Pain in the...
Back in 2006 I wrote an entry called, "Your Bike Doesn't Have To Hurt You!" It was my most commented post to date and really struck a chord with a lot of readers. Seems that many people believe that cycling hurts and that there really isn't much they can do about it. This is just not true. But pain while cycling is a problem that just keeps on giving for many people and especially women. The post that I wrote in '06 didn't talk about women's specific fit and pain issues, but recently I ran across a great blog post that does...
Dear Girl,Read the very informative answer here...
I returned to road biking this year after many years of mountain biking and I have been suffering a slew of issues including a very painful bartholin’s cyst and urethritis. I underwent surgery and several uncomfortable procedures and I am now starting to suffer urinary problems again. I never had a single problem in all the years I was mountain biking. Are there any fit issues that are more related to road riding that I may not be aware of? (I am planning to get a bike fitting with a physical therapist in town who specializes in biking issues)
Any further insight would be greatly appreciated.
A.H.
So, I knew that people in general have issues with saddle comfort but I hadn't given the specific issues that women have much thought (I know, typical guy attitude...) so this post really put in to perspective those issues and gave me a clearer understanding of how to help women find a bike that fits them correctly. Thanks to girl meets bike for that!
posted by Gregg's Cycles at
4:09 PM
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1 Comments:
I celebrate your insistence that cycling should NOT be painful. Coming back to cycling after a 20yr absence, I have had an opportunity to rethink everything, and have relentlessly worked to make my Specialized Roubaix as comfortable as possible.
The first and foremost item in that agenda is getting the right frame size. Without the right frame size you will never be comfortable on your bike.
Second, be aware that once you have the right frame size, so the reach and saddle height are in the zone, all the parts where you interface with the bike should get a lavish amount of attention. Peddles /shoes/socks are a system, as are saddle/shorts, and gloves/handlebars/
tape.
I went through 4 seats, 3 different shorts, 3 sets of shoes, 5 sets of socks, two sets of peddles, 2 different handle bars, 3 sets of tape, 2 sets of bar gel, and 3 handlebar stems and 5 pairs of gloves before finding a good setup. I still am looking for a better set of gloves as those that are comfortable just don't last.
I did 3 centuries this summer and about 1,500 miles of riding. It is a real joy to ride 100 miles and not hurt. Don't put up with pain. It just isn't necessary.
11:55 PM
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