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Cycling Q's

LindsLinds Posts: 124
Right after some of my previous posts about getting stuffed by a hoodie, things have perked up on the bike front.



I have raised the saddle by 2" and things are much better - however when I'm flying along I don't feel the strain on my thighs or calf’s, but mainly around my knees. Rather odd. I'm going to try raising the saddle a bit more to see if that helps.



Does it matter much where the saddle is in relation to the seatpost? I haven't changed it since I got it.



I am getting used to riding on the drops and I can really feel/see the difference in my speed (now that I have got a cycling computer), increasing it by almost 2km/h when changing from sitting up to getting down (with my funky self). Great stuff.



Still not totally happy with riding constantly in that position (I find I need to sit up every 3 - 5 minutes or so) but it's a start.



I'm trying to keep my arms as straight as possible when down, is this right?



Ok moving onto - pedalling. I am going to be cycling in my running shoes and have the plastic toe clip type arrangement which I have taken the strap off to make it easier to get my feet on and off the pedals. A good or bad idea?



I find that I am pedalling on "tip toes" slightly, raising my heel a bit, but still with a bent leg (even with my heel down). I've seen a few pics and it seems that I should be keeping my heel down - is this right?



Once again another monster "help me" post - so sorry, but thanks for any tips

Comments

  • WannabetriWannabetri Posts: 219
    Quite a post! [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/micons/m9.gif[/image]



    Does saddle matter in relation to seatpost?!?! Yes, and it may even be responsible for the discomfort that means you can only spend a few minutes at a time on the drops. That and some possibly awful lower back flexibility! hee hee.



    Positioning of seat height and saddle is all preference. I have a high seat post, and forward saddle position to allow me to really push down on the pedals. It's a rather aggressive position, but my runs sucks so have to make up sometime on the bike!



    Arms need to be slightly bent and only supporting a small amount of your body weight. Straight and you are going to feel absolutely every bump in the road, and probably get rather tight in the upper back. Moving the seat forward slightly should help this.



    Assuming you are not riding a very technical course, your feet should be fine in toe clips (minus straps). Unless you have a real sidewards pedal action similiar to a Cowboys very cool walk.



    Trying to keep the heel down is an ideal thing, but by no means essential. I had a proper bike fit a few months back and no matter my seat or saddle position my ankle angles did not change and constantly road heel-up! [image]http://forum.220magazine.com/upfiles/smiley/rolleyes.gif[/image]



    I wouldn't necessarily advocate playing around with your set-up this close to the season start, but it's definitely worth having a weekend where you just keep making minor adjustments and seeing how performance and comfort go.
  • BoycieBoycie Posts: 189
    Linds,



    it sounds as if you are getting into this fairly seriously, so my advice is to find a bike shop that does proper bike fittings. It will save you from making adjustments here and there, and guessing your riding position. It may well be the best money you spend on your bike.



    As far as your pedals go, don't be afraid to go for the whole cleats and cycling shoes sooner rather than later. They may seem a bit daunting to start with but they take very little time to get used to and you will notice the difference.



    David.
  • LindsLinds Posts: 124
    Boycie wrote:


    Linds,



    it sounds as if you are getting into this fairly seriously, so my advice is to find a bike shop that does proper bike fittings. It will save you from making adjustments here and there, and guessing your riding position. It may well be the best money you spend on your bike.



    As far as your pedals go, don't be afraid to go for the whole cleats and cycling shoes sooner rather than later. They may seem a bit daunting to start with but they take very little time to get used to and you will notice the difference.



    David.



    Not really an option at the moment as cash is tight and I have still got to buy some sunnies (to keep the bugs out of my eyes) and a race belt.



    If "I" (eg. my wife) even posts on here asking how much these things cost be sure to say that they are all free with Lucozade multipacks
  • BarbsaramaBarbsarama Posts: 73
    Hey Linds, you don't need to go and buy everything straight away - I know they don't compare in price but I would definately concentrate on my bike and equipment to stop me getting injured over things like a race belt. For my first season i had a stretchy piece of elastic that i pinned my number to before the race and then just slipped over my head... priorities mate [;)]
  • Hi Linds,



    i would be careful when raising your saddle, you mentioned that you get slight discomfort in around the knee area? If the discomfort is at the back of the knee its likely that your saddle is too high already thus meaning your stretching too much at the lowest point.

    please dont take this as gospel but it worked for me, i set my saddle so i can just touch the peddle at its lowest point with my heal when my leg is fully extended.



    If you can find a way to have it set up by a professional i would highly recommend it.



    Hope this helps,



    Lee [:)]

  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    hi, I would concur with bristol newbie, dont be too quick to put the saddle up as too high can be worse than too low as it will be more likely to cause you injuries.



    If you can't get a pro set-up, which i personally would recommend as for about 50 quid there is pretty much no better purchase in tri as it could make a huge difference to your speed and injury risk.



    But if you dont have that option you need to enlist the help of someone else, you will need a protractor and possibly a video camera if you have access to one. oh and a turbo, if you have one, if not this may be a bit difficult



    but basically you want to measure the knee angle when the pedal is at the lowest point, and the crank is in line with the seat post. Get someone else to measure it, I aim for about 30 deg.

    If you look on the internet there are loads of videos for bike set up, that go through all the angle etc.
  • LindsLinds Posts: 124
    Cheers for the tips guys



    I was out on the bike for a quick 10km last night and actually it felt a lot better and i felt my lower thighs were doing the work/taking the strain



    Will check out youtube for those bike fitting videos and see if that changes/helps - if not then it's off to Fred Baker Cycles to see if they can help.



    Oh and I like the idea of a strechy peice of elastic in leiu of a race belt - sneaky and cheap !
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