I’m going to go a different way here…instead of core, core, core I’m going to say nutrition, hydration, electrolytes.
Your muscles and all those little bursa (how many do we have? Like 150 or something?) lose water if you don’t hydrate…that goes without saying. But especially muscle loses a lot of water as glycogen comes out of the muscle tissue.
Ok, so imagine a waterbed that’s full. It’s all floaty comfort. Now take all the water out save for a few inches. If you lay on it now you’ll start to notice some points of discomfort after a while.
Back discomfort during riding can be a similar phenomenon. If the bursa in your spine become dehydrated, you will have achy discomfort: period. The same thing can happen at all your contact points. As water comes out of body tissues all that natural interstitial cushion and lubrication starts to be compromised.
I used to HUGELY struggle with neck pain, lower back soreness and hand numbness. Hugely.
I always tell my (non-cycling) there are two worlds in which cycling exists: 1) the less than two-hour world, and; 2) the over two-hour world.
Below two hours cycling is simple, fun, uncomplex. Above two hours it’s a complicated, precision endeavor where millimeters, garment fit, and nutritional tolerance is absolutely critical.
With that being said, (as long as your first stop is to make sure you have a good bike fit) here is my non-scientific prescription for >2 hour on-bike comfort:
Be able to do at least 50 pushups without stopping
Be able to do 15 overhand pull-ups without stopping
Be able to hold a plank for 90 seconds continuously
* Hold your head up (i.e. looking forward instead of down) while holding the plank
Work up to these if you need to. It worked for me. But I am a sample size of one.
I think those numbers are kind of extreme, but for someone who can do those you have probably developed a really strong core to achieve it. So it’s just a different way to get to the same results really.
Was it Jonathan that mentioned those on a recent podcast about mountain biking? I can’t do those, but can bench 175 and knock out 15 perfect form pushups. At 200+ lbs my lat pulldown is 150 so do the math, I can’t do a pull-up yet but can with ~50lb assist. On the pulling side - which has immensely improved posture while sitting at a desk all day - my cable row is 150. Also do some trap work. Side plank is 30 seconds.
After spending the summer in the gym and nailing down a routine, I can go out and ride 2-5 hours mostly in the drops and come home without any back soreness. More importantly I can sit in front of a computer for 8 hours and maintain good posture.
At least for me, the key was developing a stronger upper back so that I could keep my chest open and stop my pecs from getting short and tight.
Please carry on Chad - I struggle big time on indoor comfort especially when doing lower intensity rides. 90 mins is most I ever managed and last 15 of that was especially uncomfortable.
When I start to have lower back pain on the bike it is usually because my glutes are way too tight and my lower back muscles over compensate. Try routinely stretching your posterior chain.
I’d always been good about stretching my hamstrings and quads, this was one of the things I was really neglecting. My personal opinion is things similar to the pigeon stretch make the most difference to me.
Came here to say exactly this. If I’m undernourished, my neck and back are the first things to start hurting as I run out of energy. Discomfort is massive when fatigue + undernourishment sets in.
With increasing hand pressure and then shoulder neck pain that could potentially step from locking out your arms, all the lumps and bumps along the road jolt up through hands, arms and into the shoulders and neck with no shock absorption. The follow on from that would be why are you locking out your arms, bike fit probably, maybe too short of a stem or you’re far more upright than you think, maybe that stems from inflexibility, weak core perhaps meaning you can’t hold a position bent at the elbow for extended periods.
I just wanted to report back to everyone who may have been watching this thread with interest. On Monday of last week I went and got a proper Retule bike fit done. I had no weird body issues(one leg to long, inflexable, etc). The end result was basically that my seat was probably an inch to low(which put me near the max line now). The fore aft position was adjusted some as well. I also changed my seat out to a Specialize Power expert. At this new seat height I really need to bring my stack height up some, but there is no steertube left and I’d have to go to something weird like a flipped negative rise stem. In other words, my bike was to small! I’ve already picked out a new one (going from a 58 to a 60cm, but a 90mm stem).
After I started this thread, I also started stretching daily. Hamstrings, quads, glutes, lower and upper back, neck, and chest. This has been fantastic and I’m kicking myself for not starting sooner. My posture has improved and in general I’ve felt great. I’m adding core/trunk strength work to this soon.
Today I did a 65 mile charity ride and I stepped off the bike at the end feeling great. My lower back was very minor stiff/sore(nothing at all like before), but my hands never got numb, and I never found my shoulders in my ears either.
Big thanks to everyone who took the time to reply!
Sounds like a good result, just make sure you are happy with how the bike handles on a 90mm stem.
I have run one brand’s 56 frame on a 90mm and felt fine, another felt terribly twitchy (so much so I dropped 2 sizes down to a 52 and run a 110mm stem, overall length isn’t that different but I run the 52 maybe 15mm lower and at some point will drop another 10-20mm).
I recommend checking your bike fit on an annual basis. As we age, our bodies change and while an annual bike fit checkup may seem excessive, it will prevent a lot of problems. I further recommend training/riding for a few hours before you have your fit performed. This way you will be in the same physical state of which you are trying to correct. Your lower back should be sore and so forth.
Core muscles are extremely important. I see tons of riders carrying extra weight around their midsections. Midsection weight, which is generally carried on the front of our bodies, places extra stress on the lower back when riding. The extra weight also messes with knee alignment and a proper pedal stroke. Strengthening the core will help alleviate this issue. Loosing a big belly will help with paving the way to a great pedal stroke. Finally, strong core muscles help with placing more power into the pedal stroke.
Proper posture on the bike is important. A poor fit and weak core muscles can lead to poor posture. When we want to “rest” our tired muscles we end up stressing other groups of muscles. Or, we can place too much weight on the hands. Poor posture creates stress in the wrong places. We end up with tension in the shoulder muscles which then helps to create further tension throughout the body. Mentally notice your posture and physically correct it.
Cycling has a tendency to place us in one position for long periods of time. Our bodies are not meant to stay in one position. So, we need to stretch and roll our muscles on a regular basis. I recommend spending a fair amount of time learning how to properly stretch and roll your muscles. I am a big fan of myofascial release which can be rather painful. However, it works for me. Also, I like to spend time in different positions on the bike: sitting, standing, hands on the hoods and hands in the drops. Change positions while riding and add stretching and rolling into your training.
Lastly, I subscribe to the two hour rule. If, while riding, anything is uncomfortable with regard to my hands, feet, head or seat then it needs to be addressed. If it is uncomfortable at two hours, then it will be painful at six hours and downright debilitating after 12 hours. During an event and on long training rides, we need to focus on turning the pedals and not on what is causing us to feel unnecessary pain.
You are off to good start by asking for advice from this group.
I had a bike fit about 6 weeks ago and it has significantly changed my power and comfort for the better.
I went in to the shop complaining of medial knee pain after climbing steeper grades. I was not comfortable on the saddle either as my rides were getting longer now.
Changes that were made.
Specialized Power Expert Saddle 168
Saddle moved forward and tilted forward
Saddle height dropped 10mm
Cleats moved back slightly
The result of all these changes was that my feet were coming down on the pedals a lot closer to vertical. Knee pain went away straight away but I did get some hand pain. An adjustment to the tilt and everything is now fine.
The wide Power Saddle has been really good as I am dialed in with my position on the saddle and the extra width means I actually sit on my sit bones.
. Everyone please give yourself a pat on the back 
.