Lower back pain

5 replies [Last post]
Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

Recently bought a Road Bike after years of Mountain Bike riding and now am having major lower back pain/muscle tighting after about an hour of riding. Has anyone else had this experience and what has help? Would changing the height of the sear or handlebars help?

Anonymous's picture
Uri (not verified)

I had the same problem when I first started riding a road bike. My saddle was shoved all the way back. The seatpost clamp should generally hold the saddle in the middle of the rails. Either your seat is too far back, or your stem is too long. In general, you may be too stretched out. I would suggest, now here come all the experts, a good fitting done by a reputable shop or some people who are recommended by the club - Happy Friedman, Craig Upton,.......

Anonymous's picture
Rob M (not verified)

Back pain can also be a function of hamstring flexibility. The lower your bars and the higher your seat the more strain you put on your hammies and the more stress you put on your lower back.

Check you setup and work on your flexibility.

Anonymous's picture
BJ (not verified)
it may pass

You should definitely double check your fitting, BUT... I just switched to a road bike as well (a couple months ago) and I had a lot of shoulder pain and some lower back pain. The pain is basically gone now (and I was on the bike on Monday for 6 hours straight). It's a BIG adjustment to switch from a hybrid/mountain bike position, your body needs time to adjust. Everyone I talked to (all with a lot of experience) said to be patient and the pain will pass. You know how they say only to make minor changes (like one millimeter) at once to your seat height etc so that you don't have trouble physically making the change? You just switched every setting by getting a new bike and now you're bent over all the way. I would expect a little pain at first. Be patient and make some adjustments slowly with someone well qualified at a bike shop. (It couldn't hurt to flip your stem while you are adjusting to the new posture... but I assume that since you were switching bike types they did this anyway... do you remember them taking the stem off and flipping it upside down? That will help you make the transition by raising you up a bit)

And stretching all around is always a plus! Take warm baths and stretch... and stretch everything before and after your ride... hips, hamstrings, lower back, etc. Also, don't over do your mileage while you are making the adjustment. Give your muscles time to recover.

Good luck! There is light at the end of the tunnel! (Disclaimer... if you think you are in an unreasonable amount of pain, go straight to the bike shop where you got the bike and get them to fix it... without seeing your position, no one here can be for sure that you are properly positioned. We don't want you doing any unnecessary damage.)

Anonymous's picture
"Chainwheel" (not verified)
Back Pain

"""Recently bought a Road Bike after years of Mountain Bike riding and now am having major lower back pain/muscle tighting after about an hour of riding.""

How much total riding have you done on this bike? If less than 300 miles, I would recommend you give it a little more time and gradually build up your mileage base. During rides, get off the bike and stretch periodically. Your flexibility will slowly increase.

Saddle position (height, fore/aft, and tilt) really has only one ""right"" spot. You certainly don't want your saddle too low or too far forward. Handlebar position is another matter. Raising the bars and/or shortening the stem reach can reduce back strain in many cases. But, without seeing you, it's impossible to give advice.

What is the vertical drop from the top of the saddle to the top of the bars? What is your height and the bike's frame size? Would you say your torso and legs are of ""average"" proportion?

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/handsup.html

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html

""Chainwheel""
"

Anonymous's picture
Sebastian (not verified)
raise the handle bar ..

... and or shorten the stem. and or move saddle further up front. fidget aroudn till it feels right. and pedal in low gears with high cadence till you get used to your position. will diminsh streeeeeeessss on lower back muscles

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