Need to get rid of pains caused by distance!

[Veronica]

My lower back was KILLING me. Stopped and stretched a couple of times, and I kept trying to flatten my back out, but.....it kept hurting. I think this may be a fit issue, but I am not sure.
My pubic area was really....hot? I think?...I don't even know what to call the feeling - my crotch was just hurting me. Not chafing - just pain. The saddle seems to press on my labia (i think that's what it's called).
Lastly, my big toes were hurting me. The shoes aren't too small, maybe my foot was sliding?

The back and numb fingers sound like a fit issue. On your next longish ride try to keep your hands on the top of the bar, or go down into the drops, but try staying off the hoods, just to see what happens.

The pubic area stuff sounds like either your saddle is a poor fit for your anatomy or it needs to be tilted a bit diffrently.

Feet - sounds like they swelled in your shoes and maybe you need a larger size..

Good luck and keep riding!

V.

[eclectic]

Cheri all of the above has happened to me too

1. Wheezing - happens to me all the time no matter how good a shape I am in , I have allergies and asthma, I work around it best I can with medication

2.Wedging gloves - As I get tired I lean more on my hands, as I got stronger this eased up also I have some gloves I like the fit on better than others

3. Hands going numb - if I am in a pace line trying to keep up I don't shift hand positions regularily so my hands go numb, talked to some of the experienced riders it happens to them to. Suggestion, shift hand postions regularily and as you get stronger this should ease up too

4. Back, pubic area, (with me also neck and shoulders) - I put on a shorter stem (for me 2" shorter), moved my seat foward about 1/4" and slight tilt down, less than 1/4". This also eased pain in my arms and hands as I wasn't leaning on them so much to stay balanced, the weight went back to my sit bones where it was supposed to be (I think in a previous post you mentioned you are long legged, short torsoed) - I would very seriously consider checking out your stem length and handle bar postion in relationship to your seat, I don't race but I like to tour so my handle bars are level with my seat - I even used a level to check and low and behold they were exact!

5. Feet - Do you use clipless pedals and road or mtn bike shoes?
When I was on standard pedals with clips my foot and leg were going numb after 12 miles. I saw it was how my foot was pronating, as I pedaled I was putting pressure on the inside of my foot. Switched to clipless with a wide float and a road shoe with a very stiff sole, now my foot stays in the proper position (I also try hard to keep my heels down as I pedal.) And I loosen my shoes after a bit if it is warm out - that makes a big difference in pressure

And congrats on the hill!
I say walking counts - you are still moving and if you didn't walk what then? ? ? roll back down ? ? ? keep riding it and soon you'll make it all the way !
We have one hill here that if you stop it is too steep to start up again and too narrow to go sideways to start, so walking is the only alternative unless you want to go back to the bottom and try again

Keep up the great riding and hope you can get the aches and pains solved.It took me doing longer and longer rides to fine tune my bike, in some cases the adjustments were miniscule. What didn't hurt at 10 miles hurt at 25 and what didn't hurt at 25 hurt at 50. Longest ride to date has been 65 miles and the bike felt GREAT Hurray! ! !

Keep me posted on what you try and what the results are.
Oh and as someone suggested previously only make 1 adjustment at a time so you know what works, I discovered some adjustments made everything worse (Mark your old settings before moving anything so you can put them back in the same spot if necessary)

[DebW]

Your gloves may just need some time to stretch. I got new gloves a few weeks ago and noticed them wedging into my webs the first couple rides with them. Never had this with other gloves, but it went away, so guess they stretched out.

[Crankin]

I have found that gloves with any gel padding make my hands go numb. I have one pair that have been washed so much, it doesn't hurt any more, but I have 2 pairs that my husband ordered for me on line that i just can't wear. I buy the plain Terry gloves with no gel at all. That might help you.

[Kimmyt]

The gloves thing just started happening to me on the last ride I was on. But then I noticed that I had torn a small hole in the part that hits my webbing, and I guess when I had put my gloves on I'd put my finger through the hole and not the finger opening. Guess that explains it!

Also I've noticed the cutting into my webbing things some other times, but mostly when I'm doing a lot of scary fast long downhills as there seems to be more weight on my hands then and I am usually deathgripping the brakes/hoods.



K.