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  • 3 weeks later...

I decided this belonged here instead of starting a new thread. 

A few months ago I picked up a new salsa timberjack single speed and I’m getting some serious pain while on it. 

Here are a few things to note:

~ about 45 min in to each ride my lower back starts seriously aching, to the point that I have to cut rides short

~ none of the other bikes do this, I’ve even ridden my Fargo on all of these same trails with no issues like this

~ haven’t ridden a single speed since I owned a Gary Fisher Triton in Lafayette and Houston (7+ years ago) 

~ I am very accustomed to hard tails, and have been exclusively on one for the last 19 months

~ I bought this bike in Colorado, and in the 4 weeks I had it there I only got about 4 good rides on it due to vacations, packing and moving, but in those rides I don’t recall any lower back pain at all, much less like this  

~ adding to previous post, the trails I was riding there were tons more climbing (especially big climbs) but none of the rough chunk like here, so I had to torque like I do here, but not the pounding and abuse on my body 

~ my previous hard tail (diamonds back carbon sync’r) seemed as stiff, if not stiffer than this bike 

~ similar to the previous post, the sync’r and this bike are very similar in geo. 1 degree here or there, but nothing crazy 

Now that we got all of that out of the way, my question is: What is causing this pain?

My 2 thoughts are: 

1. My body is not accustomed to the constant torque it is under due to the riding single speed. Always torquing my lower back left and right is just wearing it out and over more time I will get stronger and the pain will be less. If this was the case, I’d think I’d have had some pain in Colorado, too, but can’t recall any.

2. The frame is stiffer than I thought and this bike is simply beating the shit out of me, directly into my lower back. 

If 1 above is the case, I’d think a group set could fix it. 

If 2 above is the case, I’d think a new bike could fix it.

Any thoughts on this? Any way to test some possible solutions? 

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A different saddle to bar height would be something that could cause back issues. The need to generate more power can also cause back problems. Different stack height could potentially cause you to be more weight forward on the bike causing back issues. Bar rise and stem length are also something to consider along with TT length a longer top tube will cause you to stretch out more putting stress on your lower back.

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For me lower back pain on a geared bike is an indication I’m going too hard.  On a geared bike I will try to spin it out.  On a SS I don’t have a choice but to just walk it up ledges.  The pain is also a reminder to me to do more core.  For me it is normal to have LBP when going back to MTB (especially 1/4 notch) after a long break from MTB.  The worst thing I can do is go ride 1/4 on a SS after a while of rising road.

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  • 1 month later...

My neck/ shoulder issues are back! Arg. Left side of my neck is tender and several places on my left shoulder and back are bothering me. Went on a short, chill-pace ride on the road bike yesterday and my left hand went tingly, then numb within a mile.

I had been working with Endeavor for physical therapy last spring and I thought I was over the hump and recovering, so I ended it a few months ago. False start. At least I still have my full range of motion in my left arm, which was severely limited earlylier this year, but I can't ride with numb fingers and an achy shoulder. Back to PT I go!

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On 8/8/2021 at 9:07 AM, bestbike85 said:

~ about 45 min in to each ride my lower back starts seriously aching, to the point that I have to cut rides short

I had a similar situation a few years ago. I could only ride for about 30 minutes before it became unbearable. the answer was CORE WORK. There could be any number of bike fit issues that are fighting your body, but your body is the main issue here. many of us sit in front of computers all day and don't move around enough. if the muscles that support your lower back are not strong, your spine will take the weight and it will hurt. I started working with a chiropractor who emphasized putting me in his gym three days a week to do planks (among other things) until I wanted to die. it worked.

FWIW, I ride singlespeed exclusively and have for most of my time riding bikes. currently on a Karate Monkey with a 120mm fork and a SS steel "gravel" road bike with a drop bar and 47mm tires. whenever things start to hurt, I get nervous that my days riding simple bikes might be over, but I persevere and get stronger until I feel better. I'm approaching 40 now and if I keep this up, I expect at least another decade before I "need" a squishy old man bike.

Edited by mack_turtle
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1 hour ago, mack_turtle said:

the answer was CORE WORK.

Same here. I realized sitting at my computer with one hand up on the mouse and sitting in my car with the same hand up on the wheel was causing a pinch in my left side. Squats and deadlifts have helped me. I should probably do more planks, but I hate them so much. 

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My 53 years of life includes five years as an active duty Marine, about 20 years of playing soccer up to the point of being invited to try out for the Olympic Development Team, and 29 years of cycling both mountain bike & road.  Throughout all this, my major injuries include breaking my collar bone in 2008 when someone rode up behind me while I was on a teeter-totter, which resulted and me falling off the high end, as I fully expected it to drop like it did every other time.  The next broken bone happened on Labor Day two weeks ago 33 miles into what was supposed to be about 55 miles of road spinning.  

 

Chuck and I popped out at the end of the Shoal Creek Hike & Bike Trail onto 31st St heading northbound.  The "bike infrastructure" consists of dome shaped bollards cemented to the ground to delineate the bike lanes from the vehicle lanes.  I took my hand off my bar to get water, struck a bollard, and was sent to the asphalt going only about 10 MPH.  I fractured my femoral neck at its thinnest point about half way just below the ball and socket.  The surgeon, a cyclist himself, installed a combination plate and screw with two screws through it and my bone and another screw above that.  Two weeks after the surgery, I am walking with a cane but will not be cleared to ride off a trainer until Oct 25 at the earliest, which results in me missing a Bentonville trip with my buddies and riding in Big Bend with another group of friends. Bummer. 

Femural hardware.jpg

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1 hour ago, WhoAmI said:

My 53 years of life includes five years as an active duty Marine, about 20 years of playing soccer up to the point of being invited to try out for the Olympic Development Team, and 29 years of cycling both mountain bike & road.  Throughout all this, my major injuries include breaking my collar bone in 2008 when someone rode up behind me while I was on a teeter-totter, which resulted and me falling off the high end, as I fully expected it to drop like it did every other time.  The next broken bone happened on Labor Day two weeks ago 33 miles into what was supposed to be about 55 miles of road spinning.  

 

Chuck and I popped out at the end of the Shoal Creek Hike & Bike Trail onto 31st St heading northbound.  The "bike infrastructure" consists of dome shaped bollards cemented to the ground to delineate the bike lanes from the vehicle lanes.  I took my hand off my bar to get water, struck a bollard, and was sent to the asphalt going only about 10 MPH.  I fractured my femoral neck at its thinnest point about half way just below the ball and socket.  The surgeon, a cyclist himself, installed a combination plate and screw with two screws through it and my bone and another screw above that.  Two weeks after the surgery, I am walking with a cane but will not be cleared to ride off a trainer until Oct 25 at the earliest, which results in me missing a Bentonville trip with my buddies and riding in Big Bend with another group of friends. Bummer. 

Femural hardware.jpg

Sorry D.  This video has always helped to pump me up after all my injuries and surgeries:

 

Better, Stronger, Faster!

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21 minutes ago, olddbrider said:

Welcome to Club Titanium! The cost of entry is very expensive and often painful, but... well, there is no but.

And no, you won't set off the metal detectors at the airport.

I've been a member since 2005 when I lost an eye to a septic staph infection that almost killed me.  Doctors installed a 17mm titanium sphere, and my ocularist constructed a prosthesis over the scar tissue that was my sclera.  

This surgery definitely increased the number of pieces of metal in my body!

Edited by WhoAmI
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1 hour ago, olddbrider said:

Welcome to Club Titanium! The cost of entry is very expensive and often painful, but... well, there is no but.

And no, you won't set off the metal detectors at the airport.

I'm sure I've (through my insurance mostly) funded at least one year of one of my orthopedist's kid(s)' college.

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So Sunday will mark 10 weeks since I broke my collar bone and dislocated my shoulder. I am back on the bike and had a couple rides from Brushy up through SN in the last week or so.

Tonight I tackled Picnic and 1/4 and Rim. I unfortunately snapped a spoke exiting Rim and took the walk of shame back, But damn it felt good to be back in the saddle  

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30 minutes ago, Cafeend said:

So Sunday will mark 10 weeks since I broke my collar bone and dislocated my shoulder. I am back on the bike and had a couple rides from Brushy up through SN in the last week or so.

Tonight I tackled Picnic and 1/4 and Rim. I unfortunately snapped a spoke exiting Rim and took the walk of shame back, But damn it felt good to be back in the saddle  

Damn dude, I wondered why I hadn't seen any activity from you for a long time. Hopefully no surgery.

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