Back is rooted! Is longer travel better?

Jpez

Down on the left!
So I've had a shit back all my building life. Recently found out have a bunch of problems and physio refuses to say wether I should or shouldn't be riding. Guess it's a listen to my own body scenario.
So I usually ride the You Yangs on a '16 fuel ex9. 120 mm 29er. Great bike for my limitations and skill level but find it bouncy and later pay with pain. Never ridden anything longer travel than that.
I have oft considered stepping up to a Range or similar with more travel now I'm wondering if the extra travel will give my back less grief on the trails as well as being funner on the downs.
Bit more squish = less pain??
Any thoughts, Does this belong in the stupid questions thread?
 

Knuckles

Lives under a bridge
If the 120mm is suitable for what you're riding, more travel isn't going to do much to mitigate your back issues. Sounds to me, like you need to invest a little time in setting up your suspension a little. A specific tune on the shock from NSDynamics or the like might be a benefit too.

A longer travel bike may = more fun and more cush, but can also lead to more confidence, soaking up the bad line choices and generally shit riding, leading you to hot gnarlier stuff, putting you back in the same situation.

1. Get your suspension set up right.

B. Develop your riding.

These will do a bazillion times more to help your back than an extra 30mm rear wheel travel.

#knuckleswasadrunkenchunt
 

teK--

Eats Squid
So question... Do you regularly bottom out your Fuel? If not then more travel not necessarily the answer and might make it worse since geometry and fit can be quite different on the bigger travel bikes. You might be on the wrong size frame and/or your cockpit is not set up correctly for you.
 

redbruce

Eats Squid
If the 120mm is suitable for what you're riding, more travel isn't going to do much to mitigate your back issues. Sounds to me, like you need to invest a little time in setting up your suspension a little. A specific tune on the shock from NSDynamics or the like might be a benefit too.

A longer travel bike may = more fun and more cush, but can also lead to more confidence, soaking up the bad line choices and generally shit riding, leading you to hot gnarlier stuff, putting you back in the same situation.

1. Get your suspension set up right.

B. Develop your riding.

These will do a bazillion times more to help your back than an extra 30mm rear wheel travel.

#knuckleswasadrunkenchunt
Plus to this. Spot on.

The other aspect is overall risk.
 

kiwiinmelb

Likes Dirt
I used to have some back issues , probably less serious than yours, bulging discs etc ,

I have found riding improves my back , as long as I know my limitations , and dont over do it ,

For me , fit is more important , the right length top tube , stem and rise , and seat height , and spin rather than mash the peddles ,

plus heaps of stretching
 

ctguru

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Which part of the back? Have u had an MRI yet?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

MARKL

Eats Squid
I think the travel thing is almost irrelevant, I would be considering bike fit more than anything else - would a more upright seating position help? This may take you to a longer travel bike anyway.

Some stores have really good body fit programs and staff that are experienced in helping people with cycling related injuries - I would be trying this.
 

mark22

Likes Dirt
So I've had a shit back all my building life. Recently found out have a bunch of problems and physio refuses to say wether I should or shouldn't be riding. Guess it's a listen to my own body scenario.
So I usually ride the You Yangs on a '16 fuel ex9. 120 mm 29er. Great bike for my limitations and skill level but find it bouncy and later pay with pain. Never ridden anything longer travel than that.
I have oft considered stepping up to a Range or similar with more travel now I'm wondering if the extra travel will give my back less grief on the trails as well as being funner on the downs.
Bit more squish = less pain??
Any thoughts, Does this belong in the stupid questions thread?
In the same club myself getting old is hard ay
Any minor Injury's takes 3months of physio to get better
Any minor Injury's takes 3 months to get better without going to the Physio, my 2c

This aside I ride a Remedy 150mm/140mm travel NSD tuned shock and the suspension is way softer ride than a Fuel 120mm that my partner has. I tried a new RSL Remedy 160mm/150mm recently over a jump I regularly do and this was a quite bit softer on landing than mine.
I'm going for a 160mm for my next steed.
I'm sure the correct suspension setup has a big impact here, whatever you decide make sure the rebound and air pressure is correct it should be very close to bottoming out on your rides and not to slow on the rebound otherwise it will pack down and feel hard as, or if set too quick will be like a pogo stick.


I had regularly had back pain during a ride when I was riding my Hardtail over smoother terrain than I ride now.
But in my opinion in our case more travel is softer on our old and decrepit bodies.
 

schred

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Not sure it has any effect other than at the extreme range of travel that either rattles your bones or makes pedalling a chore with distinctive mashing technique.

The increased suspension would reduce the hits your body feels on some impacts when just on the bars and pedals, but how that translates to saving your old back may depend on what your injury is i.e. more susp may not change a thing.

Prob more noticeable effect by getting a bike that fits you properly and dare I say set up for comfort vs raciness.

My back would be more likely to play up when seated, not when pointed downhill or standing, so for me the answer is no.

Do you have anything on your back when you ride?

Maybe find a shop that will demo you a modern trail bike (150/150) & set it up half decently for you, e.g. some specialized shops afaik, and see if there's any perceived difference.
 

The Reverend

Likes Bikes and Dirt
You don't mention what's wrong with your back so this may not be that helpful, but are you able to train / stretch or work on core strength to help support your back? I only say this having damaged my back rather seriously but thankfully it healed, and any lingering soreness has been resolved through stretching / yoga.

As has been stated, fit, setup and geo would be my first approach on the bike.
Good luck with your efforts on this.
 

cabbo

Likes Dirt
Take care with the back mate, you can live and learn by listening or pay and suffer from ignorance..
Listen to yourself mate.
 

mark22

Likes Dirt
Were missing the point here guy's, lets try not and google diagnose his back problem. He want's some advice on a bike suspension travel that will soak up the hits and not transfer it through to his back as much.

If you think a 120mm will soak up decent hit better than a 150mm please let me know and I'll buy it.
 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
I don’t know if my back problem is relevant to yours, but I herniated my L5-S1 disc in my lower back over 35 years ago. After endless therapies I discovered the near term fix was myotherapy/dry needling/valium/celebrex… and the long term fix occurred when I took up mountain bike riding and the constant riding really helped to strengthen my core (shame about the gut) and I rarely get back issues now.

Anyway, back to the question at hand… it so happens that this weekend we had a riding weekend planned for Blores Hill, but I wasn’t going to be able to take my full suspension bike, as its forks are currently forked, so I had to take my AM hardtail. Over the weekend we rode for four and half hours and I was expecting back pain from the constant jarring of the hard tail, but as it turns out, my back is fine… a little bit sore, but so is everything else. That’s going from a 140mm rear end bike to a hardtail, and my back is OK… so I doubt adding 20 or 30mm travel will "fix" anything… it probably wouldn’t hurt, and if you've got the money, go for it... but I suspect more riding to get your core strength up is the actual answer. Maybe less gravity stuff and more flow stuff, with spinning climbs, would help build core strength in your back.
 

Travis22

Likes Dirt
My back is rooted, such that i didnt think id ever be able to ride a pushy again and gave up for many years.

With the help of docs, physio and drugs ive started riding again going on a year and a half or so (and now drug free tho back in pain). I still have plenty of bad days and while i purchased my first dual suspension bike to get me back out there, and perhaps it was crucial to getting me to the point of toughing it out and sticking with riding honestly i dont think suspension is the biggest factor.

Bike fit will be the most important thing, a compromise of the most efficient position / most aggressive position etc and simply where your body will allow you to ride and not kill your back at the end of the day.

Personally i feel like the suspension (dual) makes me lazy and this doesnt benefit my back where as going to the hardtail forces me to ride with a better posture and to use more core properly and assists in strengthening my core, so i like to switch between the two but there are some days when i know i just wouldnt survive on the hardtail.

Forget the longer travel suspension and work on your core, core, core, core.

Travis.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
I've got a disc/nerve issue in my lower back. It isn't an every day thing, but pops up every now and then, sometimes bad enough I struggle to walk. I have found the following helps me stay on the bike:
- I commute on a dual suspension bike. A few years ago I built up a hard tail and lasted about 2 weeks on it. The vibrations from riding around were too much.
- stretch...I never stretch enough. Then i remember and stretch and I feel great. Then I get lazy again. I stretch everything from the top all the way down to my toes. Chest/shoulder and leg/hip/arse are vital.
- Some sleep positions aggrevate the situation.
- Eat well. If I have a few days of eating poorly I feel it. Strange and perhaps I've imagined it, but I feel it...

More travel may help reduce impact on your back, it does for me. But it may also effect your riding efficiency. This may in turn reduce your happy vibes. Good luck.
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
If the 120mm is suitable for what you're riding, more travel isn't going to do much to mitigate your back issues. Sounds to me, like you need to invest a little time in setting up your suspension a little. A specific tune on the shock from NSDynamics or the like might be a benefit too.

A longer travel bike may = more fun and more cush, but can also lead to more confidence, soaking up the bad line choices and generally shit riding, leading you to hot gnarlier stuff, putting you back in the same situation.

1. Get your suspension set up right.

B. Develop your riding.

These will do a bazillion times more to help your back than an extra 30mm rear wheel travel.

#knuckleswasadrunkenchunt
So this has pretty much answered my question and I Figured as much.
I'm one of those set and forget guys so all I've done with my suspension set ups is set it to recommended factory settings so a custom tune or at least a more professional set up sounds like my best ticket.
As well as proper bike fit set up. So will investigate all this further.
I don't have enough enough experience with different bikes to even know if my bike fit is shit or hit let alone fiddling with pressures.

For folks asking I have a series of disc bulges, degenerative arthritis( spondylosis) in about 3 spots and nerve impingement. Result of bad work practices and dirt bike accident.
Always knew I had problems but body has finally said enoughs enough which has led me down the trail of Gp, MRI's and knowing there's a heap of physio work and painkillers ahead of me.


It's heartening to hear stories of other serious back problems not stopping guys getting back on their bikes.
Thinking I might not be able to ride a MTB like it should be ridden again was one of the scariest thoughts I've had in awhile as riding for me like most of you I suspect is part of my mental health plan! Obviously I might have to reign in my dreams of being the next Semenuk ha ha.
Lots of good advice in here. Will read through it a bit more.

Cheers
 

SDA

Likes Dirt
I would first try a stem which is 10mm shorter and put another 5mm headset spacer under the stem. Ride it and see whether it changes anything.

Suspension set up may help a little but proper bike fit will give better results.

But if you feel the need to get a new bike, go for it! Just make sure you get the fit right!
 

CalFB

Squid
I had a 2 level disc replacement at C5/6 - C6/7 in Feb this year after battling with degenerative arthritis & nerve impingement for years until it virtually disabled me. I am also a dirt bike rider, or at least was a dirt bike rider, still undecided if I keep riding as yet. I had a hard tail but after the surgery treated myself to a Kona Process 134DL and now the hard tail just gets me up the to shops occasionally. I'm back riding full speed now, but it's been a pretty slow recovery, and I can't even see my new carbon fibre discs and shiny titanium bits! Keeping fit and healthy has been key to recovery for me.

I'd certainly go for the suspension set up. No different to the dirt bike, it's the single biggest performance improvement you can make.
 
Top