Cycling UK Forum

I rarely (in the past) suffer from back pain, but twice recently I have had a bad lower back pain which lasted 3 days or so. On thinking about what might have caused it, I remembered that a day before each occurence I had lifted my bike down a long flight of steps (about 40 of them). Both times the bike was laden for very light touring, so total weight about 17 kg.
Today, the pain had almost disappeared, and I set about cleaning the bike. Lifting it up and turning it upsde down (and back again) has immediately brought back the back pain (although not as badly as before), so it seems to help confirm that was the cause.
Just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar, and if so can you recommend a good way of lifting a bike up or down steps? I don't seem to get any problems while lifting other things, although I don't do that very often. I'm 69 years old ..

General principle: keep the mass of the object as close to your body as possible. That decreases the leverage on anything that's at risk.

Can you get an arm over the crossbar or equivalent so that the frame is against your ribs?

Hope you're better soon.

Jonathan

Yes, I injured the lower part of my back c5 years ago, and although it’s generally been perfectly fine since, “the wrong thing” will provoke it, and one of the things that I have to go carefully about is lifting my bike over gates etc.

For carrying up and down steps at railway stations, I always put my arm over the crossbar and grip the seat-tube down near the bottom bracket, which keep the weight close in to the body, and makes the lifting action something that happens in the legs, not the back or arm.

At the start of my apprenticeship we had a lifting and handling demonstration. It's over 50 years ago now, but the mantra I've always recalled is to bend your knees not your back. So your thigh muscles do most of the work and keep the weight as close to your body as possible. Has stood me in good stead for 1/2 a century.
Have you tried putting the top tube over your shoulder as cyclo-cross riders carry their machines. Bend your knees put your arm through the frame and then stand up straight without bending your back.

Agree with others. I often have to lift my 13kg thorn plus baggage up steps at stations. I bend my knees, keep back straight and grab low down on the seat tube. I then carry it under my arm like a parcel with the arm fully extended and weight close to my body. Works great on the thorn, less well on the Spa where there are fewer clean hand holds.

There is a snazzy leather strap that can be fitted to act as a handle!
https://discerningcyclist.com/bike-frame-handle/

Jonathan

A mere £29.26 for something you can either make yourself for next to nothing from something found around the house/shed, or do without ...........

It is rather nice, though!

Nearholmer wrote: ↑30 Mar 2022, 8:05pm A mere £29.26 for something you can either make yourself for next to nothing from something found around the house/shed, or do without ...........

It is rather nice, though!

A toe strap for instance or even some cable ties.

I've had back problems caused by other things from time to time, but not from carrying the bike by the method Nearholmer describes.

I nearly came a cropper once carrying the bike fully laden (~37kg) up a flight of stone steps similar to these when disembarking a ferry. I got nearly to the top when there was a whoa! from all the spectators as I lost my balance and then caught it again just in time. I don't know why I didn't take the panniers off, there was probably a broken back on the cards if I'd fallen back onto the deck of the boat.

Thank you all for the replies. I think I've been grabbing the bike about halfway down the seat tube with one hand, and the forks with the other to steady them. So I need to bend my knees down and grab lower down (it's usually dirtier there ).
I'll have some careful practice when things are back to normal, but today I couldn't even ride my bike, every pedal turn (especially up a hill) was torture on my back.

I was thinking abut this very issue the other day. For decades my main occupation has been a sedentary desk job. My exercise has been provided by regular walking and cycling, thank-goodness. Recently I have started to work at a food bank. After my shift y'day, I thought, "Blimey - I'm knackered and ouch - my back hurts!" so I did some simple sums about the new job. One shift means packing food for, say, 5 seperate food projects. Each project might receive 10 trays of different items and we are supposed to keep each tray below 10kg. So in the course of a morning, me, my limbs and my back move half a metric ton of food products.
So when I got home I looked at what Bob & Brad (the two most famous yadda yadda...) had to say on the subject. Try them on YT - although I'll add the caveat that you should of course combine any self-diagnosis and diy exercise with the appropriate consultation of your usual medical expert/s ie GP or the practice physio.
ps - picture me if you can, struggling to get my cycle and all its panners, up the steps of an old-school continental railway carriage, bearing in mind they start at ground level (no platforms) and are very steep and narrow - now that's not good for your back and no mistake !! Only done it once and in no rush to repeat...

Jdsk wrote: ↑30 Mar 2022, 6:46pm There is a snazzy leather strap that can be fitted to act as a handle!
https://discerningcyclist.com/bike-frame-handle/

Jonathan

ooh - i do like that!

My preference is a CX carry but with all the bags it doesn't really work so then its a grip low on the downtube (FD and bottlecage in way of seat tube) and proceed as others have suggested. My Airnimal is actually the easiest to carry, the low main beam allows a good grip and i can get the tip of the saddle to rest on my shoulder for extra stability.

How I wish I was sixteen. They ruthlessly RIDE their bikes down the stairs and somehow survive. Now I take a more sedate approach. I position pedals horizontally .Place one wheel on the first step and using the brakes let gravity do the work. Going up takes slightly longer.
When I am 100 I will clutch my heart and con some unsuspecting youngster into carrying it for me.

As a CX rider it's always over the shoulder for me but that should apply to any type of bike. Its the best way to carry your bike up steps.

I place my feet shoulder width apart, brace my core muscles. I then bend my arm so my hand is by my shoulder and tuck my elbow into my side. Then I'll squat down keeping my back straight, place my hand under the crossbar in front of the downtube and then stand up using my free hand to stop the front wheel from turning.

This keeps the weight close to your body and as long as you keep your core muscles engaged it shouldn't put too much compression on your spine.