The ergonomics tag has no wiki summary.
22
votes
7answers
2k views
How do I determine the correct position for my bicycle seat?
I have been suffering from IT band problems on my outer knee, which I'm pretty sure were caused by raising my seat height too much. I raised the seat on the advice of a friend who said that a higher ...
20
votes
5answers
1k views
Recommendation for panniers used off the bike a lot
I'm looking for panniers. I mostly just potter around town, and am not planning any cycle touring so my main criteria is that the panniers should be easy to carry around off the bike. Built in ...
17
votes
8answers
2k views
How can I keep my feet from falling asleep while riding?
I have mountain bike shoes and clipless pedals. When I go on long rides, my feet fall asleep and then very, very painfully wake up (on my most recent long ride, this started happening after 30ish ...
15
votes
2answers
727 views
How should I angle my foot throughout a pedal stroke?
When I say "angle my foot," I mean in relation to the ground. Is it best to keep your foot level throughout the stroke? Should I point my toes downward or upward at any point? I'm wondering what's ...
14
votes
4answers
396 views
How to choose a bicycle seat
I'll need a new saddle for my bike soon. I use it mainly for short commutes (30 minutes). About once a year I go touring for a few days, up 8 hours in the saddle.
My current saddle just came with the ...
10
votes
2answers
425 views
What is the optimal cadence?
I have heard that one ought to turn the pedals at 90rpm. However, I do so much slower, especially while standing, and would like to understand the argument behind this number (or any other number). ...
9
votes
6answers
489 views
How many fingers on the brake lever?
I have seen people stop with one finger, two fingers or the whole hands on the levers. Is there a recommended number of fingers on the brake levers when stopping/anticipating an emergency stop? Do ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
At what height should I have my seat on a road bike?
I am currently riding a loaner from my brother in-law, and I have set the seat height based upon feel. I was wondering though as to how I can set it to the right height for me to ride more ...
7
votes
5answers
806 views
I feel long rides exclusively in my quads, should my calf muscles be doing more work?
I notice a lot of cyclists with massive sculpted calf muscles, especially the kind that clearly ride as a life-style without worrying about minimizing body weight.
I've switched cities, and gone from ...
7
votes
5answers
477 views
How to prevent my bike from tipping over when using just one pannier?
I often carry gear in a pannier on my bike rack, as in the photo below (not my bike, but same pannier design. My actual bike frame is very different; I'll upload my own picture tomrrow):
I have two ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
Proper Posture on a flat bar road bike
I've been commuting on a flat bar road bike for a couple of years now. The ride feels comfortable but whenever I see myself riding I always think my posture is wonky.
Is there a guide somewhere or ...
6
votes
2answers
238 views
Proper Posture for Preventing Painful Posteriors on Penny-farthings?
After riding relatively short distances (about five kilometers), I’ve developed a literal pain in the rear. I suspect the hard seat is the primary culprit, and I’m sure I’ll be able to replace with ...
5
votes
4answers
3k views
Is it possible to measure your sit bones at home?
Some bike shops have gel pads that you sit on to measure the distance between your sit bones. Is it possible to take this measurement on your own at home, or does this really require special-purpose ...
5
votes
3answers
581 views
Should I use a narrower saddle on a road bike than I would on my hybrid commuter?
I ride a hybrid (Trek Fx 7.3) as a daily commuter and have found a 143mm saddle to be the right width for me. However I am looking into getting a road bike for long rides and am finding 130mm ...
5
votes
5answers
7k views
“Proper” cycling posture on a road bike with drop bars?
Sometimes I feel a little pain in my lower back after cycling (nothing too long, mainly cycling around London for general commuting...5-10Km). It could be due to a number of reasons (I have a bad back ...
4
votes
2answers
315 views
I can't sit on my sit bones
I'm 195cm and 80kg. For as long as I can remember, I haven't been able to sit on my sit bones comfortably. In hard wooden chairs I slouch or lean far forwards. Plastic seats, such as on a metro, are ...
4
votes
1answer
104 views
How do I make sure I'm sitting straight on a recumbent?
I have recently taken up cycling a recumbent (an Azub Eco). My pereneum thanks me, but immediately after a ride I feel a bit lopsided (more than usual). I presume I'm not sitting quite straight on the ...
4
votes
1answer
475 views
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Rido saddles?
I've started riding more often now (big plus), and as a result am getting, ahem, saddle issues with my classic San Marco Rolls saddle. I'm an average build, 5' 8-9". The saddle issues are mainly ...
3
votes
6answers
2k views
Securing sliding bar grips without hair spray?
I have some Bell anatomic handlebar grips that tend to slide (rotate) on the bar. I've read that using hair spray is useful, but tends to be rather permanent. I'd like to make the grip tackier but not ...
2
votes
4answers
382 views
handlebar setup/selection to mitigate wrist pain on multiday rides
On my first multi-day bike tour the only physical trouble I had after a several long days on my bike was pain in the wrists.
My current touring bike setup has drop bars with a long fork. I chose the ...
2
votes
5answers
2k views
How is bicycle fit affected by switching from a riser bar to a flat bar?
I have a 2009 Kona Dew that comes with handlebars that have a rise in them.
I've noticed that I feel pretty upright while biking so I'm looking to get into a more aerodynamic position. Looking at ...
2
votes
2answers
268 views
how much can i raise my stem?
I've got one of these stems:
It's currently fully inserted into the bike, and it's too low for me.
Can I simply loosen it, raise it 5cm and tighten it again?
What's the minimum length that ...
2
votes
2answers
104 views
Getting the right cockpit position. Sliding forward. What should I adjust to keep my sit bones on the seat?
I am experienced rider and I'm looking for some advice on how to adjust my cockpit position. I am a daily commuter, and do regular 40-50k rides on the weekends, and with the warmer weather will work ...
1
vote
1answer
34 views
Bike position - Town bike
I have found a lot of documentation on the internet on how to chose the correct riding position for a mountain bike or a road bike.
The thing is that my bike doesn't fit in those classes.
My bike is ...
