Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - One pain after another

I just the bar ends put on my Trek 7.2FX and the pain that I was having went away as long as I keep my hands on the bar ends. But keeping them there meant I was leaning much farther forward and now my lower back hurts. :( What do you guys think I should do about this? I'm not sure if it's because the handlebars are too far forward and I need a shorter stem, or if it just due to the fact that my core is horribly weak and can't support my weight so far forward. This really puts a damper on my enthusiasm.

Probably the best investment I made was the $50.00 I spent on a professional bike fitting. I would suggest looking into that. Check with your LBS, they may do it at no charge if you bought your bike from them. That said...you will have some discomfort in the beginning while you body adjust to a new position. You need to build your core strength (abs and back). Soon you will be able to spend hours on your bike with little pain! Good luck man!

Your position is wrong. That is very common. It would be helpful if we could see a pic of you on the bike from the side with the leg we can see full extended.

I have to do core exercises to be able to ride. I am old and that is just the way it is.

You should try a shorter stem, but be prepared for that to be just the first of a series of experiments. You may also want to try a seat with springs
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/saddles/brooks-flyer.html

What's the pressure in the tires? If it's more than 75psi it's too high. Lose some air unless the sidewalls are out and out sagging.

Improving core strength is something most new cylists have to work on to ride without pain or discomfort, especially if you work at a desk job all day. I've had issues with numbness in my left hand that have been fairly bothersome, but I've been doing some core strengthening exercises regularly and I find it's helped. This article from Bicycling lists the exercises I'm doing:

http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-4-20-15681-1,00.html

Scott

If you are going to exercise at home, get a couple 10 to 12 foot long pieces of
surgical tubing from a medical supply house. One medium size and one large.

Put them around plumbing or a toilet and do seated rowing. Remember to bend from the hips. You can add more pieces to get more resistance, or simply take up slack.

I greatly prefer going to a gym, and a good one at that.

Probably the best investment I made was the $50.00 I spent on a professional bike fitting. I would suggest looking into that. Check with your LBS, they may do it at no charge if you bought your bike from them.+1

I could be either, but a professional fitting would tell you the correct length for your reach and other nuances like that. I still can't seem to convince my father that bikes are one size fits all, just adjust the seat to fit the rider height.

Don't forget to stretch before you ride, either! Not stretching out properly is the next most common cause of lower back and hip pain from cycling.

Here are some diagrams to show the basic exercises.
http://www.roadcycling.com/artman/uploads/stretches.jpg

Here is the source as well, with descriptions:
http://www.roadcycling.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/3/40

Stretching properly is extremely important!

I think what I decided to do for now is to back off on my riding for now and just do 5-6 miles a day. I was trying to do more and more and I just don't think my body is ready for it. I'm definitely going to stretch before every ride now too as well as do core exercises. Next paycheck, I'm probably going to get a professional fit too. Thanks the for the help guys.

Don't forget to stretch before you ride, either! Not stretching out properly is the next most common cause of lower back and hip pain from cycling.
Those are good stretches, but the thought now is that you are supposed to warm up (not stretch) before activity, and stretch after. Before activity, your body is cold and not very stretchy; if you do stretching exercises, they will tend to stretch the parts of your muscles that are already stretchy, with an effect similar to pulling on an old rubber band: the stretchy parts go *going*, the non-stretchy parts stay unstretched, the whole thing becomes more brittle and prone to failure.

I have never had a pro-fitting but I would think that there is a good chance that the end result will still be some discomfort until your body gets used to it. I had various aches and pains a few years back and rode fairly upright to start with, as I have gotten stronger I have lowered my bars so that my seat is now well above my bars but I am still comfortable, at least for my commute distance.

Being on the bar ends will stretch you out a bit so if that took away one pain it would suggest that a longer stem may be appropriate. Being more stretched out lowers you a bit, this is likely causing your low back pain so you may need to come up some. Either moving up or out is usually accomplished with a new stem and it can be hit and miss so you may go through a number of stems before arriving at the appropriate one. One relatively inexpensive option that I have seen suggested is buying an adjustable stem. Using the adjustable stem you can alter the bar position in small increments to find the best position for you and then either use it in that position or replace it with a fixed stem that reproduces the length and rise of the adjustable stem in your chosen position.

I have never had a pro-fitting but I would think that there is a good chance that the end result will still be some discomfort until your body gets used to it.

+1. Nothing helps relieve aches & pains like more saddle time. For us big guys, it takes a while to get used to the new positions you find yourself in while cycling. Just keep riding, it fixes everything :)

Those are good stretches, but the thought now is that you are supposed to warm up (not stretch) before activity, and stretch after. Before activity, your body is cold and not very stretchy; if you do stretching exercises, they will tend to stretch the parts of your muscles that are already stretchy, with an effect similar to pulling on an old rubber band: the stretchy parts go *going*, the non-stretchy parts stay unstretched, the whole thing becomes more brittle and prone to failure.
OK, lbb, but I guess my anatomy and physiology training was wrong then. :rolleyes:

I guess my training system I use on myself is totally ineffective. After all, it's only gotten me to where I can cover 167 miles in less than 12 hrs, 2 years out of a wheelchair. Feel free to train yourself however you would like. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Use what is most effective for yourself.

I'm from the old school of thought, "no pain no gain". It's going to hurt somewhere for a little while. It's a new physical activity that you're not used to doing so it comes with the territory. Seat time will help a lot and I can attest that does get better.

I just don't want to seriously hurt anything, so I'm going to drop back to 3-4 miles at a time instead of continually pushing myself to get above 10 at once.

Tom, I think you will find that little brown bat is referring to recent studies that suggest the convention of stretching before excercise is not of as much benefit as was originally believed. So it would not be that your training was wrong, it was simply based on the information available at the time. I think the jury is still out on it in any event.

Personally I never stretch, I just start out slow and after the blood is pumping I can ramp it up.

After doing some research with multiple people, they say that limited slow exercise to harder work outs are better, and then to stretch once you are done, as your muscles are now ready for the stretch. The problems that can occur while stretching while the muscles are still cold is what LBB mentioned. You can actually hurt yourself stretching before the exercise. I think a lot of that has to do with improper stretching techniques also.

Remember to stretch slowly and do not bounce. Hold the stretches and extend them out a little farther, but only do them slowly.

OK, lbb, but I guess my anatomy and physiology training was wrong then. :rolleyes:

I guess my training system I use on myself is totally ineffective. After all, it's only gotten me to where I can cover 167 miles in less than 12 hrs, 2 years out of a wheelchair. Feel free to train yourself however you would like. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Use what is most effective for yourself.


Down boy!!! Down!:eek: :D ;)

After doing some research with multiple people, they say that limited slow exercise to harder work outs are better, and then to stretch once you are done, as your muscles are now ready for the stretch. The problems that can occur while stretching while the muscles are still cold is what LBB mentioned. You can actually hurt yourself stretching before the exercise. I think a lot of that has to do with improper stretching techniques also.

Remember to stretch slowly and do not bounce. Hold the stretches and extend them out a little farther, but only do them slowly.
Oh yeah, I agree, slow stretching is the key. I do an exercise/stretching regime based on Yoga techniques. Slow, easy stretching combined with isometrics and building in intensity.

Well, I stretch on both ends of a ride so I am covered either way to go. :D

I just the bar ends put on my Trek 7.2FX and the pain that I was having went away as long as I keep my hands on the bar ends. But keeping them there meant I was leaning much farther forward and now my lower back hurts. :( What do you guys think I should do about this? I'm not sure if it's because the handlebars are too far forward and I need a shorter stem, or if it just due to the fact that my core is horribly weak and can't support my weight so far forward. This really puts a damper on my enthusiasm.

Have you had the bike fitted? That question needs to be answered first.

I haven't yet. I only get paid once a month, so I won't be able to afford it until the end of July. I seem to be fine so far if I only do less than 5 mile rides at a time, so I'll just stick to that for now and work on getting up my cadence.

I haven't yet. I only get paid once a month, so I won't be able to afford it until the end of July. I seem to be fine so far if I only do less than 5 mile rides at a time, so I'll just stick to that for now and work on getting up my cadence.

The shop wouldn't fit you for free?!?

The shop wouldn't fit you for free?!?

I haven't asked. I would feel bad about going in and asking if I could get a fit if I just got it there. If they said no, then I would just turn around and walk out. It makes me look like a cheapskate, which isn't what I am. I can't afford it, but if I could I would gladly pay for it.

That being said, I'll probably stop in tomorrow and ask anyways.

I haven't asked. I would feel bad about going in and asking if I could get a fit if I just got it there. If they said no, then I would just turn around and walk out. It makes me look like a cheapskate, which isn't what I am. I can't afford it, but if I could I would gladly pay for it.

That being said, I'll probably stop in tomorrow and ask anyways.

It's customary that the shop fit the bike. Most good shops will do a 'basic fit' for free, I understand. They want your business, after all, and they aren't the only Trek dealer in the world. Don't worry about looking like a cheapskate. Heck, I'm sure half the drivers that pass you on the road assume you are broke because you are riding a bike. It's a little late to worry about it. :-)

It's customary that the shop fit the bike. Most good shops will do a 'basic fit' for free, I understand. They want your business, after all, and they aren't the only Trek dealer in the world. Don't worry about looking like a cheapskate. Heck, I'm sure half the drivers that pass you on the road assume you are broke because you are riding a bike. It's a little late to worry about it. :-)

I agree they should "want" to make sure the bike fits you. That will assure that you keep riding and buying accesories and new bikes etc.

What's the pressure in the tires? If it's more than 75psi it's too high. Lose some air unless the sidewalls are out and out sagging.

I don't understand this? What does tire pressure have to do with it? I've been keeping my tires up near max inflation because, well, because that's what I thought Clydes were supposed to do. I didn't think it could impact your body in way besides give you a rougher ride.

What's the pressure in the tires? If it's more than 75psi it's too high. Lose some air unless the sidewalls are out and out sagging.

That would depend on the tires, a tire 50mm or wider, your probably right (the 2"+ MTB tires for example) these tires prefer pressures in the 50-65PSI range. A moderate width hybrid tire, 35-50mm wide it's more like 80-100PSI, a narrow road tire under 35mm can easily handle 100PSI or more. Silk tubular tires (sew ups) can be as much as 160PSI.

Most tires are marked with a recommended pressure range, and it's usually a good idea to stay somewhere in that range.

I don't understand this? What does tire pressure have to do with it? I've been keeping my tires up near max inflation because, well, because that's what I thought Clydes were supposed to do. I didn't think it could impact your body in way besides give you a rougher ride.

It's simple, don't use more air than you need. If the tires are like a rock, your ride
will also be like a...

It's simple, don't use more air than you need. If the tires are like a rock, your ride
will also be like a...

I disagree, for bigger folks generally you want as much psi as possible. Granted you can back off the front a bit (I run 110/90) for the most part, but I've never noticed the air pressure causing pain. Sure, on limestone 100 in the front gave me some numb hands after 20 miles, but I let out a little air and it was fine.

Without enough pressure, I work significantly harder riding, and don't enjoy it as much. Pain? If you count sore muscles as pain, sure thing I do.

I stopped in to the LBS today and the guy did a quick fit by eye. He moved my seat back on the rails a little and also put a longer stem on. After taking a quick test ride, I found that this really takes the weight off my hands, which is great. I could see a sore back in my future, but that isn't the bikes fault. That is my core's fault and I'm working on that. :)

I disagree, for bigger folks generally you want as much psi as possible.
Granted you can back off the front a bit (I run 110/90) for the most part, but I've never noticed the air pressure causing pain.
Sure, on limestone 100 in the front gave me some numb hands after 20 miles, but I let out a little air and it was fine.

<> Case closed <>

Without enough pressure, I work significantly harder riding

<> If the tire is really low you are going to work harder. But running a tire a little soft won't be noticeable <>