back problem

[paulbostick]

How is the silvio 2.0 on people with back problems. The things that worry me is the increased seat angle.my other guestion is the handling better tha the 1.5 was.looks like,it would be harder to ride lai1d back like you are on the 2.0

 

[BentBierz]

Sorry that this doesn't

Sorry that this doesn't answer your question but I have a Silvio on order and hope to have it set up in a trainer in the next month to begin getting back in shape and to answer the same question. Between three surgeries in 2009 and one five weeks ago, I am now fused from L3 to S1 with decompression on both sides from L1 to S1.

Not certain why I am so optimistic but I just have this incredible sense that once I get past the learning curve this will end up being the perfect bike for me and my back.

 

[Andrew 1973]

I can't speak for anyone with

I can't speak for anyone with back problems, but I can say that riding with the increased seat angle is not necessarily harder, just different. Your body will require time to adapt and you will have to adopt the nuances of riding reclined, but once you have become conditioned, it becomes second nature.

 

[Lavs]

2 cents from a newbee

I do not have back issues and only have 6 hours on my Silvio 2 (first recumbent bike I've ridden), but I can report that I have zero body pain from riding the Silvio. I can feel just 20 minutes on my well fitted DF bikes for several days after,... I "jumped" right onto the Silvio and spent an hour and felt no body issues. The next day I did an hour in the am and came back for an hour in the pm, no body pains. Repeated that the next day, no body pains. Back and neck feel well supported. If you can lay reclined on the couch you will probably be comfortable on the Silvio.

The riders head is up and looking out, ie good visibility.

There is no problem mounting the Silvio on a trainer.

There is a white knuckle (for me) learning curve that might cause issues with a bad back. Just from the wobbles, bobbles, and abrupt balance checks. And of course you both might be hyper-tuned into stressing-damaging your injured backs,...

I truly believe there might be some benefit to someone working up adult training wheels for the first 1-2 hours,... Really. It might have been helpfully to have a buddy hold the seat and get you moving for a little ways,...? I felt like I went right into the deep end, but I learned quick, and was "pedaling" in less than 10 minutes during my maiden voyage.

Good luck, Lavs

 

[thebean]

L5S1 surgery 9 years ago.

L5S1 surgery 9 years ago. When I first starting riding bents, my back loved it laid back around 27 degrees. Now I like it higher in the high thirties. Most folks with back issues seem to report they like it laid back further. I believe the Silvio 2.0 will work perfectly for you.

 

[Drew]

1.0 to 2.0 Conversion

I have enjoyed riding my Silvio 1.0 for the last 4 years and have about 28,000 km logged to date. This week I rode my 2.0 for the first time and can share some opinions that may be helpful.

First impression is the different feel and balance. The new seat angle felt odd at first but 1 hour of riding brought much more comfort. I definitely feel the change in my abs (which can only be good). Vibration in my head due to the head rest is something I need to get used to or adjust.

Once on the road I was impressed with the increased performance. On my morning route I set a new best average speed even though I was taking it easy. This is a much faster bike but I am also running longer cranks and bigger gears. Regardless I am going much faster with less relative effort. The reclined position just feels more efficient.

Rear visibility is more difficult with the reclined position so it is more difficult to check my six. Two Zefel spy mirrors are a big help.

Sciatic nerve pain is a common theme over the last 2 decades but on the 1.0 it was never an issue even on century rides. Initially I felt some pain riding the the 2.0 but it quickly faded as I became more comfortable and less tense. A lumbar pad may be added but right now it is a-ok.

Suspension and road dampening is essentially the same with the updated frame. You get more performance with all the comfort so no complaints here.

Overall, anyone familiar with the 1.0 can easily adapt to this new frame. The increased performance is pleasant surprise and you give up no comfort to obtain it. Like my 1.0 the only unpleasant part of owning a Silvio 2.0 is when you have to park it for the day. At this point I plan to keep the 1.0 as my city bike and the 2.0 will be my performance ride. Best of both worlds for now.

 

[Plazebo]

Tangent - Traction and Posture

Not relevant but might be useful...

I was talking to a guy on the weekend who said 'I know how to fix back problems'. He then described how his chronic lower back and sciatic nerve issues were cured with spinal traction. He still hangs upside down a couple times a week to preserve his discs.

The topic came up when I described what a good book I was reading about posture. The books is written by a posture therapist with 15 years experience who noticed more traditional cultures don't have anywhere near as many back problems despite their labour intensive lifestyle. For me it's been like the 'missing manual' for my back.

FWIW.

 

[Hilry]

Seat position and feet position

Hi,

i don't know about the Silvio but I got a V2k frame and conversion kit on which I managed to get a nice comfortable laid back position with the seat, but have found that because I have short legs and the boom raises the bottom bracket for this higher than the seat that this results in a lot of torque on the back raising the legs so high.

My back is quite bad though. I have degeneration of the lumbar vertebrae and the hospital told me that they wouldn't fuse them as there were too many (4) to do and that they would fuse together of their own accord in 10 or 20 years and that I could no longer run or cycle.
After a year I did get back to cycling on a diamond frame but with extra high handlebars and a short stem turned the wrong way round, but although I can cycle 30 maybe up to 50 miles in a day this way, even after 20-30 miles I can't go cycling for a week while the grumbling of the back subsides.

And just going round the block on a bike which does not fit me right it renders the same effect, which makes the testing of positions process take a long time.

Good luck in getting your cycling position solved.

 

[mickjordan]

Re: Tangent - Traction and Posture

I think it is relevant in the sense that it relates to the shape of the seat. Many recumbents, for example, the Bacchetta carbon and euromesh seats are banana shaped which does not promote good posture, at least according to the Gokhale method that you refer to. I am a graduate of their course and still working to improve my posture and feeling much better overall now. I gave up on Bacchetta's because of their seat and am happier on my Lightning P38 with it's much straighter seat back. When I had a Silvio 1.5, I liked the seat as it was essentially straight and had a definite seat pan. I'm not a great fan of overly reclined seats (because of having to crane the neck to see the road) so might not be so happy with the 2.0. Unfortunately, cycling frequently prefers performance to ergonomics.

Mick

 

[Bikealounger]

Seat angle and spinal alignment for those of us with pain

I have the old Silvio with a more upright seat position and I like it that way. My physical therapist likes it too, for me. I have fusion at S1 & L5, a fractured L4, bulging cervical discs, irregular cervical curvature, and many other things. I'm so glad I got the old model. I like the idea of a standard headrest, but I did design and make a nice light one for myself. I love my neckrest. Now that person with the armrests...I'd be interested in those.

 

[Ivan]

I second Lavs in that while

I second Lavs in that while the recline of Silvio 2.0 is aero, the head is help up quite a bit so I get a really good view of the road. I get a much better view of my surroundings than on my DF bike.

 

[BentBierz]

But How About Your Neck?

I second Lavs in that while the recline of Silvio 2.0 is aero, the head is help up quite a bit so I get a really good view of the road. I get a much better view of my surroundings than on my DF bike.

I guess the question I would have then does the head rest put any type of pressure on your neck i.e. does it crane your neck at all?