Managed 48miles...

nickyhoward55
nickyhoward55 Posts: 148
edited September 2011 in Road beginners
I decided it would be a great idea to get dropped off in grimsby and ride home (~50miles). What i didnt count on was a 20mph head wind and the cold!!!!!

Anyway, im glad i did it, i managed just short of 15mph average which i was quite pleased with because of the head wind (almost all the way). My legs/breathing/hands/energy etc were great but my shoulders...oh how they were hurting! I have a pretty weak left shoulder (dislocated many times over the past 10 years) but im wondering if theres anything i can do to reduce the pain i get in my shoulders/upper back.

I need to tilt my saddle forward a little, but thats to reduce pressure on my groin.

Any tips?

Thanks

Comments

  • LongIslandTom
    LongIslandTom Posts: 51
    Sheldon Brown has a section on posture and shoulder/back pain which I found helpful in solving my riding discomfort. Take a look and see if it might apply to you. http://sheldonbrown.com/pain.html#neck

    Hope this helps.
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    Get a bike fitting. It will make a world of difference to your time in the saddle and will be money well spent. I'm sure someone on here can recommend something up your way.
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • mikeyboy12345
    mikeyboy12345 Posts: 187
    nickyhoward55 wrote:
    I need to tilt my saddle forward a little, but thats to reduce pressure on my groin.

    Are you sure your saddle isn't too high?
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Wrath Rob wrote:
    Get a bike fitting. It will make a world of difference to your time in the saddle and will be money well spent. I'm sure someone on here can recommend something up your way.

    ^^ WHS
  • Cleat Eastwood
    Cleat Eastwood Posts: 7,508
    nickyhoward55 wrote:
    I decided it would be a great idea to get dropped off in grimsby

    Thats got to be the best opening line of the century.

    Anyway, if its your longish ride then you can expect some pains somewhere. I did an 80 miler a few years back and got achey shoulders. I'd hastily changed the stem and seat and sure enough as suggested above it was the saddle height that caused the probs.
    The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
    momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
  • velvetytoast
    velvetytoast Posts: 161
    I've also got a mashed shoulder (took up riding because I couldn't windsurf anymore) and although there may be shouts of "it won't make a blind bit of difference to your riding!!" I'd suggest a bit of weight training - bench press and bent over row mainly.

    you'll probably find the neck goes off when you get used to being in the position for longer periods, but if your shoulder is bad you need the upper body strength (and rotator cuff strength) to do the rides
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Generally, upper back, shoulder and neck problems are due to over-reaching, lack of flexibility, bars too far away/ low down. bike fit recommended.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • bobtbuilder
    bobtbuilder Posts: 1,537
    Cleat Eastwood wrote:
    nickyhoward55 wrote:
    I decided it would be a great idea to get dropped off in grimsby

    Thats got to be the best opening line of the century.

    Sounds like a euphemism for having a poo! :lol:
  • nickyhoward55
    nickyhoward55 Posts: 148
    haha thanks for the replies folks.

    On inspection, i probably did have my seatpost a little high so i dropped it down half an inch, went for a quick 12miler and it seemed fine.

    Im currently riding a min of 2 times a week (18 - 30 miles each) and 1 or 2 spinning sessions at the gym a week.

    I think a bike fit would be ideal but i dont have a LBS within about 15miles so if anyone knows of a decent one around doncaster the info would be greatly recieved :)

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