R8000 brifters less comfortable than DA BL 7402 levers …?

[Patrick Moore]

People say that “brifter” brake hoods are very comfortable, but even after futzing with the R8000 levers on the Roadeo to get the angle just right (the tops of the hoods are pretty much dead level) I find that my sensitive left palm starts getting numb or “tingly” after 10 or 12 miles riding on the hoods, unless I diligently move it around. (And I don’t like the hooks on the anatomic bar). Shimano’s non-shifting aero levers, OTOH, have been my hood comfort benchmark for decades and do not cause that pressure problem on the left palm.

I wonder if I’ll have to start wearing gloves again, since this bike was bought for longer rides.

Can anyone suggest ways to improve this situation? Is there a “correct” or at least “optimum” way to set up Shimano brifters? Are there tricks to address this? There won’t be much leeway here, though, as I have the levers set up pretty much perfectly for torso/arms/etc comfort on the hoods.

I think that the difference is that, with the 7402s, I can rest the angle between base of thumb and base of forefinger across the lever, which takes up some of the pressure; the brifter does not seem to encourage this.

Thoughts?

Lovely ride on the Roadeo just now: got the rd hanger alignment checked and it’s fine, and ran some errands with multiple detours. The chain tracks dead straight on the favorite 50 x 18 gear (14-32) so I can pretend I’m on a 75” fixed gear. I know, I know. Still, the Roadeo does climb very nicely when your climbing style is to sit or stand and push.

Aside: PSA: I just bought a Planet Bike analogue tire gauge, with a big dial marked from 20 psi to 140 psi, and good with Schrader and with adapter with Presta. Only $17.95. The great benefit is that I can read the dial without my reading glasses, while the otherwise very nice AccuGauge hp gauge requires me to put them on every time I use it.

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Kieran J]

I also strongly dislike the R7000/R8000 brifter shape. The hoods feel bulky and boxy, which leads to numb fingers for me. On top of that, I find the brake lever feel is weird, as if the pivot is too low. I've had both mechanical and hydro versions of this shifter and I hated both equally. 

12spd Di2 shifters on the other hand are ergonomically awesome. So are 10/11spd Sram ones. 

KJ

[Steven Seelig]

When I got my bike fitting for my brighter equipped road bike, my fitter was adament about having my brake hoods turned in toward the center of the bars.  For me, in that I have an outward flare for my drops we followed that angle.  The logic both for the flares and the hood angle was that this kept my wrists at a angle that was not bending them backwards and helped relieve pressure.

Think about the angle your arm likes for non drop bars.  For me it is the Albatross and Billy bar as those have a similar flare to them.  Look at what those bars do for your wrists and seek to replicate those in the drops.  For me, keeping my wrists from bending backwards is a thing I repeat on all my bikes.

[Patrick Moore]

Steven: That’s worth checking out; thanks. At least it will let me keep these hoods level to the ground, where I like them. Will report.

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[Patrick Moore]

I angled them inward quite abruptly while leaving the tilt alone, and while I’ve not had the opportunity to ride with the the new brake lever position, a static test indicates that my hands drape over the hoods more as with the comfortable DA BL 7402s. Will test shortly and report.

Thanks again.