Do you like to go on bike rides or do you even ride your bike to work regularly? Then you should make sure that your bike is adjusted as good as possible. To ensure that your bike is optimally adapted to your body and your riding behavior, we will give you some information, tips and tricks on how to adjust your bike ergonomically.
No matter in which area you talk about ergonomics, it is always about something (e.g. the workplace) being adapted to people and not the other way around. It’s the same with a bike: You don’t have to settle for an inappropriate bike or settings on the bike that cause pain or other physical discomfort. The bike should be adapted to you in such a way that you feel completely comfortable on it. It is not only a matter of ensuring that all angles that the body occupies on the bike are adapted to your own body measurements, but the bike should also be tailored to your personal performance and your preferred riding style. This is the only way your bike can serve your health and give you a lot of fun. So what exactly is there to consider in order to have an ergonomically adjusted bike?
Our four tips for ergonomics on the bike
#1 Adapt the type of bike to your personal riding style
Depending on which riding style you prefer and which type of bike is suitable for it, the seating position and the optimal inclination of the upper body will change. We introduce you to the basic types of bicycles:
- For leisure bike rides and rather short distances at a moderate pace, Dutch and city bikes are best suited. On a Dutch bike, you should adopt a very upright, almost vertical posture. The handles of a Dutch bike are relatively close to the upper body, so the hands are not so strained. Due to the upright sitting posture, however, the entire body weight rests on the buttocks, which can lead to discomfort of the spine if not actively counteracted. On a city bike you also sit upright, but tilted a little further forward than on a Dutch bike. The reason for this is the high handlebars, which may cause slight tension in the back and shoulders if you let yourself hang too much while riding.
- Trekking bikes are ideal for longer bike tours at medium to high speed. The handlebars and saddle are further apart, so the upper body is also tilted much further forward. As a result, not only the spine and buttocks, but also the hands and shoulders have to support the body – so the spine is relieved a little.
- An enlargement over the previous types of bicycles are sports or racing bikes. These are designed for high-speed riding, so the saddle is higher than the handlebars to achieve a strong inclination of the upper body. This guarantees optimal power transmission and allows you to accelerate properly. However, road cycling requires full body tension – so well-trained abdominal, back and leg muscles are an advantage.
#2 The right saddle height – the basis for ergonomic cycling
The saddle height and the ratio of saddle and crank handle of the pedal are decisive for a pleasant riding experience without complaints. To adjust the saddle optimally, sit on your bike and let another person hold you. Alternatively, lean your bike against a wall. Put your foot on the pedal, which should be in the lowest possible position. It is important that you place your heel on the pedal. When riding, you use the ball of your foot, but you use the heel to adjust the saddle height. So if you put your heel down on the pedal and adopt the optimal sitting posture for you, your knee should be completely depressed. As soon as you put the balls of your feet on the pedals to ride, your knees should be slightly bent. If you notice that your pelvis tilts to the side while pedaling, the saddle is too high. Knee problems usually indicate a saddle that is too low.
#3 The optimal handlebar adjustment
In addition to the adjustment of the saddle, that of the handlebars should not be neglected. The distance between the saddle and the handlebars should be adjusted so that the back is neither too stretched nor compressed. The adjustment of the handlebars should also prevent the wrists from bending and allow multiple grip positions. Many nerves run through our hands which makes them very sensitive. When riding a bicycle, they take over part of the support function and are therefore heavily stressed. If a misalignment of the hands is added, irritation of the nerves can quickly occur. Many cyclists know the problem of tingling and falling asleep hands or a feeling of numbness. In addition to the adjustment of the handlebars and the optimal grip position, the handlebars themselves also play a role: There are many different types and sizes of handlebars that need to be adapted to your own hands. Depending on the type of bicycle, a certain type of handlebar is usually suitable: For Dutch and city bikes with an upright sitting posture, strongly curved handlebars are more suitable, for trekking and racing bikes with a forward-leaning sitting posture, straight handlebars are more suitable. And there are also many different handlebar grips. The best thing to do is to get professional advice on the handlebars in a bike shop. In principle, however, handlebar grips should be thicker towards the middle than at the edge in order to relieve the hands and forearms.
#4 Every person is unique – listen to your body’s signals
No two bodies are the same – each of us has a different physique, different body measurements and an individual body perception. No matter how correct and useful the ergonomics tips are, in the end you have to listen to your body and its signals. Even if your bike is ergonomically adjusted, you may find it uncomfortable or experience discomfort. So you should change the settings of the saddle and handlebars and try them out again and again until it feels optimal for you personally. As soon as this is the case, the painless and powerful cycling can start!