Upright and reach effects on lower back
#1
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Upright and reach effects on lower back
This isn't going to be a question like you may suspect based off the title. I started riding my rigid hardtail with Jones H bars almost exclusively as a do it all bike. I ride lots of gravel with lots of continuous hills plus rail trails and even urban commutes. Let's not forget I occasionally do sub 24 hr bikepacking events as well all on this one bike. I have experimented with short stems that are more upright and longer stems that are more forward (aero) and honestly they all feel good. I notice when I am grunting out a strong climb by spinning while seated, by the top of the hill my lower back is as exhausted as much as my legs. Is this normal for your back to get worked from hard spinning or is it being worked more than it should by being too upright? Or maybe since I switched to platforms and 510s a few months ago I am having to subconsciously pull up on the bars while I am seated and I don't realize it? I have heard that being more aero engages your quads and hams better but I have never known if that's at the expense of lightening up the load on your lumbars.
Just asking for opinions before I start switching stems and other stuff on my bike.
Just asking for opinions before I start switching stems and other stuff on my bike.
#2
Full Member
I have drop bars and an upright-is position (at least compared to an aggressive road bike). On really hard offroad climbs I hold the hoods and I try to get in a "aero"-ish position because I feel like I can put the power down better (and also put weight on the front wheel). If it's a really brutal climb I can feel it in my lower back, it's nothing too bad tho.
So either it's normal or my position is wrong too.
So either it's normal or my position is wrong too.
#3
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I have drop bars and an upright-is position (at least compared to an aggressive road bike). On really hard offroad climbs I hold the hoods and I try to get in a "aero"-ish position because I feel like I can put the power down better (and also put weight on the front wheel). If it's a really brutal climb I can feel it in my lower back.
So either it's normal or my position is wrong too.
So either it's normal or my position is wrong too.
#4
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I can't say that is normal for spinning. Now if you said your low back was hurting after a long climb overgeared at 50rpm I would say yeah it's normal. Something seems off though. I went through low back pain for a long time until I figured out that the culprit was my saddle was too far back and the front tilted too high. Put on a zero setback post and leveled out the saddle (sometimes a couple degrees nose down for certain saddles) and voila! just like that no more back pain.
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#5
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I can't say that is normal for spinning. Now if you said your low back was hurting after a long climb overgeared at 50rpm I would say yeah it's normal. Something seems off though. I went through low back pain for a long time until I figured out that the culprit was my saddle was too far back and the front tilted too high. Put on a zero setback post and leveled out the saddle (sometimes a couple degrees nose down for certain saddles) and voila! just like that no more back pain.
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i may may be over gearing cause at times if I want to maintain pace with my buddy or group I have to crank out the next gear down to keep my mph up. They might be stronger riders than I so this might be something I need to change. The pain is not really pain more than the “burn” from getting a lower back workout along with my legs although it does lead to faster fatigue of my core. I know my core could be stronger but I haven’t been able to muster the willpower to get stronger lol.
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#7
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well I had a longer stem in a little bit more reach and I thought the bike felt pretty good but then I started experimenting to go shorter and more upright and I do think the problems got exaggerated when I did this. I will probably go back to my old stem. I have a tendency to screw a bike up by switching stuff when I should leave it alone sometimes LOL
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well I had a longer stem in a little bit more reach and I thought the bike felt pretty good but then I started experimenting to go shorter and more upright and I do think the problems got exaggerated when I did this. I will probably go back to my old stem. I have a tendency to screw a bike up by switching stuff when I should leave it alone sometimes LOL
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#9
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#10
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That may be possible too but there's no way anyone on the internet can tell you for sure. Any given bike only has three points of contact, if you change only one of them and your problem doesn't get better it's not surprising; all three need to work together to be perfect.
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#11
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That may be possible too but there's no way anyone on the internet can tell you for sure. Any given bike only has three points of contact, if you change only one of them and your problem doesn't get better it's not surprising; all three need to work together to be perfect.
#12
Senior Member
I recently went for a second opinion to a local fitter (after tweaking) as I've gained some weight since my fit, which was almost 4-years ago.
Ultimately we increased my full body extension about 1cm and lowered me another centimeter and that has completely relieved all back pain on longer, hillier rides for me. In my case, I was too compact when riding.
Ultimately we increased my full body extension about 1cm and lowered me another centimeter and that has completely relieved all back pain on longer, hillier rides for me. In my case, I was too compact when riding.
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you can condition those lower back muscles just like any other muscle. I used to wear out my lower back on long climbs. I'm in pretty good shape now and haven't had that happen recently. It never surprises me much when it does happen. The lower back and abs are linked pretty strongly, so strengthening abs might help. I haven't really been doing any work with my abs beyond some swimming.
I feel like the position that achieves minimum back/thigh angle is the most powerful because it recruits more muscles. At least it is more powerful for me. YMMV.
I feel like the position that achieves minimum back/thigh angle is the most powerful because it recruits more muscles. At least it is more powerful for me. YMMV.
#16
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you can condition those lower back muscles just like any other muscle. I used to wear out my lower back on long climbs. I'm in pretty good shape now and haven't had that happen recently. It never surprises me much when it does happen. The lower back and abs are linked pretty strongly, so strengthening abs might help. I haven't really been doing any work with my abs beyond some swimming.
I feel like the position that achieves minimum back/thigh angle is the most powerful because it recruits more muscles. At least it is more powerful for me. YMMV.
I feel like the position that achieves minimum back/thigh angle is the most powerful because it recruits more muscles. At least it is more powerful for me. YMMV.
And as far as my conditioning, this is one of the worst years for riding that I have had where I have been lazy and have chosen not to go riding as much. So I am to blame for not being in as good a condition as I have been in previous years.