Bike fit and nutrition questions

azul_fahrrad

At the beginning of this season I tweaked my road bike and had a near optimum fit, I have ridden approximately 500 miles, all road, since then and on the last two rides have significant fit related issues.

Almost immediately after beginning the ride my feet start to hurt, my toes an the ball of my foot burn and then go numb. After about 20 miles or so I feel as though someone has driven a wedge between the 3rd and 4th toes.

The second issue is a burn and numbness in the seat which starts after about 10 miles. There is sometimes brief back pain at the same time.

The third issue also strats after about 10 miles, my hands go numb.

Another issue that I have had the last four rides is muscle cramps in my calves and lower thighs, just above my knee. It always starts out as tightness in my muscles and then progresses into a painful twitch. Each time I have been unsure of what to do so I have just kept riding and it eventually passes, but each time is progressively worse and the last time I was worried that I was going to fall off the bike. I am sure that if I stop and get off the bike it will instantly get worse.

I drink at least 3/4 a gallon of water a day, I eat two hours before the ride and carry two cliff bars with me on the ride which has been my routine since I started mountain biking 8 years ago. I always stretch before and after each ride.

Does anyone have any insight on any of these issues?

Markz

Question: Were your previous rides shorter than 10 miles?

azul_fahrrad

I ride about 9 miles a day, 1 and 2 miles at a time, from the house to the train station, the train station to the office and then back again.

When on my commute, I am wear street clothes and regular shoes. I occasionally have pain in my feet but I have assumed that was because I am wear dress shoes with clipless pedals.

Since the first week of June, I have ridden at least one 25+ mile ride per week. The past three weeks I have been riding two or three times a week, averaging 40 miles each ride.

This past Saturday I rode 69 miles, I forgot about this eariler but, ironicly, when riding Saturday I found that getting down in the drops on my handle bar relieved the pain in my seat and hands and reduced some in my feet.

NomadVW

Hot spots in feet.... what pedals do you use? What shoes do you use? Socks?

Numbness in the crotch? Could be seat tilt, fore/aft adjustment, too high... a lot of options there.

Hand numbness corresponds with back pain. Means your core strength isn't letting the body support you, but your hands are supporting you. Hands are there for stability. Your core strength is weak so the back will hurt and you probably get shoulder stiffness from road vibration running up your arms.

All this means you need to get properly fit on your bike. Be prepared to get a little more upright until your core strength supports your body and you can gradually get lower in the front.

Find an LBS that does bike fitting or be prepared for a lot of trial and error and sore days.

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azul_fahrrad

The pedals are the old style LOOK pedals, the shoes are Pearl Izumi Vagabond, the socks are standard cycling socks, usually Perl Izumi.


This makes sense, I have not been hitting the gym nearly as much as last year.


It sounds like good advice, thank you. I appreciate it.

Do you have any thoughts on the issues with muscle cramping and spasms?

NomadVW

As far as the shoes/pedals go - it may also be something you experiment with. A proper bike fitting should align your cleats as well. Could be too far forward on the shoes, or it might just be the shoes. Look style pedals aren't so prone to hot spots, so I'd consider different shoes.

I remind folks often that if you're getting on a bike for 15 minutes a day, bike fit, shoes, shorts, chamois/padding - all of it - can be horrible and never really notice it. When you start routinely pressing that time out to an hour or more, you're going to feel it. Likewise, you could sprint in 100 meters in basketball shoes once a day, but would you want to start running 10k in them? Unfortunately for us cyclists, the trial and error method can get expensive :P

As far as muscle cramping/spasms - the first instinct is to say watch sodium/potassium intake and make sure you're getting enough. Use something in your water that's going to replenish sodium while riding. (energy drink powders, etc...) But that's just a guess.

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Alex Simmons

Power Training?

Perhaps if posted to correct forum this might generate some more response.

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