Question:

I mostly only ride 13-14 miles per day commuting to work, however on occasion I like to do 20-25 miles just to keep my fitness up and would like to ride further but after about 10 miles my lower back starts to hurt and more often than not leaves me with sciatica. I ride a road bike and have tried altering the handlebar to different heights and altering the seat angle. But none of this seems to help. Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted.
Seth Hart, via email

Answer:

Dear Seth,

First off I would suggest a trip to a good physiotherapist is in order, as you certainly shouldn’t be getting sciatic pains after a short ride. This could be due to a number of factors but is well worth getting checked out professionally. They should take a much more holistic view than just your bike. It is probably contributed to from other mechanical stresses such as poor seating posture, core stability or flexibility issues.

In the meantime you could return to the bike set up and ensure you aren’t reaching too far to the bars, overstretching your back. A good quick test is with the tip of your elbow in contact with the nose of the saddle you should be a couple of finger widths from the centre point of the bars. Also try to spend more time on the tops as your back is in a more upright position. Unfortunately though it is unlikely there is a quick fix though without a thorough assessment of the underlying cause.