# Best Bike for rider with a Herniated Disc?



## gera72 (Jan 14, 2012)

Hi all,

Last month they detected me a L5S1 Herniated Disc that have kept me out of the trails for a 6 weeks.. While things are getting better I dont want it to aggreviated using my hard tail. Which bike do you guys think will be better in my condition. I live in Phoenix, AZ, so my trials are mainly desert, rocky Up and Downs and I like to participate in events or rides of 50+ miles.. 

thanks


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## getagrip (Mar 26, 2008)

Well...what does your doctor think of you riding with your back in the condition its in? I'd say go for something with a shorter top tube and maybe use a stem with a higher rise to give you a more upright riding position. Usually these are going to be more low end bikes like the Trek 4300, and some of the Motobecane FS bikes also fit this description. I've also seen some Surley bikes with shorter top tubes (Pugsley). You can get some Salsa high rise stems on eBay, but make sure you are not getting one that is recalled (check their website for more information).


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Full Suspension*



gera72 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Last month they detected me a L5S1 Herniated Disc that have kept me out of the trails for a 6 weeks.. While things are getting better I dont want it to aggreviated using my hard tail. Which bike do you guys think will be better in my condition. I live in Phoenix, AZ, so my trials are mainly desert, rocky Up and Downs and I like to participate in events or rides of 50+ miles..
> 
> thanks


You can either work really hard and focus on building your core strength to compensate for the the L5/S1 herniation or buy a FS bike to take the pressure off your back. Or both.

Whatever you do, take care of the disc, do your rehab and let it heal.

I've been dealing with my L5/S1 for years. It sucks.


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## Rod (Oct 17, 2007)

Ken in KC said:


> You can either work really hard and focus on building your core strength to compensate for the the L5/S1 herniation or buy a FS bike to take the pressure off your back. Or both.
> 
> Whatever you do, take care of the disc, do your rehab and let it heal.
> 
> I've been dealing with my L5/S1 for years. It sucks.


Good advice. A full suspension bike would be the way to go and a strong core.


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## 50calray (Oct 25, 2010)

My wife is dealing with a similar back issue and mtb riding would kill her. She does really well road biking using a recumbent bike.


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## Eville140 (Nov 26, 2010)

L4-L5 checking in, been on a hardtail for the last couple years. Wild normally have to quite after about 10 miles on pretty smooth single track with some roots. The roots where the worst me, the little jarring over and over. Even with tubeless and low air pressure. Came across a old used Santacruz superlight frame and tossed it together and it's night and day different...even with a ten year old frame. Can pretty much ride for as long as I want to now, small roots are only noticed by the sound they make. And even though i added a couple pounds to the bike I'm pretty sure I'm faster. On the hardtail I found myself pretty much staring right in front of the front tire all the time weaving in and out trying to miss everything so I wouldn't hurt later on. 
Now I can look forward and just give it heck. Probably shortened my normal 8 'idle loop by a .1 of a mile just by being able to go straight in the straights Lol. 
So much more enjoyable now.


Sent from my 16MHz 286 using 2400bps modem


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## useport80 (Mar 6, 2008)

hey all, im currently in the same boat. i have two herniated discs at L4/L5 and L5/S1(diagnosed march 2013). I've taken a break from biking for about a year. i loved my 2008 rockhopper pro, but sadly i will be selling it soon to a friend. i tried staying off the bike and avoiding long period of hip flexion and lower lumbar rounding. 

overall, things have been getting better, i do get some shooting pains down my left leg, but i can squat and deadlift decent amounts for my bodyweight.

i just so happen to be selling my hardtail cuz my friend was looking for one, but that puts me on the market for a new bike  yay!

due to my back issues i definitely want to go with a full suspension bike. all of my hardcore friends want me to go with a small santa cruz full suspension carbon 27.5 bike since im about 5'4". lol. crazy biker friends. i'll have to test ride it and see.

in the previous years of biking, i did notice numbness in my lower back when i was seated and usually this on the few miles of paved asphalt that takes me back to the parking lot. i guess i didn't really put 2 and 2 together. so i definitely think my biking posture was bad for me. 

1) when looking for a new bike, what kind landmarks should i be looking for in terms of sizing? seems like every LBS employee has their own way of sizing a bike. 
2) where should my butt bones be on the seat?(i guess they are called sit bones or the ischial tuberosities)

please let me know. thanks all.


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## rangeriderdave (Aug 29, 2008)

You start with getting your knees over the pedal axle. That puts you hips in the best place for making power. Where ever that puts your sits bones is ok,your saddle should be the right width to fit your sit bones.


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## useport80 (Mar 6, 2008)

thanks for the quick reply rangerriderdave.

since the saddle is a triangle shape, where exactly should my sit bones be on the triangle? middle of the triangle? or should my sit bones be closer to the wider(or rear) portion of the triangle?


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## rangeriderdave (Aug 29, 2008)

They should generally be more towards the rear ,mountain biking is a dynamic sport ,meaning that you almost never in the exact same position for very long . You might need to move forward for a climb ,slide back for a downhill or stand up for bumps.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Ruptured disc at L5/S1 here. I ride a hardtail. No problems. I was also riding a full rigid ss no problems. Maybe I'm lucky or just tough (j/k) but so far in the years I've had the injury, cycling has done nothing to make it worse or even aggravate it. Even long 70+ mile road rides.


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## PiePuncher (Jun 21, 2014)

As someone else stated, you need a Bike with an upright position. Being bent over or bending your upper body into a c shape puts stress on the disc pushing it out of position causing it to bulge or pop out like a pimple.... If you leave it alone, it will heal but it could take a whilewhile.


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## useport80 (Mar 6, 2008)

ahh. is there a limit to how upright a person can be on a bike? it does make sense that i strive to maintain an upright torso. i can increase the stem height and lower the seat only so much tho.

I guess i need to find the most vertical back possible, while still being able to bike. 

i've been reading and watching youtube... seems like most people recommend a 30-50 degree back angle. also they say slight lumbar and hip flexion is good(the c shape of the back) so that the back can act as a shock absorber as well. tho i dont know if that is good for someone with herniated discs like myself lol. 

nubster: how is your positioning while seated on the bike? did you find that you had to adjust anything to accommodate the back pain?


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

useport80 said:


> nubster: how is your positioning while seated on the bike? did you find that you had to adjust anything to accommodate the back pain?


I've done nothing special. I'd say it's a pretty standard (if there's such a thing) position. Same with my road bike. I was fitted recently on my road bike which is a new bike for me this year. Before I was on a Specialized Allez which is a racy geometry and it was fine. This year I went with a more upright endurance bike (Cannondale Synapse) and the fitter actually adjusted the bike into a more aggressive geometry by shortening and flipping the stem. There's been no ill effects. In fact, in my case, having my back curved outwards helps with the pain. I guess my situation may be different since my disc is ruptured already so that curved back helps with the pain. I sleep the same way. On my side with my back curved...semi-fetal position if you will. I can't sleep on my stomach because then my back curves inward and causes a lot of pain. My posture is good...I stand and sit straight, it's just sleeping and riding I have that curve and no problems.


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## jbl_91762 (Nov 1, 2009)

Rod said:


> Good advice. A full suspension bike would be the way to go and a strong core.


Perfect advice. I went from hardtail to FS and it's night and day. I have always been a weight lifter and how I herniated my disc L4L5 years ago but I never stopped lifting, just listen to my body and know what hurts my back, so my core is fairly strong as I can't do much ab work nor planks but my back gets a workout with my routine.


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## useport80 (Mar 6, 2008)

nubster, you sound like the exact opposite of me. your ruptured disc might lend itself anteriorly, towards the front of your body, but my disc issues point posteriorly, towards my back. 

definitely different issues, with different resolutions, but it makes sense that if i do the opposite, then it should help me.

thanks for the replies


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

don't risk it

become a full on roadie for a while

do not apply shock, bumps, unexpected dismounts to your damaged back while it heals

seriously. Mandatory roadie time for many months.


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## useport80 (Mar 6, 2008)

i dont have a road bike or any bike at all right now 

but i'll test the waters with a stationary bike at the gym and playing around with posture to see how it is.


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2014)

I had that problem then had my disc (by then completely deflated) fused. Still, you need a straighter lower back and I'd +1 on a FS, a long travel thudbuster or both. Right before my sciatica kicked in I finished a century on a road bike and I've always wondered if that made things worse or just bad faster. Good luck.


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## roger_75 (Jun 5, 2011)

Hi there!
I'm suffering from a herniated disc (L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1) since two years ago. I had to stop riding because of the pain and lumbago. After that I went to the osteopath and suggested me not to ride mtb but road bike because of the impact of the bumps may my injury, lose some weight, and reinforce my core with some Pilates, back stroke swimming and similar training. And so I did, I sold my sc blur lt, took my roady and did some adjustments to it and after that I could ride again. I had to add one of this SATORI - Riding fueled innovation and some spacers and now my position on the bike is fine. No pain anymore but I feel it could be better.
The bike looks awful but it's better than nothing. Nowadays I'm about to have a biomechanical fit and after that buying a hand made frame accordingly with the measures and angles that they tell me. Missing mtb riding but it's just it is.
Good luck.


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