Anyhoo.. anyone know where/how to find out the 'quality' of one's wrists..? like a benchmark or something..?

Not sure of a benchmark, but I'm in a similar situation (on a PC for 9-10 hours/day). I started having carpal tunnel type symptoms last year and was afraid I'd miss the track season if I had to have surgery. I did a bit of reading (as well as talked to a couple racer friends) and started including forearm exercises in my normal work out routine at the gym.

It's made a huge difference - the issues I used to have after a full track day aren't there, and I'm able to ride longer when I'm out on the street. There's a ton of info on carpal tunnel out there, I looked at WebMD and a couple other sites to get ideas on how to avoid it

 

Same deal here. A few things you can do. I use one of those 5 dollar throttle rockers which works wonders. I don't generally put all that much weight on the rists as I generally clamp my legs against the tank and use my back more. I also went and bought a set of Cycle Cats which helped some as well.

 

As a CAD designer I'm right there with you, all day in front of the tube.

The ergo people will help some. They'll show you the best heights for your monitor, desk, chair ect. If I remember right your arm should rest flat on the arm of the chair, which is paralell to the desk to help avoid carpel...but I could be wrong.

I scored a new desk, monitor riser, and chair from my visit with the company ergo geek

 

I'm not sure what you can do about work....but is the machine properly setup suspension wise??? Do you ride with the "weight at your hips and knees on the tanks" and not on the wrists?>???

also stretching, changeing postions, and a good S.O. will HELP

 

Thankfully I haven't hit the carpel thing yet.. but i'm worried with the bike wrists and everythign..I might not be far away.. :roll:

Yes.. I do ride more on my butt/abs and squeeze knees against the tank, than on my wrists.. and on straight stretches with no traffic and non-bumpy roads.. i lean back.. and take the left-hand-on-hip-stance ..

thx guys!

 

I've found that, if you spend more time with the front wheel in the air, you tend to put less weight on your wrists

How long is your ride each day? Sport bikes typically have a race oriented body position, and are not designed to be comfortable as such. Some compromises can be made (heli bars, lower rear sets, etc), but to some degree they're uncomfortable by nature, and there's not much that can be done.

Strength and conditioning will help a lot. Just don't over-do your strength training, or you actually add to the problem.

Regarding work ergos, I would definitely get an assessment if your company provides it. I started to have problems a few years ago. Now I use a keyboard tray to help correct my postion. I also perfer a track ball mouse, which limits the need for wrist/arm movement. Both resolved a lot of the strain issues I was having.[/img]

 

I've found that, if you spend more time with the front wheel in the air, you tend to put less weight on your wrists

:rotfl well.. my one way route abt 9miles and takes me 14minutes on the local roads(El Camino through San Mateo County, I start from Belmont) and I'm on my left-hand-on-hip position right around when i'm rolling into work.

check list: get ergo geek into cube for analysis, ooh ooh! time to get goodies for my bike

 

I'm so glad I'm short in times like this. Can sit on my bike all day long without a worry, I'm almost in a cruiser seating position wiht hardly any/no stress on my wrists Can't help with your post unless you get some your height chopped off and need to know a good height. In that case. it's 5'9

 

I'm in the same boat, who figured there would be all of us "Nerds" riding these bikes.....if your HS peers could see us now :twisted:

Anyway, I ride between 35-55 min each way.
I had sore wrist for the first couple of weeks also.
I guess you just need to get used to the bike and find a comfortable riding position. That's what happened to me.

Good luck.

 

Another tech guy here with wrist problems.. I work at home but currently I absolutely cannot ride because I have a form of carpal already from riding..its called de quervain's syndrome. Horribly painful..

See my thread for some similar info http://www.triumph675.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9190

But hey that means its time for mods while the wrist heals.

 

Before I got my bike, I did wrist curls with small dumbells almost everynight for a month or so. That, coupled with California Superbike School (probably plus my height) means that I have done 480+miles in a day before with no problems at all.

If you don't have any weights, even using a bottle of coke in each hand could probably work..

 

I'm in the same boat, who figured there would be all of us "Nerds" riding these bikes.....if your HS peers could see us now :twisted:

lol. Nerds on Bikes unite!!

undii, I'm 5'8'' .. so I guess I need to find a right position to sit, and yeah 2weeks might be a little short for that..

This guy at work actually sits on one of those big medicine/yoga balls instead of a regular chair; sez keeps his back straight and keeps him from slouching if he had a chair.

sorry abt the DQsyndrome hmuchmo, hope it gets better soon!

 

If you don't have any weights, even using a bottle of coke in each hand could probably work..

Time to hit the Vending Machine..

 

I am a software developer/network admin and hardcore gamer at night (hah!). I also used to do sports quite a bit so my wrists (and knees.. and ankles.. and.. and..) have taken a beating. I was having some issues with my wrists as well and this is what helped me:

- In the beginning I was wearing a brace on my wrist while working/gaming.
- I use one of those workout squeeze-spring-thingies to build up muscles (these might be too hard at first, stress balls etc will work as well).
- I made 100% sure my work sitting position is good and I make sure not to stay in the same position for too long.

Now? No issues whatsoever.

 

You're with IBM: pffft.. the bike's got nothing to do with it

It's your over staffed, over rational-unified-process/waterfall 50-100 codemonkeys in a room for million dollar a quarter project that's got your wrists hurting from filling out statements of work

hehe

Naah, seriously: I'm an IT guy and I've found that the bike requires trading in extra grip with your knees versus using your wrists.. I don't get RSI generally as I've learnt over the years to somehow end up in a position that doesn't give me RSI..

Try leaning forward a bit more, it does seem to help a bit (contrary to what you'd think).. Too straight an arm position = sorer wrists..

In your case at IBM:
Extra vigorous masturbation sessions during those ra-ra "star of the week" sessions that IBM global services does should help strengthen wrists I'd say..
Or volunteer to be the guy who writes the zeros after the figure for the amount of over budget financials statements of work..

Oh, the jokes are endless.. hehe

 

Extra vigorous masturbation sessions during those ra-ra "star of the week"

:rotfl yk i'm not in Global Services yet.. I'm in Customer Support right now.. and had a plan in mind to move to Global Services.. the perks seem to be interesting now

Yeah, things are creaking/squeaking now.. .. my wrists are okay.. my neck was like.. whatever.. i think it's my stupid backpack for my laptop

 

Extra vigorous masturbation sessions during those ra-ra "star of the week"

:rotfl yk i'm not in Global Services yet.. I'm in Customer Support right now.. and had a plan in mind to move to Global Services.. the perks seem to be interesting now

Yeah, things are creaking/squeaking now.. .. my wrists are okay.. my neck was like.. whatever.. i think it's my stupid backpack for my laptop

Vigorous! I like the word usage. :spit

That sucks you have to ride carrying a laptop. I hope your wrists are not sore from the 9 mi commute. Because if so I think you may have some serious riding posture issues. I hit the twisties with my friend and he always lets me lead for a while so he can watch me and give me pointers later. It definitely helped a lot. My wrists still get sored but only after intense sessions in the hills.

 

must.. find.. sweet... riding.. position..

hopefully will do soon enough.. who's riding this weekend? anyone doing the twisties up/down at Alice's..?

Oh Nathan.. perk of working where I work.. Tuesday I'm working from home and taking off for a couple of hours in the afternoon and go 'do' the hills up/around Alice's..

 

must.. find.. sweet... riding.. position..

hopefully will do soon enough.. who's riding this weekend? anyone doing the twisties up/down at Alice's..?

Oh Nathan.. perk of working where I work.. Tuesday I'm working from home and taking off for a couple of hours in the afternoon and go 'do' the hills up/around Alice's..

That's ok man, I wasn't being nasty about it (just taking the piss cos IBM's such a monster in the IT world).. Just have worked with IBM GS before and they do have a habit of trying to maximise bums on seats and project complexity

example: at sony back in oz, they were going to update versions of SAP. Instead of just migrating code across and testing, IBM GS sold them a deal to analyse the existing stuff, turn it into specifications, then re-code the same shit again (meanwhile renaming everything along the way). Seemed like the most error prone way to do something..

Code -> specifications -> back to code..
Needless to say their project went a long way over budget by the end..

 

Oh, and by the way: I always used to carry the laptop in bike luggage rather than on my back.. They're too damned heavy to be lugging around on your back.. And if the weight shifts: you're screwed!

 

Strengthen your lower back and stomach.
Don't ride with your arms "locked".
Ride more!

I'm a full-time(9am-5pm) software engineer at IBM and I've been riding my 675 for over 2 weeks now.. I think I'm starting to see/feel some discomfort in my wrists...

 

Code -> specifications -> back to code.. Smile
Needless to say their project went a long way over budget by the end..

I swear I spent 30minutes searching for this coz I'd seen it wayyy back in the days.. http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/media/features/insidejack1/ .. shows what would happen to $2B if IBM were around hehe..

That sad, no offense taken nathan.. it's a behemoth alright.. 335,000 employees :x

 

Oh, and by the way: I always used to carry the laptop in bike luggage rather than on my back.. They're too damned heavy to be lugging around on your back.. And if the weight shifts: you're screwed!

And Oh!.. I've decided I'm not bringing my laptop home from work.. will keep it locked in there... death to late-night browsing

 

[I am in the same position being an IT person and getting close to the big "50". I have found that folowing my docs recommendations has helped dramatically. I have started doing the following:

Wear wrist braces at night only.

Follow the exercises that are specifically designed for carpal injuries which I do have. http://www.carpaltunnelexercises.net/

I have ordered a set of Cycle Cats since I do like my position just a touch higher and overall I think those will help me too.

By following the above I have gone for going numb 10-15 minutes into a ride with often times not feeling even a twinge after an hour in the saddle.

 

Yeah laptops are a pain. I am also an IT guy, so used to TS from my slow workstation at work, to my work laptop at home across the internet, and then VPN back to the corporate network.

Worked well and went some way to proving that yes, 95% of IT work CAN be done from home :roll: :lol: