I'm such a dork.

[telegirl]

So I went on my first after work road ride since my 'vehicle drama' - and it was GREAT! The traffic wasn't very bad and most of the drivers were really considerate. I did a couple of the harder hills in our area and still managed to maintain a 16 mph average, which is good for me. The 'I'm such a dork' part comes because I noticed last year that my wrists were getting sore and hands were getting numb during my rides. Even when I changed hand positions, moved my fingers a lot, etc, there was still pain and numbness. Well yesterday, it was really bad, right after the first 5 minutes or so. I pulled over, undid my gloves and started to take them off, when I noticed that the numbness started to go away and my hands stopped aching. Hmmm, I thought..... that's weird...did up my gloves, got back on my bike, and voila, hands numb and aching. So, being the blonde that I am, I stop, take off my gloves.....numb going away....

It only takes me a year and a half to put things together (I'm quick that way). DOH! I'm tightening my gloves around my wrist too much. So, left the gloves undone and MIRACLE OF MIRACLES.....no numbness, no pain..... I'm such a dork.......

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh yeah, I'm a dork too!
I used to snugly close the Velcro on my gloves and my hands would go numb. It doesn't take much to make them too tight- they didn't "feel" tight!
Then I discovered if I close them VERY loosely my hands did not go numb.
DORKS REJOICE!

[LBTC]

tg, I am so glad that you found the problem and that it had such a simple solution! yay! A year and half to figure it out is really pretty quick compared to some of the things I've done! Don't be hard on yourself, girl!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Tuckervill]

I had the same experience this morning! But, I knew better to not snug up my gloves, because I have serious carpel tunnel that gives me trouble with any kind of intense hand work. (Painting, riding, writing....) My new road bike is giving my right hand fits, even though I can move them around on the bars, unlike my mtb.

This morning I realized I had tightened that glove down snug, though. DOH! I know it's not just that, though, because I've been having numbness at night a lot lately. I came home and took some B vitamins and that should fix it up.

Karen

[sgtiger]

Hi telegirl! I'm so glad you made it back on your bike and that it was a positive experience. I hope all your future rides go just as smoothly. I was so sorry to hear about those inconsiderate nincompoops that threatened your safety and made you give up riding for awhile. Grrr. It takes great courage to get back out there. I'm really proud of you.

BTW, I have my blond moments too. I have a friend who teases me about being an Asian blond and tells me when my blond roots are showing.

[LadyinWhite]

Anyone else seeing the beginnings of glove tan? Between the glove tan, the shorts tan and the racer back tan - my body looks ridiculous nekked. Thank goodness I keep it covered most of the time

[mimitabby]

and then there's Helmet Headache.

I was riding and had a headache that kept getting worse. I stopped for a potty
break and noticed that it had gone from dull to excruciating, pretty unusual,
bicycling usually HELPS my headaches get better.
So i took off my helmet and massaged my temples, and it started to go away.
No, it WENT AWAY completely! the helmet was too tight...

[Flybye]

I think that I "earnt" the village idiot award..................

I have had two "accidents" on my bike this spring. I wish (read sarcasm) that I had some hellatious tale of bravery to go with both accidents, but, alas..........

Accident #1 - Stop sign coming up, talking with my son about the importance of making eye contact with drivers before going through an intersection. Stopping. Talking. NOT UNCLIPPING!!!!!! Ouch!! Had a nice visit to the chiropracter and a lovely bruise on one my left knee and one that resembled a chain on my right calf!! DOH!!!

Accident #2- Coming in to the garage to park my bike after a quick spin. Remembering how stupid (no joke) that it was when I fell off at the stop sign a couple of weeks ago. Unclipped RIGHT leg, tried to put LEFT leg on the garage floor, and, um, well, yeah. NOT UNCLIPPED!!! DOUBLE DOH!!!

I consider myself intellegent, as I did graduate with a 3.67 from an accredited university. Apparently wisdom is fickle and fleeting.

Who's next with their story? This is fun

[telegirl]

Speaking of glove tan, when I started back riding a lot, I noticed that my hands had these dirty spots that wouldn't come off. I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed and even used comet on my hands.....till I told BikeHubby "I don't know what I got into, but look at these weird stains".....and he said "Isn't that where the hole is on our bike gloves- so it's a tan?"

Haven't had the 'helmet headache' experience yet, but I think there is plenty of time......and I won't even go into the number of times I have fallen over because I haven't unclipped/thought I unclipped/tried to be too cool for school.....


DOH!!!! At least I know that I am not alone!!

[gnat23]

Speaking of glove tan, when I started back riding a lot, I noticed that my hands had these dirty spots that wouldn't come off. I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed and even used comet on my hands.....till I told BikeHubby "I don't know what I got into, but look at these weird stains".....and he said "Isn't that where the hole is on our bike gloves- so it's a tan?"

"How'd you get a bruise THERE?"
"Is that a scar?"
"Why do you have matching brown marks on each hand?"
"Have you been working on your car or something?"

In other news, is there a fake-tanner lotion that ONLY works on your thighs down to that brown line above the knee?

-- gnat!

[SouthernBelle]

I have a strappy racer-back jersey that has a lttle mesh vent in the back. Last year I couldn't figure out why I had this itchy spot in the middle of my back. I was tanning through that vent.

Already have a glove tan,

[Flybye]

Just thinking about funny glove tans, mesh tans, etc. and laughing Ever had your bangs poking out of the holes in the top of your helmet. Very stylish. We are truly spectacles to behold, with our tans, bruises, helmet hair, and let's not even think about spandex fannies

Glad to hear that loosening the gloves helps with numbness. I won't forget to sunscreen the holes in my gloves this summer, either.

[bikerchick68]

my ex bought me toe covers when I was new... I wore them for 2 yrs and my feet would always fall asleep... one day I was with friends and HAD to stop and remove them... they asked me why I was using size small since I wear a size 9 shoe... uhhhhh... they come in different sizes? DOH!