extremely numb hands from vibration, I guess??? I ride an 01 CR 250 and alot of people are telling me that I should go with a 4 stroke and maybe that would relieve the problem. I'm not convinced. What could I do, does anyone have a cure that possibly older expert veterans do to keep their hands from going numb???

Posted by: XRpredator---------------------

there's the cheap route (more padded grips), the little more money route (anti-vibe bar end inserts), the more money route (top clamp with rubber- or polymer-isolated bar mounts), or the big money route (anti-vibe bars, such as those from Fasstco).

the high speeds of desert racing might benefit from something as simple as getting your tires balanced, also.

Posted by: mideastrider---------------------

If your lucky some fancy handlebars and some pillow top grips maybe even a steering stabilizer will help loosen your grip and help with the numbness. BUUtttt, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a possibility. I have the same trouble but have not been to a doctor, however a friend of mind was diagnosed with carpal tunnel being the reason for the numbness in both hands. He received surgery about 3 weeks ago raced a gncc last weekend with no problems.

Posted by: robwbright---------------------

I think the FasstFlex bars would solve the problem. They're expensive but have a 30 day moneyback guarantee if they don't.

http://www.fasstco.com/

Given my wrist problems, I'll never use another set of bars for racing - because I can't race without them. . .

And no, I don't work for FasstCo. Here's my review.

Dear Cole:

Here's my review. Feel free to post on the website if you like. I posted pretty much the same thing over at http://www.dirtrider.net.

I've been basically out of MX for almost 2 years as a result of a broken right wrist (complete scaphoid break) that happened as a result of an internal fork problem which caused excessive bottoming over a three foot high double that I overjumped.

I had the suspension revalved. The bike handles much better now and landings are improved, but the suspension work did not resolve the wrist pain.

After healing up last year I tried track riding on several occasions and had too much pain to be comfortable on the bike. It wasn't that landings were killing me, but it was causing too much fear and hesitation because of possible hard landings. Even small jumps caused discomfort and big (for me) jumps were painful. Woods riding was ok, but to me, woods riding is just that - ok. I much prefer the track.

As a last gasp effort at age 35, I recently purchased a set of the quite expensive Fasst Flex bars from Fasst Co. I figured I didn't have anything to lose - Fasst Co offers a 30 day money back guarantee and from what I’ve seen, straight used flex bars sell pretty high on ebay.

On my first test ride last week in the woods, things went pretty well. I repeatedly jumped a medium size natural jump and didn’t have any pain to speak of. I was hopeful the bars would do well on the track. Still, I noticed that my arm/wrist got very tight and tired very quickly on that first ride.

Yesterday I went to Wildwood Lake MX on the Ohio side of the river near Parkersburg, WV. Wildwood is a 1 mile outdoor style track built on a hillside. 60 foot and 90 foot tabletops, a couple doubles, a couple gap jumps, a couple singles, a fast downhill, two challenging uphills out of tight corners, kicker jump on the top of a steep downhill. Conditions were firm to really muddy depending on the elevation.

I could not be more pleased with the bars. I split time on my bike with my buddy (his first time on a track) for 3 hours and 15 minutes. I had minor discomfort ONLY ONE TIME the whole day when I got cross rutted on the face of the 90 foot table and dive bombed the landing (I’m not fast enough to come close to downsiding it with the short run-up - only about 20% of the riders are). The pain was so minimal on that hard (forks bottomed) landing that instead of pulling off the track and calling it a day (as I would have done last year) I kept going a couple more laps. The rest of the day went well and I actually had a little bit of speed for the first time since the injury (which is about all the speed I ever had. . .).

Even though I’ve hardly ridden in the last year, I had zero arm pump, my wrist didn’t weaken or tire out any sooner than my arms and legs, and my wrist isn’t any more sore today than it normally is after any activity (which is to say that it’s not sore except when moved in a certain, limited direction). The riding actually feels like it is loosening up my wrist - if that makes any sense.

I am convinced that if I had installed the flex bars 2 years ago, I would not have broken my wrist when I overjumped the double. Given that having a cast put on cost about the same as the bars, it makes the bars seem to be a bit more reasonable in price.

In conclusion, I’m back to racing again thanks to the Fasst Co. Flex bars (and no, I am not an employee of Fasst Co.).

I'd recommend them to anyone, but especially riders who have wrist/elbow/shoulder injuries.

Rob Bright

Posted by: whenfoxforks-ruled---------------------

I would go to the butcher and see if it is carpel tunnel or not.

Posted by: kimbo50---------------------

Is there any credence that the 4 stroke vibrates less than a 2 stroke? I haven't had the opprotunity to ride one yet.Thanks for all the replies.

Posted by: whenfoxforks-ruled---------------------

4f or 2, can both vibrate bad if not maintained/set up correctly. Real bad vibration, yank the crank, and have it balanced. Overtightened mounting bolts, or too lose. Vibration dampners up in the clamps, bars, as mentioned, priceless. And if its not carpal tunnel, or another restrictive ailment, you need to ride more!

Posted by: High Lord Gomer---------------------

Filling the bars with lead shot then plugging the ends worked well for a vibrating street bike I once had.

You might also try moving the bars and/or swapping out different ones to see if that helps. The only thing I would suggest is don't rotate them too far forward. That can put unnatural stress on your wrists. If anything, rotated back slightly might help.

Posted by: XRpredator---------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by High Lord Gomer

You might also try moving the bars and/or swapping out different ones to see if that helps. The only thing I would suggest is don't rotate them too far forward. That can put unnatural stress on your wrists. If anything, rotated back slightly might help.

speaking of unnatural stress, don't get bars like these:

Posted by: TWRT---------------------

Could it be his suspension? I've never ridden in the desert, so I have no experience there. But, correct springs based on weight, new internals and progressive valving have always made big improvements for me. Been able to ride longer with less jarring and I guess less vibration. Sometimes jarring seems like vibration.

Also, I laughed until my sides hurt when I saw the 'ape' bars.

Posted by: flyingfuzzball---------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRpredator

speaking of unnatural stress, don't get bars like these:

think about jumping with those....

Posted by: whenfoxforks-ruled---------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingfuzzball

think about jumping with those....

Think about what gets caught in his arm pits, and turning corners!

Posted by: Ol'89r---------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by High Lord Gomer

A different set of bars can sometimes help like Gomer said. When my hands go numb it is usually because I'm holding on too tight. Try relaxing your grip. A stabilizer like mideastrider suggested will help and also learn to stand and grip the bike with your knees and lower leg. Loosen your grip and let the bike move around or float under you. Your bike is nothing but a big gyro and it doesn't even need you. If you were to get up to speed and jump off of the bike it would continue on without you until it either hits something or loses its forward momentum and falls over. Let the bike do it's thing and don't try to fight it.

Suspension is a biggie. Harsh suspension will cause armpump and numb hands.

Posted by: High Lord Gomer---------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol'89r

Harsh suspension will cause armpump and numb hands.

So.....will.......OLD AGE!!

(Gomer runs to hide....)

Posted by: Ol'89r---------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by High Lord Gomer

So.....will.......OLD AGE!!

Why you danged whipper-snapper.

I'll getcha for that.

Gomer has problems with arm-pump but, it's not from twistin' a throttle.

Posted by: whenfoxforks-ruled---------------------

Going on 48, have not rode in 3 months. If I went out today and tried racing for 5 laps, 2nd lap my hands would be numb. 2 or 3 weeks of riding hard and it would all come back to no issues. All the other things mentioned above can ease the degree that numbness sets in. Try riding a mid 70's street bike for more than 100 miles without stopping. Lyrica has stopped the numbness I was getting from a compressed disc in the neck. The left hand had big issues! So far so good, and it helped the stupid sciatic nerve in the right leg too! Aye caramba, I need another bike!

Posted by: stumanarama---------------------

I had major hand numbness for a while, and I figured it to be related to the valving and springs in my 95's forks, so I figured the newer and better setup 96 would fix this problem(getting a whole new bike to fix your fork setup might not be economical in some eyes)well it solved half of the problem, and the other was just I wasn't riding quite enough to keep my hand strength up. So I got a length of PVC pipe(bout a foot or so) and some string and tied to 5 pounders to it. Now I know this is an old trick( I got it from my dad, and clocking in at 59 hes practically pre-cambrian

)but simply holding the pipe in your hands and twisting it up until the weights hit the pipe and then slowly lowering them back down did wonders on my hand and wrist strength. I would just try and do 25 up reps and 25 down reps a day, and in just a week my wrist strength was well above par. And once again I had a say in what my wrists did while landing jumps(they use to go sort of limp on impact) Anyway, I hope you found my personal narrative to be helpful. However looking into carpal it are pretty remote.

Posted by: OldTimer---------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by whenfoxforks-ruled

...have not rode in 3 months. If I went out today and tried racing for 5 laps, 2nd lap my hands would be numb. 2 or 3 weeks of riding hard and it would all come back to no issues...

I'm 46 and have the same issue. When I get the bike out after a long lay-off, the numbness can seem debilitating. After I ride regularly for a few weeks, the problem goes away. Maybe I relax my grip after I get back into the groove? Who knows.
Also, I had been attributing the problem to age a few years back until my (at the time) eight year old started complaining about his hands going numb when he rode. I doubt he has CP or anything else physically wrong.
Most of it seems to be acclimation. Kinda like getting blisters until the calluses build up.

One more thing... I get "numb hands" all the time, like when driving, painting, sweeping, or through various other mundane activities. I've noticed that when I do ride regularly, it seems to provide a cure for the problem overall!

Posted by: RM85rider123---------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol'89r

Why you danged whipper-snapper.

I'll getcha for that.

Gomer has problems with arm-pump but, it's not from twistin' a throttle.

Posted by: 2strokerfun---------------------

I've been fighting this problem since I was riding road bicycles a lot in my early 20s (nearly 30 years). On some days street bikes are actually worse on my hands than riding dirt bikes, but my problems mainly stems from my neck/shoulders and elbows even though the symptoms manifest in my hands, just like CT syndrome. If I relax, loosen up a bit and maintain better posture, the problems are not nearly as bad. Although, strangely, when I'm fighting a really technical trail for a couple of hours--having to move my body a lot--I don't seem to notice this problem nearly as much.

Posted by: Dirtymotonut---------------------

I was a meat cutter for years and had the same problem. I find that if I rotate my shoulders often the feeling comes back. It sounds like carple tunnel like others says. Try a anti inflamitory also Before riding. If you continue riding like this it could become more permanent with out surgery

Posted by: whenfoxforks-ruled---------------------

I read a thread from wirefryer once who was emphatic about popping a couple pamprin before riding. But it was the wearing the kotex for a sweatband that sealed it!

Posted by: theKDX200rider---------------------

I crashed once and pinched a nerve or two in my left wrist ontop of having arthritis in my fingers so my hands really start to hurt or go numb after a long ride. My 250 has all alluminum clamps and bars (no rubber) so they vibrate like crazy. I did have a chance to ride a KTM 520 with rubber mounted Flexx bars and it really did help take the edge off. I would definatly try some Flexx bars, for desert riding they should work really well.

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