LukasMcNeal Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 Hey, I'm sort of suffering from some sort of ache or cramp in my hands when riding. I've moved my levers a bit and it's better but my braking finger is really long being soo tall and it's always like bent funny so I can pull the brake could this be a reason? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrialsIsHard Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 I used to get that, I used a powerball to work up the muscles in the hands/wrists/forearms and I think that's what stopped them cramping. Or you're gripping too hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukasMcNeal Posted June 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 I've got a powerball so might use it aha! I must grip to hard but I don't know how not too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 What brake setup have you got? This could contribute if your really having to hold on tight to get the brakes to work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukasMcNeal Posted June 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 I've got a front 180mm mono trial and rear hs33 old zoo pads, so I doubt it's too do with them! Maybe grips got trialtech foams, might try some rubber ones again because with foams it's like im squeezing to touch the bar almost! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam T Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 I had a powerball to use not long after I broke my wrist. It got addicctive to see how high you could get the revs going. Before I knew it it had toned all the muscels in my form arm. My nick name at school was "serial masterbater" haha. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 I've got a front 180mm mono trial and rear hs33 old zoo pads, so I doubt it's too do with them! How are the brakes set with regards to the bite and squish? I used to get bad tendonitis in my fingers when I rode bmx (hand would cramp up into a bar grip position and I couldnt open the hand) and found that the problem would re-occur on the trials bike occasionally. I found that using a brake setup with some flex in it would stop the cramp coming back. I set my brakes up so that I can feel the pads hit the rim, but then the brake is spongy enough for me to pull the lever to the bars; I also set the bite point to be pretty close to the bars so that it locks with a fully curled finger. With the right combination of pads/rim/grind I can have a comfortable flexy brake with 100% confidence that its going to bite and hold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casualjoe Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 hand would cramp up into a bar grip position and I couldnt open the hand) I've had this with both hands at the same time, it leaves you rubbing your knuckles together desperately trying to open them again, very scary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 I've had this with both hands at the same time, it leaves you rubbing your knuckles together desperately trying to open them again, very scary It got so bad for me at one point I would have to slide my hands off the grips and use my teeth to physically open the fingers! I think it was from gripping too tight, Ive not suffered with it for a long time now though. Occasionally I will still get a cramp in my hands the stops me gripping the bars (typically just as Im about to gap or drop) but I dont know if thats related to the old tendonitis; it only seems to happen in my left hand where as the tendonitis was in both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casualjoe Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 Bananas help for cramps I find, although like you said, over time you learn to not need to grip so tightly somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wip-bikes Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 Good shout on the bananas! Try some indian tonic water too. Its not the best tasting but i used to cramp up when i raced and this worked a treat. On the bike i had the odd hand/arm cramp but i changed my lever angle (much slacker around 30 degrees) and relaxed a little and its no more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsmax04 Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 My friend and I both get it bad on the moto (trials) bikes. He drinks a lot of tonic water through the trial, and swears by it. I've been off the bike for a while and this weekend is a big trial, gona be a killer! I've brought tonic water in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukasMcNeal Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Why tonic water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Object Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 (edited) http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2007/06/14/tonic-water-eas/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonated_water TL:DR Tonic water contains "Quinine" which is very good at alleviating cramps but not without risk as it can cause a potentially deadly blood disorder. There are also some links between carbonated liquids and bone loss, meaning that carbonated drinks may lead to increased chances of fractured/broken bones. The scientific community is still undecided on this point however. Edited June 24, 2011 by Object Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukasMcNeal Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Tonic water is grim though aha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrialsIsHard Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 you can't drink just tonic, get on the powerball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsmax04 Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Water it is at the weekend then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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