Bike Set Up Question
Lady Penelope
Posts: 26
in General Chat
Does anyone know what part of my bike set up would lead me to suffer from back pain across my shoulder blades?? I think I need to do some tweaking, but not sure what to do first?
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Comments
it might be a case of too much weight being taken through the hands so some posture alteration might help, or adjusting the handlebars/stem.
could be that you are taking too much of your torso weight on your arms or also using your arms to push you back up into your riding position. could indicate that your bars are too low or too far forward.
could also be that your saddle angle is too low at the front. put a spirit level on your saddle (front to back) and initially set it so the saddle is level as a start.
ithurts.
http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/ ... kefit.html
This one more basic
http://www.cliftoncc.org/static.php?con ... bike_setup
Another
http://www.coachcarl.com/training_articles/bike_fit.htm
Also try getting a friend to take pictures of you on your bike, the problem may become immediately obvious. If all else fails you can post the pix here and I am sure one of our little groupette could help.
How long does it take for the pain to start? One fairly easy adjustment that might help is to flip the stem over. It will make the bars a little higher, you can also rotate the bars a little so that the hoods are closer to your body.
The other really important thing that can help is engaging your core to hold you up, rather than propping yourself on your arms. If you use those core muscles and keep elbows bent then it should reduce the pressure on the shoulders.
Does it happen fairly soon after starting a ride? Do you shift position much. Try rotating road the three positions (drops, hoods, bars) on a regular basis.
Your lower back, stomach muscles my not be supporting as much of your weight as they should be - so that you are leaning on your hands, rather than supporting yourself from your core muscles - with a relatively light touch on the bars. Investigate some lower back/stomach strengthening exercises. Concentrate on supporting your weight with your core, and being relaxed with your upper body and shoulders.
If the seat is at the correct height,then raise the front bars by adding a spacer,and possibly get a smaller headstem,this will also reduce the pressure on your wrists.
Tinkering with it yourself could lead to a lot more pain before you find a comfortable position.
Whereabouts are you? I'm sure between us we can recommend a decent bike shop...
Thanks
Have a look at this , hope it helps ?
http://www.roadcycling.com/cgi-bin/artm ... w.cgi/3/67