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shoulder pain for newbie on bent.........
Hi, everyone. This is my very first post here, and I have ridden a
bent only twice, with back and shoulder pain both times. The back pain I researched here on this ng and came to understand that I was hot-dogging up a hill and thereby put too much pressure on my lower back. The shoulder pain was due to an unfortunate combination of my long-standing rotator cuff tendonitis, and a subtle but undeniable effort on my part to use the handlebars to assist in balancing myself on the bike with a push-pull-push type of movement of my hands on the bars. This type of movement aggravated my shoulder condition badly, in short order. The bent I rode was an above-the-seat steering model, but I am very seriously considering an under-steer trike, made by Sun Bicycles. Please take a look at the trike.....http://www.sunbicycles.com/03/html_0...50/ez3_usx.jpg I would appreciate your input/opinions of these issues of balance/shoulder pain/back pain/understeer vs oversteer, etc. I feel perhaps the members of this ng would give me more accurate information than would the sales staff at the bike shop........ Thanking you all in advance, Mark Mestman |
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#2
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Mark Mestman wrote:
Hi, everyone. This is my very first post here, and I have ridden a bent only twice, with back and shoulder pain both times. The back pain I researched here on this ng and came to understand that I was hot-dogging up a hill and thereby put too much pressure on my lower back. The shoulder pain was due to an unfortunate combination of my long-standing rotator cuff tendonitis, and a subtle but undeniable effort on my part to use the handlebars to assist in balancing myself on the bike with a push-pull-push type of movement of my hands on the bars. This type of movement aggravated my shoulder condition badly, in short order. The bent I rode was an above-the-seat steering model, but I am very seriously considering an under-steer trike, made by Sun Bicycles. Please take a look at the trike.....http://www.sunbicycles.com/03/html_0...50/ez3_usx.jpg I would appreciate your input/opinions of these issues of balance/shoulder pain/back pain/understeer vs oversteer, etc. I feel perhaps the members of this ng would give me more accurate information than would the sales staff at the bike shop........ Thanking you all in advance, Mark, Most new recumbent bicycle riders have experience riding upright bicycles, and therefore have some behaviors that need to be modified. Pulling on the handlebars when climbing or sprinting [1] does not improve performance, but instead stresses the rider's back with making the handling "squirrelly". Applying excessive force to the handlebars while steering is also a common mistake make by new recumbent riders. A technique that has worked for well in many cases is to hold the handlebars with just the thumb and forefinger (except when a stronger grip is needed for shifting and braking). This limits the amount of force applied through the rider's arms and also reduces excessive control movements. Remember, on a recumbent the seat should be supporting the rider's upper body, not the rider's arms. Another factor to consider is the arm position while riding. In my experience having the elbows and hands close to the body (begging hamster position) results in having less upper body motion then having to reach farther for the handlebars (Superman flying position). [1] With a few possible exceptions; e.g. Joe Kochankowski's supine position bicycle. -- Tom Sherman - Near Rock Island |
#3
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Tom,
Thanks for your reply, which validated my thoughts about understeer vs above steer....having my elbows and arms lower and closer to my ribcage would make it easier for my shoulders to tolerate riding the bent. Indeed, making the change from an upright bike to a bent will require a transition of re-learning, but I don't think my shoulders are up to the task, so I am still leaning heavily (no pun intended) toward the recumbent trike instead of the bike. Any others have opinions/experience in these issues? Thanks again, Mark |
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