Position on MTB v Road

colint

I've been suffering with a back problem for a couple of years which kicks in after being on the road bike for a couple of hours. It's almost put an end to my cycling, can't walk the day after a 4 hour ride, and a 1 hour spin just doesn't seem worth it. If I stretched my bike out whilst on the bike it would help, but without trying to sound dumb I usually forget.

I've been thinking about trying a MTB, is the ride position more upright ? I assume I'd have to move about more on the bike as well which should help things stop siezing up.

I was thinking of something like a Trek Fuel or maybe the Focus Bud
Thanks

daniel_b

Hi Colin,

yes they are a lot more upright, and invariably you will choose a much smaller frame for an MTB as for a roadbike, for example I ride a 56 road bike, but a 17"/19" MTB, which is something like 44cm/47cm

Best thing to do is go to a local bikeshop, and try one out, any mountain bike really, just to see how it feels.

Do you not have a friend or relative with a mountain bike that you could borrow for a few hours?

Are you thinking about an myb because you want to ride offroad, or is it purely for the riding position?
If the former, then yes your right, you'll be altering your position a lot more than when riding on the road, as you'll be out of the saddle for downhills, and shifting back for dropoffs, as well as getting out of the saddle for climbs, plus you'll be pulling a lot more with your arms, and using your upper body more.

If you want to stay roadie orientated, why not look at a hybrid, which is basically a road frame, with flat bars - you could go for a smaller size, or a shorter stem, to bring your body in a bit more.

Alternatively, there are less stretched out road bikes, such as the Trek Pilot (not sure if they still make this though) and Giant do one as well, SCR maybe?

Good luck

Dan

colint

Thanks Dan, the hybrid isn't an option as I still want to ride quickly / aggresively. I've looked at more upright road bikes but the changes in the geometry are minimal really, I think I need a total change of position.

Just been to the local shop and sat on a Marin HT which felt very upright (and weird).

Time to put the road bikes on Ebay I think, gonna break my heart but better than breaking my back !

De Rosa Avant and Spesh S-work tricross anyone ?

daniel_b

Hi Colin,

I can heatily recommend Marin hardtails, as can a lot of people on here 8)

I expect it felt the same kind of 'weird' as when I first went for a rde on a roadbike, I wondered if I had made a bad mistake, and if I could ever get used to it, but on the 2nd ride it all clicked into place and away I went.

If you do want to ride agressively, offroad, then MTB is the only way to go IMHO.
Once you get out on a trail, you'll appreciate the cockpit size of an MTB, and the way you can use your weight, and move yourself around to get you around and over obstacles etc etc.

I don;t know where you live, but maybe see if you can go to a trail centre that hires bikes, I think Swinley forest near Bracknell has a place hat hires them out, or for a more relaxed start, Rutland water does also.

Dan

Milkie

Time to put the road bikes on Ebay I think, gonna break my heart but better than breaking my back !

Have you thought about going to a physio therapist that specialises in cycling?

If you're thinking of quitting which to me is like the end of the world, surely its got to be worth a session or two?

colint

I've been to 3 different Osteopaths who all gave different diagnosis (1 legs longer then the other, my core muscles aren't strong enough, and I don't know). Did all the exercises they recommended, no better.

GP recommended a book "heal your own back" which made it worse ! Ran 8 miles at the weekend, no problem. Sit in 1 position for an hour = agony. Waiting for the results of an x-ray but not holding out much help of a cure.

Andymtb

I've been down the Osteo/Physio road many a time. The trick is to find one that specializes in your problem area. Unfortunately in my experience many of them are very good at certain things but sports related problems often remain a mystery.

My advice - this is what worked for me - is to find a profesional athlete in your area and find out who they see on a regular basis. The pro's don't waste their time on anybody that doesn't get them results.

Good Luck.

Tall Jon

Have you been properly fitted on your road bike? I just went to Cyclefit and, while it wasn't cheap, was very thorough. Something similar could help identify if there's something about your road position which could improve. One thing for me is that my hamstrings are very tight - this is very common for cyclists and apparently can affect your lower back as the hamstrings pull on it. I'm going to start a stretching progarmme.

colint

Thanks John, it was the first thing I checked. Made a couple of tweeks but didn't make any difference.

I think there may be a flexibility problem as well, the sports massage I had on my legs showed up a lot of tightness. However I also get a loud crack sometimes from my back so think it's skeletal as well

Cps

Why not buy a recumbent ?

Iain C

I had someone suitably qualifued fiddle around and alter a disc a bit a few years ago (that's a disc in me, not on my bike) and I've recently came back into cycling. I've got a Fuel and find it very comfy, and the riding position is far more upright than the cheapo 10 year old MTB I had used as a commuter hack for a bit (shorter top tube).

I have a road bike too, and although it's a retro Claud Butler and things have probably changed a bit, I find it very uncomfortable compared to my Fuel.

Full suss helps too of course!