Neck and shoulder pain
Neck and shoulder complaints are widespread and can have many different causes. Among the most common are: elbows that are pushed through or a very small upper body/upper arm angle, which puts strain on the trapezius muscle. A downward sloping saddle nose, which requires more support from the arms and shoulders, can also be to blame.
Quick tips: If the pain has settled in your neck, a break is advisable. Move your head carefully and loosen the tense muscles.
For the onward journey: Dampen shocks before they reach your neck. To do this, consciously bend your arms slightly and utilise their suspension function. If possible, raise the handlebars by 1-2 cm for a more upright sitting position and at the same time move the saddle slightly backwards; this will not reduce the upper body/upper arm angle.
Tuning tips: Check the width of your handlebars. For touring bikes, 63 cm is a good measurement - the frequently recommended shoulder width only applies to racing handlebars! If the handlebars are too narrow, the shoulders collapse and the conductivity of the nerves towards the neck is restricted; handlebars that are too wide strain the back muscles at the level of the shoulder blades.
It is advisable to purchase a stem that can be adjusted in height without tools if you have recurring complaints so that you can correct your sitting position if necessary. Suspension seat posts and suspension forks also dampen vibrations.
Pain in the lower back
The further the upper body leans forwards, the harder the lower back works to maintain the natural S-shape of the spine. Weak muscles are overloaded as a result. In addition to a sporty riding posture, the wrong saddle can also cause pain. This causes incorrect posture of the pelvis, which is transferred to the back.
Quick tips: Allow yourself a break from cycling with a change of posture and/or ride shorter sections standing up. If possible, raise the handlebars by 1-2 cm to continue riding.
Tuning tips: Check with the help of the Torso strength testscheck whether your upper body angle on the bike corresponds to the current training status of your back. Also check the position of your saddle: Is the nose of the saddle pointing downwards? Or is it set too high so that your pelvis tilts slightly to the left and right when pedalling? If you can rule out these two causes, the shape of the saddle may not match the anatomy of your pelvis.
Seating complaints
Pain or numbness occurs when nerves and blood vessels are squeezed or the pressure on the pubic bone or ischium is too strong.
Quick tips: Riding in a standing position provides short-term relief. If the discomfort persists, it may help to tilt the saddle nose slightly downwards or reduce the saddle height by one to two centimetres to achieve a different pressure distribution.
Tuning tips: Check the height, angle and fit of your saddle. Service-orientated bike dealers have various models available for test rides. It is not important whether it is a men's or women's saddle. Rather, the shape must suit the individual anatomy. This becomes apparent during an extended test ride.
Finger tingling
Numbness or tingling in the fingers is caused by bending the wrist and/or a high support load on the hands. The median nerve on the underside of the wrist is constricted or squeezed.
Quick tips: Change grip, take a break, mobilise. When moving on, make sure that the back of your hand and forearm form a single line when gripping.
Tuning tips: Check your sitting position: the more upright you sit, the less weight your hands have to carry. Also check whether the handlebar height matches the height of the saddle. High handlebars cause your shoulders to be permanently pulled upwards. This tension in turn can irritate nerves and cause finger tingling.
Helpful parts: Ergonomic wing handles facilitate the linear position of the wrist. Padded gloves protect the median nerve. Handlebar ends or handlebars to grip around allow multiple changes of grip positions on the move.
Tingling toes
A high sitting position, an incorrect saddle, but also shoes that are too narrow or too soft can be the cause of tingling and numbness in the toes.
Quick tips: Take a break or ride standing up for a while to allow irritated nerves to recover.
Tuning tips: Check your seat height: high seating positions increase pressure in the pelvic floor area, which can cause toe tingling and pain. Check the horizontal alignment of the saddle: perhaps its nose is pointing upwards? Next, you can move your saddle slightly backwards on the longitudinal axis to redistribute the pressure. Sometimes a wide nose is the cause of the problem: try a different model.
If you suspect your shoes are the cause of the problem: New shoes with enough space for the forefoot and a hard sole are easy on your feet and nerves. Insoles with pads prevent the arch of the foot from sinking in.
Knee pain
Knee pain is often caused by high contact pressure on the kneecap, either due to shortened thigh muscles or an acute knee angle when pedalling.
Quick tips: When travelling, it is a good idea to shift down a gear: Lower gears take the strain off the knee. At the same time, it can be worthwhile to raise the saddle a few millimetres to increase the knee angle when pedalling.
Tuning tips: Regular stretching of the thigh muscles is usually more sensible than tuning the bike! Nevertheless, if the saddle is moved backwards, the knee plumb line changes so that the kneecap is relieved. Cyclists who are shorter than 1.75 metres and suffer from knee problems should consider switching to a 170 or 172.5 mm crank to improve the knee angle. You should also invest in long cycling shorts: these prevent the joints from cooling down and aggravating the pain.
