I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left with a
sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get used to it or
could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.

Thanks

"Rob Kirk" <rkirk@codel.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bsuaqd$pto$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
> I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left with
> a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get used to
> it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
>
You can get this if your saddle is too high. If it's too low your knees will hurt!

Rob Kirk wrote:
> I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left with
> a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get used to
> it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
>
> Thanks

Are you on pavement or offroad. Roadbike or MTB?

I think you'll be more susceptible to lower back pain on a roadbike. both from the extreme seating
position and possibly from a bad fit. It took me almost a season to get used to my roadbike as I
changed saddle position, tilt and stem length. I started out with a 110 mm stem went down to a 90 mm
stem, back up to 100 mm and now that I've accustomed myself to my bike I'm back to the original 110
mm stem. Riding on asphalt, even on a MTB, is much more of a static position than offroad. It also
helps to stand up occasionally even if not necessary etc.

If you're on a MTB and going offroad there are others on this group who know more than me.
--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

Rob Kirk wrote:
> I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left with
> a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get used to
> it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
>
> Thanks
>
>
Head off to a good bike shop (LBS) and ask them about your position on the bike. Do crunches. Sit
ups where your feet are NOT held down. Good abdominal muscle strength can help support your body
while riding and take some load off your back. Plus the motion back and forth can help loosen up
your back muscles, it does for me. Give these a couple weeks-and don't blow yourself out riding 30-
60 minute rides for starters, unless you are into riding through the pain.

Cheers, Shawn

P.S. Don't forget vitamin I (ibuprofen) :-)

"Rob Kirk" <rkirk@codel.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message news:<bsuaqd$pto$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>...
> I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left with
> a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get used to
> it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
>
> Thanks

At the risk of sounding like a a peckerhead, ride more and often. I'm 45 and had the same problem.
It goes away after time. It comes back again if you take some time off. Look at it as an indication
of progress. If the back pain continues (and you're sure your bike fits) for a few weeks then you
may have other stuff going on.

That'll be $25 consultation fee............

Marty

> At the risk of sounding like a a peckerhead, ride more and often. I'm 45 and had the same problem.
> It goes away after time. It comes back

I concur... saddles are the same way. 'Cept I was 16 and it took just a few weeks.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

martees@chesint.net (Marty) wrote in message news:<3ff11168.0312310735.46bd4316@posting.google.com>...
> "Rob Kirk" <rkirk@codel.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:<bsuaqd$pto$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>...
> > I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left
> > with a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get
> > used to it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
> >
> > Thanks
>
>
> At the risk of sounding like a a peckerhead, ride more and often. I'm 45 and had the same problem.
> It goes away after time. It comes back again if you take some time off. Look at it as an
> indication of progress. If the back pain continues (and you're sure your bike fits) for a few
> weeks then you may have other stuff going on.
>
> That'll be $25 consultation fee............

Ya better look out Gunny, or some dipwad named sycco, jackandflail, or whatever that psycho at
McGill is calling themselves nowdays might tell you that you are not qualified to give others
medical advice.

JD

Thanks for your help.
PSI am using the bike mainly on the road with about 20% off-road.

"Per Elmsäter" <perDOTelmsater@telia.com> wrote in message
newsgBIb.44376$dP1.177210@newsc.telia.net...
> Rob Kirk wrote:
> > I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left
> > with a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get
> > used to it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
> >
> > Thanks
>
> Are you on pavement or offroad. Roadbike or MTB?
>
> I think you'll be more susceptible to lower back pain on a roadbike. both from the extreme seating
> position and possibly from a bad fit. It took me almost a season to get used to my roadbike as I
> changed saddle position, tilt and stem length. I started out with a 110 mm stem went down to a 90
> mm stem, back up to 100 mm and now that I've accustomed myself to
my
> bike I'm back to the original 110 mm stem. Riding on asphalt, even on a
MTB,
> is much more of a static position than offroad. It also helps to stand up occasionally even if not
> necessary etc.
>
> If you're on a MTB and going offroad there are others on this group who
know
> more than me.
> --
> Perre
>
> You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

dij@usafcct.com (JD) wrote in message news:<ebf270c9.0312311003.31f447a@posting.google.com>...
> martees@chesint.net (Marty) wrote in message
> news:<3ff11168.0312310735.46bd4316@posting.google.com>...
> > "Rob Kirk" <rkirk@codel.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> > news:<bsuaqd$pto$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>...
> > > I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left
> > > with a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get
> > > used to it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
> > >
> > > Thanks
> >
> >
> > At the risk of sounding like a a peckerhead, ride more and often. I'm 45 and had the same
> > problem. It goes away after time. It comes back again if you take some time off. Look at it as
> > an indication of progress. If the back pain continues (and you're sure your bike fits) for a few
> > weeks then you may have other stuff going on.
> >
> > That'll be $25 consultation fee............
>
> Ya better look out Gunny, or some dipwad named sycco, jackandflail, or whatever that psycho at
> McGill is calling themselves nowdays might tell you that you are not qualified to give others
> medical advice.
>
> JD

I know I took a risk.... jumping out there with that in-depth analysis.

Saddle too low = back ache, saddle too high = neck ache.

There is a fine line between the two!

"Rob Kirk" <rkirk@codel.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message news:bsuaqd$pto$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
> I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left with
> a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get used to
> it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
>
> Thanks

In news:1073065918.48092.0@demeter.uk.clara.net,
Daz N <(REMOVENOSPAM)darren@clara.co.uk> scribbled:
> Saddle too low = back ache, saddle too high = neck ache.
>
> There is a fine line between the two!
>
>
> "Rob Kirk" <rkirk@codel.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message news:bsuaqd$pto$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
>> I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left with
>> a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get used to
>> it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
>>
>> Thanks

Similarly with knee pain.

However, as many others in this thread have pointed out, it could be just that he needs to ride more
and work out those back muscles... which is my guess. 15 miles isn't all that far. And if he's just
getting back into it, I would think (yeah, I could be very wrong here) that the terrain he's riding
is probably not that harsh. Hence a fairly short time in the saddle (probably 1 - 2.5 hours
depending on the trail..?)

Also, a good way to strengthen the back is to strengthen the front. Do crunches. Good abdominal
strength will help reduce the possibility of back injury.

--

FlyingCoyote http://boarsgut.com

--

FlyingCoyote wrote:
> Similarly with knee pain.
>
> However, as many others in this thread have pointed out, it could be just that he needs to ride
> more and work out those back muscles... which is my guess. 15 miles isn't all that far. And if
> he's just getting back into it, I would think (yeah, I could be very wrong here) that the terrain
> he's riding is probably not that harsh. Hence a fairly short time in the saddle (probably 1 - 2.5
> hours depending on the trail..?)
>
> Also, a good way to strengthen the back is to strengthen the front. Do crunches. Good abdominal
> strength will help reduce the possibility of back injury.

After your riding position is corrected, you can also re-connect your nervous system to your core
stabilization muscles by simply bridging from elbows to toes, and face-up from knees to shoulders
with knees bent at 90 degrees and shoulders/neck resting on a couch or chair. For both positions,
first draw in your abs, then tighten up your butt, then make a nice straight bridge with your torso.
Hold for as long as you can do 12-20 reps.

Do this for a few weeks and you'll feel noticeably stronger and your back won't be working so hard
to keep you upright.

--
--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall
"We should not march into Baghdad. ... Assigning young soldiers to
a fruitless hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning
them to fight in what would be an unwinnable urban guerilla war, it
could only plunge that part of the world into ever greater
instability." George Bush Sr. in his 1998 book "A World Transformed"

Kiddney Pain?

No expert here, but I've ridden many miles and found that my back hurts mostly when I travel on
rough terrain, which can cause one's kidneys to be jarred too much, (also moto-dirt-bike riding).

You may wish to try super hydration and riding on a smoth road. If there is no back pain then repeat
on a rough road/off road and see if that has any effect.

However I too have found that lack of stomach excercies increase my lower back pain.

HTH

JeffP....

"Rob Kirk" <rkirk@codel.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message news:bsuaqd$pto$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
> I am just getting into cycling again at 25. After a couple of 15 mile rides I have been left with
> a sore lower back which lasts for a day or two afterwards. Is this normal and i will get used to
> it or could it be down to my seat/handlebar/riding position.
>
> Thanks