No pain, no gain. Pain is still commonly seen as a part of training, especially in cycling. But the opposite is true. Pain while cycling – whether during intense training or a relaxed ride – is not something you must endure, and it offers no benefit. In this article, we explain what pain is, how we perceive it, its effects on your body and mind, and how you can avoid it while cycling.

How exactly is pain defined? The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) describes it as: “An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.” The experience of pain consists of the physical sensation, which can be described as stabbing, throbbing, or burning, and, less obviously, the emotional aspect, which can be characterized as tormenting, excruciating, or – especially in sports – exhausting. Pain is also a highly personal experience, influenced by factors such as your health, gender, and even social conditioning.

Pain is a warning system – an error message from your body telling you something is wrong. Electrical impulses are transmitted via special nerve fibers called nociceptors to the spinal cord. From there, the impulses are passed through the gray matter to the brain, where the thalamus relays them to the areas responsible for sensory and emotional pain perception. At the same time, nociceptors increase blood flow and sensitivity in the affected tissue. Immune cells are activated, releasing substances like histamine to respond to potential intruders. The affected area can become swollen, tender, and painful beyond the actual injury.

Beyond the sensory and emotional perception, pain triggers physical reactions that go beyond the original cause. In sudden pain like a fall, your circulatory system is activated as part of the startle response, increasing blood pressure and breathing rate. Other types of pain have more gradual effects. According to the German Association of Anesthesiologists (BDA), pain causes muscle tension, which reduces oxygen supply to muscle fibers. This increases sensitivity and decreases performance. The surrounding muscles may also begin to hurt, potentially causing a cascade effect that spreads pain throughout the body. Constant muscle tension also means you use more energy for the same performance, as the muscle becomes less powerful and flexible. These effects can begin even with minor overuse and worsen with the severity of the injury.

Pain also has psychological effects, especially when it persists. One immediate effect is reduced concentration – the more intense the pain, the more distracted you are. On a bike, this means less attention in traffic, poorer focus during training, and a higher risk of accidents. Severe pain can impair cognitive functions, causing tunnel vision or ear ringing. If you experience such symptoms, stop riding immediately and seek help. Another interesting effect is delayed pain perception. After a fall or during a ride, hormones can dull the sensation of pain. That’s why you often only feel pain in your buttocks, knees, or back after the ride. It’s essential to address known or critical pain zones in advance using ergonomic equipment and proper bike setup.

Pain is a warning signal, but can also become a problem if ignored for too long. Untreated, recurring pain, like knee pain while cycling, can leave marks on the central nervous system, leading to pathological changes in how pain is processed. Your brain learns to process pain differently. The pain becomes chronic and persists even after the original injury has healed. Depending on individual predisposition and the type of pain, just a few weeks of recurring pain, such as back pain while cycling, can be enough to trigger chronic pain. This can lead to a range of issues: disrupted sleep, increased stress, and in extreme cases, mental health problems, anxiety, substance abuse, and chronic pain, which can be complicated to treat. 

Pain should never be acceptable, whether you're commuting or training for a triathlon. The correct grips and a supportive saddle can help you ride more comfortably and perform better without pain. You should also adjust your bike to fit your individual measurements and needs. For more information on bike ergonomics, check out the other articles in our magazine.

The German Pain Society puts it best: there is no such thing as good pain. Pain offers no benefit in training, and the “no pain, no gain” myth is just that – a myth. Humans are not machines; we are complex biological systems that cannot be overloaded without consequences. Discomfort and pain are your body’s way of telling you something is wrong – it’s trying to protect you. Just like “no smoke without fire,” the same applies here: “no pain without damage.”