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Help !! My shoulders are killing me after a ride!

1K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  rfields4013 
#1 ·
I am a beginner rider of about 3 months. I have put in about 120 miles total of trail riding. I had a different bike for most of that milage. It worked fine but the quality of parts was not good. The crank completely broke so TSA did not want to fix it but instead give me another bike. The other bike was much better than the one before so I took it, but it is killing my shoulders after a ride. I have a 2007 K2 crush, 17 inch frame. I think maybe the frame is a little big but I can't take it back so I need to find a way to make this work for me. I love the ride but hate the afterwards. Does anyone have any ideas?? I took the bike to a local bike shop and all he wanted to do was sell me another bike not help. I may buy another bike but it will have to be after Christmas. I need to find a way to make this work until then. I am 5feeet 5 inches so after research I think I may need a little smaller frame but for short time is there something else? I have thought about the stem maybe getting one shorter and angled differently. Could this work??? Help anybody!!!!!!!:madman:
 
#3 ·
Who did your bike fitting? IMHO it's worth the time and money to get a proper bike fitting.

I had the same trouble with my road bike and was ready to start playing with stems. Turns it out wasn't the stem at all, just my posture on the bike.
 
#4 ·
Go to a bike shop and tell them up front that you are there to make your current bike fit you as well as it can and you are not interested in buying a new bike. Then ask them to fit you on the bike. Most shops will do it for free if you are buying some replacement parts or may charge a small fee. You can probably make the bnike work for you for a while with a dif stem and seat adjustment, bringing it forward. (?)

I am 5'4" and ride a size 15 frame, my gf's who are 5'7" ride a size 17 frame. There is a lot that goes into frame size choice besides height. You also have to consider torso and leg length as well. good luck on making your frame work, I hope your shoulders feel better soon. At any rate it's a good excuse to go get a massage. :)
 
#5 ·
How frustrating. Bad bike shops are like bad dates, but you'll feel that nice click when you're finally on the same page as someone else and can talk about your bike concerns without feeling put down or afraid of being talked into something that's wrong for you.

I agree with the stem suggestions. That's a good place to start. Also, if you're anything like me, esp. as a beginner, you might be tensing your neck and shoulders without knowing it. Every time you take a drink or stop, take a moment to stretch out and feel that you're riding loose. It's easy to tense up in tight spots.
 
#6 ·
thaks everyone!

thanks everyone for your suggestions! I am taking my bike to another bike shop this week. Maybe they will ofter some support with a stem. Also, I know that I am tensing up some especially on the down hills. I am going to try to watch that and loosen up some. again .. thanks!!
 
#7 ·
As a shop employee I find that the shop is completely disrespecting you. :nono:

There are certain limits you have with fitting a bike, but explaining those & not simply stating that you need a new bike. I would recommend to find a store that is known for quality bike fits, they normally range between $50-150 depending where and to what level fit you are looking for.

It's difficult to say what needs to be done to your bike to fit you correctly. The basic guidelines are you want between a 75-90 degree angle between your back and arms. Your arms shouldn't be locked out, and your back shouldn't have a sharp curve to it anywhere.

Be careful whenever you swap out the stem because it will change your handling, so just don't go racing on your first ride on the new setup! Where are you located? Maybe one of us can recommend a good shop!!

Good luck!!

I hope that helps. As a female that has worked in shops for awhile I know it can be frustrating find a shop that doesn't treat you like an idiot or nuisance.
 
#8 ·
Arsbars.. Thanks for the tips! I live in the Charlotte,NC area. The local REI shop is a K2 dealer. I have talked to them on the phone and they seem like they are interested in helping. I plan to go there soon. I realize that they may not be able to help me. I may have to get another bike. Question: Could the front shocks affect my shoulders? I noticed my shocks seem very tight. The trails are very dry and hard due to the drought in this area. Sports Authority confirmed that my shocks were not working right so new ones have been ordered. I am waiting on those to see if that was the problem. Sports Authority will fix my bike if something breaks but I can't return it for another one. Their bike tech is very nice but not experienced enough to help me with the shoulder problem. That is why I decided to go to the local bike shop here . Any suggestions would be great!!
 
#9 ·
try moving the seat forward, say 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch.

Check the shifter and brake levers roll them upwards so you don't have to reach as far over the bars, this will help lower your shoulders.

When you ride pretend a helicopter is pulling you along, with a cable connected to the top of your helmet.
 
#13 ·
Someone suggested it and it happened to work. I didn't ask how they came to that conclusion, I just tried it and never had the problem again. It might sound weird, but try riding your bike for a while with your hands slightly in on the handlebars and see if that does the trick. I know my pain felt like a pinched nerve and was on the chest side of my shoulders radiating up to the top. I would windmill my arms to make the pain go away.
 
#14 ·
I think it's pretty safe to say that your frame is a little too big for ya. I'm 5'10" and ride size 17 and 18 frames. It's already been said, but for a temporary solution (until you can save up for a proper sized bike) you can do the following to shorten the reach:

a. Buy a shorter stem
b. Buy a bar with more rise
c. Move your stem higher (if you currently have spacers above it)
d. Buy a stem with more rise
e. Move your saddle forward
f. Any combination of the above

There are some compromises that you should be aware of. A shorter stem will make the front easier to lift and make descending more stable, but it will also make your handling faster and maybe even a little "squirrely", and might make it harder to keep the front wheel planted when climbing. Some people get used to short stems and end up preferring them. It's a trial and error type of thing, I think.

A high rise bar and/or stem will also make the front easier to lift and make descending more stable, but it may also make it harder to keep the front wheel planted when climbing. You can compensate to a degree by scooching forward on your saddle and lowering your upper body towards the bars when climbing.

Also, moving your saddle forward may strain your knees if you move it too far forward. Again, I believe this is a trial and error type of thing, as I know a few riders who deviate greatly from the accepted KOPS norm. Generally, you should only adjust your saddle position and height to dial in your best pedalling position, not too compensate for a mis sized frame. I'd still move it forward a bit, tho. But if you start to feel pain, you may have to move it back.

Cutting your bars may also help, altho I've always believed that the increased leverage of wider bars were a positive when muscling through technical trails. If you do cut your bars, only do so a little at a time.

And remember, whatever changes you do make, you should allow your body a few rides to adjust to the changes in handling.

Ant
 
#15 ·
Flowergirl.
Let's make this simple for you. Where in Charlotte do you live? my personal email is arleigh at gmail.com Shoot me an email and I can do a simple consultation. I won't charge you anything and can give you an idea of what is wrong. Our stores are very very fit driven and hearing all these issues is giving me slight heart burn.
Email me :)
 
#16 ·
antonio said:
I think it's pretty safe to say that your frame is a little too big for ya. I'm 5'10" and ride size 17 and 18 frames. It's already been said, but for a temporary solution (until you can save up for a proper sized bike) you can do the following to shorten the reach:

a. Buy a shorter stem
b. Buy a bar with more rise
c. Move your stem higher (if you currently have spacers above it)
d. Buy a stem with more rise
e. Move your saddle forward
f. Any combination of the above

There are some compromises that you should be aware of. A shorter stem will make the front easier to lift and make descending more stable, but it will also make your handling faster and maybe even a little "squirrely", and might make it harder to keep the front wheel planted when climbing. Some people get used to short stems and end up preferring them. It's a trial and error type of thing, I think.

Ant
I believe this is a male perspective but is on the money. Except .....

"but it will also make your handling faster and maybe even a little "squirrely", and might make it harder to keep the front wheel planted when climbing. "

What is meant by "handling faster" is that since the stem is shorter it takes less movement of the handle bars to make turns, thus it feels squirrely to those used to longer stems. Like many other women, I rode too big bikes for way too long. I ended up with shortest stems I could find. It's not a bad thing, just different and as Ant said, will just take getting used to.

The second half of this statement "make it harder to keep the front wheel planted when climbing" will actually be in your favor. As a new rider who will be learning to lift your front end to get over obsticles, being able to lift that front end easier is a good thing. I believe Ant is referring to a "high-ho-silver" move of accidently lifting your front end. This is a good thing to be able to lift it easy.

Climbing is alot about constant slight weight shifts front to back to balance keeping your front wheel down and enough weight over the back wheel so it does not loose traction and spin out. When climbing, slide forward on your saddle (opposite of going down hill where you move back or off the back of your saddle) and Boobs to the bar!!!!

Some things to try for your shoulders in addition to the stretching, is be aware of NOT having a death grip on the handle bars. You do not have to hold them super tight, just firmly enough that a randome rock will not turn them. I keep a loose hand grip but firm control with my arms.

Wiggle your fingers - you can't keep a death grip AND wiggle your fingers.

How wide is your handle bar? How far apart are your hands in the normal riding position? If they are wider than your shoulders this may be part of the problem. Is there room on your handle bar to move the shifters and brake levers in some? If so try this before cutting down your bars.

Good luck.
 
#17 ·
This can actually be as simple as flattening out your seat angle. You want your butt, not your arms/shoulders to support your weight. By flattening your seat you can shift your weight distribution more to the center of the bike which may very well fix your problem. I had the same problem and this was the fix that helped me.
 
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