The
key to efficient cycling is proper posture on the bicycle
Have you ever experienced any of the following while
riding your bike: back pain, neck pain, wrist pain, hip or knee discomfort,
tingling toes or "pressure" on sensitive areas. Or maybe
all of the above. A properly set-up bike will address and correct
all of these issues. No matter how technologically advanced a bicycle
is, unless it fits you like a glove, peak performance of the bike
and rider will never be realized. If your body is not aligned properly
with the mechanics of the bicycle, a lot of energy will be wasted
due to inefficient transfer of force from you to the pedals. It is
common to spend precious energy compensating for the associated stress
of your body holding itself incorrectly on the bicycle.
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Riding with a good body position is the fundamental
first step; being comfortable while maintaining a position that will
allow you to produce the most power to the pedals is the goal. Good
body position starts with your body, not the bike. Your range of motion
must be determined based on your flexibility of your hamstrings, hip
flexors, external hip rotators and back. For instance, if you have
two identical twins looking for the best bike fit. One twin is very
flexible; takes yoga three times a week and he can bend over at his
hips with his legs locked and put his palms on the floor. The other
twin, who has spent the last eight years as a couch potato, bends
over and can just reach his knees. Twin number one will need a longer
top tube or stem and will be able to ride in a more aero position
and twin number two will need a shorter top tube, shorter stem with
a positive rise and a head tube extension. So unless your bike fitter
properly determines your flexibility, an accurate fit will never be
achieved. Many of the ailments mentioned above are related to flexibility
issues.
Proper
posture on a bicycle is a critical component that relates directly
to comfort and power. Many cyclists just sit on their bicycle seat
as they sit on a chair and reach for the handlebars. This method doesn't
put the cyclist in the best position for generating power, maximizing
their breathing capacity or comfort. The proper posture to have seated
on a bicycle is like sitting on a chair that you know is about to
be pulled out from underneath you. This position supports the weight
of your torso with your quadriceps and hip flexors. It also rotates
your pelvis forward, putting you in the best position to produce power
from your gluteus maximus, your butt. (I will discuss this later).
If your pelvis is rotated backwards from poor posture, it rolls up
under your chest cavity restricting your breathing while rounding
your spine moving your shoulders farther from the handlebars. Good
posture should allow your shoulders to be relaxed and pulled back,
opening up your breastplate. The lungs are a rider's "gas tanks"
and the chest is where the "fuel" intake occurs. An unrestricted
position will allow the best flow of air into your lungs.
An
indicator of poor bike fit for a road bike is if you can't comfortably
ride using all the hand positions of the handlebars, including the
drops. Bicycle handlebars are designed to allow the rider to take
advantage of many positions, allowing the use of different muscle
groups and aerodynamic positions. If you can't use all position options,
you may have a top tube that is too long for you, or a stem that is
too long or low or a head tube extension that is short. Either way,
you're not getting the most out of your ride.
An
indicator of poor bike fit for a Tri bike is if you can't maintain
the aero position throughout your ride without getting strain in your
neck, lower back or shoulders. If you find yourself sitting on the
nose of the saddle and constantly readjusting your position, this
is another indicator that your bike fit needs correcting. Remember,
the goal is to stay in the aero position! All the work you do to get
an aero position doesn't do any good if you're not in it. Also, keep
in mind that the optimal time trial position is probably not the most
aero, but is the one that finds the best balance of aerodynamics,
power and efficiency.
Knee
pain is usually associated with seat height and seat fore and aft.
Proper cleat position, pedal float and alignment can also contribute
to knee pain. A general rule of thumb is, if your seat is too high
you will get pain in the back of the knee, along with hip rocking
and "sensitive" area discomfort. If you have pain in the
front of the knee, the seat may be too low or too far forward. Hamstring
flexibility also plays a major role in proper seat height. Improper
cleat position or pedal float can cause discomfort on the inside or
outside of your knees. So be sure your cleats were mounted properly
for your stride type. If you walk with your toes out or in, this should
be considered in properly aligning your cleats. Otherwise you will
be fighting your body's natural movement and range of motion.
I
see a lot of riders with a "comfort" fit; high handlebars
bringing their back almost perpendicular to the ground. This position
looks great for flat-land riding, like at the shore. But when in the
hills this position will cost you plenty of power and added discomfort.
Let me explain. The largest muscle group we use for cycling is the
gluteus maximus, the butt. The gluteus maximus is not called into
action until the hip is flexed in excess of about 45 degrees. For
example, sit with your back straight up in a chair then try to stand
out of the chair and notice what direction your back moves. It moves
about 45 degrees to your hips for the gluteus maximus to activate
and raise you out of the chair. Pretty cool, huh? Now try getting
up without leaning forward, welcome to the "comfort" position
that is used for climbing hills. So, if you are one of these "comfort"
riders, I bet your wrists and neck start hurting after a longer ride.
How do I know this? You can't stop your body from naturally wanting
to lean forward as you climb, just like getting out of the chair.
So what is happening is your body naturally leans forward and puts
too much weight on your wrists because your bars are too high and
close to your chest. A properly positioned handlebar will alleviate
these issues.
Neck
pain is another common cycling complaint brought on by a poor fit.
Neck pain is usually a symptom of an inflexible body put on a bike
that is too long or too low. How does this happen you ask? If your
hamstrings are tight or your hip flexors have a limited range of motion
or your lower or upper back is tight or you have weak stomach muscles,
these conditions all limit your ability to rotate your pelvis, activating
your gluteus maximus. These conditions will round your spine and cause
your neck to hyper extend. Thus, giving you a pain in the neck. Sounds
complicated, but it is pretty simple. The bottom line is we need to
be aware of our body's limitations before we can determine what the
best bike fit is for your cycling pleasure.
To
summarize, the benefits of a great bike fit are:
