@semitones asks:
Q2. Has anyone experienced low back pain with biking, or is familiar with it? I've tried switching to a bike where I sit upright in the saddle and it helps with acute pain but I still hurt the next day. This is for bike commuting.
How can one avoid lower back pain?
#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite
@semitones @bikenite A2. I have, but the pain feels like the kind of pain associated with muscle fatigue on longer rides. Not saying this is the same issue, but for me, it usually got better after riding more often.
Sometimes the muscle fatigue seems to work the other way. I had mild back spasms in the past that somehow got better after riding my bike for an exercise-type ride.
I don't know, otherwise, but I hope that you are able to find a good solution!
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite
I encountered this book at the library - "Ballistic" by Henry Abbott https://www.writingactivity.com/about and there are a few paragraphs covering bike related back pain. Apparently it can relieved by improving hip mobility. It did for me. There are a couple of pages of warmup exercises that end with hip mobility movements. Those were agonizing at first, but improvement happened. And it helped on the bike.
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite
Building core strength can help with this - when your core muscles aren’t doing their job holding you upright and resisting forces in all kinds of directions, your back has to do it instead, and it’s not as good at it! Crunches are not recommended these days but things like planks, bird dogs, “dead bug” exercises, etc. “functional core strength” as an exercise search keyword.
And if that fails, or if you can afford it probable regardless, see a physical therapist (not a personal trainer) who can assess whether that’s your actual problem or something else is, and tell you what your specific body needs and make sure you’re doing the recommended exercises right.
Jun 12, 2026, 11:32 PM@ascentale @semitones @bikenite A2: I haven't had back pain from cycling at all. On a road bike I can get a sore neck and shoulders over long distances, but that's it. I've pulled a muscle in my back a few times working in the garden though.
#bikeNite
Jun 12, 2026, 11:43 PM@ascentale @semitones @bikenite
A2. I'm usually fine while riding (although can get neck and shoulder pain). But after a longer ride my lower back can be painful, particularly if I try to bend over. I should do stretches but instead I usually just relax and it takes care of itself.
ETA: A bit of dusting just now reminded me that this is not strictly related to cycling!
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite I have a lot of lower back pain from road biking, and I’ll echo a lot of the recommendations made here. For me personally, I do a lot of back stretches and exercises that strengthen the lower back, like straight-leg deadlifts and lunges.
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite I used to have all sorts of aches and pains before getting a bike fit. I don't necessarily think they are magic but it is nice that someone else can be looking at you while you pedal and make adjustments and then check again quickly.
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite The biggest bang for the buck in my mind is the seat height. Putting your heel on the pedal, you should be able to fully extend the leg but not lock the knee which can help keep your hips from rocking back and forth. Check both legs.
I can't comment on seat position but do know it should work with fully supporting your sit bones.
Reach helped me with not having my hands fall asleep and took some pressure off my neck and back too.
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite https://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitness/bike-fit/set-up-new-road-bike-370764 certainly easy to search for other sources but this looks like it has most of what I've seen from a quick skim
@fullywoolly @ascentale @semitones @bikenite Yeah I was going to say, fool around with different seat heights. At the very least it’s an easy variable to work with.
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite
Yep. Reducing the reach (saddle to bar distance) by a few cm helped me a bit although it still comes and goes, probably because I'm getting old.
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite
A2. My solution to low back pain on my road bike was to raise my stem by about 3" over its former position just above my top tube. Higher bars are definitely more comfortable for me, and I don't mind a little extra wind resistance because I'm not chasing speed or records when I ride the road bike.
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite oh sorry missed the bike nite thing, first time experiencing it!
@fullywoolly @semitones @bikenite enjoy! It can be asynchronous, so no need to worry about specific timing
Jun 13, 2026, 2:00 AM@fullywoolly @ascentale @semitones @bikenite many of us jump in later :) or earier...
@geonz @fullywoolly @ascentale @semitones @bikenite ... much later... 😃
Jun 13, 2026, 1:59 AM@ascentale @semitones @bikenite #BikeNite A2. I do not experience lower back pain from cycling, per se; my lower back pain comes from past, unrelated injuries.
That being said, a properly fitting bicycle for the style of your riding is important, because the right bicycle configuration will encourage the right posture. Your spine should arch forward in the lumbar region, not backward.
You might want to investigate balancing your weight between saddle, pedals, and handlebar, as well as…
Jun 13, 2026, 2:01 AM@ascentale @semitones @bikenite …making sure you are using a saddle width, a handlebar width, and a pedal width and crank length that works well for you.
You may not know what the "right" sizes are for your body and style of riding without some experimentation.
Jun 13, 2026, 2:04 AM@ascentale @semitones @bikenite Generally speaking, as another respondent noted, you want your leg to be almost fully extended at the bottom of the power stroke, but where exactly this ends up being in relation to your saddle height is dependent on the style of bicycle and its geometry, and crank arm length. Ideally, you should also be able to touch the ground with the tip of one foot, at a dead stop, but different bicycles have lower or higher crank axes, road lower than off-road, generally.
Jun 13, 2026, 2:06 AM@ascentale @semitones @bikenite A lot of riders in the current era are discovering that the "standard" crank arm length (usually 170 mm) might actually be too long for their needs and comfort. You might want to try shorter cranks, 165 mm or 160 mm, or even shorter.
@gcvsa @ascentale @semitones @bikenite
Although I generally agree with you, the "standard" length of the crank arm afaik often goes with how tall you are and therewith the size of the frame. My standard size was 175mm, but I was indeed advised to use 172.5mm instead based on bike fitting.
Jun 14, 2026, 12:48 AM@tinyspheresof @ascentale @semitones @bikenite I was referring to industry standards. Most modern bicycles are supplied with 170 mm cranks.
@gcvsa
I see what you mean now, nicely documented on https://cyclingarchives.com/crank-arm-length-2026-complete-guide-sizing-formulas-pro-trend-165mm/
"170 mm 173–185 cm 80–88 Default road for most adult amateurs"
Fascinating. Didn't know that. Thanks for this. I also see the 165 you mention, pros using that nowadays. Although the few persons that they mention are a lot shorter than I am.
It's a pity I don't have a cadence meter to be able to compare old and new bike. But the hip space argument mentioned certainly applies.
@ascentale@sfba.social @semitones@tiny.tilde.website @bikenite@fedigroups.social A2: It depends heavily on what's causing your lower back pain. I have two herniated discs (L4-L5 and L5-S1). They used to cause me pain frequently, but it gradually got better as I lost weight and rode more. In my case, building muscle around my lower back has definitely helped.
#BikeNite #MastoBike
Jun 13, 2026, 2:40 AM@ascentale @semitones @bikenite A2. I've felt it when biking more strenuously, especially with the drop bar bike. I wouldn't say it lingers past my rides, but my commutes aren't terribly long either.
Getting a good bike fit would certainly help, not that I've done one. But if your back hurts, it's either a weak back or a bad position, so a bike fit would fix the latter and probably help the former at least. Some light resistance training for the bike couldn't hurt, either.
Jun 13, 2026, 2:47 AMNot really here, but this flashed by and…
…my first thought was "the bike needs a gym membership?"
Jun 13, 2026, 2:58 AM@Amgine Only if you're willing to take your bike to the gym, though you may need to do most of the work 😉
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite #BikeNite A2. I had this issue until riding enough boosted my core muscles so my back didn't have to do so much work. A PT and particularly a sports PT might be able to help.
@ai6yr @ascentale @semitones @bikenite endorse
A good professional can help
Sometimes even a university trainer can at no or lower cost
@ai6yr @ascentale @semitones @bikenite #bikenite A2: yeah any soft tissue stuff I go trundling off to the physio for advice in the form of weird little exercises.
@nickzoic @ascentale @semitones @bikenite LOL weird little exercises
@ai6yr @ascentale @semitones @bikenite An agonizing pain in my right elbow was fixed with a bunch of neck exercises which I now habitually do when I'm thinking at my desk or riding long straight trails.
@nickzoic @ascentale @semitones @bikenite 🤔 (flexes right elbow... wonders how that is connected to one's neck in any way).
@ai6yr @ascentale @semitones @bikenite Despite the pain being in my elbow, it actually had nothing to do with it, actually a bulging disk at C5 or C6 was squishing the nerve causing referred pain.
@nickzoic @ascentale @semitones @bikenite Fascinating... I know a bunch of Chinese acupressure and acupuncture is deliberate stimulation of connected nerves (ie relieving pain by intercepting some nerve and stimulating it).
@ai6yr @ascentale @semitones @bikenite yeah, or TENS machines work much the same way, but in this case it was more about limbering up some specific neck muscles to help the disc get back to its proper shape.
Jun 13, 2026, 2:07 PM@nickzoic @ai6yr @ascentale @semitones @bikenite +1. Pinched nerves are no fun, feels like I'm getting stabbed with an ice pick. Other possible symptoms: extremity (arm or leg) pain (nerve being stimulated) or numbness (nerve damage, signals being cut off) or restriction in movement (can you rotate your neck, torso, etc the same amount left or right? See your doctor, an X-ray or MRI can illuminate what is going on. Bike related, also see a fitter.
@ai6yr @nickzoic @ascentale @semitones @bikenite
🎵🎵 The elbow bone's connected to the... neck bone? 🎵🎵
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite A2. I used to get it pretty frequently. What helped me was getting a frame that my size, doing yoga routines to work my core, and getting a diagnosis and medicine for ankylosing spondylitis. That last one probably won't help you, but man did that make riding a bike easier... "Wait, you can *walk* the day after a long ride?!?" #bikeNite
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite A2. Lots of great advice on bike fit already & definitely start there. An additional suggestion to check out some stretching exercises on top of that. I’ve had a good experience with Dynamic Cyclist videos - in addition to general stretching, they have series focused on specific areas including lower back. There’s a free trial if you want to see if it’s a fit for your needs (no connection, just a satisfied user). https://new.dynamiccyclist.com
#BikeNite A2: If I get back pain from cycling it's almost certainly because I'm leaning too far forward. It's a muscular pain, not nerve pain like some people I know get with chronic back pain.
I "clench" when I ride. I should relax my shoulders, sit up straighter, not grip the handlebars so hard, and slow down some. When I do that I don't get back pain, or sore hands and wrists, and I enjoy the ride a lot more, too.
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite #bikenite A2: from the excellent "Bike Fit" by Phil Burt ISBN: 978-1-4081-9030-2
@nickzoic @ascentale @semitones @bikenite
Another recommendation for Bike Fit - I definitely found it worth reading.
https://www.kobo.com/GB/en/ebook/bike-fit-2nd-edition
@nickzoic @ascentale @bikenite I am very curious here about leg length difference and building up. Do they mean push more with your longer leg and then the shorter one just kind of catches up?
@semitones @ascentale @bikenite I dunno I'll have to read the next bit and find out! I think maybe "shimming" whichever leg is shorter with an orthotic but the book is rather inconveniently downstairs and it's dark and raining out there :-)
Jun 13, 2026, 1:15 PM@nickzoic
Inserting myself into this conversation since it's relevant to my interests and situation 😅
@semitones @ascentale @bikenite
Jun 14, 2026, 3:02 AM@viq @nickzoic @semitones @ascentale @bikenite I have a 12mm shim under my right cleat. The bike fitter thought this might be too much due to my leg length discrepancy not being evenly distributed above and below my knee (my right leg is 15mm shorter), but this shim is smaller shims glued together, so hard to adjust. #BikeNite
@semitones @ascentale @bikenite There was more in the book (1st Ed) about how to identify the issue but not about what "building up" means in this context.
@nickzoic @ascentale @bikenite i suspect it might refer to putting shims in the shoe of the shorter leg? Maybe?
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite A2 yes... sounds like you've done the first thing I'd suggest, the next one would be to use a lower gear if possible so your lower back and hips aren't working as hard to turn the pedals. Also bike fit. And a lighter bike. But some of the other answers here are way more comprehensive and knowledgeable, as usual. Looking at you, Gemma 😃 #BikeNite
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite
#bikenite #biketooter #fedibike
A2.
Bike fit - get a professional bike fit!
The friend I am riding with next weekend is same height as me and similar build but his legs are 15-20 cm shorter - we are just not all built the same.
And if you are spending any amount of time fixed in position you need to be in a comfortable and sustainable form.
@ascentale @semitones @bikenite
#bikenite #biketooter #fedibike
A2.
When I started commuting I had knee and back pain,
To the extent I was getting worried that the ibuprofen gel would stop working.
Recommended in line to get Condor Cycle bike fit.
Bike fitter raised saddle (those longish legs), put a 2mm shim in left shoe, fixed cleat position, & recommended slightly shorter stem (for when I could source one).
Solved overnight. I now get fatigue after 4hours plus but no pain
@MatthewNewell @ascentale @semitones @bikenite
Shims are often a simple fix but no everyone is aware they need them.
@Pionir @MatthewNewell @ascentale @bikenite can a shim stay on the pedal, or always in the shoe?
@semitones @Pionir @ascentale @bikenite
The shim goes on or in shoe. I have one leg shorter than other so my hips rocked (lower back pain) and knees flexed laterally (knee pain). I needed to equalise length and stop the rocking and flexing.
So I use either a 2mm footpad under the ball and toes but not heel. This goes underneath an arch supporting aftermarket innersole (specialized blue). Or I can use a 2mm plate between cleat and outer sole of my riding shoes - this has same effect
@semitones @MatthewNewell @ascentale @bikenite
The chap in my club who needed them had them on the sole of his shoe.
While it might work on the pedal, it would change the balance of the pedal and potentially interfere with the clipless mechanisms so I think always on the shoe.