My Back Hurts

[itlives]

I rode about 800 miles about a month ago (one day) and thought I was going to die.

You've got me beat by 140 miles for a one day ride. I also did it with stock seat raised up in the front. My legs are more uncomfortable than my back during those long days.

 

[kpinvt]

OCR has a back support on his NC. I keep forgetting to ask him about it.....
I usually pack enough stuff on my long distance trips that I have a back support.

I think his is a Utopia backrest.

 

[Ed Up]

Sorry itlives, my longest was 1097, the last IBA. It was lots of fun but the back was really bad. The next day was like a bad hangover, best I can remember. Headache, cottonmouth, and hurt all over.

 

[fratermus]

I broke my lower back many years ago and sometimes it hurts on bikes (not the NC so far). When it does I cinch down a kidney belt and it seems to help.

 

[itlives]

Sorry itlives, my longest was 1097, the last IBA. It was lots of fun but the back was really bad. The next day was like a bad hangover, best I can remember. Headache, cottonmouth, and hurt all over.

Oh Boy! you really got me beat. I'm planning a trip to the north rim of the Grand Canyon and plan on doing the IBA during it. I say I'm planning, so far, I've just been googling how far it is from here to there for the IBA and the route. Still don't know the time - maybe late spring next year. I'll talk to you about it when we meet.

 

[AAdams]

Try Shad Comfort Seat. It's an aftermarket seat I just installed. Like it. Will see after a long ride how I feel about it then.

 

[dduelin]

I'm about 150 lbs and an inch shorter. Just my opinion I think I'd try something easy and remove the risers. I've got stock bars and wouldn't mind them an inch lower as I like to lean a little forward. I was on the stock seat for about 26,000 miles. It was box stock until halfway into that when I raised the nose of the seat about 3/4". On the stock seat and bars I did an IBA SaddleSore 1000 and a Bun Burner 1500. Personally I like a hard seat and eventually moved to a Sargent just about a 1000 miles ago.

 

[Bullseye]

I too am in the "Bad Back" club. I am 43 and weigh 190lbs, 5'10"..... found my back did hurt after only a few miles in the saddle. I had a "seat concepts" on my last bike (KLR) and it was decent...so I phoned up Robert and chatted with him for a bit about what I wanted in a seat !!! So I got a SC seat with one step softer foam (I gots a boney butt, you know !!! LOL) and after a couple of trips (to break in the foam) ........ I like it !!! Much better than stock !!!
I too put risers on.... a little better but the seat made the most difference !!!

 

[Ed Up]

I too am in the "Bad Back" club. I am 43 and weigh 190lbs, 5'10"..... found my back did hurt after only a few miles in the saddle. I had a "seat concepts" on my last bike (KLR) and it was decent...so I phoned up Robert and chatted with him for a bit about what I wanted in a seat !!! So I got a SC seat with one step softer foam (I gots a boney butt, you know !!! LOL) and after a couple of trips (to break in the foam) ........ I like it !!! Much better than stock !!!
I too put risers on.... a little better but the seat made the most difference !!!

That's good to know. I was thinking of that seat. I didn't want to spend the money and get no relief. I could just imagine getting the seat, putting it on, and then wishing I had the stock seat back. It seems I spend lots of money to get things I don't always like. This trial and terror stuff gets expensive and I end up with a pile of stuff I don't want. That hind site gets me in trouble entirely too often. I have the Givi Trekker bags (33L and 46L) and really love them. But I find I have them off more than on. On camping trips I leave the top case off and use a 50L dry bag.

 

[backtochain]

Mid way, just below shoulder blades

That's where mine troubles me. Leaning forward as dduelin mentioned is what I do. To me when the spine absorbs the bumps in the road at an angle rather than sitting upright it seems better for the back at least my back anyways. Another thing I do is take an aspirin or two especially if I'm planning a long one.

 

[Ed Up]

I have removed the seat mod and have a 4 hour ride tomorrow. If that don't give me relief I will remove the risers, as I have the same ride Saturday. Not sure how that will work, I generally don't like the leaning over sport bike style. It's just not comfortable for me. I appreciate all the help and recommendations, they will all be tried until I get it right.

 

[Ed Up]

Bama, you nailed it. I put the seat back to stock and no back pain. What a relief, I didn't really think that would work, but it did. So now for the comfort, I'm going to try and find a good sheep skin. Thanks for all the help, my back appreciates it.

 

[bamamate]

Glad that worked. Now if you could help with this thorn in my side........

 

[fratermus]

Mid way, just below shoulder blades

I had terrible pain just below/inside my shoulder blades. Found an ADV (?) thread where an MD said rhomboid cramps are common with riders. He advised doorway stretches in that thread; felt GREAT and the pain greatly diminished when I kept the rhomboid stretched out. [my lower back pain is from crushed vertebrae so stetching is not as helpful there].

stand in doorway.
hold arms straight out, turn palms outward and hold onto doorframe
lean back and trust your fingertips to hold you up. No arm or back muscles are allowed to participate. Feel those muscles near the shoulder blade extend and loosen. Shoulder blades feel like they're coming around the sides. Oh, man. That's good. The trust part is important; it's hard to really let go of the arm/back muscles until you get it the first time.

Now repeat with arms lower so hands are closer to hip level. And repeat with arms higher so hands up closer to head level. The three arm positions work the middle, top, and bottom of the area.

Optional cooldown: refreshing beverage of your choice.

Here's a similar thing that's probably safer if you tend to lose your balance after a few "cooldowns":
[video=youtube_share;j4NyH5YNLl4]http://youtu.be/j4NyH5YNLl4[/video]


Here's a

 

[happy]

On rides that are longer than an hour I wear a Back-A-Line back support. It works for me.

Back-A-Line Dynamic Back Support

I think I paid around $25 for one in my size on Ebay.

I have had back issues with my L4 and L5 lumbar for years.
Several years ago, I used to wear a similar back/kidney belt from the motorcross range.
This thing which you recommended, with all due respect, is nothing more than that.

And one more thing, it supports your back to a certain extend only. The BEST solution is to build or rebuild your muscles around your spinal cord to really address the backaches. Go swimming. Play more sports. Also concentrate on your abs muscles infront.

I have been playing tennis every week for the last 6 years and I have NO backaches anymore.

Sorry to come across as preachy. It is really that simple. Do not rely on such belts to cure your issues. But it is certainly a good thing to wear during long rides (say 30 mins or longer).

Cheers,
Joe