iCyclelite.com

When you get a new bike for Christmas or any other gift, you might jump on it with great enthusiasm, only to discover quickly that it is uncomfortable.  This really applies to things like cheap mountain bikes and the like from stores which don’t specialise in bikes.  That’s because generally at a ‘proper’ bike shop they will make sure that it roughly fits you, even if they don’t do a bike fit, which usually costs around and extra £70 – well worth it if you ask my opinion, but only if you have spent over about £500.

But if it’s a gift, then you won’t have had that opportunity, so how do you set up a bike at least roughly so that you can ride it?

The key is to think in terms of stretch, flexibility, and contact points.

Stretch

Stretch too far and you will get pains in your back.  Set the saddle distance of the nose of the saddle from the handlebars stem about the length of your finger tips to your elbow.  Set the height of the saddle so that when you put the arch of your foot on the pedal at its lowest position your leg is only slightly bent – flexed is the right way of describing this.  Though you will pedal with the ball of your foot, measuring at the arch seems to work better for the quick and ready method

For more stretch slide the saddle rear-wards, and forwards for less stretch.  If you get neck pain or your hands are getting pins and needles then you are putting too much weight on your hands, so you need to slide the saddle forward.  The rough guide is to get the saddle as far backwards as you can but not so that you put too much weight on your arms.

Contact point: saddle

A comfortable saddle is essential.  Gelled saddles are nice.  For women a wider saddle is better for the sit-bones, but even men with a larger pelvis might benefit.  Racing saddles are thinner, and mountain bike saddles are wider, but who says a racing bike can’t sport a mountain bike saddle?

Contact point: bars

Mountain bike gloves and road bike cycling gloves aren’t just nice little extras.  As well protecting your hands in the case of cycle accidents, the padding reduces road noise vibration.  Though I haven’t heard of cyclists getting white finger – a particularly nasty syndrome which people who work with vibrating power tools – it can be a little unpleasant when you get off the bike and your fingers are tingling because of a nasty ride.  Glove help.

Larger tyres

If you get a hybrid bike, it will come with road tyres.  Whilst not as thin as road bike tyres, they still don’t have as much comfort value as wider mountain bike tyres.  So as long as there is space in the forks, which not switch out for something wider?  Certainly that will be better for winter cycling.  If you are concerned about speed, then rest assured that hybrids don’t change much below 15 mph no matter which tyres you have on.

 photo credit: emdot