It would be simple enough to check if the floor is level. Even Phineas have a digital level in them now.

I would guess your outdoor position is probably crooked, most everyone's is a tiny bit off center. If it's very off center then you could have problems.

When you're outside looking down at your front wheel does the stem general line up perfectly with the wheel, or is it off too one side?

Maybe one of those tennis ball tilt platforms would help

Do you have something on one side of your setup or the other that you're subconsciously worried about falling over onto? It sounds like your body is bracing for a fall that may never happen, or leaning away so that it doesn't?

Just a thought; I have absolutely ZERO scientific data to support this theory, whatsoever LOL

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Is your tv to the side? I'm very careful about where I place my entertainment tablet and zwift tablet to make sure I don't subconsciously shift my position to make it more comfortable to look.

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My Strava | My Instagram | Summerville, SC | 35-39 AG | 4:41 (70.3), 10:05 (140.6) | 3x70.3, 1x140.6 | Cat 2 Cyclist

Yes to this, which is why I got rid of my kickr bike because the handle bars, saddle, pedals are all locked in all planes (xyz, rho-theta-phi) and my back injuries got worse. If I ride on a Kickr trainer, it is manageable as the handlesbars hav some motion, If I ride on rollers, my back and psoas are way better, and outdoors, is the best as it moves left and right and the entire bike rotates

In real life your headset moves decoupling your cervical spine from lumbar which is connected to your saddle and pedals. Your front and rear wheel rock from side to side to counterbalance your hips moving one way and your upper body going the other way

On an outdoor bike, things move in the roll/pitch/yaw axis (roll and yaw all the time, pitch when your nose pitches up on an uphill and down on a downhill). There is give in the bike to make up for assymmetries in the body. Everyone has them. For NORMAL people who are pretty symmetrical, none of this is a problem when locked in, however, I have lumbar spine injuries with one side way tigther than the other. Its not a problem swimming as the water gives, and as much as it slows me down on the run, at least the neck, shoulders, hips, feet have full degree of available motion. Not so on a bike.

I totally believe that your issues are due to being ‘locked’ into position with your trainer. Last march I went from e-motion rollers to a stages bike. Shortly afterwards my hip was so aggravated/damaged my whole season got cancelled.

I’ve gone back to the e-motion system, and it’s just fine.

I have purchased a motion base for the stages and am very interested in how it works out.

Oh, and it’s not the stages issue, just how my creaky old body has reacted to such a stable platform - it really is a great system.

I agree with others, you are suffering from being locked in position. Simple solution: get a rocker plate.

I have Favero Assioma Duos and notice that outdoors my balance is almost always 50/50 or 51/49. On my trainer it’s very imbalanced around 56/44, which is strange because my left knee is the one that’s had three surgeries and it’s the one putting out more power on the trainer.

So my Lumbar spine has a mild scoliosis convex to the right, based on the x-ray I just got. Definitely has resulted in some asymmetries over time. On the bike (hooked up to the trainer) my right hip is higher than the left, and the left shoulder appears lower than the right shoulder, with a general lean to the left (as viewed from the back). Yet I clearly put more pressure on the right aerobar pad and end up pulling the handlebars to the left (there is a window to the left that I look out of sometimes, but generally I stare straight ahead at my laptop on a small table directly in front).

I just remembered that when I last got a serious bike fitting - 2 years ago - the bike fitter (who is also a PT) actually raised my left aerobar pad 5 mm, because that corrected or at least significantly reduced the spine curve when I ride. I think I discarded that change after a bit without giving it a real chance. I think going back to that would really help, actually. Does anyone else have one pad a bit higher than the other?

It's good to hear that it's not just some wild theory of mine that the fixed indoor riding position has exacerbated back issues related to my crooked lumbar spine. I'm looking forward to getting outside soon. As someone else has noted, I also have R/L power imbalances - typically around 55/45 R/L outdoors (don't have indoor data but I'd guess it's worse), so while outdoor riding will likely help with my back issues, it doesn't get me all the way there. The aerobar pad height difference might in combination with more outdoor riding.

I have my Kickr Bike on a Saris MP1 motion platform, and it makes a huge difference in comfort. I also make a point of getting out of the saddle for 30 sec. or so every 10 minutes to let my back stretch a little and avoid getting locked in.

OT, but what platform? I’ve a Stages bike and love it.

Thanks - I’m planning on giving a rocker plate a try.

I was skeptical at first, but I really almost can’t believe how much a rocker plate really does help. Not just with saddle discomfort but an all over feeling.

Agreed. It's kinda subtle at first, esp with higher stiffnesses of whatever the spring is (tennis balls, inflatables, etc). But, as you get more used to it and can use softer springs it gets even better. It's not quite like outside, but it's much better than a rigid mount. Mine has fore/aft movement as well, which helps add an additional component.

I had back pain as which always coincided with riding for years. I tried a lot of different fixes but in the end i'm embarrassed to say, my saddle was too high. Now that i've found a lower point i have no more back issues.

I went through phases of stretching and strengthening various muscle groups because i thought there must be some kind of imbalance but nothing seemed to work and my hips always seemed to be out of balance somehow.

I was fiddling on the internet one day and found a saddle height calculator which predicated a seat high several cm lower. I tried other calculators but they all seem to run off the same formula and provided similar guidance. Once i adjusted my saddle, bingo. It felt weirs initially, like i was too low, but no back pain and i can cycle without issue.

This may not be your issue but good luck anyway, i know how frustrating it can be with constant back pain.

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There is something about locking the bike in a stationary position that does at the limits throw things off for me. Not sure what it is. I can do similar efforts - big gear work, sprints, hill reps really giving it and all fine - do similar type of efforts indoors on the trainer and tweak my wonky left knee or similarly wonky lower back.

Hence in terms of harder efforts indoors - I always strive for higher RPM - 95+rpm, and confine myself to V02 max type of efforts in the 2 - 4 min range, or steady low to mid Sweat Spot efforts.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I'm fairly new to indoor riding...just got set up on Zwift a few weeks ago. But I have noticed that I have saddle pain, and things going numb that never happen when I ride outside. So there must be something different about how I'm sitting when stationary compared to rolling free on the roads. Based on my recent (and somewhat limited) experience, I wouldn't be surprised if folks experience things like the OP mentioned. If anyone has a magic fix, people let us all know! 😂

I’ve waited some time to reply to your question with the intention of getting some
Experience in the motion plate. The short story is that ‘ it rocks!’ I got the one from turborocks.com in England - the spin react.

Here is their description:
We have the Spin models that are compatible with the Stages. Either the Spin React (side to side & for/aft) or Spin (side to side). These are also available in 2 finishes, the CoolHex and Stealth. Both finishes are as robust as each other so it’s just a case of which finish you prefer and the CoolHex is less expensive as well!

I ordered it on a Friday and a week later it was delivered - from England to Colorado !

I’ve been on it about 12 hours total since I got it and absolutely no hip pain. It’s amazing how much motion there is just riding, motion that was ‘being trapped’ in the joints, and causing inflammation.

A 10/10 experience ….

I built a "rocker" with these balls and a piece of plywood on top of two of them. One for the back and one for the front, less than $20.
https://www.walmart.com/...edSellerId=101136585

Do you end up with motion similar to outdoors or is it a completely new learned sensation? For example rollers is similar to outdoors but not quite the same. Emotion rollers tries to add the back and forth, but it is still different

My running shoes caused this and I had sharp pain in my right hip during indoor spin. Changed the shoes and it went away. I don’t think that’s the case for you but I’m throwing out here for other people to see. They were Endorphin Pro 2. Not the shoes for me.

I had left hip pain while using my kickr snap when I was on it a bunch last summer, never had issues on outdoor rides. I was never sure if it was from running or cycling. Best of luck.

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'22 IMMD, '23 SwimRun MD