Sorry, another set up prob..

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koro

Active Member
Hi,

Well that serves me right about a previous thread about cycling with someone slower, namely my wife in my case...Last night she had to go out at the last minute, so with a sigh :blush: I got to have a blast on my own,,,Hmmm now my new prob...

As I was always either taking it easy/stopping every now and again, my bike felt great (Giant Defy 2). However, after just 10 miles my lower back was hurting, muscular. I did 30 miles in total at a fair pace. I stopped at one point just to standup, felt good and away again for the pain to start.

I have googled everywhere and searched on these forums only to confuse myself even more as to a bike adjustment.

I use spd`s
My legs/knees feel good.
My shoulders neck feel good.
My bum feels good (so my mrs tells me)
My lower back aches whillst on the bike.

I dont want to have to raise the handlbars, I had lowered it by one spacer, as before the bike felt like a sit up and beg.

I have read that it maybe a case of lowering the saddle a little...it would be easy to say give it a go, but I dont get to go out on the bike very often, so I am hoping that any adjustment I make is in the right spot on the bike.

Or is it a case of getting the body use to it, I am 45 yrs young. Reasonably fit.

Thanks for your thoughts
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Shorter stem maybe?

I find stock stems are just a smidge to long and just a 10 mm shorter one does the trick for me.
 
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koro

koro

Active Member
cyberknight said:
Shorter stem maybe?

I find stock stems are just a smidge to long and just a 10 mm shorter one does the trick for me.


Thanks, I thought of that as well..what puts me off is that I am long in the back and short in the legs, when I stand up on the pedals I can feel like I am pushing the bike back down the hill. I know its only a guideline but the front axle looking down is approx 2 inches infront of the handlebars, so I dont think i ought to go shorter if poss on the stem. I tried the large and med/large and they were to big for me.
 
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koro

koro

Active Member
Steve Austin said:
Forget about adjusting setup.

try doing some light stretching everyday. You can find some lower back stretching exercises on line


I have read that and will give it a try ... at a loss though as to why stretching and not building up the muscle would help..
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
...it would be easy to say give it a go, but I dont get to go out on the bike very often, so I am hoping that any adjustment I make is in the right spot on the bike.

Or is it a case of getting the body use to it, I am 45 yrs young. Reasonably fit.

[/QUOTE]

I think there might be a clue there, somewhere ..... Steve's advice is good.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Steve Austin said:
Forget about adjusting setup.

try doing some light stretching everyday. You can find some lower back stretching exercises on line

:becool: I only suggested what worked for me .

If the bike is not set up right then he could stretch all he likes it would just mask the problem
 

baznav

Active Member
if you are new to road bikes it will take a little while to get used to, i suffered when i got my first road bike but the more i rode the better it got.
 
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koro

koro

Active Member
cyberknight said:
:becool: I only suggested what worked for me .

If the bike is not set up right then he could stretch all he likes it would just mask the problem


Exactly my thoughts also, 10 miles in seemed a bit early to suffer...but I will give the stretching a go...

Having made adjustments to sort out my knees and shoulders/neck, I was hoping another adjustment would sort out my lower back.

Thanks though to all the replies, they are appreciated.
 
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koro

koro

Active Member
baznav said:
if you are new to road bikes it will take a little while to get used to, i suffered when i got my first road bike but the more i rode the better it got.


Thanks for that, did you make any adjustments or just rode through it?
 

Steve Austin

The Marmalade Kid
Location
Mlehworld
Sitting like the image below for ten minutes shouldn't really cause back pain, but then again, if you were more upright, or lower, or more stretched out, that should not cause back pain either
roadbike.jpg

Too many people are too quick to jump on buying new stems, seatposts, new bikes even, before considering that riding a bike is not a position a human body should be in.

but then again, pain could signify the start of an injury, OR a very bad position!

So, if you are feeling pain within ten minutes, i would reckon that its down to fitness, a lack of flexibility, a new position that you are not used to etc. So before spending money on new parts, try some yoga, core exercises, sit ups, etc etc
 
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koro

koro

Active Member
Steve,

Thanks for that, I will like you say give the exercise route a go...

I guess I was looking for a quick fix, when in reality as an oldie fitness could be the problem..
 
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