What Pains Do You Live With to Cycle?
#1
Sniveling Weasel
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 2,393
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 852 Post(s)
Liked 1,548 Times
in
896 Posts
What Pains Do You Live With to Cycle?
I doubt that I am unique in putting up with a cycling related pain or discomfort so that I can continue to do what I enjoy. I am not seeking advice on how to cure my ills but want to see what people are willing to put up with to stay up on their sport.
For mountain biking, I am willing to put up the next day with a sore back due to the impacts incurred. For me having to take ibuprofen for a day is well worth it.
For road biking, I tend to develop a sore left scapula. Initially it was like a stabbing pain but with a shorter stem, exercises and massage, it has become more of a minor irritant rather than a major pain.
So what do you put up with?
For mountain biking, I am willing to put up the next day with a sore back due to the impacts incurred. For me having to take ibuprofen for a day is well worth it.
For road biking, I tend to develop a sore left scapula. Initially it was like a stabbing pain but with a shorter stem, exercises and massage, it has become more of a minor irritant rather than a major pain.
So what do you put up with?
__________________
Immoderate Cyclist “No regerts”
Immoderate Cyclist “No regerts”
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Australia
Posts: 404
Bikes: 2002 Trek 5200 (US POSTAL), 2020 Canyon Aeroad SL
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 134 Post(s)
Liked 295 Times
in
152 Posts
Interesting. I have no reoccurring pain caused by road cycling. If I did, I'd likely get it looked into. I get sore, yes. But no pain or niggles.
Likes For tempocyclist:
#3
:D
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 5,369
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 1,683 Times
in
1,159 Posts
The "pain" I deal with are the poor road conditions, unwanted environment encounters (poor societal logic & decisions) & recovering from those out of my pocket for repairs associated to it all.
I find myself submitting more camera footage to townships/cities of potholes & degraded landscape that impedes a route than anything else.
__________________
-Oh Hey!
-Oh Hey!
#4
Mother Nature's Son
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sussex County, Delaware
Posts: 2,425
Bikes: Early 90's Ochsner road, 2006 Schwinn SS DBX, 2014 Orbea Avant MD30, 2004 Airborne Zeppelin TI, 2003 Lemond Poprad, 1989? Fuji Ace, 2001 Lemond Tourmalet, 2014? Soma Smoothie
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 637 Post(s)
Liked 882 Times
in
510 Posts
70 years old with chronic spinal and shoulder issues, I have a fair amount of daily aches and pains. It is what it is, and not specifically from cycling. I do a fair amount of changing position, and that helps a lot. I also stop more often, even if just for a minute to lightly stretch. Cycling does aggravate arthritis in my hands/fingers, especially my left thumb.
Likes For delbiker1:
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 34,117
Mentioned: 202 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15502 Post(s)
Liked 9,485 Times
in
4,649 Posts
A compromised left thumb from a triple fracture and ligament avulsion reattachment.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 2,441
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1451 Post(s)
Liked 1,209 Times
in
751 Posts
Like many people once they get to a certain age, I have cervical stenosis and radiculopathy due to pinched nerves at C2-7. Pain was so bad yesterday and last night that I could not sleep. Cycling exasperates it. I also have 3 plates, a rod, and 25 screws in my left elbow that hurt when riding.
Other than that, I'm GTG.
Other than that, I'm GTG.
#7
Butted Hi-Tensile
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 964
Bikes: Hi-Ten bike boomers, a Trek Domane and some projects
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 317 Post(s)
Liked 773 Times
in
397 Posts
As my spring half marathon season is winding down, I'm spending more time on my Trek so the contact points on my tuchas are a bit tender getting used to the stock Bontrager saddle. I suppose I should see that as an indicator I need a saddle upgrade, but my ass eventually toughens up so I don't worry about it much.
__________________
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
Likes For Chuck M:
Likes For freeranger:
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,139
Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1597 Post(s)
Liked 1,054 Times
in
617 Posts
I endure the psychological pain of knowing I no longer have the fitness of my 25 yr old self and I am 15 lbs over cycling weight.
Likes For bruce19:
#10
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 14,392
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 115 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7979 Post(s)
Liked 4,919 Times
in
2,853 Posts
My neck has ached multiple times this year. Thats very much new. Same bikes, same fitness level, etc etc. It doesnt feel good and makes sure I am aware of its existence, but I have still been able to do longer rides.
#11
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 9,851
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 42 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2842 Post(s)
Liked 2,017 Times
in
1,340 Posts
None really, I don't want pain if I am cycling. On occasion after a long ride I might have a touch of pain but that is the case for hiking or really any long exercise session but I shouldn't have immediate pain. If you are having pain you should see a fitter and if experiencing pain after that I would see a sports doctor.
Likes For seypat:
#13
Shawn of the Dead
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 521
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 254 Post(s)
Liked 410 Times
in
197 Posts
A serious neck fracture with a skull to c-3 fusion ..... I have pain just walking around. Cycling doesn't help ....but helps me mentally.
I also shattered my left tibia. Between my neck and leg I'm looking at about 20 screws, 2 plates and 2 rods. The warm weather helps tremendously. I can't begin to describe the difference between a ride at 40 degrees and a ride at 70 degrees.
Last week at the end of a 30 miler I began to get spasms up my neck into the left side of my face and downward through the trapezius and Latissimus Dorsi. When that Lat spasms it gets your attention.
I also shattered my left tibia. Between my neck and leg I'm looking at about 20 screws, 2 plates and 2 rods. The warm weather helps tremendously. I can't begin to describe the difference between a ride at 40 degrees and a ride at 70 degrees.
Last week at the end of a 30 miler I began to get spasms up my neck into the left side of my face and downward through the trapezius and Latissimus Dorsi. When that Lat spasms it gets your attention.
Likes For pdlamb:
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bastrop Texas
Posts: 3,102
Bikes: Univega, Peu P6, Peu PR-10, Ted Williams, Peu UO-8, Peu UO-18 Mixte, Peu Dolomites
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 442 Post(s)
Liked 654 Times
in
439 Posts
What's pain... There is no pain... Now make a hole an git otta tha way... I gotta ride!!!
Ha...
Note: 2013 - Fractured Sternum, Skull lacerations, C4-C6 compressions, Numbness right shoulder, Compression with Fractures T7, L1, L3, L4, L4 nerve compression, CMC dislocation, in less then two seconds. But the bike and I are alive and ridding still. Not the helmet though...
__________________
No matter where your at... There you are... Δf:=f(1/2)-f(-1/2)
Last edited by zandoval; 05-02-22 at 09:55 AM.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,349
Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II
Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2668 Post(s)
Liked 862 Times
in
503 Posts
None at all. I ride a recumbent bike and trike.
The "real" cyclist are always saying no pain no gain. As far as I am concerned you can put that where the sun dont shine. Pain is for fools. It is your body telling you dont do that.
The "real" cyclist are always saying no pain no gain. As far as I am concerned you can put that where the sun dont shine. Pain is for fools. It is your body telling you dont do that.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 34,117
Mentioned: 202 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15502 Post(s)
Liked 9,485 Times
in
4,649 Posts
My pain comes from an injury completely unrelated to riding. I have to put up with it if I want to continue riding. Has nothing to do with being a "real" cyclist, Wolfie, I mean Mr. Bent. You going to start trying to debase people who suffer through no fault of their own?
#18
Senior Member
After 3 hours or more on the road my hands are getting numb, my butt is sore and my shoulders get stiffened up. When we stop for pee breaks I always try to do a few quick arm/shoulder stretches along with some toe touches to loosen up my shoulders and back. Usually a couple hours after the ride is over everything is back to pain free. IPA helps….😇
#19
Sniveling Weasel
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 2,393
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 852 Post(s)
Liked 1,548 Times
in
896 Posts
Maybe I should start a thread which reads, How many people have no cycling related pain? And see how many with pain chime in?

__________________
Immoderate Cyclist “No regerts”
Immoderate Cyclist “No regerts”
Likes For rsbob:
#20
Senior Member
I know 4 guys who ride recumbents and they all say they have bad backs and necks from years of riding road bikes. I’d love to try a recumbent sometime, see how much more comfortable it is, I know it’s a lot faster as I spend a lot of time drafting theses guys when I’m on my TT bike!
#21
MotuekaCascadeChinook
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 10,594
Bikes: '20 Tarmac Disc Comp '78 Raleigh Competition GS
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4286 Post(s)
Liked 2,826 Times
in
1,971 Posts
No pains, just annoyances. I usually address anything that seems to have the potential for being a pain while they are still in the annoyance stage.
Recently it was hands starting to get numb around 2 hours of riding. Nothing else had changed recently on the bike and the only thing I could come up with was that I am getting older, semi-retired and losing muscle mass in my upper body. Cycling doesn't do much at all for upper body muscles other than the heart muscle.
So I started doing upper body exercises more regularly. Including squeezing on those spring things to improve grip strength and after 3 weeks of using them, last Saturday's ride had no sign of numbness. Now I just have to figure out if it now comes at hour 3 instead of hour 2. <grin>
Recently it was hands starting to get numb around 2 hours of riding. Nothing else had changed recently on the bike and the only thing I could come up with was that I am getting older, semi-retired and losing muscle mass in my upper body. Cycling doesn't do much at all for upper body muscles other than the heart muscle.
So I started doing upper body exercises more regularly. Including squeezing on those spring things to improve grip strength and after 3 weeks of using them, last Saturday's ride had no sign of numbness. Now I just have to figure out if it now comes at hour 3 instead of hour 2. <grin>
Likes For Iride01:
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 3,184
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1159 Post(s)
Liked 1,047 Times
in
609 Posts
Of course, you can always try issuing a strict edict forbidding reponses other than those you deem allowable. That always goes well in forums.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 2,441
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1451 Post(s)
Liked 1,209 Times
in
751 Posts
I have ridden a bent for tens of thousands of miles and indeed, the pressure on the hands, arms, and shoulders are absent. However, road vibration to the neck can be a little worse owing to the inability to unweight over nasty road but that also depends on how laidback and how the neck is supported. The derriere is complicated but mostly a wash compared to an upright (for me)
#24
Victimless Criminal
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,320
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1020 Post(s)
Liked 2,431 Times
in
1,087 Posts
At 62, I get some next-day neck stiffness if I ride in the drops a lot, but that's about it. Nothing that stem spacers and Aleve can't remedy.
#25
Banned.
My only pain is not able to ride as much as I wanted to because of free time constraints. I have none of what it takes to make decent living like mental stability and humor and my only hopes of having better financial stability and work-time balance is moving to Canada.
