any cyclists/roadies?

Just started this year (to start doing sprint tris). Got a trek 1.2. Good beginner bike for me, not knowing how I was going to like it...I LOVE it. I'm already doing my second tri this coming Sat. (my first was July 11th). I may step up to Olympic distance next year, with my eye on a half iron within a few years, and dreaming of being able to train to do THE Ironman...Hawaii.

I've never had a bike this nice before, and I realize that having a good bike makes a HUGE difference in your enjoyment of riding. I'm thinking that I'll potentially do some duathlons, too. The ride on my bike is so smooth. I just need to incrementally upgrade components on it, though. It's a good start, I feel, though.

Question for you guys...when I ride, I tend to get some numbness in the outside of my hand and middle-pinkie fingers. How much of a difference would gloves make? Or would I be better off in getting some arrows?

Originally Posted by Wanger

Just started this year (to start doing sprint tris). Got a trek 1.2. Good beginner bike for me, not knowing how I was going to like it...I LOVE it. I'm already doing my second tri this coming Sat. (my first was July 11th). I may step up to Olympic distance next year, with my eye on a half iron within a few years, and dreaming of being able to train to do THE Ironman...Hawaii.

I've never had a bike this nice before, and I realize that having a good bike makes a HUGE difference in your enjoyment of riding. I'm thinking that I'll potentially do some duathlons, too. The ride on my bike is so smooth. I just need to incrementally upgrade components on it, though. It's a good start, I feel, though.

Question for you guys...when I ride, I tend to get some numbness in the outside of my hand and middle-pinkie fingers. How much of a difference would gloves make? Or would I be better off in getting some arrows?

Gloves will help, However, Sounds like you need to have the bike adjusted a bit for you. were you fit on the bike when you bought it? go in To your shop and tell them whats going on and they will probably be able to adjust it to help rid this problem

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by Wanger

Just started this year (to start doing sprint tris). Got a trek 1.2. Good beginner bike for me, not knowing how I was going to like it...I LOVE it. I'm already doing my second tri this coming Sat. (my first was July 11th). I may step up to Olympic distance next year, with my eye on a half iron within a few years, and dreaming of being able to train to do THE Ironman...Hawaii.

I've never had a bike this nice before, and I realize that having a good bike makes a HUGE difference in your enjoyment of riding. I'm thinking that I'll potentially do some duathlons, too. The ride on my bike is so smooth. I just need to incrementally upgrade components on it, though. It's a good start, I feel, though.

Question for you guys...when I ride, I tend to get some numbness in the outside of my hand and middle-pinkie fingers. How much of a difference would gloves make? Or would I be better off in getting some arrows?

I am not sure about the numbness but gloves are more important to me than my helmet as many times as they have saved my palms from road rash, they are worth the try. I find they do help in overall comfort too

I ride a Giant OCR-1 and need to get out more but just haven't lately. I just have the shimano 105 set up and keep toying on whether or not I want to upgrade or just get a new bike. I've only been riding a few years so i feel like seat time is more important than new components but I can't help but want better

[Noodles]

Originally Posted by awsmith4

I am not sure about the numbness but gloves are more important to me than my helmet as many times as they have saved my palms from road rash, they are worth the try. I find they do help in overall comfort too

No cigar for you ...

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by bonggoy

No cigar for you ...

Just saying I have never landed on my head but have o my hands numerous times, i should have noted that I do wear my helmet EVERY time I ride.

[gorob23]

Originally Posted by awsmith4

but gloves are more important to me than my helmet

Bad Idea! really, it doesn't take much to go down and I mean knocked out, off to the E.R. Hard and Quick! Take a Watermelon and drop it chest high** to the ground. That is what happens to your skull!
Wear a Helmet!

Rob
** bookends have to use a ladder to get a normal height

uh....how did I miss that??

Dude...screw gloves, shorts, socks, bindings, glasses, gear....the ONLY...and I mean ONLY important part of your gear is your helmet.

I'm still on earth because of a helmet on more than ONE occasion.

I've retired more helmets than most people have probably bought in their lifetime for all the members of their family.

(and, for the record, it's currently 13 helmets over 24 years)

[awsmith4]

Originally Posted by awsmith4

Just saying I have never landed on my head but have o my hands numerous times, i should have noted that I do wear my helmet EVERY time I ride.

Originally Posted by gorob23

Bad Idea! really, it doesn't take much to go down and I mean knocked out, off to the E.R. Hard and Quick! Take a Watermelon and drop it chest high** to the ground. That is what happens to your skull!
Wear a Helmet!

Rob
** bookends have to use a ladder to get a normal height

There is my second response, I wear a helmet every time I ride. I was just describing how important my gloves are for ME when I ride. I understand completely what happens when a unprotected skull hits pavement. maybe I should have said that my gloves were AS important as my helmet.

[Opusfxd]

Originally Posted by Wanger

I may step up to Olympic distance next year, with my eye on a half iron within a few years, and dreaming of being able to train to do THE Ironman...Hawaii.

Question for you guys...when I ride, I tend to get some numbness in the outside of my hand and middle-pinkie fingers. How much of a difference would gloves make? Or would I be better off in getting some arrows?

Good luck to you!! My doctor basically told me to decide if I want to play with my kids later or do longer distance tris. I had to choose the kids, I'm already looking at a knee replacement later. I'll listen to this guy, he's been on the Olympic med staff for cycling many many times.

Your numbness, change your had position more often. It's a common issue. I used to get so numb that I could whack the outside of my hand against a truck as hard as I could and not feel a thing. Aero bars might help some but you can only ride them safely in a limited set of situations.

[RichardW]

Relative newbie -- riding a Raleigh Cadent 2.0 for the last three years. Not as much road time this summer as I'd like.

[Sancho]

Originally Posted by Wanger

...Question for you guys...when I ride, I tend to get some numbness in the outside of my hand and middle-pinkie fingers. How much of a difference would gloves make? Or would I be better off in getting some arrows?

Ride a C'Dale Mountain bike, and an old converted Singlespeed roadie

The numbness can also be cause by inproper seat angle I've been told fwiw. I found gloves, I have pearl izumi's with huge gel pads, work the best for me but it doesnt totally get rid of the sensation just delays the onset. Best thing to do for me was to switch hand positions often and put some very soft hoods on my levers