Biking?

[1emon]

I took a longer bike route that usual two days ago. What surprises me the most is that my upper back, shoulder, and arms are the most sore. Does anyone know why this is? My legs barely hurt at all. Should I cut down the distance or travel fewer hills?  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

It's possible your seat isn't properly aligned. Most people's seats are not the right height or position (they slide back or forth as well after loosenig with an Allan Key.) But once you start biking long distances you feel it.

test your seat height. Sitting on your seat, with your bottom petal ligned up with vertical bar of your seat, your heel should rest on your petal. You shouldn't have to reach for it nor should you be lifted up by pushing on it.

allignment. (you might need help for this one.) Sit on your bike, bring your petals to an equal height. Now feel for the little indent in your knee. Place the top of a sting there the bottom should be center of your petal and the string should be straight.

You can probably google all this.  

[Iconised Ghost]

when i cycle after im a bit out of practice, my arms and shoulders ache just as much as my legs do...probably for the reasons crazy cat mentioned about seat alignment, and also because when i cycle my legs get tired so i lean more on my arms to try and take the weight off them xd its probably not a bad thing for other parts of your body to ache after cycling  

[1emon]

I was in a good deal of discomfort, so I was kind of worried. It's gone now, but for about two days it really hurt every time I moved. I checked everything out on my bike. (It's a hybrid, if that means anything.) My seat was just a little too low, though which probably would have had a greater effect on me because I biked a little farther than usual. (My usual route is 10-15 miles and I biked 20.)  

[alwyscrying240]

or maybe your legs muscles are stronger then your arm and back muscles? Your legs can handle the 20 miles, but your other muscles cant.

Just an idea =]  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

1emon

I was in a good deal of discomfort, so I was kind of worried. It's gone now, but for about two days it really hurt every time I moved. I checked everything out on my bike. (It's a hybrid, if that means anything.) My seat was just a little too low, though which probably would have had a greater effect on me because I biked a little farther than usual. (My usual route is 10-15 miles and I biked 20.)

It's odd that your arms would hurt if your seat was too low. It would make sense if it was too high, same with the back. I put my seat a bit lower than it should be cause I have a bad back. Usually your seat should be about the same height as your handlebars (if it's off by more than a little it means your frame isn't the right size) This means you hunch foreward a bit in a normal riding position.  

[Divash]

When I was a little kid, the bike I had was set up for a person to ride British-style: Sitting upright, almost like in a chair, and arms forward but low. I'm not British, but my dad set up the bike that way (I don't know why, he's not British either).

Now that I'm an adult, all the bikes are set up to ride American-style, and I don't know how to adjust them. American-style bike riding means leaning way over, like you're perpetually bending over to pick something up. I find that what hurts worst during and after bike riding are my bent lower back, my shoulders, upper arms, and of course my tummy (because bending over makes my waistband tighter over my stomach).

My leg muscles have always been the strongest part of me, just like the vast majority of women, so those don't really get sore unless I'm riding up lots of hills and/or riding all dang day long.  

[Angel387]

20 miles? You are my hero... at this time I'm riding for 25mins so about 1.5 miles which I plan to move to 2 miles. But I haven't done exercise in a while and thats what I can handle. My bike route has no hills which is easier for me because I just want a relaxing ride to burn some calories not create a bunch of muscles. (though that would be a nice plus) how long does your normal route take you? (15 miles)  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

As I was biking today, I tried to feel all the muscles I was using. As I was biking I realized you do use lower back. The arms however... are your arms cocked when you ride or straight?  

[1emon]

Crying: That actually makes a lot of sense to me. My leg muscles are the strongest/most worked muscles I have.

Cat: I have a hybrid bike, so I do hunch over a little on occasion. I ride with my arms straight, for the most part.

Divash: Woah, that's bizarre. I actually have a hybrid bike, which has the body of a mountain bike, so I usually sit straight up.

Angel: A little over an hour. 11 miles of hills (which are quite large and abundant because of the area I live in) and flat for the rest. The 11 are part of my staple route, the flat part varies depending on how much I feel like riding on the canal path.

Thanks for all the comments, everyone! I've been working on paying conscience attention to my posture and have made a few small adjustments to my bike. I haven't felt sore, but the rides between my long ones are less than ten miles, so I don't have much to base this observation on. I plan on going on another 20+ mile bike ride before the end of the week, so we'll see how that goes...  

[Anhedonic Hedonist]

I have absolutely no advice for you, except to follow what the others have said.

Aaand I legs never really hurt after biking. It's always my lungs gonk