Sore thigh muscles - am I overdoing things?

[r04DiE]

Hello all,

I have been cycling (on and off) for about 25 years. Family responsibilities are partly the reason for the on-offness but overall (especially recent years), I have been reasonably good, without too many long gaps. That said, in previous years, I have sometimes stopped for months at a time.

I do find that my thigh muscles tend to really ache when I am riding, and this has been the case for a long time but I have noticed it even more this year after buying a new bike and really making an effort to do three days a week to work (around 200km in all). More often than not, commutes aren't spaced evenly over the week (i.e. Mon, Wed, Fri), and I will often find myself doing 3 consecutive days (Wed, Thu, Fri this week).

Its odd - I am trying to work within higher heart rate zones but my legs are hurting so much that I find I cant push more to get into the zone that I want to be in. My average cadence on yesterday's commute home was 85, so I think I'm about right there. I have tried varying the cadence but there is no relief.

So, it's Saturday today, and after the three consecutive commutes, my thighs are very sore. It's quite painful to squat down, as I was this morning when I turned on the bathroom scales for my 2-monthlyish weigh-in (just out of curiosity).

So, I am 47 - is this age-related, am I pushing myself too hard, do I need to take some kind of protein supplement, any other advice you guys could offer? I love my cycling, in fact I need my cycling - but I would really like to return it to a largely painless experience.

I would value your opinions.

Thanks

 

[vickster]

1. Check your saddle height and riding position, new bike...

2. And start stretching your leg muscles after every ride, all of them You only need one muscle group to be tight or out of kilter to cause havoc elsewhere in my experience (for me, super tight calves)

Can't see what a protein supplement would do? You might find a proper monthly sports massage beneficial. See what the masseur advises, a physiotherapist assessment might be worthwhile if nothing else works.

What happens on the weeks when you cycle less.

 

[r04DiE]

Thank you. I think that the saddle is fine as it was set up at the LBS when I bought the bike. Maybe I will try the stretching thing as that's something I never, ever do.

Much appreciated.

 

[vickster]

Thank you. I think that the saddle is fine as it was set up at the LBS when I bought the bike. Maybe I will try the stretching thing as that's something I never, ever do.

Much appreciated.

I wouldn't assume the shop got the set up right, maybe if you had a full fit. Plenty of YouTube vids to check

 

[Tin Pot]

I'd also recommend a pro fit.

Static stretching is a bit of a myth, and it's true that it could be non-cycling related. Since getting fit myself, I only hurt on the bike if I've been gardening or diying or sleeping badly etc.

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

I find that the saddle being even a couple of mm too low can cause the pain you are describing.

Whenever I change the saddle (and coincidentally I've fitted a new Selle Anatomica to my road bike today) I get the saddle height roughly correct and then tweak it up by a mm or two before each ride until I feel a slight soreness in my hamstrings indicating that the saddle is too high, and then drop it down to the previous non-sore position.

Drinking a high-protein drink within 20 minutes of the end of a ride is supposed to aid recovery of muscle damage.

I'm 54 and average around 130 miles a week - and have never done any stretching pre or post ride.

Having said that, we're all different.

Graham

 

[r04DiE]

I wouldn't assume the shop got the set up right, maybe if you had a full fit. Plenty of YouTube vids to check

Perhaps. They adjusted saddle, flipped the stem up, cleat position, did the plum-bob thing from the knee through the pedal axle - is that a full fit? Also, this is the same LBS that cured a knee problem that I had on my old bike by doing a fit for me, it ended up that the saddle was too low. I will look at YouTube, thanks.

 

[vickster]

Get a fit from a cycling Physio not just a retul fitter unless a Physio

 

[vickster]

Perhaps. They adjusted saddle, flipped the stem up, cleat position, did the plum-bob thing from the knee through the pedal axle - is that a full fit? Also, this is the same LBS that cured a knee problem that I had on my old bike by doing a fit for me, it ended up that the saddle was too low. I will look at YouTube, thanks.

Full fit would take 1-2 hours

Try putting the saddle up in v small increments. Ride, assess, repeat

 

[r04DiE]

I'd also recommend a pro fit.

Static stretching is a bit of a myth, and it's true that it could be non-cycling related. Since getting fit myself, I only hurt on the bike if I've been gardening or diying or sleeping badly etc.

Cycling is really the only exercise that I do, so not sure that its related to anything else.

...I only hurt on the bike if I've been gardening or diying...

First read that as dying!

 

[vickster]

So did I!!

Do you have a sedentary job? Or indeed a v physical one? Each could be as bad for muscle length and tightness

 

[Tin Pot]

I'm changing the English language

 

[r04DiE]

I find that the saddle being even a couple of mm too low can cause the pain you are describing.

Whenever I change the saddle (and coincidentally I've fitted a new Selle Anatomica to my road bike today) I get the saddle height roughly correct and then tweak it up by a mm or two before each ride until I feel a slight soreness in my hamstrings indicating that the saddle is too high, and then drop it down to the previous non-sore position.

Drinking a high-protein drink within 20 minutes of the end of a ride is supposed to aid recovery of muscle damage.

I'm 54 and average around 130 miles a week - and have never done any stretching pre or post ride.

Having said that, we're all different.

Graham

Full fit would take 1-2 hours

Try putting the saddle up in v small increments. Ride, assess, repeat

Good advice and thank you for that. I will take a look at increasing the saddle height as you both say. Great to see that @Tenacious Sloth managing 130 miles a week at 54 - hope for me yet

Get a fit from a cycling Physio not just a retul fitter unless a Physio

If I go for a fit - I will do that. How much should I expect to pay?

So did I!!

Do you have a sedentary job? Or indeed a v physical one? Each could be as bad for muscle length and tightness

I'm a Mechanical Engineer, so It's a bit in between, but more sedentary these days as so much is done on the PC nowadays.

 

[vickster]

Cost varies but likely £100-150, more in central London. I think my cycling Physio charges £90 or £100 for an hour but that was after a number of Physio sessions. Not sure if she does as a one off

 

[Roadrider48]

Cost varies but likely £100-150, more in central London. I think my cycling Physio charges £90 or £100 for an hour but that was after a number of Physio sessions. Not sure if she does as a one off

Serious question @vickster
Did the specific cycling physio stuff really make a massive difference to your cycling?
Just interested.