Sore elbows?

[cobalt]

When I was at the store and saw the gel to test sit bone distance I tried to get my 3 daughters to do it so (if they chose to) we could see if they would have an easy time with childbirth like I did. They all refused and left the store. They are all college aged, it's not like I was asking 10 year olds to do it.


Anyway...

Good hint about having the seat level, mine is not.

The saddle that I have is a Planet Bike and was only $20 something. I thought it was too inexpensive but it is pretty comfy for me so in this case, price did not dictate quality.

I wanted to get out today, haven't gone in december yet and we are trying to ride each month. We have fog and icy rain, temp in the low 40's which is great for Wisconsin. Maybe tomorrow??? We could go 20 feet and technically, we'd have ridden in December.

[tulip]

Cobalt, I've found that strengthening my core has really helped with my position and comfort on the bike. When you have a strong core, you can hold your body up with your core and not lean on your arms so much for support.

Your elbows should be springy and slightly bent. Position and a strong core are both important. Pilates really helped me get strong through the middle.

[lunacycles]

My question is: why are your arms fully extended? That is, why is that what you want or have a tendency to do? Is your body preferring to be more upright, so you ride with your elbows locked to avoid bending over? If that's the case, Tulip's advice might help a lot.

If you are pretty fit and have neck or back pain when you bend forward to allow a bend in the elbows, you also may need to tweak your fit to accommodate your body better.

If you are already reaching too far, moving your saddle back is probably (imo) going to exacerbate the problem.

Locked elbows is really a recipe for problems.

What happens when you try to ride with bent elbows?

Have you had a bike fit done?

Just some questions before you try radical changes.

[cobalt]

I am not fit... yet. I have lost 65 lbs over the past 18 months and have another 40 to lose. My core could use a lot of work.

When I bought the bike it was fitted to me.

I would say that when my lower back bothers me I go upright and that is when I lock my elbows. That just occurred to me when I thought about why I stay up. I do like to go down into my drops but not when my back is sore. So a bit of a revelation. My back didn't bother me at the start of the summer and my elbows did not either.

As I lose over the winter I am hoping that this will help my lower back. I suppose I could do the exercises that I saw my athletic father do every night for his back.

Thanks a bunch and happy new year!

[tulip]

I never ride in the drops...just so you know that it's not required. It does sound to me like perhaps you are stretching out too far. I'd suggest going back to get a second fitting--your body has changed alot since you started and your bike fit might need some tweaking.

Great news about the weight loss! Get working on that core. You don't need to wait. Sign up for a reputable Pilates class, you won't regret it.

[cobalt]

Thanks Tulip!

[lunacycles]

I am not fit... yet. I have lost 65 lbs over the past 18 months and have another 40 to lose. My core could use a lot of work.

When I bought the bike it was fitted to me.

I would say that when my lower back bothers me I go upright and that is when I lock my elbows. That just occurred to me when I thought about why I stay up. I do like to go down into my drops but not when my back is sore. So a bit of a revelation. My back didn't bother me at the start of the summer and my elbows did not either.

As I lose over the winter I am hoping that this will help my lower back. I suppose I could do the exercises that I saw my athletic father do every night for his back.

If you are having low back pain it is often a sign you are reaching too far. It may be a fitness thing, it may be anatomical. Sometimes increased fitness helps, sometimes it doesn't. If you didn't get a professional fit, i.e., if a salesperson set you up on the bike but you didn't have body measurements taken plus a "fit session," then the bike still may not fit ideally for you, as it is and as you are. From what you are telling me, it might really benefit you to try a shorter stem. This is just a hunch, but I do a lot of online fit troubleshooting with my work. A shorter stem is maybe a $30 investment, and it will instantly reduce your reach. You may at the same time get a stem with a bit more rise. The goal, in my mind, is that you are comfortable on the bike without locking your elbows. Stems are easy to swap out, so you can experiment without spending a lot of dough.

Often as you get more fit on the bike and/or strengthen your core, your back gets more used to the position and you will want to stretch out your position more (and return to using a longer stem). But it shouldn't be forced into initially. IMO There is no way to be efficient on the bike if you aren't comfortable. Your position doesn't sound comfortable yet to me.

[RoadRaven]

I do like to go down into my drops but not when my back is sore. So a bit of a revelation.

Isn't it interesting how different we all are... I prefer to be in the drops when my back is sore!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Isn't it interesting how different we all are... I prefer to be in the drops when my back is sore!

Yeah me too. We are indeed all different!

[RoadRaven]

Yeah, Bleecker... and i like my TT bike as stretching out on the aeros feels good too