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In my never-ending and frankly depressing battle with various low back issues on the bike(s) in general, I thought I'd hit upon something recently with a change to my saddle position but more importantly a change to how I sat on the saddle, basically rotating my pelvis forward more, flattening my back out and sticking the bum out. This was aided by using a Specialized Power Arc saddle which I keep coming back to on bikes then abandoning for something more conventional.
On the bike the rotated pelvis position feels great, more reach, easier access to drops, can engage glutes more, the old Steven Hogg 'superman' test is easily achieved, win-win-win.
But after 100km of otherwise reasonably easy miles on Christmas Eve my back has been in bits ever since.
Only theory I've read that made any sense is that by flattening/extending my back TOO much, my bigger extensor muscles basically disengaged, and the smaller stabiliser muscles ended up doing more work and got cranky.
Big improvement tonight after accidentally getting slightly drunk on some very nice red wine, back feels a million times better. Wonder how can I achieve the same effect without the liver damage and brain cell death? 🙄
Was the Xmas Eve ride significantly longer in duration than rides in recent weeks?
Ha! Good question, I didn't think it was, but in actual fact longest ride before that was a 4hr/80km gravel/mud-fest on the 27th Nov, and since then a couple of 2-3hr rides and scattered 1hr efforts on the turbo.
Didn't think I'd lose condition for longer rides so quickly but it's a good point...
Haven't you just described what it is to tilt your saddle forwards slightly? In the past (and on MTBs) we used to say keep your saddle flat, but that's no longer the advice.
I am certainly no expert but it sounds to me that the problem is your back, not your bike (s). First step for me would be to see a good physio.
Would agree with AA ^^. If I've not ridden any given bike for longer than 10 days or so, I need to recondition myself to it. The hardtail and the gravel bike require least work, as a) I ride them the most; b) they're the most easygoing in terms of fit. The big bike plays havoc with my glutes and hip flexors as its got a much steeper SA than anything else. The summer roadie always needs a few hours on it before my lower back is comfortable in the drops for extended periods.
Also how much supplementary work are you doing? Generally mobility and stretching, plus dedicated strengthening stuff like deadlifts and squats? Makes no end of difference to my general bulletproofness.
Also what was the terrain like - you move round less on a road bike so a 100km flatish road ride could have you in one position for long time.
I would say that you need to strengthen your back (and thereby correct muscular imbalances). The best way to do this is to join the gym and start doing deadlifts/squats/bent over barbell rows/stiff leg deadlifts.
I think chronic stress can also manifest as lower back pain. Either way, weight lifting will address the problem.
I’m glad to see an article in on pelvic tilt
Potentially a huge topic
In brief my problem is that as my back didn’t bend much I think I rely on to much pelvic tilt. This ends up with problems like tight ITBs. I think it aggregates my hip abductors.
My back has been totally pain free Sue moving the saddle forward in the gravel bike. In thought it has solved the hip thinks as well but now I’m less sure
The thing I’ve learnt from this thread is that I didn’t want bikes with wildly varying geometries
You will not be over flexing your lumbar curve - but your muscles have got used to a different "set" when bike riding so the change could cause issues. Doing what you have done is generally a good idea tho as bike riding flattens your lumbar curve especially if you have tight hamstrings
Sorry folks, poorly timed thread, was travelling so haven't seen replies.
you move round less on a road bike so a 100km flatish road ride could have you in one position for long time.
I did wonder this, although I've not been slavish to the whole Z2 thing, I have used it as a pacing guide to long winter rides, so yeah, quite static in saddle etc and not engaging the big muscles like the glutes etc
I would say that you need to strengthen your back (and thereby correct muscular imbalances).
Yeah, I have always been working on strength etc. but not specifically low back as I would basically have been trying to strengthen muscles which were constantly fatigued and twitchy anyway (topic for another thread, it's been done plenty on here anyway).
The saddle and hip position change was an attempt to reduce stress on low back muscles by relaxing the curve and taking strain off the muscles, I'm just curious that they seem to have reacted so poorly!
TJs post probably sums it all up, just too big a ride to try a position change out 🙄