Mountain biking posture.

"Tetsuo Shima" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how much
higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to body length
and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after long

haul

Quoted message said:

rides.)

Links to relevents site gratefully welcome.

Would riser bars help? I've found some Truvative Hussefelt Riser Bars, but
would I heed higher? If so, what?

Tetsuo Shima said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how
much higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to
body length and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after
long haul rides.)

Links to relevents site gratefully welcome.

http://www.wrenchscience.com/WS1/default.asp

You could start off here just so you'll get into the ballpark.
BTW I don't know anybody that has their handlebars higher than their saddle.
Even with or lower seems to be more common. Except for City street riders of
course.
If you're beginning you may just need to get used to being on a bike.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

"Tetsuo Shima" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Tetsuo Shima" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how

much

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to body

length

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after long

haul

Quoted message said:

rides.)

Links to relevents site gratefully welcome.

Would riser bars help? I've found some Truvative Hussefelt Riser Bars,

but

Quoted message said:

would I heed higher? If so, what?

Riser bars and a shorter stem. Also, play with your saddle, it might be too
far set back on your seatpost. If that doesn't help, then you probably have
a bike that has too long of a top tube for your body type.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

Tetsuo Shima said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how
much higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to
body length and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after
long haul rides.)

Links to relevents site gratefully welcome.

Besides bike fit, also make sure that you
- keep a good hand / forearm alignment to minimize the bend in your wrist -
both sideways & up/down. Adjusting the width of your handlebar, bending your
elbows, and positioning your brake handles are things you can look into.
- keep you elbows bent so they work as shock absorbers
- strengthen your core muscles - they can/should take up some of the weight
off of your hands.

Franck

Tetsuo Shima said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how much
higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to body length
and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after long haul
rides.)

First of all, check that your wrists are in the right position. A lot
people have their brake levers at the wrong angle, and as they're covering
the brakes during a ride, it puts unnecessary strain on the wrists.

Sit on your bike in the normal riding position and extend your index and
middle fingers to rest on the levers. There should be (more or less) a
straight line down your forearms to the tips of your fingers.

"Carla A-G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Tetsuo Shima" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Tetsuo Shima" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how

much

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to body

length

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after long

haul

Quoted message said:

rides.)

Links to relevents site gratefully welcome.

Would riser bars help? I've found some Truvative Hussefelt Riser Bars,

but

Quoted message said:

would I heed higher? If so, what?

Riser bars and a shorter stem. Also, play with your saddle, it might be

too

Quoted message said:

far set back on your seatpost. If that doesn't help, then you probably

have

Quoted message said:

a bike that has too long of a top tube for your body type.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

I have a good idea, i'll take all measurements of me and my bike and then
hopefully someone might be able to tell me if I do need to invest in
different bars and stem.

"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tetsuo Shima said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how
much higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to
body length and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after
long haul rides.)

Links to relevents site gratefully welcome.

http://www.wrenchscience.com/WS1/default.asp

You could start off here just so you'll get into the ballpark.
BTW I don't know anybody that has their handlebars higher than their

saddle.

Quoted message said:

Even with or lower seems to be more common. Except for City street riders

of

Quoted message said:

course.
If you're beginning you may just need to get used to being on a bike.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

I've been riding for years, but i've found over the last few years that I
get a lot of back/wrist problems, i'm thinking that it's something to do
with my setup.

"Franck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tetsuo Shima said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how
much higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to
body length and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after
long haul rides.)

Links to relevents site gratefully welcome.

Besides bike fit, also make sure that you
- keep a good hand / forearm alignment to minimize the bend in your

wrist -

Quoted message said:

both sideways & up/down. Adjusting the width of your handlebar, bending

your

Quoted message said:

elbows, and positioning your brake handles are things you can look into.
- keep you elbows bent so they work as shock absorbers
- strengthen your core muscles - they can/should take up some of the

weight

Quoted message said:

off of your hands.

Franck

I've always kept my elbows bent. The best way I can explain it is that it
feels like all my bodyweight is falling onto my wrists, I can't seem to
shift my weight backwards a little.

"bomba" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tetsuo Shima said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how

much

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to body

length

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after long

haul

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

rides.)

First of all, check that your wrists are in the right position. A lot
people have their brake levers at the wrong angle, and as they're covering
the brakes during a ride, it puts unnecessary strain on the wrists.

Sit on your bike in the normal riding position and extend your index and
middle fingers to rest on the levers. There should be (more or less) a
straight line down your forearms to the tips of your fingers.

I was told that one a long time ago and always stuck to it. I do have a
ganglion cyst on my righht hand, that can play up really bad from time to
time. As i've said before, I just need to ease the pressure off, but how?

"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tetsuo Shima said:

What are the correct settings for the handlebars and seat, (as in how
much higher the handlebars should be above the seat in relation to
body length and arm length.)

The reason i'm asking is that I seem to be leaning too far forward and
putting a lot of strain on my wrists, (which can hurt a lot after
long haul rides.)

Links to relevents site gratefully welcome.

http://www.wrenchscience.com/WS1/default.asp

You could start off here just so you'll get into the ballpark.
BTW I don't know anybody that has their handlebars higher than their

saddle.

Quoted message said:

Even with or lower seems to be more common. Except for City street riders

of

Quoted message said:

course.
If you're beginning you may just need to get used to being on a bike.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

That is perfect, thanks a million.

Tetsuo Shima said:

I've always kept my elbows bent. The best way I can explain it is
that it feels like all my bodyweight is falling onto my wrists, I
can't seem to shift my weight backwards a little.

I had the same experience a while back, of falling forward. I moved my whole
cockpit back a bit and this balanced me out.
Ie. I moved my saddle back 15 mm and exchanged stems for a 15 mm shorter
stem. This way I still had exactly the same distance to my bars but my
center of gravity had moved back a little and it took a lot of the weight
off my hands. Plus I felt much more comfortable and balanced

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tetsuo Shima said:

I've always kept my elbows bent. The best way I can explain it is
that it feels like all my bodyweight is falling onto my wrists, I
can't seem to shift my weight backwards a little.

I had the same experience a while back, of falling forward. I moved my

whole

Quoted message said:

cockpit back a bit and this balanced me out.
Ie. I moved my saddle back 15 mm and exchanged stems for a 15 mm shorter
stem. This way I still had exactly the same distance to my bars but my
center of gravity had moved back a little and it took a lot of the weight
off my hands. Plus I felt much more comfortable and balanced

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

That makes a lot of sense, i've got a feeling my stem is way too long
anyway. It's 23.30 am, so i'll check it all out tomorrow.

I did all the measurements on the site and got the info I require.

Tetsuo Shima said:

I did all the measurements on the site and got the info I require.

You might consider asking around as to which lbs in your area does fittings,
and who is the "good guy" to talk to for that kind of stuff. When I got my
bike, we set it up on a trainer and he eyeballed a few things, measured a
few things, tweaked a few things for a really excellent fit. He did my
hubby too, and we ended up changing his stem which made a significant
difference

Penny

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tetsuo Shima said:

I did all the measurements on the site and got the info I require.

You might consider asking around as to which lbs in your area does

fittings,

Quoted message said:

and who is the "good guy" to talk to for that kind of stuff. When I got my
bike, we set it up on a trainer and he eyeballed a few things, measured a
few things, tweaked a few things for a really excellent fit. He did my
hubby too, and we ended up changing his stem which made a significant
difference

Penny

Unfortunately "good" bikeshops are very hard to find here.

Tetsuo Shima said:

"bomba" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sit on your bike in the normal riding position and extend your index and
middle fingers to rest on the levers. There should be (more or less) a
straight line down your forearms to the tips of your fingers.

I was told that one a long time ago and always stuck to it. I do have a
ganglion cyst on my righht hand, that can play up really bad from time to
time. As i've said before, I just need to ease the pressure off, but how?

I have one of those gargoylian cyst too, but on my left wrist. Hurts
like a SOB sometimes. Actually, I'm beginning to have problems with my
right wrist now. I have a good feeling that it's more computer induced
than riding though.

My handlebars (risers) are above my saddle, maybe an inch. It's
definitely not the norm for just about every other rider I' seen, but
that's where I like it. You'll need to experiment a little for find out
works for you. Buy some cheap (closeout or even used) different size
stems just for a fit test. Once you find one that works for ya, then
maybe you can buy the *good* stuff.

BTW, my riding buddies (around the same size as me) that always hop on
my bike to tool around in the parking lot/trail always comment how much
more they like my setup than their own. But then again, that's only for
a few minutes.

Don't overlook your grips. Very important. I recently switched to Oury
Lock-Ons. I like them a lot. There's another dude on this NG that uses
these http://www.extremesteering.com/Silicone_Grips_Shock_Absorbing.htm
I saw them at my LBS, and do look like they're very effective, so that's
a possible solution for you.

--
Slacker

"Tetsuo Shima" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tetsuo Shima said:

I did all the measurements on the site and got the info I require.

You might consider asking around as to which lbs in your area does

fittings,

Quoted message said:

and who is the "good guy" to talk to for that kind of stuff. When I got

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

bike, we set it up on a trainer and he eyeballed a few things, measured

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

few things, tweaked a few things for a really excellent fit. He did my
hubby too, and we ended up changing his stem which made a significant
difference

Penny

Unfortunately "good" bikeshops are very hard to find here.

I will second what Penny has said. You can waste allot of money and time
trying to dial it in if you do not know what you are doing. Forunately I
live near enough to a LBS that does do fitting very well. I have all my
bikes fitted to me. It just does not make sense to spend so much time in the
saddle and not be comfortable and possibly injure yourself over time.

Any and all of the suggestions above can work if that is what you need...
how may stems will you go through before you get it right when all you may
need is to adjust your seat? Move your seat and you may mess up your knee
alignment over the BB... too far back and you lose power if your ankle is in
front of your knee... ect... If you LBS sucks that bad drive to one that can
help you.

Good luck,

-p

"Pippen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Valjc.45960$aQ6.3337184@attbi_s51...

Quoted message said:

"Tetsuo Shima" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tetsuo Shima wrote:
>
> I did all the measurements on the site and got the info I require.

You might consider asking around as to which lbs in your area does

fittings,

Quoted message said:

and who is the "good guy" to talk to for that kind of stuff. When I

got

Quoted message said:

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

bike, we set it up on a trainer and he eyeballed a few things,

measured

Quoted message said:

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

few things, tweaked a few things for a really excellent fit. He did

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

hubby too, and we ended up changing his stem which made a significant
difference

Penny

Unfortunately "good" bikeshops are very hard to find here.

I will second what Penny has said. You can waste allot of money and time
trying to dial it in if you do not know what you are doing. Forunately I
live near enough to a LBS that does do fitting very well. I have all my
bikes fitted to me. It just does not make sense to spend so much time in

the

Quoted message said:

saddle and not be comfortable and possibly injure yourself over time.

Any and all of the suggestions above can work if that is what you need...
how may stems will you go through before you get it right when all you may
need is to adjust your seat? Move your seat and you may mess up your knee
alignment over the BB... too far back and you lose power if your ankle is

in

Quoted message said:

front of your knee... ect... If you LBS sucks that bad drive to one that

can

Quoted message said:

help you.

Good luck,

-p

I've done a few alterations which seem to have done the trick, there is an
instant positive feel from the bike so i'll stick with it for now. At least
I didn't spend anything on extra parts. 🙂

"Slacker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tetsuo Shima said:

"bomba" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sit on your bike in the normal riding position and extend your index and
middle fingers to rest on the levers. There should be (more or less) a
straight line down your forearms to the tips of your fingers.

I was told that one a long time ago and always stuck to it. I do have a
ganglion cyst on my righht hand, that can play up really bad from time

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

time. As i've said before, I just need to ease the pressure off, but

how?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have one of those gargoylian cyst too, but on my left wrist. Hurts
like a SOB sometimes. Actually, I'm beginning to have problems with my
right wrist now. I have a good feeling that it's more computer induced
than riding though.

My handlebars (risers) are above my saddle, maybe an inch. It's
definitely not the norm for just about every other rider I' seen, but
that's where I like it. You'll need to experiment a little for find out
works for you. Buy some cheap (closeout or even used) different size
stems just for a fit test. Once you find one that works for ya, then
maybe you can buy the *good* stuff.

BTW, my riding buddies (around the same size as me) that always hop on
my bike to tool around in the parking lot/trail always comment how much
more they like my setup than their own. But then again, that's only for
a few minutes.

Don't overlook your grips. Very important. I recently switched to Oury
Lock-Ons. I like them a lot. There's another dude on this NG that uses
these http://www.extremesteering.com/Silicone_Grips_Shock_Absorbing.htm
I saw them at my LBS, and do look like they're very effective, so that's
a possible solution for you.

--
Slacker

Thanks, as soon as the site its running again i'll have a look. How
effective are they?

Tetsuo Shima said:

Quoted message said:

I've done a few alterations which seem to have done the trick, there
is an instant positive feel from the bike so i'll stick with it for
now. At least I didn't spend anything on extra parts. 🙂

So tell us what you did?

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.