The Optimal Cycling Position
Riding for days is hard enough, let alone with a balanced and relaxed cycle position. It may seem like lesson 101 of riding, but even the most experienced riders can struggle. A professional bike fit is the first crucial step to riding with optimal bike position.
The slightest change in body position can cause pain, especially when riding for hours and day like in the Tour de France. The simple cue of relaxing your shoulders could save you from a world of neck pain the following day. An optimal cycle position starts at the head and works all the way down to the feet.
Here are some simple tips and optimal angles to adopt:
Relax your shoulders and bring them away from your ears. A long ride or excessive hills may cause you to stiffen and have them creep up again.
Look forward – by lowering your shoulders, this will free up your neck, allowing you to look forward with ease.
Bend your elbows – 150-160 degrees is the optimal angle at the elbow whilst cycling. This allows your arms to act like suspension – your arms can bend to absorb impact if you hit a pot hole or bump. Bent elbows will also allow less pressure in your hands – avoiding some of the most common injuries we see in cyclists.
Your wrist should NOT bend – Maintain a straight line from your elbow through to your fingers on the brakes. If you cannot achieve this, there may need to be an adjustment made to your bike fit.
Maintain a neutral spine – Your back should be relaxed and you should have a fairly straight line between your hips and shoulders. An easy way to check-in on your spine whilst riding is to ask yourself is my core engaged? If your abs take a holiday while riding you will more than likely slouch and start to experiencing deep lower back pain and reduced cycling efficiency.
Your hips should sit flexed somewhere between 55 to 70 degrees while your knee extension angle is maintained between 30 to 40 degrees. This will ensure your knee is tracking over the ball of your foot/pedal.
Ensure your ankles move between 30 to 40 degrees to maintain efficiency of your pedal stroke. This will ensure you are using the correct muscles at the right part of the pedal stroke to avoid overuse injuries. Loss of range at the ankle can contribute to an inefficient pedal stroke and non-optimal cycle position.
Not sure you have the optimal cycle position?
Call 9873 2770 or book online: https://bookings.nookal.com/bookings/location/39XKS