head tube height? and stem length

[txred9876]

[QUOTE=Catriona;456773]

I have lymphedema due to breast cancer and its getting aggrevated in my hand (another childhool injury on my left hand...also breast cancer side).

I have tried many different things and going from a hybrid to this bike has helped so I am just going to keep plugging away and see what I can do.

tina[/QUOTE

Hopefully this will help. Would a compression glove for your hand/arm help?

I have both of those ....but now that I have lost 43lbs my custom compression sleeve does not fit and I have not tried the glove by itself. I will have to dig it out and see what it does as well. I won't stop riding but by the end of of a 25-35 mile ride my hand has no strength and my pinky & ring finger are so numb I have to wait for many hours (if not until the next day) to get full use back. This sucks!
Tina

[smilingcat]

sounds like what you want is to be sitting more upright and less weight into your hands.

Once the steer tube is cut, that's it. But you can get a different kind of stem. Not necessarily a shorter one but with different angle. It can significantly raise the position of your handle bar and will do the same thing as a longer steer tube.

Having your hands going numb during a ride isn't safe. so ask your LBS for stems to raise the position of your handlebar. Also look at different style of handlebars. Some are more ergonomic than others. Winged bars (drop style) may give you more surface area for your hand to rest. They are not just for getting better aerodynamics. Again go ask a reputable LBS for their suggestion. Ask them, "I have issues with my hands going numb while riding..."

Hope this helps.

[aicabsolut]

I would go back to your doctor and ask if there's another kind of compression garment you can use or how else to deal with it. Having a doctor who knows a bit about bikes will help, but I would get a medical opinion first and then explain what you want to do about your fit to people at a shop to see if the new position is achievable.

[txred9876]

I would go back to your doctor and ask if there's another kind of compression garment you can use or how else to deal with it. Having a doctor who knows a bit about bikes will help, but I would get a medical opinion first and then explain what you want to do about your fit to people at a shop to see if the new position is achievable.

The only type of compression things out there are either over the counter or custom (like I have but don't fit). My insurance won't pay for another sleeve for a few more months and I don't have an extra 500 laying around.

I rode sat with no gloves/no watch. I didn't nearly have the issues I had been having so I feel they may have been at least part of the issue. Someone I was riding with said I had a very aggressive setup (handlebars below seat) and maybe talking to the guys at the shop might be something i need to do. I spoke with the manager and he put in a 90mm stem instead of a 100mm one as well as change the height by about 1.5 inches. I am going to take it out for a test drive after work.

[Cataboo]

The only type of compression things out there are either over the counter or custom (like I have but don't fit). My insurance won't pay for another sleeve for a few more months and I don't have an extra 500 laying around.

I rode sat with no gloves/no watch. I didn't nearly have the issues I had been having so I feel they may have been at least part of the issue. Someone I was riding with said I had a very aggressive setup (handlebars below seat) and maybe talking to the guys at the shop might be something i need to do. I spoke with the manager and he put in a 90mm stem instead of a 100mm one as well as change the height by about 1.5 inches. I am going to take it out for a test drive after work.

Changing the stem sounds great - if you have to, you could use a headtube extender. I think a few people on here with back pain use them.

I know that you can buy compression socks in kmart, I don't know if you could maybe buy a small compression sock, cut off the bottom or toes, and make a compression sleeve that you could pull up on your arm? Or if you could get some of those compression stockings they put on people when they're about to have surgery - a small one for a child might work on your arm.

I have wrist issues while riding and actually never wear a watch anymore because of the issues... However, gloves are great if you fall, because sanding the skin off the palm of your hands hurts. I use pearl izumi gloves because they stop just above the wrist, so when you tighten them, they don't constrict on the wrist. They do have gel padding that is supposed to help with wrist or hand issues, but it actually makes my hands go numb much quicker, so I always rip the padding out of them.