Best Bent for Bad Back

[Ben Fox]

I have had a bad back for years,gone through the nerve pain down the leg many times. I take naproxen
2 times a day and no more leg pain. As far as bent riding ,I now ride a p-38 ,but have had many
others and have never had any back pain on any of them. That's me of course and you're back may be
different,but you're on the right track . Ben fox "mike s" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] (Alan Mushnick) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I have a Tour Easy, and a herniated disc. Actually, riding doesn't seem to aggravate the pain
> > going down my leg. I was wondering if a bent with a more supine position, allowing more weight
> > on the upper back would be less stress on the lower spine. Something like a SWB Bachetta.
> > Unfortunately there are no bent shops close to me. Are there any LWB bents with a more supine
> > postion? Alan Mushnick
>
> The one that comes to mind immediately is the RANS V2. The higher bottom bracket tends to have you
> recline the seat back and the RANS seat can go back a long way. I have a bad back too and find
> that the more laidback I am the less stress there is. My current steed is a Barcroft Virginia GT
> which is designed to be laidback. Before that I rode a RANS V-Rex in a reclined position as well.

 

[Ben Fox]

I have had a bad back for years,gone through the nerve pain down the leg many times. I take naproxen
2 times a day and no more leg pain. As far as bent riding ,I now ride a p-38 ,but have had many
others and have never had any back pain on any of them. That's me of course and you're back may be
different,but you're on the right track . Ben fox "mike s" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] (Alan Mushnick) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I have a Tour Easy, and a herniated disc. Actually, riding doesn't seem to aggravate the pain
> > going down my leg. I was wondering if a bent with a more supine position, allowing more weight
> > on the upper back would be less stress on the lower spine. Something like a SWB Bachetta.
> > Unfortunately there are no bent shops close to me. Are there any LWB bents with a more supine
> > postion? Alan Mushnick
>
> The one that comes to mind immediately is the RANS V2. The higher bottom bracket tends to have you
> recline the seat back and the RANS seat can go back a long way. I have a bad back too and find
> that the more laidback I am the less stress there is. My current steed is a Barcroft Virginia GT
> which is designed to be laidback. Before that I rode a RANS V-Rex in a reclined position as well.

 

[Gene Cosloy]

"Ben Fox" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I have had a bad back for years,gone through the nerve pain down the leg many times. I take
> naproxen 2 times a day and no more leg pain.

Ben--I think you should do some research on the long range effects of naproxen on the blood, joints
and marrow in your body. Naproxen is a low dose variation of the older prescription only drug
Naprosin, which clearly had such warnings about extended use. As for me I find the laid back postion
(about 55 degrees) on my Burley Taiko to be about perfect. I can also ride road bikes bent the other
way. What I can't do is stand up on the pedals and grip the bars and pull upwards on hills. that
seems to lead to compression of the lumber region with subsequently painful results. I've had a
little bit of discomfort with the more upright riding position of a Bike E and a Lightning Phantom.
Overall, my experience suggests that overall conditioning and muscle tone probably helps more than
all of the above. Good luck, we **** sapiens do have some inherent anatomical problems to get over.

Gene Bike E NX, Burley Taiko, Vintage Frejus DF

> As far as bent riding ,I now ride a p-38 ,but have had many others and have never had any back
> pain on any of them. That's me of course and you're back may be different,but you're on the right
> track . Ben fox "mike s" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > [email protected] (Alan Mushnick) wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > > I have a Tour Easy, and a herniated disc. Actually, riding doesn't seem to aggravate the pain
> > > going down my leg. I was wondering if a bent with a more supine position, allowing more weight
> > > on the upper back would be less stress on the lower spine. Something like a SWB Bachetta.
> > > Unfortunately there are no bent shops close to me. Are there any LWB bents with a more supine
> > > postion? Alan Mushnick
> >
> > The one that comes to mind immediately is the RANS V2. The higher bottom bracket tends to have
> > you recline the seat back and the RANS seat can go back a long way. I have a bad back too and
> > find that the more laidback I am the less stress there is. My current steed is a Barcroft
> > Virginia GT which is designed to be laidback. Before that I rode a RANS V-Rex in a reclined
> > position as well.

 

[Gene Cosloy]

"Ben Fox" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I have had a bad back for years,gone through the nerve pain down the leg many times. I take
> naproxen 2 times a day and no more leg pain.

Ben--I think you should do some research on the long range effects of naproxen on the blood, joints
and marrow in your body. Naproxen is a low dose variation of the older prescription only drug
Naprosin, which clearly had such warnings about extended use. As for me I find the laid back postion
(about 55 degrees) on my Burley Taiko to be about perfect. I can also ride road bikes bent the other
way. What I can't do is stand up on the pedals and grip the bars and pull upwards on hills. that
seems to lead to compression of the lumber region with subsequently painful results. I've had a
little bit of discomfort with the more upright riding position of a Bike E and a Lightning Phantom.
Overall, my experience suggests that overall conditioning and muscle tone probably helps more than
all of the above. Good luck, we **** sapiens do have some inherent anatomical problems to get over.

Gene Bike E NX, Burley Taiko, Vintage Frejus DF

> As far as bent riding ,I now ride a p-38 ,but have had many others and have never had any back
> pain on any of them. That's me of course and you're back may be different,but you're on the right
> track . Ben fox "mike s" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > [email protected] (Alan Mushnick) wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > > I have a Tour Easy, and a herniated disc. Actually, riding doesn't seem to aggravate the pain
> > > going down my leg. I was wondering if a bent with a more supine position, allowing more weight
> > > on the upper back would be less stress on the lower spine. Something like a SWB Bachetta.
> > > Unfortunately there are no bent shops close to me. Are there any LWB bents with a more supine
> > > postion? Alan Mushnick
> >
> > The one that comes to mind immediately is the RANS V2. The higher bottom bracket tends to have
> > you recline the seat back and the RANS seat can go back a long way. I have a bad back too and
> > find that the more laidback I am the less stress there is. My current steed is a Barcroft
> > Virginia GT which is designed to be laidback. Before that I rode a RANS V-Rex in a reclined
> > position as well.

 

[Mark Van Gorkom]

>> > > I have a Tour Easy, and a herniated disc. Actually, riding doesn't seem to aggravate the pain
>> > > going down my leg. I was wondering if a bent with a more supine position, allowing more
>> > > weight on the upper back would be less stress on the lower spine. Something like a SWB
>> > > Bachetta. Unfortunately there are no bent shops close to me. Are there any LWB bents with a
>> > > more supine postion? Alan Mushnick

Must it be LWB? Personally, I find my Baron a great relief for lower back pain: 30 minutes on the
bike and it's gone for the rest of the day! Even when I can hardly walk or sit (only happened once
so far, thank god), I can still ride the bike. I therefore tend to think it's best to get as
laid-back as practical, and get the best-fitting seat; the latter may present a problem if there's
nowhwere to try out a good number of bents... I never tried a mesh seat, but I would think a
hardshell supports the back better (but a mesh seat is probably a less critical fit).

Mark van Gorkom.

 

[Mark Van Gorkom]

>> > > I have a Tour Easy, and a herniated disc. Actually, riding doesn't seem to aggravate the pain
>> > > going down my leg. I was wondering if a bent with a more supine position, allowing more
>> > > weight on the upper back would be less stress on the lower spine. Something like a SWB
>> > > Bachetta. Unfortunately there are no bent shops close to me. Are there any LWB bents with a
>> > > more supine postion? Alan Mushnick

Must it be LWB? Personally, I find my Baron a great relief for lower back pain: 30 minutes on the
bike and it's gone for the rest of the day! Even when I can hardly walk or sit (only happened once
so far, thank god), I can still ride the bike. I therefore tend to think it's best to get as
laid-back as practical, and get the best-fitting seat; the latter may present a problem if there's
nowhwere to try out a good number of bents... I never tried a mesh seat, but I would think a
hardshell supports the back better (but a mesh seat is probably a less critical fit).

Mark van Gorkom.

 

[Tony Licuanan]

Alan,

If your Tour Easy is NOT giving you any pain, I would suggest to just stick with it. Maybe just
recline the seat as much as you can. Adding suspension, to the front and rear would help. The
Pantour hub would make an easy suspension add-on. I know they are costly, but not as much as a new
bent. TE's are easy/simple to ride.

SWB's like the Bachetta Strada, are more reclined but, you will have to deal with moving your feet
higher up during start and stops, and alot more frequently than on a TE. I'm NOT saying this is a
bad thing. I'm saying, it may not be easier on your back.

This is just my opinion and not to offend anyone. I base it only with experience. I have a
TE/clone/bodysock. I may not have a Strada, or an Aero but, I do have a similar bike, a dual 650c
T-Bone. And BTW, I rode an Aero at Battle Mt. last year. It's kick ass!

Safe Rides,

Tony Licuanan Seattle, WA

 

[Leendert Prevo]

Bill Patterson wrote: ..
> I am tickled with the M5 seat. Those Dutch guys have done some work on seat design. For me it is
> good to lean as far back as possible and have suspension. I didn't do anything to the M5 seat.
> Dian had her seat tilted forward and added extra foam to the upholstery.

..

I think the seat is most important. It has to be the length and shape of your back. You always can
look for a seat that matches your back and put that om your favored recumbent. A more reclined
position of the seat wil spread the pressure on your back.

regards, leendert.
__________________________________________
-<\\\ leendert
|
| @ _ goes by bent \\\/ \_
=|=\x/=|=# gaat per ligfiets
____(_)___(_)____________________________ flevobike fifty-fifty

 

[Daybiker]

[email protected] (Tony Licuanan) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Alan,
>
> If your Tour Easy is NOT giving you any pain, I would suggest to just stick with it. Maybe just
> recline the seat as much as you can. Adding suspension, to the front and rear would help. The
> Pantour hub would make an easy suspension add-on. I know they are costly, but not as much as a new
> bent. TE's are easy/simple to ride.
>
> SWB's like the Bachetta Strada, are more reclined but, you will have to deal with moving your feet
> higher up during start and stops, and alot more frequently than on a TE. I'm NOT saying this is a
> bad thing. I'm saying, it may not be easier on your back This is just my opinion and not to offend
> anyone. I base it only with experience. I have a TE/clone/bodysock. I may not have a Strada, or an
> Aero but, I do have a similar bike, a dual 650c T-Bone. And BTW, I rode an Aero at Battle Mt. last
> year. It's kick ass!
>
> Safe Rides,
>
> Tony Licuanan Seattle, WA

I have a bad back that forced me off bikes for some time. I now ride a Vivo most of the time. It
has a seat that reclines back a good bit. The suspension really smooths out the road. It's a hard
bike to find to test ride, but it might be worth your time to try one. They were about $1400.00
last time I looked. I have more expensive bikes, but none I like as much as I do the Vivo. It's
been riden just under 3000 pain free miles since the middle of the summer.

 

[Mark Van Gorkom]

>Lots of times back problems are exacerbated by a abdomen that isn't in tone enough to put tension
>on the front of the hip bones. In a healthy fit person, the hips are more level. As we get fat and
>sloppy (that direction, I mean, since nobody in here is like that , the abdomen relaxes, the hip
>bones rotate down in front, the lumbar curve is exagerated, and any discs being pushed forward into
>nerves or spinal cords have less support and more force squishing them in that direction.
>
>My point is that the better muscle tone provided by regular cycling will help most bad backs
>(statistical support not available

Well, the only significant muscles I ever had were in my legs (never done any sports; just walked
and cycled a lot), but I do believe I'm developing some abdominal muscle tone from doing sit-up on
the lowracer (to get a better view of intersections and the like), so there's hope for me yet!

Mark -fairly skinny, and a bit fitter nowadays- van Gorkom.

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Sat, 18 Jan 2003 22:36:24 GMT, [email protected] (Mark van Gorkom) wrote:

>Well, the only significant muscles I ever had were in my legs (never done any sports; just walked
>and cycled a lot), but I do believe I'm developing some abdominal muscle tone from doing sit-up on
>the lowracer (to get a better view of intersections and the like), so there's hope for me yet!

Swap your office chair for a Swiss ball.

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

[Mark Van Gorkom]

>Swap your office chair for a Swiss ball.
>
Don't have an office chair: just stand on my hind feet all day, very glad to have a
height-adjustable worktable, so I can at least stand up properly. I could swap my computer chair at
home for one of those semi-recumbent hometrainers....

Mark van Gorkom.

 

[Jack Black]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
>
> >Swap your office chair for a Swiss ball.
> >
> Don't have an office chair: just stand on my hind feet all day, very glad to have a
> height-adjustable worktable, so I can at least stand up properly. I could swap my computer chair
> at home for one of those semi-recumbent hometrainers....
>
> Mark van Gorkom.
>

What do you think of the Humanscale Freedom chair? I've had one for four months now, and I find it
to be the most back-friendly computer chair I've used.

It was $869 at Sit4less.com, but I think it's worth every dollar.

Jack