Kerry, I had some hand issues too as I started out this spring. I was thinking about trying different gloves, but never did that to solve things. The hand grips on my bike aren't "round" exactly, and one of the guys at the shop suggested I check to make sure they were "installed" correctly and showed me how they SHOULD be on the bike. That wasn't it, darn it, they were fine. I had some other little thing I was having checked at the bike shop a couple of days later, and the tech there had me sit on the bike a moment, said, hmmm, let's raise the handlebars a bit, adjust the seat position, and you're going to bend your elbows and use your body to hold your body up while you ride instead of leaning on your hands. I hadn't realized I was doing this, but son of a gun if that didn't solve the whole problem! (this took thought for a while, keeping my own position in mind. I think the "hardware" adjustments were probably done to facilitate my "software" adjustments) My body's stronger now, and I bet I could have him put the handlebars back where they were when I got the bike with no problems, which might be good for my recent quest for speed! The seat, having been changed out completely, is in a different place entirely already.

I agree about moving your hands around a bit too -- we don't have drops and hoods and such to move between, no not quite the same options as roadies, but you can't hold on too tightly if your fingers are resting on the brake levers, or if your thumbs aren't wrapped around the bar but resting on top instead.

Karen in Boise