Originally Posted by
SBRDude
The only "normal" pain that I know of for bike riding is in the lower back due to what the position of riding does to hip flexors. That, however, should be less of a problem for most tourers due to a more upright sitting position.
I would question that on two counts.
First IMO it isn't normal to have pain in the lower back even in a racing posture. It is an indication that something is wrong with your posture, bike fit, or conditioning.
Second, I think that an upright posture is actually more likely to cause back pain in the long haul assuming a rider conditioned to the lower position.
BTW, I am a bit puzzled by the fact that, on the road, the touring cyclists I have met mostly did not adopt an upright posture, while on the various forums my impression is that everyone has their bars at or even well above the saddle. The majority I met on the road seemed to be in a range between racing posture and slightly more relaxed, but seldom with bars higher than the saddle.