Back Pain- Jump bike sizing?

[Turley]

I've currently got an orange hitman built up but I am finding I am getting lower/middle back pain when I ride it around. This includes doing just mucking around doing flat turns in the car park aswell as riding at hte bmx/4x track. I'm 5'11 and thought the bike was too small but many of you ride bikes the same size or smaller than mine. I currently don't have this issue on my medium SGS and my XC bike (XC bike I do feel it if my forks are too low in travel).

I currently have it set up with a azonic shorty 55mm stem, 170mm crank and the effective TT of the frame is 571mm. Forks are adjustable 70-120mm but I don't feel a difference in changing the fork length. The bar are what I would class as "low rise" and are cut down.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what changes I might do to help with my issue so I don't have to sell my frame and get something bigger?

 

[Richo 18]

Happens to me to. The only thing that ever helps when riding long distance is seat up, nose down(on the seat). But I'm learning to live with it otherwise.

 

[Roid Rage]

I have had lower back issues while riding my small sized bikes and have found a few solutions.
Going to the gym and doing lower back exercises, doing situps, stretching after being on the bike for 5 or 10 minutes and just looking after my posture when on and off the bike. It has made a huge difference for me.

 

[bowzaa]

I've currently got an orange hitman built up but I am finding I am getting lower/middle back pain when I ride it around. This includes doing just mucking around doing flat turns in the car park aswell as riding at hte bmx/4x track. I'm 5'11 and thought the bike was too small but many of you ride bikes the same size or smaller than mine. I currently don't have this issue on my medium SGS and my XC bike (XC bike I do feel it if my forks are too low in travel).

I currently have it set up with a azonic shorty 55mm stem, 170mm crank and the effective TT of the frame is 271mm. Forks are adjustable 70-120mm but I don't feel a difference in changing the fork length. The bar are what I would class as "low rise" and are cut down.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what changes I might do to help with my issue so I don't have to sell my frame and get something bigger?

Do you mean 571mm?

 

[Turley]

yeah 571mm is what I ment. Thanks for the suggestions. I usually do back stretches before I go riding but still didn't seem to help. Thinking about posture and keeping my back straighter will certainly be something I try.

 

[MATT_82]

I used to get it all the time, i tried sleeping face down and i stopped getting it after a few days, no idea why.

 

[slip]

It could be bike sizing, but given people can ride a BMX around without back pain, I'd be far more inclined to suggest the following.

1. Posture, and or postural defects.
2. Flexibility (or lack thereof, and unbalanced flexibility)
3. Riding position setup on the bike
4. Weak back musculature

Anywhere from 1 to 4 of those options.

 

[Stef]

Turls, let's try mucking around with some big dog bars. Your running full cross country parts on that bad boy so perhaps it needs to be more dedicated to it's use. Besides, 'twould be nice to have the Hollowpoint in a permanent state of rideability.

The thing with stretches too, is that ideally you should do a five minute easy walk to get mobility and blood flow. Then the minimum stretches should be held for 30 seconds. I had a trainer tell me last week 2mins, but most people aren't patient enough for this. Also, as you know I'm pretty tall and ride big bikes, but I did race BMX for all those years! So I find focusing on the adjoining muscles to the local problem my main area of focus. So in this case, your gluteals man.

Try this:

Lay back on the floor with your ass resting against the bed as if your seated vertically.

Then starting with a leg of your choice (lets' say left), rest your ankle on your opposing knee and start by applying gentle pressure to the left knee. You won't feel much at this point, but it needs to be held.

Next, use your right leg and hands if needed to pull your lower body towards you. Here it comes! Feel that? Repeat at least twice on both sides, followed by standing hamstring stretching (the usual touch your toes). The real key to this is to do it in the morning and the evening, you'll also sleep much more comfortably.

This stretch was introduced to me by a masseuse that spent six weeks recovering my traumatised gluteals from flipping wheelies and years of crashing.

Works a treat.

 

[Turley]

Yeah, after the 6hour enduro yesterday I think it might be more of a posture/stretching issue now as my lower back was sore and is still tender the day after. Funnily enough, the first thing I noticed different was my glutes are sore. Will try that one you recommended stefan and see how it goes.

 

[mongoosedh]

" Pain in the lower back usually occurs for three reasons:

1) your muscles are inadequately developed for your riding desires
2) your bike’s geometry isn’t suited to your body
3) you're using wrong backhop/pedalkick stance
Reason #1
When you just learn certain backwheel moves, especially backhopping and pedalkick (lurch), you will suddently start intensely using muscles you most probably have never used before. They will get sore and hurt a lot. Easiest solution is to keep practicing with less intensity until they develop. With every day riding this usually takes from 1 to 3 weeks, depending on your ovarall condition.
The pain itself should clearly come from muscles and not from your spine.
Reason #2
If, after muscles stopped aching, your lower back still hurts, but this time mostly bones (your spine), it is very likely your bike (stem, frame, bars) aren’t adapted to your body. Usually, the stem will turn out to be too short or with too much rise. For more, read about stem issues in this article.
Remember, the longer your wheelbase, shorter stem you need. The longer your fork (rigid 400mm vs. 440+mm suspension forks), the less rise you will need for your stem.
Reason #3
If you have right stem and frame, and your back still hurts, it’s almost certanly because of your riding (backhop) stance. New riders, just like me one upon a time, tend to keep their butts low and arms straight. This puts a lot of stress on your lower back and causes sorness, inability to maintain backhop, hardly controled pedalkicks etc.
I’ve written about this on a couple occasions in this FAQ (in backhop and pedalkick guides), so I’ll just repeat in short: keep your back as straight as it’s comfortable, and bend your arms by pulling bars closer to your body. Feel your arms straining. You may reach a conclusion that your current muscles aren't sufficient to maintain this kind of backhop for a longer time, but keep working on them and you'll come to a point when it becomes comfortable.
Dealing with all 3 causes will usually greatly reduce (or put a stop to) your lower back pain."

Taken from Trials FAQ's. Its not specific but it will help I think.

How'd ya go in the 6 hour yesterday? I think I was 6th in solo. Woot!

 

[Turley]

I felt good until the 4th lap. Then my body crashed! I managed to get another lap down before the end of the day. Think I need to do more hill climbing and watch my nutrition before I try another solo enduro. I don't usually ride past 3.5hrs when i go riding XC which I am sure contributed to my fatigue aswell!

 

[g-fish]

my dad gets lower back pain (6'2", skinny). he does streches every morning when he wakes up. And most weekends he goes and gets a massage. Its making him feel a lot better.

 

[v e n o m]

i am 6"1 and ive been riding a gt bestwick pro 04 (standard size bmx) for 3 years, and jus recently doing some messing about like 180s etc, ive had a litle ache in my lower back but its nothing 2 bad and goes when i stop riding, but if im jumping on it im fine.

 

[Ant27]

This happens to me aswell when i go for long rides on my bmx bike i tend to get lower back pain from it being small and when i go for a long ride on my mtb bike i dont get any pains what so ever because it is a bigger bike.


Ant

 

[Dymalla]

I've currently got an orange hitman built up but I am finding I am getting lower/middle back pain when I ride it around. This includes doing just mucking around doing flat turns in the car park aswell as riding at hte bmx/4x track. I'm 5'11 and thought the bike was too small but many of you ride bikes the same size or smaller than mine. I currently don't have this issue on my medium SGS and my XC bike (XC bike I do feel it if my forks are too low in travel).

I currently have it set up with a azonic shorty 55mm stem, 170mm crank and the effective TT of the frame is 571mm. Forks are adjustable 70-120mm but I don't feel a difference in changing the fork length. The bar are what I would class as "low rise" and are cut down.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what changes I might do to help with my issue so I don't have to sell my frame and get something bigger?

I used to get back pain when i rode street. Some days i would get it some days i wouldnt. Just keep riding and it should go away when the muscles get used to it. You need to keep riding constantly for the muscles to adapt, like 30 mins a day at least of just mucking around is good. If it doesnt get better try to be less aggressive with some things