Whether Cycling Outside Or In A Spinning Class, Get Fitted Properly

Have you spotted how many more folk are bike riding these days?

It is a quickly growing transport mode with more and more folk commuting by bike to work ( one mate of mine figures he saving $5 a day in gas alone ), taking long distance bike tours or merely getting some fitness exercise by tooling around the neighborhood.

But whether buying a new bike or merely making sure you are using that old ten speed efficiently, one thing everyone has to do if you are going to make cycling a regular part of your life is to make sure the bike is fitted to you. This also is still true if you are collaborating in a spinning class.

Folks can develop all kinds of Problems from a wrongly fitted bike. We're speaking heavy leg Problems, back Problems, shoulder Problems, arm and joint Problems.

Let's begin with the seat, or the saddle, as bike riders call it. As anybody new to cycling will attest, getting used to a bike saddle could be a very painful experience.

The major cock-up most recreational or casual riders make is buying the widest and softest seat they can find. The truth is, a seat that is too soft really ends up injuring more. Your sit bones just sink down and don't support you the way they're intended to and the soft part of your rear end carries all the weight.

Saddles need to me positioned horizontally... The right distance from the handlebars so you are not stretching or all scrunched up.... And vertically, so you are not sliding backwards or forward. There are special saddles for men that are anatomically built to relieve pressure on, ah, extraordinarily sensitive parts. There also are saddles in a similar fashion designed for ladies.

The right frame size is also important. You should be in a position to approximately straddle the bike with a centimeter or 2 of clearance with the center tube. Seated on the saddle, your leg should be only barely bent at the knee with the peddle in the full down position.

This is another area where in improper fit could cause Problems. The bent is for people to have the seat too low, with their knees coming up far too high in the upward pedal position, or too high, with the knees locked straight on the down stroke. Besides not being efficient and not giving good control, this will cause knee and back Problems.

Then, there's the handlebars. They also must be adjusted vertically and horizontally so you won't be over stretched or put too much weight on you arms and hands.

Ultimately, glance at the pedals. Ensure your legs and knees are in a straight vertical line with your pedal. Otherwise, you can develop major knee Problems. A good bike shop can adjust the pedals to bring everything in line.

Most local bike shops can do a very able fitting for you for $50 or so. It's money well spent.

You may also wish to have a bike computer to keep track of your rides.

A last thing : Get a good helmet.

I'm still staggered by how many bike riders I see who don't wear helmets. If you have ever seen what takes place when someone falls from a bike, even at low speeds and hits their head on the pavement or a tree, you can realize that folks who ride without a helmet are either dumb or reckless.

Ride safe. Ride comfortable. Have a great time.