Up until a month ago, I only ever biked for my commute, about 6 miles roundtrip. Recently, I found that I enjoyed longer rides through the hills around my home. I started doing about 20-25 miles, 5 days a week, for the last month or so.

About a week ago at work, I noticed my shins felt all pins and needles. Later that day on the bike home, I noticed that both of my legs were getting pins and needles, and going a bit numb. After that day I stopped biking altogether, but the pins and needles persist in my feet, legs, hips, and low back pretty much whenever I sit or lay down.

I'm a bit concerned that it came on so suddenly in both legs, and that the symptoms have not decreased after taking time off. It's almost certainly a sciatic nerve problem, I imagine from my cheap bicycle seat, or bad positioning. I am only 23, so I would doubt it is a spine problem.

Has anyone encountered tingling that persists many days after biking has stopped? If so, how long did it take to recover? It is very annoying, and makes it hard to sleep.

I've scheduled an appointment with a neurologist, but it is not for several days.

Thanks for any insight!

Honestly, that's something you're better off talking to a medical professional about.

I could give a list of possible causes, from mild to scaring the hell out of you, and I don't want to do that.

I hope it's not sciatica. I had pain & numbness, and some shooting pains (like the pins&needles you mention) and it turned out to be a popped disk in my spine. Went undiagnosed for four months of no sitting (which also meant no driving cars, no eating at restaurants (or going on dates), no bicycling/kayaking/surfing/anything fun, and standing all day every day at work with trade manuals stacked under my monitor & keyboard. Also could sleep for only 3 hours at a time, had to get up and walk around in the middle of the night every night.
Two surgeries finally corrected it. And then stacking coins on my doorknob finally cured me of sleepwalking after the surgery.

Wow, good thing it was finally diagnosed properly!

Thankfully, my symptoms are far more tolerable than yours sound like. Everything I've read suggests that a disc problem is very unlikely at my age too, but I guess anything is possible.

DX Rider, I certainly appreciate the consideration. I'm eagerly awaiting my appointment.

I suppose I'm hoping someone will come in, say the same thing happened to them, and it was all cleared up in one week and one day