Cycling posture

esuhl

pinkteapot wrote: »

You may also need to tweak how far forward/back the saddle is (adjusting your reach to the handlebars) and the handlebar height.

I think that might be the problem. If the saddle and handlebars are too far apart, you're going to be leaning forward more and possibly putting strain on your back.

Generali

Sheldon Brown is the web authority on bikes:

http://sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html

The most basic saddle adjustment is the height. Most bicyclists have their saddles too low, so that their knees are excessively bent as they pedal. This makes cycling much more tiring for a given speed, and is likely to cause harm to the knees.

A common reason for keeping the saddle set too low is that most bicyclists have never learned the proper technique for mounting and dismounting, so they find it convenient to be able to put a foot [or both feet -- John Allen] down to steady the bicycle while they are stopped. With older bicycles, it was sometimes possible to put a toe down at a stop with the saddle properly adjusted, especially for riders with large feet. Due to the higher bottom brackets common on newer bicycles, especially mountain bikes, it is no longer possible to do this. If you ride a mountain bike, and are able to balance it while stopped and seated, it is a sure sign that your saddle is too low. This is also true of most hybrids.

Having the saddle too low makes it harder to carry much of your weight on your legs, so you will sit with more weight on the saddle. This, in itself, is likely to increase saddle discomfort.

(continues)

Richard53

The old school rule was this: put your heel on the pedal and adjust the saddle height so that your leg is straight when the pedal is fully extended (leg and crank in a line). Then, when you are pedalling with the ball of your foot (as you should), your knee will be slightly bent at full extension. I always use this - much the best for power and knee preservation. If this means you can't get your foot down when you stop, then learn to come forward off the saddle as you slow down and straddle the crossbar when you put a foot down.


Then check your fore-and-aft position. Put the pedals at 3 and 9 o'clock (i.e. horizontal) and see where the knee of the forward leg is - it should be vertically above the pedal spindle. Adjust the saddle fore and aft if it isn't.


As this position is good for your knees and lower back, I suspect that your back pain (if it's not due to just getting used to riding) is something to do with the handlebar height or the reach from saddle to bars. Bar height and reach are easily adjusted, with a new stem if necessary, and it's well worth putting the time in to get it dead right. A comfy bike is a wonderful thing.

byjimini

Ee, I love you guys.