Braking from the hoods

[RolliePollie]

I have this hand-pain-while-braking problem as well. I really can't brake effectively in the drops because the reach is too far (another adjustment to add to my list). I'm trying to make myself ride in the drops more, but it's not a comfortable body position for me and I don't feel confident with the steering (probably another adjustment to add to my list!). So I always brake from the hoods. If I'm braking hard on a long downhill, my hands start to hurt like crazy. But, as mentioned above, the more comfortable you get going down hills, the less you will be using the brakes. On my typical training routes, I hardly use my brakes at all anymore...with the exception of a couple of very sharp hairpin curves that happen to be at the bottom of steep hills! One thing I try to do is sort of feather the brakes...brake for a few seconds, then let up, brake again, etc. When I'm in the not braking part of this routine, I try to completely relax my hands. It does help some.

[DirtDiva]

The idea of not being in the drops on the sort of downhill that requires lots of braking scares me! Getting your weight back a bit further will definitely help with balance and control on the downhills, and you can always practice getting in and out of the drops on some flat, traffic-free spot until you're comfortable enough to give it a go on the hill.

[Mr. Bloom]

Have you considered different gloves? Could it be that the pain exists from another stimulus, but is more prominent when you brake?

I have extreme hand pain unless I wear gloves that have 3 very thick gel-pads in them. Almost unable to ride without them.

You might experiment to see if different gloves help

Good Luck

[rij73]

Thanks for the ideas. I have very padded gloves, but I could experiment. My hands aren't particularly small for a woman and I can comfortably reach the brakes in the drops. It's just on the hoods that I feel I have no braking power and I get the thumb pain. Also, I am totally new to road biking. I've only had the bike for one month.

So I'm still hearing that getting used to the drops is key.

How do the rest of you feel when you brake from the hoods? Do you feel like you have good stopping power?

[Veronica]

I have good stopping power when braking from the hoods, but I prefer to be down in the drops on a long descent. I feel it gives me better control of the bike.

V.

[SouthernBelle]

I have much better braking power from the hoods as well. I have very short fingers, so sometimes I come up off the drops to brake from the hoods, even with my shimmed brake levers. So I guess I just find it odd that braking from the hoods is difficult.

Is it actually physically difficult, or is it a mental thing?

[rij73]

Wow, your braking is *better* from the hoods? No, it's definitely harder for me to brake from the hoods. Maybe cause the Shimano hoods are so bulky?

[mimitabby]

I repeat, if her body is not fitting the bike right, there could be extra stress on the hands.
It's not necessarily the size of her hands; but gloves might help too.

I wish Triskelion was reading this thread; she could be very helpful.