Question about lower back pain.

Well, your friend may be partly right and partly not right. What kind of bike are you riding? If
you're completely new to cycling and you're just venturing out on your first long rides, you're
gonna have some aches and pains most likely. But you really need to make sure that your bike is
properly fit to you. People who log lots of miles (I ride about 12,000 or more a year) make certain
that their bikes are fit to them to the nth degree. My personal opinion is that good bike fit is
part art and part science. There are quite a number of formulas out there. Basically, they take your
body dimensions and determine how large your frame should be, how high your saddle should be, how
long your cranks should be, how far your saddle should be behind the bottom bracket, how long your
stem should be, how wide your handlebars should be, etc.

For a good, basic starting point, check out the bike fit article at www.coloradocyclist.com.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Bob C. <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok, to all of those of you with more experience than myself in biking

(which

Quoted message said:

is about 99% of the people here), I have a question about lower back pain. I've only recenlty
started riding and am still learning alot. I was riding for about 2 hours and started having lower
back pain. It was localized

below

Quoted message said:

the waistline and right smack dab in the middle of the back. My back was arched and as soon as I
stopped, the pain started to go away. I spoke to a friend of mine and she told me that like any
new sport, my body may just need to get used to being in that position. I tend to agree as I have
no lingering pain. So is my friend right? I just need to get used to being in that position?

I

Quoted message said:

am inclined to think that all I need is some time getting used to this.

Oh,

Quoted message said:

btw I was riding a road bike on well established bike paths, not mountain biking and flying
downhill. Thanks in advance all.

Quoted message said:

So is my friend right? I just need to get used to being in that position? I am inclined to think
that all I need is some time getting used to this.

In all probability she's right. Unfamiliar muscle usage and so forth.

Experiment with different intensities. Remember that nobody starts out perfectly conditioned for an
unfamiliar sport.

Work up to it bit by bit. If it hurts don't do it, or do it a different way. of course I failed bike
advocacy, so you may want to see a physician or get a recumbent.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email hidden]__________

I have been cycling for more than a couple decades, and without exception, I get lower back pain in
the area you describe when my saddle is back too far. This generally occurs when I set up a new bike
and go through the very long process (at least for me) of adjusting saddle position, both up and
down and fore and aft. I have found that moving my saddle forward even slightly (the thickness of a
fine pencil line) is sometimes all that is needed to stop the pain.

Quoted message said:

Ok, to all of those of you with more experience than myself in biking (which is about 99% of the
people here), I have a question about lower back pain. I've only recenlty started riding and am
still learning alot. I was riding for about 2 hours and started having lower back pain. It was
localized below the waistline and right smack dab in the middle of the back. My back was arched
and as soon as I stopped, the pain started to go away. I spoke to a friend of mine and she told me
that like any new sport, my body may just need to get used to being in that position. I tend to
agree as I have no lingering pain. So is my friend right? I just need to get used to being in that
position? I am inclined to think that all I need is some time getting used to this. Oh, btw I was
riding a road bike on well established bike paths, not mountain biking and flying downhill. Thanks
in advance all.

Those instruction on Colorado Cyclist are unintentionally amusing for the non-PC reader. The text
says: "When a cyclist fits her bike well, she rides more comfortably and efficiently. She rides with
more power, and yet the effort comes easier to her. Her body is relaxed, her bike handling skills
almost second nature."

However, all of the pictures included with the piece show a hairy legged guy. Half-hearted political
correctness, I guess.

- GRL

"It's good to want things."

Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist, Visual Basic programmer)
"psycholist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, your friend may be partly right and partly not right. What kind of bike are you riding? If
you're completely new to cycling and you're just venturing out on your first long rides, you're
gonna have some aches and pains most likely. But you really need to make sure that your bike is
properly fit to you. People who log lots of miles (I ride about 12,000 or more a year) make
certain that their bikes are fit to them to the nth degree. My personal opinion is that good bike
fit is part art and part science. There are quite a number of formulas out there. Basically, they
take your body dimensions and determine how large your frame should be,

how

Quoted message said:

high your saddle should be, how long your cranks should be, how far your saddle should be behind
the bottom bracket, how long your stem should be, how wide your handlebars should be, etc.

For a good, basic starting point, check out the bike fit article at www.coloradocyclist.com.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Bob C. <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok, to all of those of you with more experience than myself in biking

(which

Quoted message said:

is about 99% of the people here), I have a question about lower back

pain.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've only recenlty started riding and am still learning alot. I was

riding

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

for about 2 hours and started having lower back pain. It was localized

below

Quoted message said:

the waistline and right smack dab in the middle of the back. My back was arched and as soon as I
stopped, the pain started to go away. I spoke to

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

friend of mine and she told me that like any new sport, my body may just need to get used to
being in that position. I tend to agree as I have no lingering pain. So is my friend right? I
just need to get used to being in that

position?

Quoted message said:

I

Quoted message said:

am inclined to think that all I need is some time getting used to this.

Oh,

Quoted message said:

btw I was riding a road bike on well established bike paths, not

mountain

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

biking and flying downhill. Thanks in advance all.

GRL said:

Those instruction on Colorado Cyclist are unintentionally amusing for the non-PC reader. The text
says: "When a cyclist fits her bike well, she rides more comfortably and efficiently. She rides
with more power, and yet the effort comes easier to her. Her body is relaxed, her bike handling
skills almost second nature."

However, all of the pictures included with the piece show a hairy legged guy. Half-hearted
political correctness, I guess.

I was under the impression that Real Cyclists shaved their legs?

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok, to all of those of you with more experience than myself in biking

(which

Quoted message said:

is about 99% of the people here), I have a question about lower back pain. I've only recenlty
started riding and am still learning alot. I was riding for about 2 hours and started having lower
back pain. It was localized

below

Quoted message said:

the waistline and right smack dab in the middle of the back. My back was arched and as soon as I
stopped, the pain started to go away. I spoke to a friend of mine and she told me that like any
new sport, my body may just need to get used to being in that position. I tend to agree as I have
no lingering pain. So is my friend right? I just need to get used to being in that position?

I

Quoted message said:

am inclined to think that all I need is some time getting used to this.

Oh,

Quoted message said:

btw I was riding a road bike on well established bike paths, not mountain biking and flying
downhill. Thanks in advance all.

Try some stretching before riding and every 1/2 hour while riding. It could be your hamstrings. If
so, try bending down and touching your toes a few times. If this helps, do regular stretching on
days you don't ride also.

Tom Sherman said:

I was under the impression that Real Cyclists shaved their legs?

Reminds me of that line in Breaking Away about Italian women.

Art Harris

Thanks all for the great advice. I'll definitely give the "adjusting the seat" a try if I can.
Otherwise, I'll take it slowly and build up my riding time and remember to stretch, before, during
and after. Thanks again folks.