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New road bike and body aches



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 18th 09, 11:09 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.rides
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Posts: 3
Default New road bike and body aches

My background: I have never ridden a road bike before. Only recently
started training for long distance (more than 10 miles) riding. I am
over 40 years of age.

My existing bike: Road Master mountain bike that I have been using
until a couple of weeks ago.

Current situation: I have signed up for a charity bike ride. The final
ride is a 180-mile ride in April spanning two days in a weekend. So, I
am training for it by riding in a club every Saturday. Figured out
that my mountain bike is slow and I needed a road bike. Others riders
were passing me even though my cadence was heigher than theirs.

Road bike: Schwinn Prelude arrives and I get it fitted. I took it to
the training ride on last Saturday. Happy with the product. I stayed
in the middle of the pack and completed a 43-mile ride in 4 hours.
Longest ride ever. The route was hilly and there was constant breeze.

Problem: Various parts of my body hurt for a couple of days.
Specifically, neck, shoulders, lower back, and pelvic area hurt more
than any other part. Could that be because my bike is not really
fitted well to suit my body? Or, could it be cause it was my first
time on a road bike?

Thank you very much for your insights and help!
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  #2  
Old February 19th 09, 12:04 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.rides
JP
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Posts: 300
Default New road bike and body aches

You never rode and you are over 40.
The drop bars don't give you much choice in where your hands can go
and your shoulders pay a price. They also tend to keep you leaning
more forward than an old back wants to be. That body angle means that
you have to crane your neck upwards to see the road ahead. not a great
angle as you get older. Sore in the saddle might mean you need a different
seat.
Swap in the MB seat to see if it helps. Even if your bike fits you are
going to
have to accomodate the racer's posture and that gets less comfortable as you
age.

After a few years of trying to get used to drop bars I swapped them for bars
offering a
more upright position. Lot's of improved comfort resulted.
My wife's bike is more upright than mine and she has no problem keeping a
good pace.
Road bikes tend to resemble bikes designed for superthighed 20something
racers
who need to consider windresistance at speeds of 25 to 35 MPH more than
lower back pain
and arthritis. Since they never really put their weight on the seat they
avoid pelvic pain.

At 40 I was training hard and could deal with it. Give it a shot. If you
can't adjust
then think about changing your bike.

JP






wrote in message
...
My background: I have never ridden a road bike before. Only recently
started training for long distance (more than 10 miles) riding. I am
over 40 years of age.

My existing bike: Road Master mountain bike that I have been using
until a couple of weeks ago.

Current situation: I have signed up for a charity bike ride. The final
ride is a 180-mile ride in April spanning two days in a weekend. So, I
am training for it by riding in a club every Saturday. Figured out
that my mountain bike is slow and I needed a road bike. Others riders
were passing me even though my cadence was heigher than theirs.

Road bike: Schwinn Prelude arrives and I get it fitted. I took it to
the training ride on last Saturday. Happy with the product. I stayed
in the middle of the pack and completed a 43-mile ride in 4 hours.
Longest ride ever. The route was hilly and there was constant breeze.

Problem: Various parts of my body hurt for a couple of days.
Specifically, neck, shoulders, lower back, and pelvic area hurt more
than any other part. Could that be because my bike is not really
fitted well to suit my body? Or, could it be cause it was my first
time on a road bike?

Thank you very much for your insights and help!



  #4  
Old February 19th 09, 03:28 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.rides
Patrick Lamb
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Posts: 425
Default New road bike and body aches

On Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:09:22 -0800 (PST), wrote:

My background: I have never ridden a road bike before. Only recently
started training for long distance (more than 10 miles) riding. I am
over 40 years of age.

....

Road bike: Schwinn Prelude arrives and I get it fitted. I took it to
the training ride on last Saturday. Happy with the product. I stayed
in the middle of the pack and completed a 43-mile ride in 4 hours.
Longest ride ever. The route was hilly and there was constant breeze.

Problem: Various parts of my body hurt for a couple of days.
Specifically, neck, shoulders, lower back, and pelvic area hurt more
than any other part. Could that be because my bike is not really
fitted well to suit my body? Or, could it be cause it was my first
time on a road bike?


If you went outside and started by digging a ditch for four hours,
would you expect to be pain-free?

Start with rides, daily if possible, of half an hour to an hour or so.
The usual advice is to add 10% per week. There are some wrinkles in
the "ride a century" plan Buycicling magazine publishes every year or
two, but I think you need to start with shorter rides and work your
way up.

Pat

Email address works as is.
  #5  
Old February 19th 09, 04:23 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.rides
[email protected]
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Posts: 3
Default New road bike and body aches

Thank you all for taking the time to answer my question. I really
appreciate it.
  #6  
Old February 19th 09, 06:07 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.rides
Art Harris
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Posts: 577
Default New road bike and body aches

wrote:
My background: I have never ridden a road bike before. Only recently
started training for long distance (more than 10 miles) riding. I am
over 40 years of age.

Others riders
were passing me even though my cadence was heigher than theirs.


Cadence doesn't necessarily relate to fitness.


Road bike: Schwinn Prelude arrives and I get it fitted. I took it to
the training ride on last Saturday. Happy with the product. I stayed
in the middle of the pack and completed a 43-mile ride in 4 hours.
Longest ride ever. The route was hilly and there was constant breeze.

Problem: Various parts of my body hurt for a couple of days.
Specifically, neck, shoulders, lower back, and pelvic area hurt more
than any other part. Could that be because my bike is not really
fitted well to suit my body? Or, could it be cause it was my first
time on a road bike?


How many rides (and what distances) had you done before the 43-mile
ride?

I'd recommend you build up distance and speed gradually, without
straining. Don't think in terms of competition.

Art Haris
  #7  
Old February 20th 09, 03:29 AM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.rides
Tim McNamara
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Posts: 6,945
Default New road bike and body aches

In article
,
wrote:

My background: I have never ridden a road bike before. Only recently
started training for long distance (more than 10 miles) riding. I am
over 40 years of age.

My existing bike: Road Master mountain bike that I have been using
until a couple of weeks ago.

Current situation: I have signed up for a charity bike ride. The
final ride is a 180-mile ride in April spanning two days in a
weekend. So, I am training for it by riding in a club every Saturday.
Figured out that my mountain bike is slow and I needed a road bike.
Others riders were passing me even though my cadence was heigher than
theirs.

Road bike: Schwinn Prelude arrives and I get it fitted. I took it to
the training ride on last Saturday. Happy with the product. I stayed
in the middle of the pack and completed a 43-mile ride in 4 hours.
Longest ride ever. The route was hilly and there was constant breeze.

Problem: Various parts of my body hurt for a couple of days.
Specifically, neck, shoulders, lower back, and pelvic area hurt more
than any other part. Could that be because my bike is not really
fitted well to suit my body? Or, could it be cause it was my first
time on a road bike?

Thank you very much for your insights and help!


Well, first off, congratulations and many happy years of riding bikes!

Now, to answer your question biographically. I'm 49 and I've been a
bike nut since about age 10. I ride 5,000-7,000 miles a year and have
done rides up to 375 miles in a weekend. Every year in the spring, my
muscles are sore after the first bike ride or two. This recurs a few
times as the length of the rides ramps up, but after a month of regular
riding it is very rare to have sore muscles after a bike ride unless it
is unusually long or unusually fast.

I think your body just isn't used this this kind of thing, but it will
quickly adapt.
  #9  
Old February 23rd 09, 11:36 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.rides
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Posts: 3
Default New road bike and body aches

On Feb 19, 11:07*am, Art Harris wrote:

How many rides (and what distances) had you done before the 43-mile
ride?

I'd recommend you build up distance and speed gradually, without
straining. Don't think in terms of competition.

Art Haris


Before the 43-mile ride, I had done two 35-mile rides and about five
15 - 25 mile rides. All of them were on a mountain bike, though.

No, I am not taking it as competition, but being too slow makes me a
burden to the support volunteers.

BTW, I did a 33-mile extremely hilly route on Saturday. Did well. Only
thing that hurts is my bottom. A new saddle is on the way (http://
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000K2SBTU).
  #10  
Old March 12th 09, 01:38 PM posted to rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.rides
DougC
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Posts: 1,276
Default New road bike and body aches

wrote:
My background: I have never ridden a road bike before. Only recently
started training for long distance (more than 10 miles) riding. I am
over 40 years of age.

My existing bike: Road Master mountain bike that I have been using
until a couple of weeks ago.

Current situation: I have signed up for a charity bike ride. The final
ride is a 180-mile ride in April spanning two days in a weekend. So, I
am training for it by riding in a club every Saturday. Figured out
that my mountain bike is slow and I needed a road bike. Others riders
were passing me even though my cadence was heigher than theirs.

Road bike: Schwinn Prelude arrives and I get it fitted. I took it to
the training ride on last Saturday. Happy with the product. I stayed
in the middle of the pack and completed a 43-mile ride in 4 hours.
Longest ride ever. The route was hilly and there was constant breeze.

Problem: Various parts of my body hurt for a couple of days.
Specifically, neck, shoulders, lower back, and pelvic area hurt more
than any other part. Could that be because my bike is not really
fitted well to suit my body? Or, could it be cause it was my first
time on a road bike?

Thank you very much for your insights and help!


1) You're old. Sort-of.
2) Messing with the fitting /can/ help. It will not alleviate the pain
totally, but can reduce it.
3) It's expensive and a hassle, but switching to a recumbent bike is
likely to *greatly* reduce the riding pain.

----

There are disadvantages to recumbents, but the riding comfort is
incomparable. For the most part, the pain you get from riding an upright
bike really doesn't happen on a recumbent--and what pain you do get on a
recumbent is much less severe.
~



 




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