So i have a Raleigh Retroglide beach style cruiser and I like it a lot. I like the upright riding position. In order to get an even more upright position, I raised my bars and lowered my sit a little from where I was riding. Now my lower back hurts and it never did before. I also did this to my wifes bike, same as mine, and she said her back hurts too after our last ride. Does a very upright riding position add more strain to the lower back? Anybody else notice this?
Lower back pain and bikes
- Thread starter MarkF
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tomjasz
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Minnesnowta
All of my bikes are flat foot frames, except my soon to be finished step through. I find there is a sort of balancing act between seat height and handle bar position. I think my Pure frames are slightly more recumbent than my Townie or KHS Manhattan builds. A high quality suspension seat does offer some relief. I’m disabledwith severe back issues but foundthetightcombination of position and seatpost suspension.
mrgold35
Well-Known Member
Does that ebike have a front suspension forks or suspension seatpost? It might also putting additional pressure on the lower back because all that impact from the road is being transmitted and absorbed into your lower back.
It made a big difference on my eMTB adding an adjustable stem to raise the handlebar, added a Cloud-9 11.5X12.5 cruiser seat, and Bodyfloat v2.0 suspension seatpost. Those things helped with numb hands, sore shoulders/arm/upper back, lower back ache, and sore bottom when riding.
It made a big difference on my eMTB adding an adjustable stem to raise the handlebar, added a Cloud-9 11.5X12.5 cruiser seat, and Bodyfloat v2.0 suspension seatpost. Those things helped with numb hands, sore shoulders/arm/upper back, lower back ache, and sore bottom when riding.
ebikemom
Well-Known Member
If seat height is an issue, you might find that a noseless seat allows you to have a seat at the height it needs to be without feeling so much like you are stuck way up high, because none of the saddle is between your legs. This makes it easy to get on and off the saddle, sort of like sitting on the edge of a stool.
Noseless seats are funny looking ... I think that diminishes their popularity. But I love mine!
Noseless seats are funny looking ... I think that diminishes their popularity. But I love mine!
Thanks everybody. The bike is the Raiegh retroglide beach cruiser. I have the older model with the transx motor and a throttle with NCX seat post added. No other shocks. My wife has the new Royal 2.0 model with bosh motor and NCX seat post. I adjusted the bikes so we sit strait up so we could enjoy the scenery better. I will adjust so we sit a little more forward and put some weight on our hands. My wife asked if the body float will work better to help with the bumps over our NCX seat post. I think it will but not sure how much better.
mrgold35
Well-Known Member
I have both NCX and later upgraded to the Bodyfloat and the Bodyfloat does a better job at reducing down to small bumps and vibrations for a smoother ride. You can set the Bodyfloat to "float" on your saddle while the ebike travels under you over bumps and reduce vibrations to your backside over uneven sidewalk cracks, broken pavement, or rough trails. I think they both do about the same over medium-large bumps. The bodyfloat can reduce those annoying little vibrations you get with the NCX because you are still sitting on top of the NCX head and spring mechanism.
Amazon and 30 day return policy to try before you buy to see (feel) the difference.
Amazon and 30 day return policy to try before you buy to see (feel) the difference.
Thanks, i think we will give the Bodyfloat a shot. My wife absolutely loves her ebike and we are already planing bike trips to other states and areas. That's why she was a little concerned about the sore back. We did read that you need to strengthen your core muscles so we are going to start doing the exercises. Our last ride was only a 14 mile one and we both got sore backs. We are planning 30 mile rides and want to take the correct steps to ensure we enjoy them.
mrgold35
Well-Known Member
I really like to ride with padded shorts and/or padded under pants under my MTB shorts. It used to get a little sore down there on longer rides before the padded shorts and wider cruiser seat. The pads might also help with the lower back issue and reduce some discomfort that might result from longer rides. Even my wife won't ride without the padded shorts.
indianajo
Well-Known Member
After age 50, one needs to exercise all the muscles four times a week to make sure they don't deteriorate. I touch the floor in front of my toes 30 times as part of the 4x routine. Don't start any exercise with 30 reps. Start at one rep and work up over many days as you prove capable.
I sit upright, have the seat set where I can only touch my toes on the ground when I stop. I ride a hardtail bike with no suspension fork. I ride up to four hours at a time.
I had trouble with my hips hurting after the 2nd hour out, but finally found a seat that doesn't hurt. It looks like the schwinn wide back seat shown left, but has actual springs in the back instead of two cylinders of hard plastic. I can't recommend where to buy one, it came on a $15 used bike I bought at Salvation Army resale. I have the angle set so I sit mostly on the back of the seat, not the nose. I built a custom frame to move the seatpost forwards an inch from the actual one on the bike since I had to bend forwards too much to reach the handles. **** my Mother's 1946 Firestone bike had the perfect riding position. Pity you can't buy such a thing these days - without the 60 lb steel frame.
I sit upright, have the seat set where I can only touch my toes on the ground when I stop. I ride a hardtail bike with no suspension fork. I ride up to four hours at a time.
I had trouble with my hips hurting after the 2nd hour out, but finally found a seat that doesn't hurt. It looks like the schwinn wide back seat shown left, but has actual springs in the back instead of two cylinders of hard plastic. I can't recommend where to buy one, it came on a $15 used bike I bought at Salvation Army resale. I have the angle set so I sit mostly on the back of the seat, not the nose. I built a custom frame to move the seatpost forwards an inch from the actual one on the bike since I had to bend forwards too much to reach the handles. **** my Mother's 1946 Firestone bike had the perfect riding position. Pity you can't buy such a thing these days - without the 60 lb steel frame.
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scrambler
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Bay Area, CA
The more vertical you sit, the more your will tend to round your lower back which is the main cause of back pain. You also make your spine support all of your upper body weight.
If you actually lean forward, you tend to arch your lower back which opens up the spine in the good way, and it reduces the load.
This is why they make these kneeling chairs to work on computers, so your posture has a slightly arched back and leaning forward.
If you actually lean forward, you tend to arch your lower back which opens up the spine in the good way, and it reduces the load.
This is why they make these kneeling chairs to work on computers, so your posture has a slightly arched back and leaning forward.
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ebikemom
Well-Known Member
I don't think this is true if the handlebars are appropriately placed so the hands rest comfortably on them when sitting with good posture. But, hey, I'm not a bike fitter, just a person who rides upright, without pressure on my arms, for whom bike riding has eliminated my back pain!
My bike is a great ergonomic fit for me. 
DouglasB
Active Member
Actually a kneeling chair does not cause you to lean forward. The main thing about a kneeling chair is that the seat tilts forward. It would seem that this would cause you to lean forward but your knees keep you upright. You are actually sitting with your spine vertically positioned. This results in your pelvis being tilted forward, relaxing your pelvis and giving your lower spine the correct curvature. At least thats the principal. In 15 years of practice, I have found very few people who are actually comfortable in a kneeling chair and in the end it all comes down to what's comfortable. I find at 71 that the most comfortable position on a bike for me is leaning forward over the bars. I have no issues on my road bike, but when I ride my more upright e-bike I'm not nearly as comfortable.
DouglasB
Active Member
What I have discovered in 15 years of office ergonomics is that everyone is different and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. I have had patients who also could not sit on anything but a kneeling chair. I had one client who was most comfortable on the flattest, hardest, most non ergonomic chair available. Another fellow needed a chair that was more of a pillow.
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