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How to Properly Sit on Your Bike
Most of us have had the experience in getting on a bicycle and riding for the first time in a long while and finding discomfort in the saddle area. This is not uncommon but it doesn't have to be the norm. Depending on the style of bicycle and the riders frequency there are saddles that are more appropriate. The racer's needs are entirely different than the casual hybrid rider's. The racer has 40% of his weight on his hands while the hybrid rider has the majority of their weight on the seat. This may seem very uncomfortable with your current saddle, but there are now many saddle options and sometimes it just takes a little adjustment of your existing equipment to gain a great deal of comfort. The next adjustment is height and fore and aft positioning. The height is determined by several formulas but a rule of thumb is to have your legs slightly bent when your foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke. An excessive bend puts undue stress on the knees and is very inefficient, to little bend has the rider reaching for the pedals and rocking at the hips. The fore and aft position is determined by dropping a plumb bob from just under the knee cap while the pedals are in a position a horizontal position. The plumb bob should bisect the pedal axel. This puts you in the ideal height and position for most comfort and efficiency. The position of the handle bars is also critical and that must be fit as well.
If you’re considering a new bicycle or just an adjustment to a present bicycle, please give us a call, our staff has the real world experience of building, fitting, riding and racing, what we sell. We have found it easiest to convey this information in a real conversation, one on one. Call us or come by in person and visit us.
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