Issues with Hand Pain - not sure what to do?!?

[blueeyesaz]

Hi All,

So the run down is this...I got my Trek Madone 5.2 WSD a little over a month ago (I am new to cycling). I had some minor adjustments made when I first picked up the bike from LBS, have ridden 2-4 times per week (5-30 miles each depending), just had another more complete fitting on Wednesday and am still experiencing hand pain. I have searched all over several forums and it seems as though most people say "if your hands hurt then your fit is all wrong." Before I jump to that conclusion, I would just like to understand if some hand pain in the beginning is normal just because I'm not used to riding a road bike or if it really could be something more serious.

Saddle? Started with a Selle SMP TRK with a huge channel which after a couple of weeks I took off because I am convinced cut-outs/channels may not be for me, was putting way too much pressure and pain on the girly parts up front. Now I have the saddle the bike came with back on, a Bontrager Inform RL WSD. This saddle isn't horridly uncomfortable, little hard on the sit bones but maybe I could get used to it...but it is 160mm wide and when I went in to a LBS to measure my sit bones the other day they said I should fit the 143mm. Anyone think a narrower saddle might make a difference?

Stem length? At my fitting on Wednesday the lady at the LBS switched my stem from an 80mm to a 90mm as she said I looked a bit off with the shorter. Hand pain didn't increase, nor did it decrease.

Riding position? Since most people start telling you your fit is wrong or something needs to be adjusted...could it just be that since I'm so new to all this that I don't know proper form with my body? I try to change hand positions frequently (every 30-60 seconds or so) but maybe I'm not doing it enough or maybe I'm not making a conscious enough effort to shift my body weight back or relax my arms?

One last thing, the LBS I bought my bike from said I could trade out the 160mm saddle for the 143mm if I like but the shop is an hour's drive from where I live so I would hate to go all the way up there with my bike to switch the saddle just to find out that I hate it or it makes no difference.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you.