I have been having trouble with my fingers going completely numb while racing or riding hard. I get almost through the first lap and can barely hold onto the bars. Has anyone else had this, and if so what is the cure?? Serious reply's only please. I would think arm pump should happen first, but I am not getting that at all.

 

IMO try to put your hands in a different position. I have had the same problem and it seemed the way I was holding the grip I was cutting off blood supply. Also, a death grip on the bars won't help. So stay relaxed as possible and try changing hand position a little. One other thing is make sure your not putting too much weight onto your hands. Try and keep your weight on your legs and if you don't have a steering dampner get one. Later

 

chasman,

My girlfriend has carpel tunnel syndrome. If this is your problem then you are correct that you are fighting a different battle than arm pump.

A few suggestions in addition to those posted:

1) do not strap your gloves around your wrist. I cut the straps off so they don't bother me.

2) switch to Renthal bars or other brand of aluminum bars. A good set of bars will absorb vibration. I like the 400ex bend. I tried the 250r bend but it seemed to put a bind on my wrists when landing from jumps.

3) Switch grips. Oury makes a really soft compound grip that absorbs a lot of vibration. (Do not purchase the ones sold by Rocky Mountain ATV though. Although the catalog doesn't state it, they are meant for kids bikes. They are stubby and aren't all that soft. I've never used them but heard good things about the Pro Grip RVGS 934 ATV Grips.

4) Try changing the position of your handlebar (and levers). I found moving them forward seems to help. I've ridden quite a few bikes that have them back. I've noticed that I have to grip them harder to hang on. It might take some time to get the feel for the new location but it might be the ticket. As a test, try adjusting them so they feel right when standing. Ride a few laps. You won't like the feel as much when sitting so you will probably want to move them back a little.

5) If all else fails, try an anti-vibe stem too.

6) When it starts to get cold out, think about HotGrips. This has really helped her out in the cold season. Unfortunately, the heated grips have a much harder compound. Do not get the really thick ones. Feels like you are hanging onto a baseball bat. I haven't tried the heat kits that work under standard grips.

7) If the other suggestions fail, try softening your shock setup. Are you having trouble hanging on? I have a friend who beats me around the track for about 3 laps every time but never after 5 laps. His problem is that he likes his shocks really hard so he can jump further. After a few laps, he complains that his arms gets tired and he has to pull off. This generally happens right about the time I am about to overtake him.

This guy puts roofs on for a living and I sit behind a desk. He is in better physical shape than I am. I attribute much of his lack of endurance to his suspension setup. Thank goodness he doesn't listen to me since I have enough trouble dealing with the fact that he is faster than me for short bursts let alone if he beat me for a full race.

Good luck!

 

Or, you might just try exercising your hands. Start squeezing a tennis ball or something to that effect.

 

Go on a diet your fingers are too fat. Of course, the laws of nature demands this...so it will match the rest of you. More specifically ... YOUR YAP.

Everyone chill! This is a joke. REPEAT. This is only a joke...we now return you to your regularly scheduled program...

 

Just put on a pair of renthal bars..what a difference!!! also try playing some frisbee or keep a frisbee nearby before and throw it around when you are not riding. try it it works!! one more thing ..on the way to the spot..get one of those hand grip things and squeeze it all the time when driving...

 

thanks guys. A lot of good replies. I ordered a set of those FAST Anti-Vibe inserts tonight. Should get them by this weekend. We'll see how that works out. Again, thanks to everyone that has replied to this question.

 

i used renthal 250r bend bars on every quad i have ever owned, until i bent my steering stem on my raptor, i replaced it with a lonestar antivibe stem, i can tell a diff. but no matter what quad i ride i always get out the calk gun and a tube of clear silicone and fill the bars full, it is more work and adds a pound to the bike but i have noticibly less vibes and don't wear out as quickly, hope this helps