I cycle to work most days and it's no longer as painful as it was when I started.
But I went out on my new road bike the other day and my wrists and back were really sore after!
Is my saddle too high? Or am I just suffering from tri newbie training pains??
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tribars will help the wrists though - but if you fit them, try them out on a safe road with no traffic first (sometimes you get a bit of a wobble for the first few minutes)
Maybe your bars are too low though and you are putting too much weight on them ? The front of the bike should have about 1/3 of your weight on it. The rear - the rest.
Your back might just be getting used to it I think, or you could be bent too far forwards. Is your stem long ?
You shouldn't be able to see the front hub as your handlebars will be in the way if you are in the correct riding position.
I think I'll try moving the saddle down a notch to see if that helps. Apart from anything else it's difficult to get on and off and I've caught my shorts on it a few times!
I'm not planning on using tri bars - there's nowhere near my house I can test them, as there's a lot of traffic.
Did you get the bike set up initially by the shop? If so I'd take it back and ask for help. I still take mine in and I've had the bike a year!
Wrists and back could be caused by handlebars being set up wrong - at least I read in 220 anyway. The bits connecting the brake levers to the bars (hoods I think) should be parallel to the ground. If they slope away from you I think that could be causing some of the pain. And I had quite a lot of back pain after one long ish ride with the saddle too high.
I don't think a bike should cause you training pains unless you fall off...
Thanks for tips Nate
Will be taking bike back in for a service in a few weeks anyway so will ask then.
Maybe there is also an element of clinging on for dear life because I'm not used to the aggressive riding position!!
I probably need more practice. I have taken the bike to work but it's so potholed it's not very comfortable so that's why I use my MTB.
Women mostly use shorter stems than men as their bodies/arms are shorter. If you sit on the bike and put your head over the handlebars (while you are on the saddle) the hub of the front wheel should be obscured by the handlebars (if you can understand that). That is a good marker for your 'stretch'. if the hub is behind the handlebars then the top tube and stem are too long, in front of it: too short!
EASY!
Don't tilt your levers forwards or backwards!
Please get your position sorted asap!
I think the bike should be the right size - it's a Cannondale r500 feminine, size 47cm and I am 5ft 4 tall. The top tube, handlebars etc are all women specific. My MTB is also about a 47 - Cannondale size small.
You have a better way with words though Lorraine !
;-)
It is so important to have everything right! And so hard to get it right!
I think I will get saddle lowered a tad until I get used to the position and then raise it as I get stronger arms!! I don't want to risk knackering my back. Not with FLM, Edinburgh Marathon, Glasgow Wimmin's 10K, Edinburgh R4Life to do before the tri.
Well it's a wishlist...
It's great to ride and I can enjoy riding it which is the main thing.
If you can't overcome the back problem as a last resort perhaps you could get the bike shop to fit flat bars to your Cannondale.
Translate the measurements to your road bike. Its a start, it's what your body knows. Beware of assuming too much about the saddle too. It is good to make sure you take in to account the many millimetres difference between type of saddle on both bikes.
Once you have the new bike in the right ball park, do short rides and get out the allen key. It may well take you weeks to fine tune it. The 'general guidelines' for where the front hub should be visible etc are OK too, but if you personally deviate, don't worry!
Have fun!
Will get the tape measure out!
I hope I can get either get used to it or set it up better as I will have otherwise have spent rather a lot of cash on a racing bike I can't race with!
I must say running is a lot cheaper than cycling is
The best way to do this without paying to have a bike fit done is to sit on the bike with your heel on the centre of the pedal, what you are trying to achieve from this is a straight leg at the bottom of the stroke.
Not to stretched that your backside moves off the saddle when you pedal backwards still in this position.
Doing this gives you the correct bend in your leg when you put your foot back in it's right position.
Trust me im an expert!!
Honest!!!