Back ache

[Deleted member 17694]

Rode down a steep gravel hill last week and hit a few nasty bumps hard along the way, great fun though! For the last week my back has been killing me, but thankfully definitely on the mend now. I'm 56 by the way so it takes me a while to heal from any injury.

I'm sure I'll hit more bumps and thumps but I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to protect my back a bit better, specifically how to soften the jolt up the spine?
- I have a sprung saddle which helps a bit, maybe a gel saddle is better?
- Lower the tyre pressures (I run at 50-60psi), does that make any difference?
- Use a spring seat post?
- ???

Any thoughts welcome...

 

[soundwave]

if you want to do that type of riding then a fs bike is what you want but 50-60 psi lol try 25 ish back and front must have felt like going down hill on marbles with no grip sliding everywhere

 

[Deleted member 17694]

if you want to do that type of riding then a fs bike is what you want but 50-60 psi lol try 25 ish back and front must have felt like going down hill on marbles with no grip sliding everywhere

Really?, that low? I'll deflate them to 25 and give that a go next week.

I'm lucky enough to commute to work on a few hundred metre stretches of tarmac but most of it on forest tracks. The tracks are great fun but have some dips like small craters, hard to see and awful if you go into one. I have a hit a few in succession, it's like being thrown around like a rag doll

 

[tommie]

https://www.rosebikes.com/article/suntour-sp12-ncx-suspension-seat-post/aid:614120

supposedly one of the best

 

[soundwave]

you got no grip off road with hi psi esp on gravel going down hill a sus seat post will help a bit but nothing like a fs bike will feel.

 

[Deleted member 17694]

Maybe I'll get an FS next but I'll deflate the tyres first and see what that's like. Anyone got experience of a sprung seatpost?, does it make a big difference?

 

[Trevormonty]

Maybe I'll get an FS next but I'll deflate the tyres first and see what that's like. Anyone got experience of a sprung seatpost?, does it make a big difference?

Best check recommended minimum pressure on your tyres.

 

[GLJoe]

- Lower the tyre pressures (I run at 50-60psi), does that make any difference?

Lowering the tyre pressures makes a huge difference, however to what level you can lower them depends on the tyre!
You haven't specified what they are. If you were riding the bike in your sig, then its a cross type bike, with I guess tyres around the 38-47mm type width? For that, 50psi might be a reasonable figure, much lower would result in things like pinch flats. 20psi is a very comfortable ride on something like a 2.4" or larger tyre, but asking for trouble on say a 38mm one!

 

[Nealh]

If running tubeless then low pressures aren't an issue, however if running with inner tubes you will undoubtedly end up with pinchs esp on the rear where the weight is heavier even on mtb tyres.
With inner tubes fitted it is trial and error what you might get away with 35 - 40 psi may be the min you can run.

 

[georgehenry]

I use a hardtail without a suspension seat post on a 14/18 mile (different route choices) off road route. If you are doing your chosen route regularly you should get to know the bits to avoid to smooth things out.

On fast bumpy downhill/technical bits I stand up and take the hits through my legs. You can also move your body about and vary the weighting on the pedals for better bike control.

If you have a dodgy back stretching exercises to improve flexibility in your lower back and legs can help. Regular cycling is great cardio vascular exercise but can tighten up ham strings and general flexibility in the legs.

Although expensive finding a good chiropractor for when your back is in crisis can help and they will remind you of specific stretching exercises that help. Sometimes when my lower back has started to play up I have just done the exercises and got back on track.

My own lower back issues are usually brought on by having to sit down for long periods at work rather than riding my bike. Luckily for me riding my bike to work helps more than hinders my general fitness and health.

 

[mike killay]

I regularly cross a cattle grid. I find that standing on the pedals is the answer, because the knees take all the shock.

 

[Gubbins]

I am well into my 60's now and have done all of the above except a sprung seat post and often hurt myself on a big bump I hadn't seen so wasn't prepared for. In the end I went full sus which totally and permanently fixed all my bump and back issues but going full sus is not without issues, not least of which are mudguards and rear rack if like me you need them as they are at best difficult to fit. I tried a backpack for a while but I didn't like the sweaty back I always ended up with so managed a bodged up mudguard/rear rack set up that sort of works but isn't ideal and wasn't cheap.
In the end if your back is suspect then changing tyre pressures and/or other small changes isnt really going to fix it, the only way I was able to continue was to become more aware of the terrain and take the weight off of the seat in anticipation of a jolt.

 

[flecc]

I regularly cross a cattle grid. I find that standing on the pedals is the answer, because the knees take all the shock.

I don't like suspension on bikes and that includes sprung seat posts. I do the same as you over rough stuff, raising myself on the pedals letting my leg muscles act as the suspension.

That's very good exercise for fitness too.
.

 

[chris_n]

If your back is too straight you feel the hits more, is the seat at the correct height, are the handlebars too high? Just another couple of options.

 

[Gubbins]

I don't like suspension on bikes and that includes sprung seat posts. I do the same as you over rough stuff, raising myself on the pedals letting my leg muscles act as the suspension.

That's very good exercise for fitness too.
.

This is all well and good, is not hard to do and is the sensible way to ride. I tended to suffer when riding quiet tracks, trails, moorland roads with my attention more on my surroundings than on the road imediately in front and missjudging a pot hole or other obstacle resulting in jaring my already damaged back.

 

[Deleted member 17694]

Thanks for all the comments. What I have learned here is;
- My tyres have a min/max of 50-85psi, I can take them down quite a bit, I'll try 60.
- A suspension seatpost could be a significant help, but might have some fitting issues
- Exercise for the back muscles can help
- Know the terrain, if I know I'm going to hit a bump or heading into a bumpy area then rise off the seat
- Don't ride into puddles (don't know how deep they are)
- I use my bike on and off road, but maybe move to an FS one day

 

[flecc]

- My tyres have a min/max of 50-85psi, I can take them down quite a bit, I'll try 60.

That will still be uncomfortable. Although the manufacturer's ideal pressure range for easy cycling is that marked, you can go quite a lot lower without harm. Tyres with that range I've often run at 35 to 40 psi which has never resulted in any damage, and will be much more comfortable. It's just a bit harder to pedal on the road, since lower pressures create more drag.
.

 

[Deleted member 17694]

That will still be uncomfortable. Although the manufacturer's ideal pressure range for easy cycling is that marked, you can go quite a lot lower without harm. Tyres with that range I've often run at 35 to 40 psi which has never resulted in any damage, and will be much more comfortable. It's just a bit harder to pedal on the road, since lower pressures create more drag.
.

I feel a tad nervous dropping below the minimum for the reasons previous posts have mentioned, although I'm sure there's some margin in those figures. My tyres are Schwalbe Marathon Mondrial, any experience running those lower?, they're ~40mm wide.

 

[Trevormonty]

I've run 700x45 tyres at 40psi for gravel roads and makes huge difference to handling. The big risk when running below 50psi is pinch flat if you hit a big pot hole.

While full suspension MTB are great they are also very expensive to maintain, rear shock and all pivot points need annual shop services. The other alternative is hard tail MTB with fat tyres 4-4.8" or plus tyres 2.8-3.0".

 

[flecc]

My tyres are Schwalbe Marathon Mondrial, any experience running those lower?, they're ~40mm wide.

Nearest to that I've run is Schwalbe Marathon Plus 38 mm run at 35 to 40 psi, with no problems.

Remember, as I posted above, the manufacturer's lower figure is as much about low drag for easy cycling as tyre protection. Schwalbe also make wider tyres for comfort, such as their Big Apple and Fat Frank ranges, both recommended for running at very low pressures at down to 2 bar (29 psi), so 40lbs on our less wide tyres isn't too extreme. Your own weight is a factor of course, I'm quite light at circa 68 kilos in outdoor clothes.

Try in stages if nervous, starting at 45 psi.
.