dvdslw

I might have an idea of what to do to remedy my problem but I thought I'd ask here first. I have been riding for quite some time without any hand discomfort until the last few rides and all I changed was moving my saddle forward because I felt as though I was pushing forward at the top of each crank revolution. Now I feel as though my form is better and my last few rides felt stronger with a mph increase to back it up but my hands have been a bit uncomfortable. My thinking is that by moving forward that I'm sitting a bit more upright which would take pressure off of my mid section and as a result apply more pressure to my hands. The fix would be a longer stem which would be measured by the length of my current stem plus the measured distance I moved the seat forward, correct?

gsa103

Rather than a longer stem, you could try removing a spacer on your current stem? That would lower your torso down some (for a given arm extension).

How much did you move the seat forward?

clausen

A longer stem will stretch you out further adding more weight to your hands. Go see an experienced bike fitter.

clausen

Lowering the bars also adds more weight to your hands. OP is saying additional weight is causing a problem.

Igualmente

I think you'd have to try it out. The problem I see is that you shifted your balance to put more weight on your hands. A longer stem or lower handlebar may not alleviate the extra weight on the hands (that is to say, it is not really shifting weight off your hands). Actually, a longer stem may make it worse by shifting even more weight onto your hands.

The other possibility is that it is not the weight change but position change that is causing the numbness, in which case a stem change in the manner you've described might be helpful. Like I said, try it out. Borrow a stem if you can.

EDIT: posted simultaneously with clausen...

Wesley36

I would recommend thinking about your balance on the bike, like Hogg suggests here:

SEAT SET BACK: for road bikes » Bike Fit » Steve Hogg's Bike Fitting Website

Dunbar

I get less hand numbness when I run more setback.

Team Sarcasm

more core workouts.

headloss 

+1

KOPS (knee over pedal spindle) is BS if treated as gospel. I found that I was having lots of wrist pain on longer rides until I moved my saddle back. Know what else I discovered? The reason that I always had a hard time riding hand's free was also due to my previous saddle placement. Steve Hogg explains why, and that particular link set me straight and improved my comfort 10 fold. Get the saddle placement set up correctly first, find the spot where you are balanced... then figure out the appropriate stem length after you get the first part down. Your hands will thank you.