Bicycle Ergonomics

Riding a bicycle; a rite of passage in childhood, a mode of transportation, a sport and great exercise for man/woman/child.  It can also be a source of stress and potential injury to your body when not done properly and with proper equipment.  So here's some simple, helpful hints.  Sure, any credible bike shop should be able to help you out with similar tips and then some, but what about all of us buying bikes this Spring at rummage sales or off of Craigslist?  

Basically, there's three types of bikes; road, mountain and hybrid. For each of these styles there are five things to consider; the size of the frame, the height of the seat, the position of the seat, the tilt of the seat, and the handlebar position.

Avoid injuries to your Man/Woman parts.

• With both feet flat on the ground you should be able to straddle the top bar of the frame with 1-2" between the bar and your crotch (4" for a mountain bike), it is important to physically test this and not just depend on a #. i.e. a 21" frame may vary slightly based on manufacturer

Avoid injuries to your back and knees.

• The saddle height should be such that when the pedal is in the lowest position your knee is slightly bent with the ball of your foot on the pedal.
• Seated on your bike with your pedals at 3 and 9 o'clock your forward knee should be directly over the pedal axle.
  (Seats should be able to be adjusted up/down, forward/backward)

Avoid injuries to your neck/shoulders.

• Handle bar height can make a big difference here, but due to huge variations in preffered riding style, flexibility, arm/torso length, other body mechanics, the best thing to do is to set this up last and try several various positions.  To avoid stress on the upper spine and shoulder try to keep your shoulders in a down and back positionand your head in line with your spine.  Remember, your head is about the size/weight of a small bowling ball and the farther away from your center it translates, the heavier it becomes for your spine to support.

Last, but not least.

• Saddle tilt should be about neutral/parralel with the ground and you should feel comfortable.  There are numerous different seat styles, find one that will make your ride the most enjoyable...that's what it's all about right!?

If you see a sweet deal at a local rummage or on craigslist, start with at least the right frame size and after that, if you're not comfortable setting it up on your own, haul it over to the local bike shop and have one of the pros help you out.

Ultimately, I love to see people being physically active, but it sucks to see people suffer injuries from doing something that they enjoy.  So have fun, but take care of your body, it's the only one you get!!

Oh yeah, and wear a helmet!!  Here are some tips about fitting a helmet correctly:

• It should cover the forehead and fit level on the head. 
• Y of the side strap should meet just below your ear.
• When you open your mouth the chin strap should gnetly pull your helmet down a little
• If you push on the front of the helmt and it moves back more than an inch, it's not snug enough
• Do NOT wear a hat under the helmet

Ride Safe!