i think to start with on both your road bike and your tri bike, you should make an effort to get your seat angle as steep as is reasonably possible. you may even want to ditch the soloist and instead do all your riding on a steeper tri frame (you can put drop bars on the frame and make it into a "road" set-up). these steps will reduce open up your hip angle and may reduce the amount of lumbar bend required. so it will allow you to get a bit more aero while reducing the load on your lumbar spine.

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Where would you want to swim ?

this is based only on what i've seen. people with bad backs usually also have tight hamstrings. that makes it hard to tilt the pelvis forward and hard to get in a decent aero position. if that describes you - i would focus on getting a comfortable saddle that helps you roll your hips forward. stretch the hamstings - a lot if necessary. make sure the seat is not too high. keep the aero bars above the level of the saddle as much as necessary. learn to put the weight of your upper body on the elbow pads and relax the back muscles. learn to be patient and get off the bike and stretch on longer rides. don't push big gears before you are ready.
good luck

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"Competetive sport begins where healthy sport ends"

Two good replies with an observation I'd like to second from GregX: Steeper is better for a bad back if you are operating under the assumption that a more "open" (wider or greater than 85 degrees or even greater than 90 or 95 degrees) is easier on the lower back.

The additional recommendation by bermudabill about tight hamstrings is another excellent theme. I agree. bermudabill also reinforces the very good idea of using the bicep area (humerus bone) for structural support of the weight of the torso.

Note that when we sit in a chair our torso to leg angle is about 90 degrees, and that is what it should be on a good tri bike set up give or take. If you can sit in a chair you should be able to handle the same angular relationship simply rotating that forward and also moderating any saddle comfort issues that bermudabill also touched on.

Let us know how you make out!

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Why not take a test ride on a TitanFlex? You may be shocked how much longer you can hold your fancy new aero position when your bike absorbs all the road shock as opposed to your back.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

I also have disc issues and never find any bike position to be affected by shock. But if I rode a comfort bike it probably would. Even on the hoods of my road bikes and my mtn bikes my torso is about 45 degrees from verticle so the verticle shock from bumps doesn't compress the spine.

To the OP: in my experience with me and friends, back troubles are so variable that you need to find out for yourself what position(s) you tolerate best. But FWIW, I am comfortable in a absolutely completely aggressive TT position. Completely horizontal back. This is because there's no weight supported by the spine...and I have extremely flexible hamstrings, so I keep a straight low back even with very tight hip angles...yet I only need a 90 degree hip angle on my tri bike because I'm using basically a 90 degree effective STA.

You got some good advice already. I've struggled with back issues for years. I used to get spasms so bad that I had to lay down for a couple days at a time. When I really started getting into multisport around 2002 I struggled with a tight back. I had a guy help me get set up on a softride, I had a rising stem (not much drop) and he set me up with a high saddle because he thought that helped one spin better. I was also riding pretty slack and somewhat stretched out. My back was always tight, it was agony.

So first I got refit (by Tom D by the way) which helped a lot. Then I continued to tinker and through much evolving trial and error I discovered that saddle height is very critical to me. I'm not very flexible in the hammies and if I ride with a saddle even a bit too high, it makes my back very tight. Biggest epiphany for me was getting my saddle low enough. Once I did that, back problem solved (to a large degree). In fact, on my TT bike, I'm pretty comfortable in a steep position with a fair amount of drop (13cm or so). I actually believe in my case, having a bit more drop (as long as I have the right saddle height) takes pressure off my lower spine where I have some disk issues.

Now the more I ride the better my back is. I haven't had debilitating spasms for several years. I don't run much anymore because of my back but I've always been more of a cyclist anyway. Now anytime I slack off on my riding, my back hurts more and more, which reminds me that I need to up my mileage.

So I don't know what your issues are but I'd make saddle height one of the first things I look at.

Thanks for the compliments Tom. You bring up good points but i'd like to add a bit to them. You said.

Note that when we sit in a chair our torso to leg angle is about 90 degrees, and that is what it should be on a good tri bike set up give or take. If you can sit in a chair you should be able to handle the same angular relationship simply rotating that forward and also moderating any saddle comfort issues that bermudabill also touched on.

A difference to note when comparing the chair position to the aero position is that in the chair the knee is bent about 90*. The hamstrings attach below the knee to the lower leg and so bending the knee takes a lot of strain off the hamstrings. As everybody has experienced, it is a lot easier to touch your toes if you bend the knees a little.

i think a more appropriate 'test' would be to sit on a firm chair with your back 'straight' (straight meaning that there is a slight inward natural curve to the lumbar spine) and try to straighten one leg at a time. Most people will not be able to get the 90* shoulder/hip/ankle position. For people with back problems trying to extend the leg may be painful.

of course full extension is not necessary. you do not straighten the leg during the pedal stroke. however, if you can get 90* sitting then it's a good indication (IMHO) that you have what J Cobb calls an 'A back'. If you are not able then you most likely have a 'B back' and need to set your position goals accordingly. Here, as you said, steeper is better and hip rotation is very important.

best regards

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"Competetive sport begins where healthy sport ends"

When I had my p3 I rode steep with about a 13cm drop. Saddle was not too high according fist standards. My initial back problems were huge as my legs went numb and \i had debilitating pain...now I am mostly ok with sometimes a bit of back spasm. As everyone noted though, I do have concrete hamstrings...tighter than tight.

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http://slow-triathlete.blogspot.com/

"As everyone noted though, I do have concrete hamstrings...tighter than tight."
with all due respect, there is your issue. stop f'n around and deal with the root cause.
I speak from experience.

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"Competetive sport begins where healthy sport ends"