Seat/Bar Height and Stretching

[pjmsj21]

In looking at all of the beautiful bike photos that get posted on this forum, a great majority of them have some pretty substantial drop between the seat and the bars. Being an older rider, who at 59 that has placed a premium on comfort, I have been riding with my bars flat with my seat height. However I have notice some older riders that have the bars with a substantial drop which obviously reduces the frontal area and increases your speed for the same level of output.

Thus I am looking for any lower back stretches that might improve my flexibilty and allow me to get my bars lower but not at the cost of comfort. So do any of you stretch gurus have some suggestions?

Pat Mc

[fierte_poser]

You haven't said what hurts, so it will be difficult to give you advice on what to improve! ;)

Have you tried dropping your bars by 1cm and riding like that for 2 weeks? If not, I'd do that and see how your body responds.

[pjmsj21]

You haven't said what hurts, so it will be difficult to give you advice on what to improve! ;)

Have you tried dropping your bars by 1cm and riding like that for 2 weeks? If not, I'd do that and see how your body responds.

It's pretty much a lower back issue. I'll give the 1cm drop a try.

[bluto]

Aerodynamics don’t always equal better performance; especially if you can only ride for an hour in that position. Recruiting muscles/energy to stabilize your body is wasting energy that should be put towards pedaling. If your back hurts too badly your body is telling you that your weight is not being distributed poperly (proportionately) over the bike.

Stick with what feels better.

[Dekonick]

across the hall Mr. Kirk and others have shared their knowledge of fit with the world. One detail I think is overlooked is seat setback (Mr. Kirk again) - make sure you seat is far enough back. Go read the 'wiki' across the hall as it has some true pearls...

:)

[pjmsj21]

across the hall Mr. Kirk and others have shared their knowledge of fit with the world. One detail I think is overlooked is seat setback (Mr. Kirk again) - make sure you seat is far enough back. Go read the 'wiki' across the hall as it has some true pearls...

:)


Point in the right direction to get to "across the hall"?

[jlwdm]

Google cycling stretches and core workouts. You will find all kinds of information.

These types of exercises will be good for you no matter what postion you figure works best for you on the bike.

Jeff

[bikinchris]

At the risk of crossing some of the fit people on here:

If you can ride the drops of your bars and get your back flat when you lower your elbows to level with your hands, then your bar is low enough. You don't get added aerodynamic benefit from having them lower, or your back lower than level.

I rode a bike for many years with the bottom of the drops 10 inches below the seat. It doesn't make you faster. I am naturally flexible and 7 years of Tae Kwon Do helped me keep comfortable in that position.

[Peter P.]

This super rad saddle to bar drop fad has gotten out of hand. It looks cool and rakish, but makes craning your neck to see down the road a pain in the you-know-what/no pun intended, as well as offering dubious aerodynamic benefits vs. older methods of bike setup.

Dropping your bars will not magically make you faster, so don't look at it as a cure-all.

Instead of considering handlebar drop, consider setting the handlebar height to achieve a particular angle of your back relative to the ground. It is an legitimate alternative.

With your hands on the brake hoods, pedal your bike on a trainer and have someone take photos of you. On your computer monitor, you can measure your back angle vs. the ground. Racers and recreational riders have back angles of 40-50 degrees.

If you would prefer to measure by handlebar drop, then one manual I have states 4-6cm from the top of the saddle to the top of the stem is all you need. Any more is superfluous.

Back and hamstring flexibility are two of the limiting factors.

For ANY stretching exercises, I recommend Bob Anderson's book, Stretching, which is in its zillionth printing-it's that good!

[jhat]

across the hall

http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/index.php

[bluto]

across the hall

http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/index.php

first post is link to another website?

..........wierd

[Fivethumbs]

Look at old pictures of Hinault. Use that as your guide. I would take him over any other rider today head to head (in his prime that is).

[jlwdm]

first post is link to another website?

..........wierd


OP asked how to get to "across the hall."

Jeff

[Smiley]

In looking at all of the beautiful bike photos that get posted on this forum, a great majority of them have some pretty substantial drop between the seat and the bars. Being an older rider, who at 59 that has placed a premium on comfort, I have been riding with my bars flat with my seat height. However I have notice some older riders that have the bars with a substantial drop which obviously reduces the frontal area and increases your speed for the same level of output.

Thus I am looking for any lower back stretches that might improve my flexibilty and allow me to get my bars lower but not at the cost of comfort. So do any of you stretch gurus have some suggestions?

Pat Mc
Spend a fit fee which runs about 150-300 bucks and have a good fitter check you out and set you up, you can't get lower comfortably if your already locked out with your elbows and you can't get lower if your KOP is set wrong, its not as simple as dropping a spacer, you also should consider your line of vision through your glasses especially if you wear RX lens. Too many factors. Spend the money and do it right so you don't mess up your riding enjoyment on myths of speed :)

[Peter P.]

...you also should consider your line of vision through your glasses especially if you wear RX lens...

Brilliant suggestion and something I've always advocated for because it's a problem for me. It's one of the reasons I gave up wearing sunglasses while cycling; the top of the frame obscured some of my field of view, particularly in the drops.

[Ken Robb]

you also should consider your line of vision through your glasses especially if you wear RX lens. :)

AMEN! If you have a strong prescription you really must look through the center of the lens to avoid distortion so a position that might be mechanically perfect but may only let you see well 15 feet in front of the bike.

I'd hate to tell you how I know this so well.

[jhat]

bluto, I was 05Fierte TI, but it stopped working. I could log in but not post or see images so I went to jhat which I use on the other forums anyway.

Sorry, I am not a new member.

[soupless]

Maybe people are raising their saddles to make the bikes look faster when they post pics. It's recommended in the image gallery "how to take good pictures" sticky.

[Tobias]

However I have notice some older riders that have the bars with a substantial drop which obviously reduces the frontal area and increases your speed for the same level of output.How much faster do you want to go and at what cost?

That same argument could be applied to anyone, right? If riding with 5-cm of drop, then why not 10? Or why not ride around on tri-bars which are very fast? Regardless of what any of us are doing, we have found a compromise between speed and comfort that works for us. Maybe yours is a little different.

Working on flexibility is a great goal, but I wouldn't get crazy and turn riding into a job instead of pleasure just to ride a little faster.

[pjmsj21]

Shortly after I wrote the original post, the Cycle Oregon newsletter arrived in my email, with a brief article by this physical therapist/cyclist. She provides some sretches and core stength exercises that you might find available.

Pat Mc

http://www.becomebodywise.net/cycle_oregon.html

[zap]

If you can ride the drops of your bars and get your back flat when you lower your elbows to level with your hands, then your bar is low enough. You don't get added aerodynamic benefit from having them lower, or your back lower than level.

I rode a bike for many years with the bottom of the drops 10 inches below the seat. It doesn't make you faster. I am naturally flexible and 7 years of Tae Kwon Do helped me keep comfortable in that position.

Your bars are still too high.

With elbows bent say 30 degrees in the drops, your back should be flat. Nobody is going to ride 4 hours in the drops with their elbows bent 90.

I'm about as flexible as a 2x4, have a bad back and I need a bike with low hbars so my back feels better (proper reach too) and make 4 hour centuries easier.

The biggest deal about getting low is not having a gut flopping around.

[Trouble]

... you can't get lower comfortably if your already locked out with your elbows and you can't get lower if your KOP is set wrong...

I get the elbow part, but can you expand on what you mean if KOP is set wrong?