Input and advice?
 

I am looking for some guidance and input prior to spending any money.

I am 6'2", with long legs. I also have a bad back.

Yesterday on my century my back was completely in knots. Could this be due to a top tube that is stretching me out too far? I have adjusted the saddle so I am set up comfortable, and I have shortened the stem.

I was on my Lemond Nevada City...61cm ST and a 60.5 cm TT. The bike is comfortable and nice riding...but I am wondering if my Bianchi Limited would be better for my back? It has a 62 cm ST and a 56 cm TT.

You say you have set up the saddle so that you are comfortable, yet you are still getting tied up in knots. Can't have it both ways. Do you mean comfortable at the start of the ride? I'd say you still have too much reach in your current set-up. Do you have a quill stem? Ever tried a Technomic, or a stem with positive rise?

Ok. Well, I guess I mean comfortable as far as seat position to pedals (height and adjust). I feel that it has always been too much reach, and so I have tried several different stems. Currently have a 90mm, 90* raised about 4cm.

I think I am gonna try to assemble the Bianchi on the cheap...give it a long distance try...and see where I go from there.

I need to find a 9 speed RD for it. Other than that, I think I can swap enough stuff to try. I was just wondering if I was on the right track with the shorter TT theory.

My 62cm Paramount has a 60cm stem on it and the saddle all the way forward (I'm 6'). Not as twitchy as you might think.

I had a bad back for over 30 years before I discovered this. I never think about my back anymore.


Foundation Training is the Real Deal - Critical MAS

Was this your longest ride so far this year? What is your normal length ride? It is always possible your back is hurting because the ride was longer than usual and because you were working harder to keep up with the group.

A few good points here. This was not my longest, however it was longer than my usual 30 - 50 miles. I was not trying to keep up with any group...I was flying solo and only going my own pace...so I don't think I was working harder than normal.

But I have found my back to cramp up on this bike after 30 miles on a regular basis. :twitchy:

If the Bianchi is comfortable over the same longer distances try this. Make sure your saddle is set correctly for leg extension and knee over spindle. Then try and get the handle bars to the same saddle to bar length on the Lemond that they are on the Bianchi.

Most riding on dropped bars will entail some demands on your back to support some of your upper body weight. Your having a bad back does not match up well to this. It might come down to having to comepletely change your approach to cycling (maybe recumbents?) if you exhaust all your adjustment and fit options on your bikes, unless you might be able to rehabilitate your back to a good enough condition....

Good that you noted that this is more of a back-muscle cramping problem, as opposed to a "bad back" in the sense of pinched nerves.

Quite common among road cyclists, mainly as I see it because they don't get off their bike and perhaps sit and/or walk around, whatever it takes to prevent lower abdominal tightness.

I do better with respect to this condition when I am in my seasonal best of fitness. The rest of the time, I welcome a rest stop even on a training ride, as often as every 45 minutes or so.

I suspect some of these symptoms have to do with the rider's fixed position not letting the digestive system do it's thing, as there has been some correlation to what/when I've eaten over the previous 15-20 hours.

Setting up a road bike to allow free use of a greater number of grip and riding positions may be of help. Riding out of the saddle for a period of time has been helpful as well.
I find that having the saddle further forward reduces the need for me to bend so sharply at the waist in order to get aero, which has overall made me faster and more comfortable.

Probably not what you want to hear, but have you tried yoga and stretching? I started have back trouble 20 years ago. Tried lots of setup fixed, but improving my flexibility solved a lot of problems.

Just as an update...I have built up my Bianchi (mostly) with parts I had on hand. Been out on a couple of 30 mile rides on it. No pain. It is perhaps a little heavier than I would like, but it didn't hurt.

I mi am gonna try to get out on a longer ride this week just to confirm.

If I read this correctly - 2 bikes with 61&62cm seattubes but 4.5cm difference in reach. Maybe something in between.

I'm 63 years, 6'1" with longish legs. My preferred cockpit is a 58ish TT + 12cm stem, with about 4cm saddle to bar drop. My flexibility is only average at best for my age.

edit: In addition to adjusting stem length, you might also consider handlebars with a short/shallow geometry. (short reach, shallow drop).

I'd suggest a professional fitting. Friends with back problems/pain tell me it's money well spent.