ridethecliche

It's winter.

I don't know any routes around where I live since I started cycling at college and everything I know is over there. Thus, my bike is set up on the trainer.

I got bored the other day and flipped my stem since I've noticed that I've become more flexible with time.

Rode the trainer for about 30-40 minutes and my back started acting up a little. I got off, flipped it back up, and shazaam. The pain is worse.

With the stem still flipped up, I dropped 2 spacers (1cm total) and got back on, and the pain was a little better.

What gives???

roadwarrior

You probably hurt your back messing around with your fit. And as I recall, you were fitted. Now that possibly a muscle or a ligament were pulled, or whatever, the pedaling action is exacerbating the problem.

That's my guess.

BTW...try Map Quest or that Bike Routes site for riding routes.

NoRacer

Too big of a change too fast.

Road Fan

Idle hands are the devil's playground - I've screwed up my fit many times, due to boredom. Put it back the way it was, get your back recovered, then make changes in smaller increments.

I've also found that with lowering stems for "research" purposes, the pelvic angle needs to follow suit. Otherwise there can be too much spine bend focused on the lower back, with resulting lower back pain. I usually make a small change in the saddle angle to allow my pelvis to comfortably rotate forward and straighten my back.

SushiJoe

When I've done that in the past, the first thing to tell me are my knees. Dear god, the pain!
The horror! The horror!!

ridethecliche

Yeah RW, I was fitted.

Something seemed a little off after I got back from a ride earlier this month though, so I made small adjustments to saddle height. Of course, the only time I forgot to mark things before changing them I didn't like the changes... Looks like I'll be visiting my fitter again.

I'd also swapped handlebars (fitter told me to go 40, I was on 44s) so that could have caused some of the reach changes. With the stem and the saddle in about the same place, I felt like I was putting way to much weight on my hands. Flipping it/removing spacers helped with that.

Oh I also had to swap saddles since my SLR cracked. Another change that, well, changed my fit even though I tried to measure things out.

As a side question. My pain, even in times past had always been on the lower left side of my back. Yesterday I noticed that my left hamstring was being a little over utilized and the pain coincided with the left legs pedaling. Hamstring tightness issue? Cleat position thing?

Just something to tide me over till I get to go back when I head back to school.

Thanks!

gsteinb

In that small span of time you reached the tipping and got old. It's all down hill from here.

roadiejorge 

When they tell you to enjoy your youth everyone should listen.

SushiJoe

Youth is gone in an instant apparently.
I'm 27, an old fogey compared to RTC, lol!

roadiejorge 

If you're an old fogey at 27 then I'm ancient at 37. When I got first fitted to my Orbea they flipped the stem up and I didn't find it very comfortable on long rides because I've been used to the aggressive fit of my Bianchi so I recently flipped it and brought it down 1cm and all is well.

roadwarrior

Two things...

Did you remeasure when you changed your seat? I am talking seat to the pedals? Flat seats, curved seats, they are different.

Didn't the fitter give you a sheet with all of your numbers/measurements? I check mine about once every two weeks when I am riding a lot.

Could be cleats, too.

ridethecliche

I'm guessing: Move cleat forward about a mm? Right?

Fitter did not give me sheet with numbers/measurements. Everything was done using dartfish so it was all motion based, there was no 'take measurements, plug into computer, and get results' approach. The fit worked fine though. I'll remember to get a sheet next time though.

I'm getting a new SLR in the mail (warranty), so I'll swap that on once I get it back.

I had to change the front end of my bike since there was one spacer too many. There was a gap of about 1cm between the top of the stem and the steerer tube, so the removal of a 5mm spacer was in order. Had to do that for safety reasons, I suppose.

jonestr

You might try one legged drills and lots of stretching/yoga to see if you can solve this problem. It could be cleat fit but that would be harder to diagnose.

grafsk8er

RTC, off topic, but where are you going to school now-a-days?

ridethecliche

Wesleyan, why?

(Figured I'd give the thread a bump since I honestly don't mind the help.)

grafsk8er

no particular reason, but i know you're from around my area, and was just curious. i'm sure i'll be seeing you a couple times throughout this race season.

ridethecliche

You a 4 now too?

grafsk8er

i actually got my 3 upgrade. looking go for 2 around april/may.

ridethecliche

Heh. Congrats, I'm looking for 3 by mid/end of the season.

ridethecliche

I'm hoping if RW or someone in the 'know' can chime in here for a second.

Since hamstring soreness/pain is usually caused by overextension, I think I'm going to lower my saddle and move it forward a hair. I think I'm also going to move my right cleat back a hair to compensate. The right leg is longer and I don't want to mess with the cleat position on the left so I think this should work out, no?

Thoughts?

Thanks again guys. I'm going to see a sports medicine/physio type in early jan hopefully as I need to figure out how to improve the left hamstring flexibility and decrease pain while riding in a position that I should be able to take but half of me can't...

jonestr

Sounds fine, but I wouldnt do all 3 adjustments in one shot.

You could just try some basic hamstring stretches as cycling and running do nothing but tighten hamstrings, just a suggestion as it might save some cash as opposed to seeing a physiologist.

Also, have you tried shimming your left cleat?

Also, from what I have heard you cannot diagnose a leg length discrepancy with out an xray (maybe if it was really large, like special shoe large) as small discrepancies in length can be due to pelvic tilt and or tight muscles and tendons.

ridethecliche

My right cleat has always been further back and I feel like I do have much more extension on my right leg right now, which is why I want to move the cleat back some. I moved it forward a bit ago and it has led to no issues.

I might just try down and slightly forward first and then adjust the right cleat if I feel like I'm bottoming out on my stroke. I think that the adjustment will be necessary though.