Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

Biking posture?

1K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  jeffj 
#1 ·
I usually find myself with minor lower back pains after extended periods of biking. Should this go away with time and experience, or am I sitting poorly on my bike?
 
#3 ·
hardtail?
I get lower back pain on my rigid when my tire pressure is too high. High volume tubeless with low pressures helps a lot.

Could be a back strength issue. try back extensions, Romanian deadlifts, and real deadlifts (if your feeling like a boss)

Sheepo
 
#7 ·
It's different for different seat posts. What do you have? A picture would help...

Any other pain? Hand, arm, elbow, shoulder, neck... Rapid cadence, or do you mash on the pedals? How straight does your leg get at the bottom of the stroke? Do you climb sitting or standing? A lot of cycling lower back pain has to do with poor pedaling technique or bad saddle position, especially if there's not upper back pain to go with it, IME.
 
#8 ·
I used to have lower back ache until a Dr. I work with asked if I warm up and properly stretch my hamstrings. The answer was no.


When my hamstrings are tight they pull on my lower back muscles causing the lower back ache.

I started using my stationary bike to warm up and then do stretches head to toe. I stretch my hamstrings twice, though.

Back ache now gone :D !
 
#9 ·
It really depends on a few factors. How is your core strength? Do you have a good stretching routine? Do you have previously existing back issues? Are you properly fitted on your bike.

I have been mountain biking for alot of years. But before I started biking I was into skiing big time. I broke my back skiing and have had back issues since.

Long seated climbs get painful so I have learned to adjust position while riding. A couple of minutes seated very upright with finger tips on bars. Throw in some out of saddle climbing when you can. Stretching while riding can also help.

A post ride stretching routine eliminates most of my lower back pain. Core conditioning is the key to minimizing pain in the long run. That and proper fit of your bike.

HTH
 
#10 ·
mmik said:
I don't know how to tilt the seat forward/back.
I didn't say "tilt", I said "fore/aft" (<<========>> forward or backward). Tilt would be up or down with the nose or rear of the saddle.

To move the saddle fore/aft, you would loosen up the same bolt(s) that you would to tilt the saddle, but you would move the slide the saddle rails in the clamp rather than rotating the clamp to 'tilt' the saddle.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top