Sizing up

[Hilltopperny]

For the past couple of weeks with the changes in temperature and so on I have been experiencing lower back pain. It all started after doing a paver fire pit. I was wheelbarrowing pavers uphill on soft ground as if I was still in my 20's and setting everything up. It wasn't until the next day that I had some nasty psiatic pain which developed into a lot of morning stiffness in my lower back that has not completely gone away.

It's something I have been dealing with on and off for over a decade now, but the past few years have been relatively free from any longer bouts of constant pain and discomfort! The only time it has gone away over the past week and a half is while on the bike, driving with the heated seats on and after my rides. Of course my solution was to pick up a bike with a higher stack height and see how it goes!

A Pegoretti Mxxxxxo in Texas Flood popped up for sale in 55cm. The reach is identical to my 54cm Round, but with a taller stack height. It came with a 110 stem, 44cm bars, 175mm crank arms and a zero set back post. I adjusted everything to my liking and got it out for a short group ride last night.

The Mxxxxxo bike has me stretched out less than the Round and a little more forward on the bike and over the BB. I really like the riding position so far, but will need a few more rides to see if it is a better fit than the Round!

Fwiw my Moots Baxter is a medium with high stack and 56cm top tube, my Mosaic has higher than average stack height for its respective size and my medium 951 Gravel is 56cm medium. All three of these bikes are very comfortable over the long haul at 5'8 with 32" inseam and 72" wingspan.

Anybody else decide to size up as they aged or based on a similar situation? Did it work out in the long run?

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[Likes2ridefar]

I don’t size up but learned that most everyone’s road bike fit is how I fit on a higher stack/shorter reach endurance geometry or gravel geometry fit. I steer clear of pure road bikes always now since the drop is too much unless a high rise stem is used.

[tv_vt]

Why does a bike of that size have 175 cranks on it? Hope you ditched those asap. (Nice looking bike!)

[lorenbike]

Developed some back pain in the my early 30s since working more on a computer. Tall and lanky profile which doesn't help. A few years later it still flares up from time to time.

Along with that, I've realized I can't do the long, low, high saddle to bar drop on road bikes anymore. So, I've also sized up on frames to get the taller stack height, however that also usually comes with a longer reach. That usually means compensating with a 100mm stem instead of the usual 110/120mm stem length. Threadleas I go with a 0deg stem. Ice also found that that tall quill stems (eg nitto technomic) work well too on 80s era road bikes get the bars up without looking too bad as well as the usually shorter horizontal toptubes.

I rode gravel for years on wider drop bars, and have also switched back to the old skool bar width = shoulder width so around 38-40cm bars which has surprisingly also helped a lot too with my back.

Good luck!

[Hilltopperny]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

Why does a bike of that size have 175 cranks on it? Hope you ditched those asap. (Nice looking bike!)

The bike was definitely too small for the original owner. It didn't get much use because of that. It looked like he had significantly higher seatpost and the stem was on top of a 40mm spacer. I figure the 175s were also part of that equation!

I rode it last night and wasn't really too worried about the crank length. I didn't really notice it too much! I have a Super Record 12spd group here, but kind of like the 11spd group a little better! I do need to find an 11-28 or 29 cassette as the only 11spd I had on hand is the 11-32 and the SR-11 RD pulley wheels will rub in the 34-32.

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[gbcoupe]

We never learn, do we. Sounds exactly like something I would do, have done and will do again, re the pavers. I've had off/on lower back issues for decades. Once the spasms subside, on the bike feels better than anything else. Also good to keep moving.
I'm a little taller than you, but with shorter legs. Funny that all of your bikes are just a touch longer than my liking. A chunk of saddle setback and 8-9cm drop feels better to me than forward and high stack. No cookie cutter fits, whatever works is cool. Maybe hang on to it for more than a couple weeks to see? That said, I usually know straight away if it works for me or not.

[Hilltopperny]

Originally Posted by gbcoupe

We never learn, do we. Sounds exactly like something I would do, have done and will do again, re the pavers. I've had off/on lower back issues for decades. Once the spasms subside, on the bike feels better than anything else. Also good to keep moving.

I'm a little taller than you, but with shorter legs. Funny that all of your bikes are just a touch longer than my liking. A chunk of saddle setback and 8-9cm drop feels better to me than forward and high stack. No cookie cutter fits, whatever works is cool. Maybe hang on to it for more than a couple weeks to see? That said, I usually know straight away if it works for me or not.

I think the plan is to give them both at least a month and see which set up works best!

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[weisan]

Originally Posted by Hilltopperny

at 5'8 with 32" inseam and 72" wingspan.

Anybody else decide to size up as they aged or based on a similar situation? Did it work out in the long run?

Hill pal, we have very similar body dimensions and i am sorry to hear about your suffering, I can relate with my own personal journey.

The answer is yes. I have bikes in the garage that range from size 49 all the way to 59. I use my contact points as starting position and then adjust until i feel good on it and it rides the way i want it. I am not afraid to make drastic changes. No rules. I am willing to try different things when it comes to cycling... because a) it's my bike, it's my life, I do whatever the hell I want and I will extend the same latitude and freedom towards you and b) cycling is too important to me, to my overall well being, I will do whatever it takes to keep me on the bike for as long as I can.

I am an unapologetic extremist and an eternal experimentalist. I get enormous amount of satisfaction and fun out of doing what I do.

Here are a few examples.

The Spectrum as Clean39T has it set up before he sold it to me. Mind you, clean pal is like 6'3"+ maybe more.


This is how I set it up



This is a recent purchase - a serotta duetti listed as 58cm.

[Hilltopperny]

Originally Posted by lorenbike

Developed some back pain in the my early 30s since working more on a computer. Tall and lanky profile which doesn't help. A few years later it still flares up from time to time.



Along with that, I've realized I can't do the long, low, high saddle to bar drop on road bikes anymore. So, I've also sized up on frames to get the taller stack height, however that also usually comes with a longer reach. That usually means compensating with a 100mm stem instead of the usual 110/120mm stem length. Threadleas I go with a 0deg stem. Ice also found that that tall quill stems (eg nitto technomic) work well too on 80s era road bikes get the bars up without looking too bad as well as the usually shorter horizontal toptubes.



I rode gravel for years on wider drop bars, and have also switched back to the old skool bar width = shoulder width so around 38-40cm bars which has surprisingly also helped a lot too with my back.



Good luck!

I am dense with wide shoulders, so a little wider bar tends to be comfortable as long as the stem length is appropriate. Winter aside from riding definitely leaves me a bit more sedintery than I would like, so likely the reason I am feeling it this year more than others.

I do have a shed full of late 70's and 80's steel bikes to play around with this summer after I get them all up and running again. I may play around with some of those as well.

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[Hilltopperny]

Originally Posted by weisan

Hill pal, we have very similar body dimensions and i am sorry to hear about your suffering, I can relate with my own personal journey.

The answer is yes. I have bikes in the garage that range from size 49 all the way to 59. I use my contact points as starting position and then adjust until i feel good on it and it rides the way i want it. I am not afraid to make drastic changes. No rules. I am willing to try different things when it comes to cycling... because a) it's my bike, it's my life, I do whatever the hell I want and I will extend the same latitude and freedom towards you and b) cycling is too important to me, to my overall well being, I will do whatever it takes to keep me on the bike for as long as I can.

I am an unapologetic extremist and an eternal experimentalist. I get enormous amount of satisfaction and fun out of doing what I do.

Here are a few examples.

The Spectrum as Clean39T has it set up before he sold it to me. Mind you, clean pal is like 6'3"+ maybe more.


This is how I set it up



This is a recent purchase - a serotta duetti listed as 58cm.

I have definitely been experimenting with my bikes and fit the last few years. I definitely can ride different bikes and sizes, but the tendency for the past two years is to go a bit taller in the front on most of them! I am also a fan of doing whatever I want to my bikes!

I have obviously been through a tremendous amount of bikes over the years and this winter and early spring have brought in a bunch of extremely nice bikes. I have already parted ways with the two with the most drop. The one was easily the fastest position I have been capable of in years and reasonably comfortable, but I didn't see myself being able to maintain that position for too much longer!

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[zlin]

Bodies are funny, do what is comfortable. But the best part of this thread is that I’m reading you have two pegs in Texas flood?! Awesome.

[rothwem]

I'm 37, so I'm not really experiencing arthritic hips. With that said, I have a sedentary job and have had on/off back issues related to picking my toddler daughter up out of the bath with bad form last year. I did something to my piriformis, which causes sciatic nerve pain on and off.

When it comes to bike fit, raising and/or shortening the reach to the bars doesn't really seem to help me. A lot of the back pain I experienced is related to me not recruiting my glutes (and using my lower back instead) during the pedal stroke, and opening the hip angle actually makes it more difficult to do that. I've also started doing a lot of strength/mobility work--planks, fire hydrants, hip bridges, couch stretch, laying down single knee to chest stretch, etc etc. Pain comes back if I slack off, but for the most part I'm good now 6 months post injury.

Basically, I think I'd pursue some PT before making major changes in your bike fit. And pay attention to your lifting form! Engage your core and glutes when lifting, even if its relatively light like a single paver or a baby.

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

Why does a bike of that size have 175 cranks on it? Hope you ditched those asap. (Nice looking bike!)

right, doesn't he know all about the newest crank length trend?

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by zlin

Bodies are funny, do what is comfortable.

Bingo.

I thought my neck issues would be helped by having a taller stack and less reach -- but that just exacerbated the problem.. left me scrunched and hunched, because I like to ride at speed and can't climb or pedal hard on the flats/rollers while sitting up in the wind with all my weight on my rear-end.

So, what's working for me right now is sitting further forward (less setback), with a moderate amount of drop (10-12cm) and reach that gives me bent elbows and good support when sphinxin'.. the key though is my head/neck position, and being mindful to look with my eyes, not with my forehead. Plus off-the-bike stuff -- stretching and such. And not doing more miles than my body can support (even if my legs/lungs want to go all day).

If I did different types of riding, I'd probably have a different answer and need for a different fit on the bike. YMMV. Etc.

[Cloudofheaven]

As someone who also experienced lower back pain in the past, I recommend doing PT. I'm 5'8.5 with a 31.1'' inseam, and a 81'' wingspan. I have a job where there are days that I sit 8-12 hours.

I got a professional bike fit early on when I started cycling after I a bought a 53cm Pegoretti Responsorium. Even though I have long arms for my height, it was recommend that I use a 100mm stem along with short reach handlebars. In addition, the bike fitter told me that I should've sized up in order to gain stack height for my level of fitness and flexibility at the time. The bike fitter referred me to do PT for gluteus medius strength, left hip mobility, asymmetric pelvic rotation, and hamstring flexibility.

My back pain went away after a couple months of PT. I still ride the same Pegoretti but have lowered the stack height and switched to a 120mm stem.