What bike for bad back sufferer

Wormishere1

Hi,

My dad used to be a keen cyclist but following a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis a number of years ago he had to stop (AS is a type of arthritis of the back and causes him to have trouble lifting his neck back).

His back has settled down somewhat now and feels ready to get back out again, but he now needs a 'sit up and beg' type of bike that will mean he will not have to tilt his neck back to see the road.

Can anyone suggest a bike that might be suitable. He used to go out for 30-50 miles a day but and would like to build up to this distance again.

Thanks for your help.

mfin

Simply get him to go sit on a few types of bike and see how he feels about each.

A hybrid is probably the answer, although, why not suggest a Recumbent? (really shouldn't get the neck problems then!)

kajjal

You could even get a hard tail mountain bike fitted with slicks as the front suspension would absorb bumps on the road well but be a little slower than a full on road bike. As above try a few styles of bike to find what you need and have a read up on bike setup / fit to give you an idea of what will help relieve the neck issue.

CXrider

Any decent bike store will advise on this as it's a common issue with about 20% of us having some sort of back or neck issue.

They will likely suggest a bike with the right geometry to minimise the issues. This will surely involved a high front tube, raised handlebars and seat positions. You will NOT be looking at an out and out racer.

After finding the right basic bike, the next important thing is to be properly fitted on it as this will stop tension and bad posture issues which is the worst thing for back problems. They will look at things like reach, saddle height and position ERRING on making it more comfortable for longer rides, rather than for racing.

Also.. the riding style then employed should be being conscious of body limitations, focusing on being upright. Never using drops (though a hybrid with straight handlebars is the obvious choice). Certainly, one would need to get back into the riding slowly to build up the core and to give a chance for the muscles to redevelop. Too soon, and there is a risk of injury and slowing progress.

Lastly, advice should be taken for the correct stretches to perform for the specific ailment. This is likely a visit to a specialist although this is presumably something that has already been sourced. Either way, stretching is very, very important, more important than for non-suffering people.

Am not convinced about suspension.. As sometimes the extra effort required to peddle it in some conditions might heighten the strain placed on certain areas. Not sure to be honest.
I would personally opt for 25 - 28 mm tyres minimum and not at full pressure.

Feel free to PM for personal advice and my back issues are very prevalent and have been through all of this before.

mfin

CXrider wrote:

Any decent bike store will advise on this as it's a common issue with about 20% of us having some sort of back or neck issue.

They will likely suggest a bike with the right geometry to minimise the issues. This will surely involved a high front tube, raised handlebars and seat positions. You will NOT be looking at an out and out racer.

After finding the right basic bike, the next important thing is to be properly fitted on it as this will stop tension and bad posture issues which is the worst thing for back problems. They will look at things like reach, saddle height and position ERRING on making it more comfortable for longer rides, rather than for racing.

Also.. the riding style then employed should be being conscious of body limitations, focusing on being upright. Never using drops (though a hybrid with straight handlebars is the obvious choice). Certainly, one would need to get back into the riding slowly to build up the core and to give a chance for the muscles to redevelop. Too soon, and there is a risk of injury and slowing progress.

Lastly, advice should be taken for the correct stretches to perform for the specific ailment. This is likely a visit to a specialist although this is presumably something that has already been sourced. Either way, stretching is very, very important, more important than for non-suffering people.

Am not convinced about suspension.. As sometimes the extra effort required to peddle it in some conditions might heighten the strain placed on certain areas. Not sure to be honest.
I would personally opt for 25 - 28 mm tyres minimum and not at full pressure.

Feel free to PM for personal advice and my back issues are very prevalent and have been through all of this before.

Ankylosing Spondylitis CAN make a lot of a bike fit useless particularly when the effects are advanced. Saddle height, fore and aft are the things that can always be right, but that's about it.

Like I said ...Simply get him to go sit on a few types of bike and see how he feels about each. That's the best place to start.

CXrider

Yep, but a bike fit session can only help.
Possibly more important, is not to just sit on a bike but borrow it for a proper ride.
This will provide enough information on the viability of the bike purchase AND upon feedback on the ride comfort level might help in tweaking the position to improve the comfort,

drlodge

If its the "bending over" aspect that's going to hurt his back, then you want to look for a "Sportive" type frame which essentially has a longer headtube and hence gives a more upright posture.

wishitwasallflat

AS is not a condition where static postures are advised - so for cycling frequent short rides on a hybrid or MTB and plenty of extension and retraction exercises afterwards would be my recommendation.

MIABS

I was diagnosed when I was 28 with Ankylosing Spondylitis, I'm now 35.
I've been riding road bikes for 4 years , previous to that mountain bikes for 20 years or so.
I ride a Ribble New Sportive Racing road bike now.
The relaxed geometry on the frame helps my back and neck.
I tend not to go on the drops too much either.
I would recommend a sportive style bike , one with a few spacers on the headset which would help the back position and have the rider slightly more upright.
I've learnt not to do too long a distance ride, regular stops to stretch the body and keeping moving after a ride to prevent ceasing up .
I've found with the right medication and exercise, riding bikes can still be great fun even with Arthritis.

mfin

Of course a higher riding position will help as looking up to much the neck issues will arise... Seriously OP, just get him to sit on some bikes and see what opinions he begins to form. No oik in a bike shop will know about the condition, and I'd bet a million quid they'll say 'you need a bike with an upright position, there's road bikes that are more upright, then hybrids after that'... it's all a lot of stating the bleeding obvious really! My father was AS diagnosed 40 years ago, the effects are completely individual as are the individual's body proportions. Get him to sit on some different bike types and sizes and see.