Question about lower back pain.

Ok, to all of those of you with more experience than myself in biking (which is about 99% of the
people here), I have a question about lower back pain. I've only recenlty started riding and am
still learning alot. I was riding for about 2 hours and started having lower back pain. It was
localized below the waistline and right smack dab in the middle of the back. My back was arched and
as soon as I stopped, the pain started to go away. I spoke to a friend of mine and she told me that
like any new sport, my body may just need to get used to being in that position. I tend to agree as
I have no lingering pain. So is my friend right? I just need to get used to being in that position?
I am inclined to think that all I need is some time getting used to this. Oh, btw I was riding a
road bike on well established bike paths, not mountain biking and flying downhill. Thanks in
advance all.

 

Well, your friend may be partly right and partly not right. What kind of bike are you riding? If
you're completely new to cycling and you're just venturing out on your first long rides, you're
gonna have some aches and pains most likely. But you really need to make sure that your bike is
properly fit to you. People who log lots of miles (I ride about 12,000 or more a year) make certain
that their bikes are fit to them to the nth degree. My personal opinion is that good bike fit is
part art and part science. There are quite a number of formulas out there. Basically, they take your
body dimensions and determine how large your frame should be, how high your saddle should be, how
long your cranks should be, how far your saddle should be behind the bottom bracket, how long your
stem should be, how wide your handlebars should be, etc.

For a good, basic starting point, check out the bike fit article at www.coloradocyclist.com.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Bob C. <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Ok, to all of those of you with more experience than myself in biking
(which
> is about 99% of the people here), I have a question about lower back pain. I've only recenlty
> started riding and am still learning alot. I was riding for about 2 hours and started having lower
> back pain. It was localized
below
> the waistline and right smack dab in the middle of the back. My back was arched and as soon as I
> stopped, the pain started to go away. I spoke to a friend of mine and she told me that like any
> new sport, my body may just need to get used to being in that position. I tend to agree as I have
> no lingering pain. So is my friend right? I just need to get used to being in that position?
I
> am inclined to think that all I need is some time getting used to this.
Oh,
> btw I was riding a road bike on well established bike paths, not mountain biking and flying
> downhill. Thanks in advance all.

 

>So is my friend right? I just need to get used to being in that position? I am inclined to think
>that all I need is some time getting used to this.

In all probability she's right. Unfamiliar muscle usage and so forth.

Experiment with different intensities. Remember that nobody starts out perfectly conditioned for an
unfamiliar sport.

Work up to it bit by bit. If it hurts don't do it, or do it a different way. of course I failed bike
advocacy, so you may want to see a physician or get a recumbent.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

I have been cycling for more than a couple decades, and without exception, I get lower back pain in
the area you describe when my saddle is back too far. This generally occurs when I set up a new bike
and go through the very long process (at least for me) of adjusting saddle position, both up and
down and fore and aft. I have found that moving my saddle forward even slightly (the thickness of a
fine pencil line) is sometimes all that is needed to stop the pain.

[email protected] wrote:

> Ok, to all of those of you with more experience than myself in biking (which is about 99% of the
> people here), I have a question about lower back pain. I've only recenlty started riding and am
> still learning alot. I was riding for about 2 hours and started having lower back pain. It was
> localized below the waistline and right smack dab in the middle of the back. My back was arched
> and as soon as I stopped, the pain started to go away. I spoke to a friend of mine and she told me
> that like any new sport, my body may just need to get used to being in that position. I tend to
> agree as I have no lingering pain. So is my friend right? I just need to get used to being in that
> position? I am inclined to think that all I need is some time getting used to this. Oh, btw I was
> riding a road bike on well established bike paths, not mountain biking and flying downhill. Thanks
> in advance all.

 

Those instruction on Colorado Cyclist are unintentionally amusing for the non-PC reader. The text
says: "When a cyclist fits her bike well, she rides more comfortably and efficiently. She rides with
more power, and yet the effort comes easier to her. Her body is relaxed, her bike handling skills
almost second nature."

However, all of the pictures included with the piece show a hairy legged guy. Half-hearted political
correctness, I guess.

- GRL

"It's good to want things."

Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist, Visual Basic programmer)
"psycholist" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well, your friend may be partly right and partly not right. What kind of bike are you riding? If
> you're completely new to cycling and you're just venturing out on your first long rides, you're
> gonna have some aches and pains most likely. But you really need to make sure that your bike is
> properly fit to you. People who log lots of miles (I ride about 12,000 or more a year) make
> certain that their bikes are fit to them to the nth degree. My personal opinion is that good bike
> fit is part art and part science. There are quite a number of formulas out there. Basically, they
> take your body dimensions and determine how large your frame should be,
how
> high your saddle should be, how long your cranks should be, how far your saddle should be behind
> the bottom bracket, how long your stem should be, how wide your handlebars should be, etc.
>
> For a good, basic starting point, check out the bike fit article at www.coloradocyclist.com.
>
> Hope this helps. Good luck.
>
> Bob C. <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Ok, to all of those of you with more experience than myself in biking
> (which
> > is about 99% of the people here), I have a question about lower back
pain.
> > I've only recenlty started riding and am still learning alot. I was
riding
> > for about 2 hours and started having lower back pain. It was localized
> below
> > the waistline and right smack dab in the middle of the back. My back was arched and as soon as I
> > stopped, the pain started to go away. I spoke to
a
> > friend of mine and she told me that like any new sport, my body may just need to get used to
> > being in that position. I tend to agree as I have no lingering pain. So is my friend right? I
> > just need to get used to being in that
position?
> I
> > am inclined to think that all I need is some time getting used to this.
> Oh,
> > btw I was riding a road bike on well established bike paths, not
mountain
> > biking and flying downhill. Thanks in advance all.
> >
>

 

GRL wrote:
>
> Those instruction on Colorado Cyclist are unintentionally amusing for the non-PC reader. The text
> says: "When a cyclist fits her bike well, she rides more comfortably and efficiently. She rides
> with more power, and yet the effort comes easier to her. Her body is relaxed, her bike handling
> skills almost second nature."
>
> However, all of the pictures included with the piece show a hairy legged guy. Half-hearted
> political correctness, I guess.

I was under the impression that Real Cyclists shaved their legs?

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

 

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Ok, to all of those of you with more experience than myself in biking
(which
> is about 99% of the people here), I have a question about lower back pain. I've only recenlty
> started riding and am still learning alot. I was riding for about 2 hours and started having lower
> back pain. It was localized
below
> the waistline and right smack dab in the middle of the back. My back was arched and as soon as I
> stopped, the pain started to go away. I spoke to a friend of mine and she told me that like any
> new sport, my body may just need to get used to being in that position. I tend to agree as I have
> no lingering pain. So is my friend right? I just need to get used to being in that position?
I
> am inclined to think that all I need is some time getting used to this.
Oh,
> btw I was riding a road bike on well established bike paths, not mountain biking and flying
> downhill. Thanks in advance all.
>

Try some stretching before riding and every 1/2 hour while riding. It could be your hamstrings. If
so, try bending down and touching your toes a few times. If this helps, do regular stretching on
days you don't ride also.

 

Tom Sherman <[email protected]> wrote:

> I was under the impression that Real Cyclists shaved their legs?

Reminds me of that line in Breaking Away about Italian women.

Art Harris

 

Thanks all for the great advice. I'll definitely give the "adjusting the seat" a try if I can.
Otherwise, I'll take it slowly and build up my riding time and remember to stretch, before, during
and after. Thanks again folks.