| Re: My 'Bent Is Starting to Annoy Me
Prisoner at War wrote:
> bigjim@backpacker.com wrote:
>> If I can ride a bike for 4-6 hours I consider it comfortable. My
>> Lemond road bike and C;dale cross bike fit that bill fine. I have the
>> bars only slightly below saddle, a Brooks seat and I;m fine. My MTB's
>> are torture machines and cannot ride for more than an hour before neck
>> shouler wrist pain start!!
>
>
>
> I can ride my uprights all day continously and be comfortable.
>
> The problem is that within two weeks my back will be aching like crazy.
> And I am likely one of the few young 'bent-riders around at age 34.
>
> I never had a problem with my wrists or shoulders from upright biking,
> though. I do change hand positions for comfort, but no regular problem
> has ever developed. It's only my back that's really affected. I agree
> that frame geometry and a proper saddle do a lot for comfort on an
> upright, and I don't blame bike-riding per se for my bad back -- it
> kind of started in childhood and was really messed up in the Army but
> upright bikes and even jogging exacerbates it.
>
> My sports doc recommended a 'bent, and that was my excuse to splurge
> thousands.
>
> It's been great fun, but getting annoying now with all the break-downs.
>
I do better with the sore back issues if I keep up with core muscle
training. I got a pretty sore back on an 8 hour mountain bike ride/race
but part of that is a way to tight left quad. I need to stretch that
muscle more. Massage therapists have said I have tight hamstrings. I
need to a lot more stretching I guess.
My cross bike is more comfortable than my road bike. I need to get a
shorter stem and maybe raise the stem a bit on the road bike. Little
things can make big differences.
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