New road bike after 25 years: what soreness is normal?

[tiva]

HI-
Today, after 25 years without a road bike, I finally chose one: Cannondale synapse feminine compact 5. And for the first time, I used clipless pedals (shimano road, with touring shoes, since I have a long, rough gravel driveway to walk to get to the road). At the lbs, they spent a lot of time with me, fitting both the bike and the pedals, and letting me practice in the trainer for quite a while until I felt comfortable. I only fell once when I got the bike home and tried the clipless pedals for real, and that was because I was trying it on the lawn--bad idea! The pedals felt great, and very natural very quickly, so that's a relief.

I have been riding on a cross bike (Schwinn supersport gs) with road tires for 7 years, as my back healed from an injury, but I hadn't been on a road bike since grad school (I'm 48, and my usual sports are cross country skiing and sea kayaking). I went with the more upright frame geometry of the synapse (versus, say, the trek 2.1 and cannondale caad), in part because of past back injuries, and in part it felt much more comfortable during the test rides.

My questions are:
1. how long does it take for someone new to a road bike to get her body used to the geometry? My neck was a bit sore after 8 miles on the bike today, and my arms were also a little sore, and my bum was a bit sore too (I'm used to a cut-out saddle on my cross bike, and I'll get one for this bike too). And I could feel my knee a bit--not soreness, but consciousness, which could have been from the fall or from just learning to use the clipless pedals (the pedals have a lot of float in them). Sore arms and numb feet weren't unusual on my cross bike after 20 miles, but I'm really hoping that as I get used to the road bike, develop my bike muscles a bit more, and learn to ride better, they'll go away.

But how do you know when soreness is just because the road bike is using new muscles, versus because it's not fitted correctly? (The shop took my height and inseam measurement, and 2 people spent a fair bit of time looking at me on various bikes (and trading seat posts around), and they seemed confident that the bike that felt most comfortable to me was putting me in a good riding position.)

What's a recommended riding schedule to help your get your body used to a new bike?

Thanks for advice! I'm very excited about my new road bike--I used to love to tour in grad school, and it's great to have my back feeling strong enough finally to be back on a road bike. And I'm really happy that I wasn't too much of a klutz to feel comfortable with the clipless pedals today!
Nancy in WI

[Aquila]

It sounds like you're doing great! Congrats on your new bike.

I'd say, go with what feels good for your body, and if it doesn't feel pretty good in three or four weeks (that's what it take my rear at the beginning of the season to really get into shape), then check back with your lbs?

[zoom-zoom]

Dang, how did you get a compact (I have the same 2010 bike)?! I got tired of waiting (late last year) and the shop owner was able to get a triple, but I regret it. I never use the granny gears and I'm not all that happy with the shifting.

As far as pains...my butt is getting better for gradually increasing distances. I definitely had the sore neck thing for a while, but that's much better, too. I rode for an hour or so several times/week on the trainer all Winter. My first few longer rides in the Spring were not really "comfortable," but my comfort is definitely increasing as my miles increase.

[annielynn]

Congrats on getting back in the saddle! :)

I know from my own personal experience, it was about 2 weeks of riding before the soreness in my body went away. I just steadily rode a little longer every time I would get on the bike and by the end I was feeling pretty good. If you are still having issues after that I would definately take you and the bike back to the LBS for them to take a look at your fit.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

[tiva]

Thanks for the encouragement! This morning I did 10 miles, the first leg straight into a 15 mph wind up a hill (not a steep hill for my cross bike, but for me on this new bike in a stiff wind, a steep hill!). I'm less sore after this ride, and trying to keep my distances short while I get my body used to the new position.

I also realized: this is the first "real" road bike I've ever ridden--my old Dawes back in grad school was a heavy steel touring 10 speed (and I loved going on 40 to 50 mile day rides on it). I have a lot to learn about riding a light, responsive road bike! Such as:

-how do you stand up to pedal up hill? It felt completely unstable when I tried a few times today, so I didn't.
-how far ahead of you do you look to keep your neck in a reasonable position? I was trying for about 10 ft ahead of the front wheel, even though most of the time I wanted to look much further ahead?
-which direction do you lean when you're on a sharp curve? If you're curving to the left, for example, my natural instinct is to lean left, with my left foot down. Is that right?
-and finally, how flat should your back be?
thanks! Nancy in WI

[Zen]

-how do you stand up to pedal up hill?

The same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

[sundial]

-how do you stand up to pedal up hill?

Just came across this article from REI:

How to Climb Hills on Your Bike

All the elements of good technique come into play when climbing hills on your bike. Maintaining good balance, both fore-and-aft and side-to-side, is a key to success. And keep in mind that climbing hills on a road bike is different than doing so on a mountain bike. The main difference involves the presence or absence of traction.

Climbing Hills on a Road Bike

Assuming conditions are good—meaning you have traction—climbing on a road bike is a matter of getting the most power for the energy you spend. The gut reaction of any beginning cyclist is to stand in the pedals and drive each pedal forward stroke after stroke until the crest of the hill is reached or the cyclist collapses from exhaustion.

But with a little technique, you can avoid burnout.

Stay Seated
When possible, keep your rear end on the seat and keep your cadence high. This assures a maximum transfer of your energy into power. Need more power? Drive your rear end to the back of your seat as you push on the downstroke. Also, lean forward. Keep your elbows flexed but pull on the side of the handlebar opposite from your downstroke. This helps you use your gluteal muscles as well as your leg muscles.

If You Must Stand
Sometimes the hills get very steep and you need even more power than sitting allows. Here, the danger of losing energy to the bottom of the down stroke is greater. But with some generous body English, you can make the bike work for you.

If you've ever been on a ski machine or elliptical trainer in a gym, then you've actually used a technique that helps with a standing climb. As the ski machine makes its oval-shaped revolutions, you weight and unweight your feet, keeping your body over the weighted foot. If you pay close attention, you'll find that your hips and shoulders move side to side just a bit to give the downstroking leg more power.

Now imagine that same motion on a bike. That side-to-side motion has to be more pronounced to obtain a full revolution of the pedal. Unfortunately, this means that your body has to move side-to-side in great energy-wasting motions. So don't move your body—move your bike.

As you begin the downward stroke, lean the bike away from the foot delivering the stroke. Keep your body in a straight line over the weighted foot. Lean forward on the handlebars to deliver even more power, but keep your elbows loose. As the weighted foot finishes its stroke, transfer your weight to the other foot. Use the bike as a lever to help pull your weight over to the other foot. The bike should now be leaning toward the unweighted foot and your body should be in a straight line above the weighted foot.

Pay very close attention to your pedaling technique. Really think about moving the foot back as if you're scraping your shoe. Then pull up on the pedal and step forward until that foot is ready to deliver another stroke.

Practice: Pedal with just one foot and try to get the push-scrape-pull-step motion down so that you're delivering a smooth circle full of power. Do this a hundred times. Now do it with the other leg. Once you feel comfortable doing this with each leg individually, start using them both to climb that hill.

The Mental Game
Now that you've got your technique down, you may want to pay attention to the mental part of climbing. Most good climbers have not only learned when to stay in the saddle and when to stand, but also how to trick themselves into staying in the saddle longer or standing longer when needed.

Most professional cyclists do this by focusing on minutiae while keeping an eye on the big picture. They think about each revolution of the pedal and ask themselves questions. Did I step over the top skillfully that time? How was my body? Was it straight? Such thoughts help dispel the pain of the climb and make each pedal revolution a practice for the next.

But there is still the hill to climb. Along with questions about minutiae, professional cyclists generally take the hill in chunks and insert a dialogue regarding this aspect of the climb. "All I have to do is make it to that rock up there. Good! Now if I can make it to that mile marker ... what is it? Ten yards? I can do that." Then picture yourself making it to the top. The important thing is not to bite off too big a chunk of ground to cover. When you make it to each marker, compliment yourself like you've just won the Tour. Added up, the markers lead to the top of the hill and the thrilling descent.

http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/climb+hills.html

[tiva]

The same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

Learn to play the viola? Really?
Oh, I get it: practice! Duh.

Thanks for the REI article--that's really helpful.

[Biciclista]

replace the saddle and get fitted again. That's a lot of soreness you are talking about.
How's your core?
Congrats on the new bike.

[nscrbug]

Congrats on the Synapse Fem 5! I am currently trying to hunt down a Synapse Carbon Fem 3, with no luck. :( I will likely end up waiting for the 2011's to come out.

I would think a little bit of soreness would be normal, especially if it's been 25 years since you've been on a road bike. Give your body a bit more time to adapt to the new geometry. For what it's worth...I too, have a chronic back condition (vertebral slippage at my L5/S1) so finding a comfortable bike that I can do long distances on is extremely important to me.

Happy riding! ;)

[tiva]

How's your core?
.

Pretty good--in the winter, I skate ski or classic ski 4 or 5 days a week, and in the summer, I teach sea kayaking and rolling. But off seasons aren't the best for keeping my core in shape--I hike with the dogs and work on our farm, but that's not really core work.

[marni]

you need to work on your core dailly as well as your arms and shoulders. It is your core that supports everything else and takes the stress off your shoulders and arms as well as supporting and providing leverage and strength for your legs. Work into the riding slowly, go slightly over your absolute comfort level but not to the extent of injuring yourself. Personally it takes me at least 200 miles to adjust and toughen up to a new saddle even if it is exactly the same make and model as the previous one and somewhat less time if I tweek my fit in any other way.

Hang in there, strengthen up your core and arms and shoulders and work into the miles and if it doesn't get better, consider a refit.

go you

marni

[OakLeaf]

Definitely put a saddle on that you think will work for you, before getting re-fit. Even a slightly different saddle completely changes the way I sit on the bike.

[tiva]

Thanks--I have a new saddle on the way.

[MommyBird]

I am back on a road bike after 20+ years. I have a Synapse Carbon 6.

When I started last fall my biggest issue was my elbows. It went away after about 5 rides.
I have had one seat issue. Started at around 23 miles on a charity ride. It was strange as it was not my first time at that mileage. I rode to 33 miles that day and it was not fun. I have surpassed that mileage many times since with no problem.
My neck hasn't experienced more than a tinge of mild pain here and there.
My biggest problem is that my left hand falls asleep. I keep a nice relaxed bend in my right arm but I find myself straightening my left and shrugging that shoulder. I have to concentrate to avoid this. Numbness hits around 15 miles.

Sounds like you are well conditioned but you are using some new muscle groups due to the road geometry. I would give it a couple more rides before you start making changes. I thought the elbow issue was going to require a new set of bars and then it was just gone. Poof.

My 17 year old son, who is a competitive rower, is currently getting used to his new road bike. He also skates 8+ hours most weekends. He has my elbow issue and his seat hurts. He can't get out much until rowing practice ends for the summer. We will see how he works through the issues when he can spend some real time in the saddle.

Welcome back.

[chicagogal]

-which direction do you lean when you're on a sharp curve? If you're curving to the left, for example, my natural instinct is to lean left, with my left foot down. Is that right?
thanks! Nancy in WI

Oh No, not right at all!!!!!

If you are turning left, you will lean into the turn. However, your right foot should be down and you should be pushing your weight into it and into the right side of your handlebar. This a) prevents the left pedal from hitting the ground (and possibly causing a crash) as you lean left, and b) keeps your center of gravity in place so you don't skid out.

[tiva]

Makes sense--thanks for the explanation.

[oz rider]

-how far ahead of you do you look to keep your neck in a reasonable position? I was trying for about 10 ft ahead of the front wheel, even though most of the time I wanted to look much further ahead?
-and finally, how flat should your back be?
You had the right instinct to look further ahead, especially in traffic, so you have time to react. Keep scanning and let peripheral vision care of the small stuff.

Re your back, have a look at the pros - there's a wide variation from the fabulously flat Spartacus even when he's on a roadie rather than tt bike. With ToC starting, there should be plenty of coverage. I wouldn't sweat it just yet; you will find what works for you in time, and it will change over time. Certainly if you're battling a head try to get down into the drops to reduce your frontal area, but just enjoy everything else while your position settles and your body adjusts. :)

[tiva]

18 miles this morning, in the wind, on hills! I forgot to check exactly what time I left, but I was out about an hour and a half. For the first time, I rode in the drops while descending, and geared up (down?) enough so that I could keep pedaling on the descents, which made going back up the hills a lot easier. And of course I realized that my earlier description of the turns was exactly backwards--I have instinctively kept my outer leg down, not the inner leg.

Another question: some of our local farm roads are torn up for spring repairs, so they have gravel down instead of the usual pavement. For these short stretches (less than 1/4 mile) do you usually get off and walk, or do you ride through them? They're smooth enough so that it's not painful, but I don't want to damage the bike.

[oz rider]

Another question: some of our local farm roads are torn up for spring repairs, so they have gravel down instead of the usual pavement. For these short stretches (less than 1/4 mile) do you usually get off and walk, or do you ride through them? They're smooth enough so that it's not painful, but I don't want to damage the bike.
Glad it's all working out. :)

For the gravel patches, I'd ride. I just don't understand why anyone would walk when you can roll, hehe. Just try to keep your tyre pressures up (see the side of the tyre for the recommended range) to reduce the chance of a pinch flat on biggish rocks or potholes, and slow down til you're comfortable. And one day when you're spinning lightly, try a slightly harder gear for a short distance to note the difference in bike handling.

[Catrin]

Glad it's all working out. :)

For the gravel patches, I'd ride. I just don't understand why anyone would walk when you can roll, hehe. Just try to keep your tyre pressures up (see the side of the tyre for the recommended range) to reduce the chance of a pinch flat on biggish rocks or potholes, and slow down til you're comfortable. And one day when you're spinning lightly, try a slightly harder gear for a short distance to note the difference in bike handling.

I have been walking such patches myself - so it is safe to ride over the rocks with my road tires? I figured that I've been overly cautious but wasn't sure that it was smart to ride over them...

[oz rider]

I have been walking such patches myself - so it is safe to ride over the rocks with my road tires? I figured that I've been overly cautious but wasn't sure that it was smart to ride over them...
I wouldn't ride over rocks on road tyres. One, rocks are unstable and uneven so you could upset your steering and fall. Loose pebbles/sticks on bitumen are the same; I avoid them. Secondly, hitting a rock with road tyres can cause pinch flats. But if it's smooth enough to be comfortable as in tiva's example (so assuming it's not deep/loose gravel), I would ride rather than walk - and clean the drivetrain of grit afterwards.

[klesko]

When I started riding EVERYTHING was sore. I got a Cannondale Quick 4. I was a real beginner (haven't been on a bike since my Bottechia in college 25+ years ago). My arms and seat were the most sore and my wrists hurt terribly until I started focusing on keeping the straight. It is getting gradually better. I am up to 50 miles per week.