The reach to the handlebars is so important because of the static nature
of cycling for the upper body, so it's one of the few sports where there's such a
difference between upper and lower body.
The majority of the time you're in the same position
bent over essentially for massive, massive periods,
and very static. So if you get that reach wrong, over that amount time
it can add up to discomfort and at worst, pain
and injuries. Most people's default position is on the
brake levers, obviously that's where the gear changes doing, that needs to be in people's comfort
zone,
if that's too far away they generally overreach. Most people will bend forward
people will have a small bend in their mid-back and they'll take up the slack
with their shoulders so if the reach is too far away
the shoulders bow round, they're always using their pecs slightly to hold themselves out,
very straight-armed,
and it means that the connecting muscles, the rhomboids in the shoulder
blades
are always being stretched and not being used, so over a period of time they get weak,
get very tight, and people end up like this. If you're too far away
and you're overreaching, there's a lack of stability and strength.
If you're going to do something dextrous, for example when you chop an onion at home
you do it close in where you've got the most control and strength, you don't do it
way out,
and it's the same on the bike, you want to have control and strength so you can
handle the bike,
change gear, adapt, make small changes descending,
this needs always to be close and in your comfort zone.
If you're set in a natural seat position, so we're talking about having the front of the knee
over the pedal axle, so that standard position, most people
a good balance between aerodynamics and comfort
for your average sportive rider is that 45 degree
angle. Some people who might be able to move forward more
are guys who have more natural flexibility in the chain, which is the hamstrings,
glutes
and lower back. So part of that is work
so flexibility, stretching, and part of it is just a natural
ability really, some people are naturally more flexible
that others. Occupation is a big factor as well, so people who spend a lot of
time
in that seated position are more likely to be quite stiff
in the hamstrings and also quite stiff it the hip flexors.
So we're talking about back angle of about 40 to 50 degrees on the
top of the levers is a good compromise between comfort and aerodynamics.
Like I say, Si being ex-pro and being able to handle those lower
tolerances from years of riding a bike he's at the lower end at
39.3 for his back angle. So what we're looking at here with Si is
keeping that upper arm angle
at less than 80 degrees, so it stops that rotation of the shoulder blade.
So about 90 degrees.
Like I say, Si is on the edge of that limit
but coming from an ex-pro background he's got that extreme position but with Si it's
sustainable.
So he was at
39 degrees before, we're looking to 40-50 as a good balance, and Si is
getting a little old now and winding it down
so actually he does need a bit more comfort going into his older age!
So actually going up from 39 degrees to 43 actually suits the relaxed position,
it now suits his relaxed style of riding.
At 80 degrees, we've now brought him to a far more comfortable
76, so taking a little bit of stress
off his shoulder blades by bringing that arm back a little bit
and also visually you can see that the shoulder blades now
the arms have gone back a little bit so we've taken a bit of slack off the lower back
by coming up a touch and a bit of slack by bringing the shoulders back, but that was quite an
extreme change - 2cm off the stem,
and 1.5cm up. Overall, Si has probably got
a less aerodynamic position, but for his style of riding now
it's a more comfortable position.