bike fit update

[elk]

I finally got to go on a real ride today..the first one since i got the fit...
went on my favorite: Marine Drive along the Columbia River.

2 unforseen benefits:

1) I pedaled up hill standing up!!!! I was unable to do that before.
2) what blew me away was that I was naturally riding a good 4-6 mph faster without doing anything different!! Where I used hit 14 , I was zipping along at 20...holy bike fit!!

Feels good too, although I can feel my thighs are getting more of a workout and my sacrum is sore...you know like when you get UP it hurts???
My hands are still the part that takes the hardest hit, but it's definately better than before.

bike fit=good investment!!

[elk]

ok..i guess i was hoping someone would say oh...sore sacrum? oh that: is/means/might be______________________

just don't say it's cause i'm getting old.....

[VeloVT]

yeah, it's because you're getting old.

JUST KIDDING !

So it's not your tailbone, right? Not the part that actually might contact the saddle (with some people/saddle combinations, anyway -- my tailbone doesn't seem to get anywhere near my saddle). If it's the tailbone, I would say it might be saddle-related. My bf gets tailbone pain with the wrong saddle.

But -- if you're talking about the part right above your tailbone... what does your lower back look like when you ride? Are your hips tilted up towards the sky (rounding out your lower back), or are they tilted forwards (flattening out your lower back)? I would actually expect the pain you'd get from rounding your back to be a bit higher than the sacrum, but it doesn't seem impossible that it would hurt lower...

Someone probably has a better answer than that though. I tried !

Good luck!

Pretty cool about the 6mph speed increase !

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

If you don't ride often you are bound to get sore during/after rides.

If I do my 5 mile fitness walk twice a week i never get sore from it in any way.
If I do it once a week my hips are sore during the walk and my leg muscles are sore the next day.

If i go two weeks without riding my bike and then ride 25 miles, I am sore the next day in various places, and sometimes have aches while riding too, like my neck and shoulders maybe.
If I ride at least 20 miles three times a week I won't get sore from say a 50 mile ride at all, anywhere.

Not saying this is you, but many folks ride only once a week or so and then blame their bike fitting when they get aches and pains from riding.
It's another possibility to consider.


Very cool about your advances! But I bet 'part' of it is from you getting generally stronger over time from your various increased activities.

[elk]

I don't think the fit has anything to do with my sore sacrum....may not even be ride related..

today's ride was even better... love this bike fit!!!

[Jiffer]

Awesome improvement. Congrats on your new found speed!

Regarding your hands, I don't know if you've already gotten comments on that in another thread, but I have two cents to add (or repeat if others have said).

Make sure you're not putting all your weight on your hands. Your core should be holding the bulk of your weight and your hands should be reasonably light on the handlebars, not getting constant pressure. Also, moving them around to different positions and keeping them relaxed. There are gel things that can be added to your handlebars under the tape that make them more comfortable.

If you don't have carbon forks, that could help soften the ride.

Again, congrats on your bike fit and newly found speed! Woo hoo!!!

[withm]

...2 unforseen benefits:

1) I pedaled up hill standing up!!!! I was unable to do that before.
2) what blew me away was that I was naturally riding a good 4-6 mph faster without doing anything different!! Where I used hit 14 , I was zipping along at 20...holy bike fit!!

bike fit=good investment!!

I'll have what she's having!

Seriously - what adjustments were made to the bike to garner a 4-6MPH increase in speed? Sticking brake pads? Moved seat up/down/forward/back xx inches? Changed from knobbies to slicks? That is a huge increase!

[elk]

I don't know except Lisa is probably right...it is also me getting stronger.

I can feel different muscles in play.

The bars were raised and stem shortened; the saddle pushed all the way back and my seat was raised about an inch.