General Cycling Discussion - Elbows Sore after Ride

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KevinmH9
08-02-04, 06:57 PM
I went on a nice ride today, got the watch the sun set it was pretty nice. I auctaully biked 30 miles today :D so proud of myself. About halfway through my ride my left elbow started hurting, it didn't hurt alot but I could tell there was something wrong. It's nothing I believe I should go see a doctor about I have never had bad elbow history. I had my elbows bent about 45 degrees or fully extended for most of the ride. I am not sure if I need my handlebars brought out or closer or if its something I need to see a doctor about. And it wasn't bad pain, didn't need to ice or stop. Just need some insight for what was going on.

demoncyclist
08-02-04, 08:07 PM
You wnt your elbows to have a slight bend in them. If they are completely straight, every little bump that travels up the front of the bike is grinding the bones of your arrm together at the joints. Too much bend stresses the ligaments and tendons. The other part of the equation is that you want to have most of your weight OFF your upper body. You need to develop your core (lower torso) so that your upper body can support itself better. Pilates, Core Board, ab workouts, etc. will all help stabilize your upper body and improve your posture and balance. The fitness center I teach Spinning at added a 15 min. ab workout to the evening Spinning classes for exactly that reason.
atbman
08-03-04, 02:58 PM
You might also check that your handlebars are straight, If they're slightly off-centre that can put extra weight on one arm.

If you're new to this, take it to your local bike shop (LBS) to check.

Guest
08-03-04, 05:12 PM
Yes, a slight bend in the elbows is what should be happening when you're riding. It sounds like you may need a bike fit. I believe (but not 100% sure, just 95% sure) that the degree of bend in the elbows should be something like about 12 degrees. If you're riding around with excessive bend, it could cause pain in the elbows, as well as in the neck and behind the shoulders.

I agree with Atbman. Take you bike in to your LBS. You may want to call around first and make sure one of the bike shops has a fit kit to do a proper bike fitting first. Not every LBS has the kit and can do a full, thorough, and accurate bike fit for you.

Koffee