General Cycling Discussion - From road bike to off roader - lower back pain?

Being a serious road biker - I wanted to mix it up with a mountain bike. So I purchased a cannondale a few weeks back. Well Ive been riding just on pavement so far, but my lower back gets real sore after each ride. I know the positioning is much different from road (more layed out) to mountain bike, but is this going to last. I feel like I have to keep my back extremely straight to give my lower back the support while riding?

Is your bike too big. Did you size it like you would a road bike? I find being seated more upright on a mountain bike is better than the traditions racer position. This usually means riser bars and dropping the seat. Play around with the positions of the bar and seat height as well as seat placement. Everyone is a little different.

No, the size is right on. But Im finding that Im much more upright compared to my road bike, Im wondering if this is what creates the stress on the lower back. Otherwise the bike feels and rides great.

You will have more weight supported by your chest, arms and shoulders on a road bike. When you make the switch to a more upright it changes the supporting muscles. Being more upright will cause you to use your abdominal and lower back muscles more. It should get better the more you ride and the muscles strenghten.

There are other reasons but this seems like the most likely.

Slainte:beer:

I had the same problem you did, I just figured I was too stretched out. So I got a shorter stem, thomson post (vs. layback) and I have found my set up, while my suporting muscles need to get stronger i know thats it

When I first started riding my mountain bike that is I kept getting bad back pain but after about 6 months I didn't get it anymore and haven't had it since :p I used to get even worse back pain rding horses but when I get used to being in the saddle for hours it kinda resides after a while!!! So I guess that u will get used to it in time :rolleyes:

With my hands on the brake hoods and on the extension handles, respectively, I obtain a similar back angle on my road and mountain bikes, all of which have relatively long top tubes.