…and does it change with power output?
The reason im asking is that yesterday on my ride during my interval, I hardly felt any pressure on my arms, but once I was done and started to softpedal, it seemed as though there was a lot more weight on my shoulders.
At first I thought it was just because I was doing an interval and don’t notice much when I am dying, but any insight into this would be helpful.
It entirely depends on a couple of things.
What do you mean by “arms”? Shoulders? Biceps/triceps? Forearms? Elbows?
How is your weight distributed? Are your shoulders directly over your elbows? If your upper arms are vertical, then you skeleton is taking your weight and your muscles are going to be doing much.
I guess you have to determine why your shoulders were under pressure. I might be more to do with holding your head up.
I just started getting back on the aerobars for my last couple of rides and I have noticed the same thing, my shoulders get pretty tight at low power. I think the weight distribution is the same at different power outputs but the pain is just more noticeable at low power. Just a guess.
Hu
…and does it change with power output?
How much weight depends on your setup. But yes, it changes some with intensity. The harder you push on those pedals, the less weight your saddle and arms have to support.
How much weight depends on your setup. But yes, it changes some with intensity. The harder you push on those pedals, the less weight your saddle and arms have to support.
^ this. i’ve never even ridden a tri bike but it’s the same thing on a road bike. it’s not just a question of whether you notice it…your weight is distributed over three points: saddle, pedals, and bars. if you put more weight on the pedals, there’s less on the other contact points.
How much weight depends on your setup. But yes, it changes some with intensity. The harder you push on those pedals, the less weight your saddle and arms have to support.
I would agree with this, to a point. I notice that when I’m straining hard I tend to creep forward on my saddle …which I would increase pressure on my forearms. I don’t imagine it’s a great difference.
…and does it change with power output?
How much weight depends on your setup. But yes, it changes some with intensity. The harder you push on those pedals, the less weight your saddle and arms have to support.
Thank you. This is what I was looking for.
It entirely depends on a couple of things.
What do you mean by “arms”? Shoulders? Biceps/triceps? Forearms? Elbows?
How is your weight distributed? Are your shoulders directly over your elbows? If your upper arms are vertical, then you skeleton is taking your weight and your muscles are going to be doing much.
I guess you have to determine why your shoulders were under pressure. I might be more to do with holding your head up.
I meant shoulders… I have a shoulder problem with my left shoulder and the pain starts to come on after about 5min of easy pedaling, but yesterday even at the end of my 20min interval, I didn’t feel even the slightest bit of discomfort.
My forearms and upper arms make almost a 90 degree angle and shoulders are almost directly above elbows… Also, my back is almost perfectly horizontal…
When I train my neck and shoulders get tight and I feel some sharp knife like pains in the shoulder blade area, when racing I have little or no pain just some stiffness.
I can feel the decrease in pressure on the bars during a race caused by pressing harder on the peddles.
I tried raising the seat but the forward lean is too much and adjusting the seat angle to compensate just hurts my butt/privates too much.
I just live with it.
Ron W.
53 lbs.
It depends on the workout, sometimes I do curls with 35lbs and other times I am hammering the 50’s…