This article was first published on 24.04.2024. We have now updated it.
The longer you sit in the saddle, the more likely you are to tweak and twitch here and there. Sometimes this is simply part of the sport, but sometimes your body is also telling you that the tour was too long, the equipment was wrong or your diet wasn't right. Especially those who have not spent many weeks and years in the saddle find it difficult to correctly assess the origin, severity and significance of such warning signals.
Some of these are more unpleasant, but do not cause serious problems, either now or in the long term. Others are more gradual and inconspicuous, but can be signs that the strain on the bike was wrong or too much and may even be symptoms of an illness that has not yet become apparent. But: We are not in every reader's shoes! Our checklist is more of a guide than a diagnostic bible. Ultimately, everyone has to listen to their own body feeling and draw their own conclusions.
Warning signals from the body: Go - Stop - Cancel
At least in cycling, there were youth coaches who forced their protégés to complete three-hour rides sitting down in order to toughen up their seats. Such self-mortification is of course not appropriate in either the competitive or hobby segment. Nevertheless, the pressure or chafing points on the buttocks are a good example of how it is sometimes worth leaving the comfort zone. Just like the soles of a runner's feet, a cyclist's buttocks also harden over time.
Whoever remembers the 100-kilometre experiment with our reader Conny will surely remember the effort we put into together with Ergon to find the perfect saddle and the ideal sitting position for her have. She also wore state-of-the-art cycling shorts. Nevertheless, the long-distance novice ended up complaining about her buttocks. Anyone who wants to do more than just ride to the bakery, the daycare centre or short distances to the office on their bike has to go through this "hard school".
The sudden drop in carbohydrate levels in the blood due to inadequate nutrition is a similar but more unpleasant case. Depending on the distance to your destination, this spontaneous loss of performance, known as a hunger attack, is terrible for your motivation because you slow down considerably. However, it is not physically harmful as long as you maintain your concentration. Dr Achim Schmidt from the Cologne Sports University also emphasises this. No-one has ever died of hunger on a bike, but if coordination and focus deteriorate, it becomes a safety issue!
Categorised into three levels: Green, yellow, red
However, serious incidents on the bike also feel similar to hunger pangs. If it is not a lack of carbohydrates but a lack of oxygen that is responsible for the spontaneous loss of performance, this could have more serious causes than a breakfast that is too small. Constricted or blocked blood vessels that were inconspicuous at rest can trigger similar symptoms during strenuous exercise. Whether a baker or a doctor can help now is decided by inconspicuous signals.
We don't want to stir up any fears, cycling is considered one of the gentlest ways to exercise - especially in times of pedelecs. Our checklist illustrates some classic symptoms on the bike, some occur a little more frequently, some very rarely. The traffic light should show whether you can ignore the problem for the time being (green), whether there is a need for spontaneous action with an interruption to the tour (yellow) or whether you need serious help (red). Incidentally, sports scientist Dr Achim Schmidt believes that the majority of cycling problems are caused by poor material and seat adjustment. He advises bike fitting instead of a visit to the doctor.
12 typical warning signals of the body when cycling
1 - Warning signal: headache (traffic light: yellow)
If you don't usually suffer from headaches, but they occur after a certain amount of time when cycling, it is highly likely that you have not drunk enough. Sweating makes the blood thicker and the very fine vessels in the brain are too narrow for this. Sometimes this also occurs, or especially so, when you have to pedal with extreme force and fall into pressurised breathing.
Recommendation for action: Reduce the load immediately in any case, but keep the circulation going, i.e. do not stop abruptly or even lie down. If possible, drink immediately, take small sips and drink the bike bottle over the course of an hour (500-750 ml). Stretch your neck; according to Dr Schmidt, tension here can also be the cause.
2 - Deaf hands (traffic light: green)
If your hands are tingling and feel numb, your hand position and support load are usually compressing nerves too much or even pinching them. The feeling may return after cycling or during the next break, but you should be very careful, because without sensitive fingertips it is difficult to find the right braking pressure, especially off-road. So, if there is no opportunity to relax your hands, brake early and carefully.
Recommendation for action: You can vary your hand position in the short term. The best chances are when the back of the hand and forearm form a straight line. Another option is to form a fist and rest your little finger on the grip, if the route and traffic allow it. In the medium term, have the handlebars, grip and seat position checked by an expert.
3 - Warning signal: Sudden loss of power (traffic light: red)
It's normal to lose some energy over the course of a tour or stage. However, if your energy levels drop suddenly, this is not a good sign. Either the supply of carbohydrates or oxygen is severely impaired. The first variant is rather annoying and unpleasant, the second is quite critical. If the carbohydrates run out, the body is only supplied with energy from fats, no longer from a mix. However, the fat metabolism is rather sluggish and only allows a very slow pace. Carbohydrates are more efficient, but only last for a limited time without you eating on the go and are then emptied quite abruptly. You are then tired and usually a little unfocussed and restless, but can continue to move slowly.
Recommendation for action: If you become short of breath, feel your heart racing, sweat profusely and lose consciousness at the same time as your performance drops, in the worst case scenario you could have an embolism, in which a blood clot, usually from the legs, blocks blood vessels in the lungs or heart. If there is any reason to suspect this, you should move as little as possible, just sit down and call an ambulance!
4 - Knee pain (traffic light: yellow)
If done correctly, cycling is not a major challenge for the knees, but if there is any minor previous damage, the unaccustomed movement can lead to pain. In this case, the type and location of the pain must show whether you should stop the tour or simply adjust your speed. Basic rule: the more sharp and localised you feel it, the more seriously you should take it.
Recommendation for action: Basically, if you have knee pain, you should shift down two gears and continue cycling with less force and a little more frequency. If you feel a dull ache in the depth of the joint, this may be due to getting used to the knee position; this usually subsides in the next half hour. Sharp pain in the area of the kneecap or the tendon above it should be taken more seriously.
First measure: dismount and relax for a few seconds in a squatting position, or even better, stretch the thigh by pulling the ankle towards the buttocks. This reduces the tension on the tendon and thus the pressure on the cartilage of the kneecap. In many cases, this helps. If this is not the case, use minimal force and take a short route home and consult your GP before the next tour.
5 - Warning signal: Cold sweat (traffic light: red)
Sweating on skin that feels cold is always a signal that should not be ignored. It is usually accompanied by a pale skin colour, which means that the blood has retreated from the skin into the vital organs, a so-called state of shock. This can have psychological triggers, but often indicates an extreme physical condition. This could be an oxygen deficiency, a metabolic disorder as in the case of incipient diabetes, a circulatory disorder or, paradoxically, dehydration.
Recommendation for action: There are no two ways about it! Stop immediately, dismount and ideally ask someone for help, if necessary by mobile phone, in case you faint. The best thing to do in the short term is to lie flat on your back with your legs slightly elevated and slowly administer water and sugar. Don't panic, it doesn't have to be anything dramatic, but you should stop cycling.
6 - Numb or cold feet (traffic light: green)
Such problems can be localised in two places, namely between the pedal and foot and in the hip area. In both cases, as with the hands, the cause can be pressure on nerve tracts or constricted blood vessels due to the pedalling motion. There's no need to panic, but it's even better to react with ergonomic parts or a different position on the bike than on the handlebars.
Recommendation for action: If a saddle that is too wide squeezes the blood vessels on the inside of the thigh, this will disappear after just 30 seconds of pedalling - your feet will immediately start to "live" again. If this doesn't help, you should check the position of your feet on the pedals. The ball of the foot should be on the pedal axle, not the heel and under no circumstances the centre of the foot. The tip of the foot should point slightly outwards. Shoes are often the cause of tingling feet. Soft soles, such as in sports shoes, create pressure at certain points in the foot. Flat ergo pedals, stable insoles or stiff cycling shoes provide relief in 90 per cent of cases.
7 - Warning signal: Seat surface is burning or irritated (traffic light: green)
The classic problem for cyclists. Especially if you are new to the saddle, have a new bike or ride significantly longer distances than usual, you will not be able to avoid one or two pressure points on the buttocks. Three areas can be affected: the buttocks, the perineal area and the inner thighs. An ergonomic saddle, cycling shorts with seat padding or a seat cream can provide a lot of relief, but you simply have to put up with the odd pressure sore, especially when you're getting used to it - but not chafing.
Recommendation for action: Standing up regularly, even if your bum doesn't hurt yet, helps best. If your perineum is bothering you, you should adjust the saddle further forwards and a little lower, and vice versa if it's more your bum. You don't always have to sit exactly the same way on the saddle either; repositioning occasionally, e.g. when changing terrain, also helps.
8 - Back pain (traffic light: yellow)
Basically, back pain of any kind indicates a less than optimal riding position. On a well-adjusted bike in the right size, the forces acting on the back are so small or balanced that no problems occur, at least for the first two to three hours in the saddle. This can be caused by an uneconomical posture with end-degree joint positions and a lot of muscle tension as well as impacts that are transmitted from the rear wheel through the saddle to the torso.
Recommendation for action: Burning muscles along the back are uncomfortable and require a better sitting posture, but are not dangerous (see muscle burning). Tip: The spine should be inclined forwards as a whole, i.e. in one line, so that it is not strongly curved either in the lumbar region or in the chest or neck. If the pain sometimes hits your back like an electric shock when you hit bumps in the road, this is not without danger.
This usually means that intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies, including their cone-like projections, are compressed hard. This can result in herniated discs or, more rarely, fatigue fractures! In the short term: get out of the saddle at any real obstacle such as a kerb, your legs are excellent shock absorbers and your back is tense. A suspension seat post and a position on the bike that is not too upright will soften such impacts considerably.
9 - Warning signal: Salty dry skin (traffic light: yellow to red)
The explanation is simple: when salt is on the skin, the body wants to sweat to cool down. However, if the skin remains dry, there is not enough water left for this function. This constellation is usually accompanied by dry mouth and hot flushes, but if you are freezing instead, you are already moving beyond dehydration towards heat stroke.
Recommendation for action: Slow, steady drinking is the order of the day here, no more exertion, preferably sit in the shade until you feel better. Depending on your water supply, a few splashes on the back of the neck and on the wrists can help to cool you down; please don't give in to the urge to use all the water for external cooling. When the nausea slowly subsides, you can continue cycling at a relaxed pace. Abort the tour if you feel very nauseous.
10 - Muscle burning (traffic light: green to yellow)
Burning muscles are a sign of exhaustion, and that's not a bad thing in principle. The feeling occurs when the energy supply cannot keep up with the current effort and is therefore not "burned cleanly". Nothing is broken in the muscle, nor are the metabolic residues harmful, and the sore muscles don't come from it either! The feeling disappears again the next time you take a load off, at least in the muscles used for propulsion. The muscles in your back or shoulders, for example, remain active downhill.
Recommendation for action: As long as the legs are still pedalling, they're fine! In other words, a reduction in power is sufficient. Rare exception: If the sensation is one-sided, you should check the leg in question for thickened veins. A leg can also feel hot if a thrombosis has formed, usually accompanied by a feeling of localised hyperbaric pressure. In this case, please avoid any exertion until you can see a doctor quickly; walking slowly is okay. To relax burning core muscles again, a short stop with some shoulder circles, stretching in the upper body and, in the medium term, an improved sitting position on the bike as well as gymnastics or yoga will help.
11 - Warning signal: throbbing or buzzing in the ear (traffic light: yellow)
If you have the feeling that your hearing is more muffled than usual, or if you hear a throbbing that isn't there at all - some compare the sound to that of a distant helicopter - you should drink something as soon as possible. As with headaches, the blood is too viscous, and this can also make itself felt in the inner ear.
Recommendation for action: As the organ of balance is quickly affected along with the ear, you should take a short break and keep drinking small sips. After an hour and almost a litre of iso drink or water at the latest, your ear should function normally again. Then you can continue your journey - preferably in the shade and at a very leisurely pace.
12 - Acidic odour (traffic light: yellow)
Anyone who notices a sour odour during or after exercise, which can also be the case when urinating, has, in layman's terms, burned proteins instead of carbohydrates and fat to generate energy. This happens when either the other two sources no longer provide enough of them or there is a regulatory disorder, such as diabetes. As the body cannot be choosy in this situation, it also loses valuable building blocks such as antibodies for immune defence. This is why competitive athletes are much more susceptible to infections after very long competitions.
Recommendation for action: In this case, you don't need to reduce the pace, the body will do this on its own. It is important to assess whether you have simply overexerted yourself and taken in far too little food - in which case a carbohydrate-rich meal or snacks will suffice. If the odour occurs inexplicably despite eating enough food, you should consult your family doctor when you get the chance. In both cases, keep warm to prevent infection and avoid crowds.
