Need to get back in the saddle on a road / mtn bike or similar. Thoughts?

[Fatamorgana]

I've ridden 29ers, 26ers, 24 and 12hr mountain bike events, Keilder 100, some Cat4 road racing and club riding - though have been out of the loop for a few years.

My lower back is tight, muscle-wise, as I have a herniated disc between L4/5 from March 2018, those being the bottom two vertebra.
The muscles seem to be reasonably tight to protect (?). I have had an epidural in Sept and Feb & will need to decide on an operation / not have an operation soon.

Anyhow:
Need to get back in the saddle on a road bike or similar, maybe a 29er even with road tyres? Not for mtn biking, just general fitness and training.

Looking for a ride with a comfort orientated seated position, either current or one I can find 2nd hand maybe. 178cm, 31 inside leg. Rode a Trek 54 which seemed okay, but would like a more upright stance if possible.

Any / all suggestions greatly appreciated.

FM

[Bonefishblues]

A recumbent, perhaps?

[pwa]

If you have the money, a trip to Thorn Cycles in Bridgewater would almost certainly come up with some options that actually give you the position you need.

http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/THORN ... ECIPES.pdf

Perhaps more sensible though, might be a short term purchase to get you through this period of uncertainty about your back. A cheap upright bike for short rides. Something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pashley-Para ... SwjkhdGkcF

[cyclop]

Having recently overcome problems resulting from a bulging lumbar disc,I can only suggest what I have needed to do.Get a turbo trainer.Love or hate(I avoid unless no alternative),they do get you back in the saddle whilst eliminating lumps and bumps of the open road.Any cheap bike will suffice,preferably with threadless headset so stems,bars etc can be easily changed to suit whats most comfortable.
I,ve also fitted my hardtail with the excellent thudbuster short travel suspension seatpost,it works and works for the road as well.
Finally,I raised my road bars with extensions(all threadless) an easy fix.
I also tried a recumbent,albeit for elbow rather than back issues.Not for me and a costly mistake though may well be your ideal solution,just make damn sure it,s for you.

[Vorpal]

I'd say it depends in part on how the lower back problems affect cycling. A road bike, or any other bike with low handle bars may put more strain on the lower back.

It may benefit you to use a recumbent, or a more upright bike, like a Dutch style bike, or a hybrid with swept back handlebars.

I would try various bikes at a local bike shop with knowledgeable staff, or try one of the shops carrying secondhand bikes https://www.cyclinguk.org/recycling-centres

It may also be worth talking to a physio that is knowlegeable about cycling.

[rmurphy195]

Well, I have a bit of back trouble from time to time, and in my case the more upright position on my Brompton is less comfortable, after a few hours, than the semi-bent-over position on my Toruer (where I use the hoods and tops most of the time).

But that apart,my priorities when getting back into cycling now would be

1) Heart first - a little bit of what you fancy - simply because if you don't like the bike, you'll probably not ride it once the novelty has worn off! Style, colour etc.

2) Gears next - nice low ones for me, triple up front, with at least 2 rear sprockets that are bigger than the smallest chainring (about a 20" - 100" range, give or take). But no big jumps so megarange is out.

Then its down to fit etc.

So what happened? In my early 40's (blimey, almost 30 years ago!) on returning to cycling, I bought a mountain bike - a nice Saracen I think it was. The novelty of riding bridelways wore off pretty quick, so I bought a tourer - a 14 speed, I think it was, Peugeot, where I found the gearing too high. My local proper LBS (John Colebrook of Selly Oak cycles, great guy) fitted a triple to the front and that made a world of difference on the local hills. I bought the Peugeot 'cos I couldn't afford my dream bike of the time - Dawes Galaxy of course.

The my garage was broken into - so the insurance claim for the mountain bike helped fund a discounted Galaxy, 531 frame, v nice! I should have gone for this bike in the first place!

And that one, I rode, and rode, and rode and rode, and wore out wheels, chainsets and rear sprockets over the almost 25 years I had it. It still lives on, in part, since its saddle, mudguards and rack are on the Condor - which I find I'm enjoying riding. (Its frame is hanging from my garage roof, I cn't bear to part with it).

[TrevA]

A Spa Cycles Audax bike will come with a very long steerer tube and give a very upright position for a road bike. You can then experiment by moving the stem and spacers up and down to get your most comfortable position, and then cut the steerer to the desired length.

My Alu Trek Domane has quite an upright position, as does my Decathlon Triban 520. They’ve stopped doing the Alu Domane but it’s been replaced by the ALR which has a similar frame geometry.

[skyhawk]

wishing you luck