Bond with Your Bike

Few sports so closely link human and machine as the sport of cycling. When a cyclist and bicycle form a biomechanical bond, the result is pure grace and beauty. An ill fit however, causes inefficient riding and may lead to injury.

The most common bicycling related injuries, referred to as overuse injuries, can also be thought of as misuse injuries. These injuries, resulting from ill fit, often manifest themselves as knee, hip, back or neck pain. Various techniques can decrease pain, but without identifying the root cause, relief may only be temporary.

Square Pegs, Round Holes
For years the bicycle industry has turned to assembly line production (like automobiles) to meet demands. The industry realizes that people are not "one size fits all", so they offer numerous frame sizes. The problem is that the "geometry," or proportions of the frame do not change with the size. Most frame sizes offered do not accommodate shorter or taller riders. Also, mass produced bikes do not take into account the tremendous variation in body segment length. For instance, if ten cyclists are all 5 feet, eight inches tall, the length of the legs, torso and arms will dictate a different bicycle fit for each cyclist. These individuals settle for the "closest fit" and then attempt to modify the fit by changing component such as stems and seat posts.

News Flash: Men & Women are Built Differently
There are gender "trends" in segment length. On the average, a female tends to have a shorter torso than men, while a female¹s legs are generally longer than a man¹s (see accompanying graphic). In general, the top tube length on standard production bikes is longer for a generic "male" proportioned body. The result for most women is being overstretched horizontally between the handlebars and the seat (even if the bike is sized right for leg length). This is why a number of women complain of back and neck pain.

How is this problem resolved? Ultimately, the answer involves ensuring proper cyclist-machine fit. This is best achieved through consultation with an experienced fitting expert. It is extremely difficult to perform a self-fit and you may be settling for adequate rather than optimal conditions. At the very least, ask a friend who can view you from the side and front and make appropriate suggestions.

. Dr, Dr!! It Hurts When I Go Like This!
Unless you have drastically changed your duration of riding or fit (via adjusting your current bike or purchasing a new bike), back or neck pain typically comes on slowly with increased weekly mileage. First, transient soreness is experienced 24-48 hours after rides, then progressing to pain during rides. If pain continues, the cyclist may quit riding altogether. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to prevent this unfortunate situation.

Ice is Nice!

• First, ice the painful area quickly and leave the ice pack on for 20 minutes intervals. Let your skin return to room temperature and....ICE AGAIN! Initially, the ice may make your muscles feel tighter but, it can actually relieve muscle spasms.
• Second, gently stretch the offending muscles. Choose stretches that affect the painful area, but don¹t stretch until it hurts. You should feel gentle "tugging" or "pulling". Hold each stretch for 30 seconds each and repeat throughout the day.
• Third, correct your bicycle fit problem before you plan any further trips or training rides. Now that the pain has started, you may find that it reappears sooner in your rides! Finally, once the pain is down to a dull roar it is time to strengthen the stabilizing muscles in your back. After injury, the injured muscle is weakened so you may experience fatigue sooner in your rides. For a healthy back, exercise your abdomen (crunches), large extensor muscles (prone extensions), trapezius and rhomboids (rowing motion) and latissimus dorsi (lat pull downs).

You Don¹t Have To Take It!
If pain persists, seek medical attention. A detailed medical evaluation can often pinpoint the exact problem and offer specific instructions for rehabilitation or pain relieving exercises. Remember, cycling is supposed to be a pain free activity.

Pamela, 1998 US Cycling Federation Category 4 Wisconsin Cup Champion, has a freezer full of ice custom shaped for each of her aches & pains. Now that she has a fitted bike, she rarely needs that ice anymore!

Mean Segment Lengths Expressed as Percentages of Total Body Height
These diagrams illustrate proportional differences in body segment length between men and women. Note that there is high variability from person to person. This means a "one size fits all" approach to bicycle fit is inadequate.