Lexi01

Anyone else get a little sore/stiff in their lower back after being in the saddle for a while?

I tend to start to feel it after about 40-50km and I need to either get out of the saddle and pedal like that every so often or actually stop and get off the bike and stand up straight for a while. Even then it comes back after 5-10km.

Is it core strength, bikefit, tight hamstrings (or all 3) or something else.

I'd be interested in others experiences.

ussprinceton

...don't mean to be an a$$, but,...how old are you?

Lexi01

You're not being an a$$...its a valid question.

I'm 34, fit and healthy with no other physical complaints.

MrTuner1970

There was a thread begun just yesterday. Same topic.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...n-general-tips

If you Google "cycling low back pain," I'm betting you'll find some pretty helpful info.

ussprinceton

hhmmm,...well then...is your bike's seatpost length, seat, stem, cranks, etc., adjusted properly to fit you perfectly...if so, then, I suggest maybe do a little stretching before the ride...do you get off the saddle on inclines?

Lexi01

Believe me...I've certainly done this. Thanks for the link though - seems to be right on topic. Ta.

And to the post above (I can't figure out how to put 2 quotes in 1 response) I've had my bike fitted by the LBS...it feels perfect for the first 1 to 1.5 hours...then it moves from uncomfortable to just plain painful.

And I always stand up on inclines...seems to take all the pressure off. In fact, even on flat ground, when I'm feeling that pain, I tend to flick up a few gears and get out of the saddle for some relief.

johnny99

Could be poor fit, poor technique, poor posture, poor core strength.

jmio

bad design, I now own a recumbent and a road bike, road bike collects dust............till today, now my taint, back,elbows,hands,shoulders,neck..........yeah it hurts.

lazerzxr

How do you feel with the reach to the handlebars. a short reach (along with many other things) can cause low back pain

justkeepedaling

If it was bad fit, would that suggest too much or too little setback?

Lexi01

Interesting. I actually swapped the stem for one 20mm shorter and also flipped it over so it angled up instead of down...

I did this thinking a shorter reach would get me more upright which would result in less back pain.

Is this completely wrong?

mazdaspeed

Don't change anything! If you were fitted you're probably close enough. You just aren't used to the drop/reach, it takes a long time to build those muscles up and gain the flexibility but once you do it's the key to riding comfortably. If you try to compensate by shortening the reach you will never be able to ride comfortably and it will majorly screw up your fit. If your lower back hurts don't shorten the reach, raise the bars up (a lot if you have to) so you're upright but not cramped together. This is why back in the 70's and 80's the trend was for people (non racers) to buy gigantic frames, because it's comfortable.

hhnngg1

WTF. Nobody has mentioned the most obvious.

It's NORMAL as long as your bike isnt crazily out of fit (which should be pretty obvious). You have to ride more to adjust your back to the position for hours.

Anybody who suddenly sits in a hunched over position for 2.5-4 hours is going to feel the back pain if they haven't been doing it regularly. Now if you're doing this sort of distance twice a week and still having back pain after 2 months, then something's probably screwy with your fit, but odds are far higher that it's just a matter of acclimating to the distance rode.

I used to do 4+ hr training rides regularly, and usually by the end, the limiting factor for almost all the guys who had set out with me to do the full ride of 80+ miles was back pain early in the season. It went away by midseason for all of us so long as we were riding regularly. Even now, since I don't have the time to do these 4+hr rides anymore, if I go out for over 2.5 hrs, back pain is an issue again.

Pug

Is the pain specific to one side? Have you had any other back injury? Do you sit a lot during the day? What other exercise do you do when off the bike?

Looigi

Anecdote: I found lowering my bars fixed the issues I was having with my back. Tops of my bars are now 10cm below the top of the saddle. My wife was having issues and made me set her bars higher and higher. That wasn't working so we tried going in the other direction and she is now happier with lower bars too. Everybody is different so this may not work for you.

eminefes

From personal experience, I have found that lowering the handlebars and/or lengthening the reach certainly helps with middle and upper back soreness, but I'm not sure if it helps lower back pain. It's worth a shot, though.

hairnet

lowering the bars in effect increases reach

hammy56

longer stem. A few yrs ago I was having lower back issues, and nothing was helping...lots of core work etc. I got a retul fit, and was suggested trying a longer stem. Never had the pain again. Put your longer stem back on first, and if you havent already, get a pro fit done.

justkeepedaling

I've also just realized that my cranks are 172.5 mm whereas I should typically be riding 170 mm. Would this affect anything?

ClayFranklin

I was having lots of back pain and found myself riding without hands so I could sit up straighter on my old univega steel 10 speed. I just got a trek 6.2 carbon h3 fit ( higher head tube) with a shorter higher rise stem 90 long & 17 rise. It was fit by lbs and now no lower back pain. So for me sitting more upright helped. I'm 58 in good shape except all the old age stuff like osteo arthritis and osteoporosis. I'm up to 17 miles and increasing miles about 5 each ride. The fit was so good, I plan to get my mtn bike fit so I can ride it for longer rides without wearing out.
My old bike was never fit to me.

roadwarrior

This should not be happening so there is something going on with your fit and your riding position. But there are hundreds of things and a combination of them so anyone providing info is worse than guessing. Suggest seeing a fitter or if one in not available, get with someone who is knowledable of the subject.

Campag4life

Roadwarrior gives good advice OP. We can't solve your issue over the net. Most have touched on your options. I can say for me...if my bars are too low, I get a sore lower back. Sore traps or neck area is generally from being too cramped, i.e. with too short a stem.
If you want some better advice, post a short video of you riding on a trainer or at least some different still shots of you on the bike.
Could be your position...and likely your technique as well. Many including me ride with too much tension at times which is partly due
to less than efficient fit. Conditioning and your flexibility is pretty big. The reason the issue is difficult to pin point, is pain many times is the combination of poor fit, poor technique and poor conditioning. Btw...a basic tenent is...be very careful of 'riding thru the pain'. Overuse injuries are hard to reverse...or take time. One suggestion is...you have pain, stop and adjust. Repetitively doing something wrong generally leads to injury.

gsteinb

this thread is useless without pics.

ThinLine

I too get it after my 27 mile rides, but I have had 2 spinal surgeries on lower back so its expected. Oxycontin works great.

Capecodder

Your 172.5mm cranks are not going to cause your back pain, 99% of the people cannot detect the difference between 170mm and 172.5 What is your height and inseam (bike inseam not trouser inseam) and what bike and frame size are you riding?