posture on bike

samsbike

I am really struggling with this. I end up.riding sitting up ( well on the hoods) with my elbows locked out and my shoulders up .

I am not sure this is because I am tired or not thinking. The effect of all this is a huge pain in my shoulder and neck on the RHS. It's a burning sensation which takes days to subside.

How are the rest of you managing to keep a better posture?

Thanks

goonz

Sounds like your seat is too far back? can you move it forwards a little? Perhaps even a little lower?

Jon_1976

Altering saddle fore/aft could help

freebs

I suffer from this. Raising the bars (I bought a larger frame with spacers but it can be done more cheaply) for me has made a significant difference. I think it is the tendon which connects the skull/head to the back which causes the pain. I self diagnosed this however! I'd be interested too if anyone knows a medical opinion! :?

freebs

The two above would also fit with my diagnosis!!

hipshot

Number of things to try. Move saddle forwards; move seatpost down; move bars up; flip or shorter stem; shorter reach bars.

Make sure your frame isnt too big for you before you spend dollar though.

chrisaonabike

I was riding with straight arms too until recently. I too had flipped the stem up, and moved the saddle forwards, in an effort to get closer to the bars. However, it wasn't really working.

If your shoulders are up (ie hunched up towards your ears), that's in itself *reducing* the distance from your torso to the bars. So I'm not convinced that it's just that you're too far away from the bars.

I know zero about this stuff, but FWIW, at a bike fit a week or so ago, I ended up with:

- saddle 5mm back (yes, back)
- 90mm stem instead of 100mm stem
- flipped down instead of up

Made a world of difference - now my elbows are a bit more bent, and I can ride on the hoods for ages without having to move around or stretch. Which now means that my arse gets numb because I no longer need to move around so much - but that's a problem I can solve

Jon_1976

FWIW, best way to start is to either get the bike in a trainer or have someone hold it while you sit it on. Check balance with hands off bars. Falling forward, saddle too far back. After that, look at stem height/reach adjustments (as mentioned by others).

I guess core strength plays a big part too. When I started cycling I had sore shoulders and arms. I dont suffer at all now, even after moving saddle back quite a lot.

bianchimoon

samsbike wrote:

I am really struggling with this. I end up.riding sitting up ( well on the hoods) with my elbows locked out and my shoulders up .

Usually the main cause of this APART from bike fit is poor/weak core strength, invest in a professional a bike fit. Riding with relaxed arms takes some doing especially if you need to use your arms locked out for support. Forum bike fits are not the way to solve your problem

samsbike

Thanks, I have moved the saddle back and down. This is because I had moved it forward and was getting lower back pain.

I have the bars higher via a 28 degree 110mm stem. This has now been removed and I have gone to a 10 degree 100 mm stem.

The bike is.a 56 and I am 5 11 and a bit with an insect of 89cm.

keef66

"The bike is.a 56 and I am 5 11 and a bit with an insect of 89cm."

That's quite an insect you have there! Predictive text perchance?

samsbike

Doh, inseam.

Thanks