Newbie, my hands ache during a ride and a couple of other questions .

[Major Stare]

Newbie, queries.
I have been to Sherwood Pines today on my CUBE STEREO HYBRID 160 HPC RACE 625. Did the Blue route, then a 30min break before doing the Red route for the first time.
A few questions;
-Is it best to have 1 or 2 fingers over the brake levers all the time? I use two but after a bit my outer fingers ache. Using one finger feels wierd.
-On the Red route, my hands were aching, specifically the palms and around the little finger and finger next to it and the knuckles. I suspect because I am holding on too tight? It really was quite uncomfortable, is this normal.
-On the trail I went over a few low jumps, a couple of times one of my feet came off the pedal , why is this, what do I have to do differently to stop this?

 

[Pivot]

You will get more scientific feedback from more experienced riders. I will offer two observations:
1. Do resistance training during off-bike days. I do squats, push-ups and pull-ups first thing in the morning from Mon to Sat. On Sunday morning, I ride
2. I don’t like the skinny grips on the handlebars and I wrapped the grips with (drop-bars) tape. It gives me a better grip and comfort.

 

[Neeko DeVinchi]

Newbie, queries.
I have been to Sherwood Pines today on my CUBE STEREO HYBRID 160 HPC RACE 625. Did the Blue route, then a 30min break before doing the Red route for the first time.
A few questions;
-Is it best to have 1 or 2 fingers over the brake levers all the time? I use two but after a bit my outer fingers ache. Using one finger feels wired.
-On the Red route, my hands were aching, specifically the palms and around the little finger and finger next to it and the knuckles. I suspect because I am holding on too tight? It really was quite uncomfortable, is this normal.
-On the trail I went over a few low jumps, a couple of times one of my feet came off the pedal , why is this, what do I have to do differently to stop this?

Hey @Major Stare , welcome.
To answer your questions.
1. Most 4pot brakes are designed to be one finger actuated. It's ok to use two to begin with if it feels comfortable but your fingers should be resting on the grips and should be able to easily reach the lever without issue. Almost like a second nature reaction.
2. It sounds like your brake lever (and possibly your gear shifter and dropper lever are more in board (further up the handlebar compared to the grip). I recognise that with Bosch emtbs, the left mounted display is limited in orientation which can throw off cockpit position as most riders run their controls perpendicular left to right. The best thing I can recommend is going back to your dealer for a 'bike fit'. It would be inappropriate and meaningless to recommend aftermarket grips as you would need to understand texture, thickness, compound etc.
3. If I had to guess, the pedals are plastic which typically dont work well in off road situations. Referring to point 2, it would be best to go to your dealer for a bike fit. A bike fit isn't necessarily to determine what size of bike you should have. Moreso, it's to reduce fatigue when fully utilizing the bike in specific circumstances.

However, if you've purchased the Cube Stereo Hybrid 2nd hand, any bike shop can do a bike fit (Even Halfords).

It would be inappropriate for me (or anyone) to try and diagnose a suitable cockpit position as we all ride differently with different bar, stem, bar tilt etc.

But again, a bike fit would be your best and safest bet.

 

[Gary]

one finger *

loosen your grip and relax more**

preload your pedals before take off and hold your (neutral but strong) position in the air***


*position your brake levers accordingly and wind the reach adjust in so you're not having to extend your braking finger too much and the bite point is close to the grips.

**and use your limbs to absorb rough terrain

*** practice bunnyhops over and over again and you'll rarely ever lose a foot again

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Great question & really there is a lot to unpack there. Gary hit the main points very well.
A lot of experienced riders also get sore hands however this can be due to tyre pressure, suspension setup, vibration through alloy bars & thickness of handgrips. I would suggest more time on the bike just getting to know it & .

I find I am a better rider after sessioning easier tracks a few times trying different positions & getting a feel for best body positioning. More often than not on the harder tracks you are concentrating on just getting down a knarly section rather then the best way.
I would direct you to youtube for tips esp Kyle & April - very easy watching & good basic grounding in everything.

 

[Major Stare]

Thanks for all the replies.

Pedals are DMR V11, nice metal spikes which grip my O'NEILL MTB shoes. I will experiment riding position (and watch some uTube vids).

I'll experiment with using one finger over two and see if that helps. The pain in my hands really put me off the ride. For anyone who knows Sherwood Pines, I don't have the hand pain on the Blue trail.

The CUBE is a new bike and I'm taking it back to the shop in a week for its first month check over, I will mention the hand pains.

 

[Major Stare]

I do actually suffer from arthritis (very mild) in my knees and just one finger. It doesn't seem to effect my riding (only been MTB'ing for 5 months).
When the bike goes in for its service next week, I will discuss potential setting up more for me and I'll do some research on those grips?

 

[Tubby G]

It’s already been said but try and loosen your grip on the bars, almost to the point where you are simply resting your hands on the bars. You’ll naturally grip harder when nervous / scared / worried etc, hence the term ‘white knuckle ride’, but relaxing on the bike is so important. You’ll need to grip harder in certain circumstances, such as descents on rocky terrain, but for smooth trails just relax and go with the flow and your hands will thank you for it

Oh and make sure your levers are in the correct position for you, sounds obvious but so many people don’t adjust them

 

[Rosemount]

Newbie, queries.
I have been to Sherwood Pines today on my CUBE STEREO HYBRID 160 HPC RACE 625. Did the Blue route, then a 30min break before doing the Red route for the first time.
A few questions;
-Is it best to have 1 or 2 fingers over the brake levers all the time? I use two but after a bit my outer fingers ache. Using one finger feels wierd.
-On the Red route, my hands were aching, specifically the palms and around the little finger and finger next to it and the knuckles. I suspect because I am holding on too tight? It really was quite uncomfortable, is this normal.
-On the trail I went over a few low jumps, a couple of times one of my feet came off the pedal , why is this, what do I have to do differently to stop this?

One finger !
You`ll need the others for holding on when things get rough .

Setting your levers so your palm is behind the bars when you reach for the lever can make a difference . If your levers are low it can put extra pressure on your thumbs .

 

[dowroa]

Agree with fitment test, if one is available.

If that doesn't work, I have been dealing with this issue on my new bike (Levo SL) coming from an older bike (2013 StumpJumper FSR).

Some of it was the major change in stock setups and adapting as well as +1 frame size for me with a completely different top tube length.

Some of it was getting the angle of all the stock gears / brakes in a comfortable position. With SRAM, I had to remove the brake and shifter from the same clamp so I could angle each independently and move the shifter away from the grip flange so I could ride with my hands in a comfortable position.

A lot of it for my hands was cockpit setup, seat adjustments (height / depth) and a brake lever change.

Start one at a time and just be methodical. Good luck!

 

[Tim1023]

Blimey! So little experience that you're not sure how many fingers to use on MTB brakes and yet you're hammering down red runs and going over jumps???
Respect!
I was going to ask if you had good medical insurance, then saw that you live in Blighty, so the good 'ol NHS has you covered

 

[smtkelly]

Like others side switch to 1 finger on the brakes and ease your grip. After a while off the bike I suffer with gripping the bars too hard normally give myself a bruised thumb knuckle before I relax into it.

Then to consider:
thicker grips - personalty I hate skinny grips, others love them.
Good gloves that are the right size fit for you hand - I always ride with gloves they offer some give, protection to the palm nerve.
Check the angle of your brakes and roll of your bar so you hand falls in a natural position while standing so even pressure is applied to the grips.

 

[Swissrider]

I think it is too dogmatic to say you should use one finger all the time. Use whatever feels most comfortable. Where I live we have some very long and steep descents - sometimes over 1000m and one finger (which I use most of the time) gets tired and braking becomes difficult so then I use two. This is with 220m rotor on front with four pot brakes so it is not a problem of weak brakes. I've been a climber all my life and I think my fingers are quite strong. I had a grip test the other day (following an operation on my pinkie) and the doctor said my grip was well above average. I find I can hang on fine with three fingers, not as good as four and if its really bumpy I'll change back to one finger braking, so I'm adapting to the conditions and terrain.

 

[Gyre]

To get the most out of 1-finger braking, move your brakes so your index finger falls as far outboard on the lever as possible - that will maximize your leverage.

 

[Major Stare]

What a fantastic forum. Some really good advise. I will try a few of the suggestions and practice a few things.
Need to sort this hand/finger pain as I'm really enjoying the MTB and rides out, especially for the mental and cardio health.

 

[ICEE3]

I also experienced my hands going numb and wrists in pain when I first got my Turbo Levo. I changed the handle bars to a narrower one with higher rise and changed the grips to provide palm support as well as increased diameter. Problem solved for me. I would suggest looking into your riding position. I use either two or one finger on my brakes depending upon the terrain.

 

[Calsun]

I would invest in some gloves with gel padding for your hands. Often the handlebars and grips are too small for my hands and so the pressure is on a smaller area of my hands. I increase the diameter and it helps a great deal. Also changing the stem may help if you are having to reach to far and cannot have enough weight on the saddle. This is where the suggestion to go to a shop and get "fitted" was a good first step.

 

[wkearney99]

Decades ago, back injury and poor ergonomics of keyboard use that led to RSI, resulting in annoying back/hand pain unless I adjust things 'just so'. This means fine-tuning all the saddle adjustments: height, tilt and front/back slide. Along with changing the stem for both height/reach. My Turbo Levo XL has provided good stem reach/height so I haven't changed that. I did swap to a different saddle.

For bikes meant for longer rides I've found it tremendously helpful to add bar-ends and use ergonomic grips. The shaped grips help me keep my hands effectively positioned, and the bar ends give me a different place to rest while still having steering control. I once did a RAGBRAI on a Porsche Bike S mountain after equipping it with narrow street slicks and some triathlon center bars. Ended up being just perfect for the trip due to the tuning. It was crucial having a variety of arm/hand/back positions available for changes during long stretches. Looked all kinds of odd though!

 

[Major Stare]

Today I re-did the red route at Sherwood Pines but this time a took a conscious note to;
- Use one finger braking.
- Reduce the grip of my hands on the bars.
- Reduce the tense in my hands/arms, relax more.

Pain reduced by 90%, had a fantastic ride, really, really enjoyed it. Going to get the bike serviced and get the shop to do a proper fit, see if that improves things even more.

 

[flash]

I don't have a bike with the original bars or saddle on it. Bike fit is critical to my enjoyment. Since I'm not racing, I want to be comfortable and pain free, while maintaining a good riding position. Fortunately all my joints and bones are fine. I would think it more critical for someone supporting long term damage. I generally consider the bars, stem, cranks and saddle as temporary parts on a new bike. If something is sore or numb then something needs to change with my set up.

I kind of know where I like to be on the bike but it still takes a few rides until I'm completely happy. I'll typically spend an hour or so trying different bar widths and rolling the bars a bit. If I get it right I end up in the right spot on the bike, naturally, with my weight distributed properly and it's easy to move around on the bike.

Gordon