8 Steps to Correct Cycling Posture


If you know how to maintain a correct cycling posture, you will greatly enjoy riding your step-through bike. There are a lot of things that contribute to an excellent cycling composure and the efficiency that can be seen in experienced riders.

These people didn’t become so good in just a day; it takes a significant amount of time to gain that experience and to also learn from their mistakes. One of such great lessons that add to your skill level as a biker is the ability to maintain the right bike posture while cycling.

Also, especially as a beginner, knowing how to balance yourself properly on a bike would reduce your risk of accidents.

How to Maintain a Proper Cycling Posture

What is the correct bicycle posture? Before you can achieve the perfect cycling posture, there are a couple of things that you should take into consideration.

1. Get a Bike Fit by a Professional Service

The first thing you should consider getting is a good bike fit, especially when starting road biking. Now, bike fits are a professional service that’s usually offered in some bike shops. It would cost a fee, but it’s definitely worth the price.

The pro in charge of fitting your bike would make all the necessary adjustments to perfectly match your physical profile to your bicycle. This means that your bike seat post would have the right height, and you won’t struggle to reach the pedals.

The handlebars and cleats would also be adjusted properly. By the end of the bike fit, you’d have a bike that’s convenient to ride.

2. Strengthen Your Muscles

As a cyclist, you must learn how to strengthen your muscles. Strong muscles are a key factor for easy and proper bike riding posture.

If your muscles are too weak for the pedals, you tend to maintain a bad posture while riding. Great muscle strength would ensure that you track your knees, lift up your head, and straighten your back while cycling.

3. Don’t Keep Your Elbows Straight

If you’ve been riding your road bike while keeping your elbows straight, you need to change that. Without bending your elbows inwards, you can’t ride your bike comfortably and efficiently.

As a matter of fact, bending your elbows adds to your balance and reduces the risk of falling off the bike.

4. Be Flexible

The next step to correct mountain bike posture is improving your flexibility. Having muscle flexibility, as a cyclist, would greatly improve your proper biking posture and your efficiency.

This is because the muscles responsible for pedaling your women’s hybrid bike would be free to move and help your legs reach the pedals easily.

5. Stretch Regularly

If you haven’t been doing regular stretching in the past, you need to make a habit of it now. Failure to stretch the muscles would lead to a decrease in flexibility, and allow sores to persist.

After you ride your bike, your muscles are usually worked up and tired. This is why you should stretch them, in order to make them relaxed and ready for the next cycling session.

6. Relax Your Shoulders

If your shoulders aren’t lowered and relaxed while you ride, you’ll start feeling some discomfort in your back and neck region.

In order to conveniently turn your neck, and to also prevent any unnecessary discomfort, always relax your shoulders.

7. Your Knees Should Be in Line with Your Feet

If you can consciously keep your knees in line with your feet, you’d be able to maintain a good cycling posture. Excessively pushing out your knees would only reduce your efficiency and general comfort.

8. Your Spine Should Be in Neutral Proper Cycling Position

Another important tip to apply as you cycle is keeping your back straight. Take note that you aren’t to straighten your back to a point where it starts hurting so allow your spine to relax a bit.

What you must avoid is bending over on your bike. To stop yourself from unconsciously curving out your back, you should focus some work on your abdominal region.

When the muscles in your abdominal region are engaged, you can easily straighten your back and relax other muscles in your arms and shoulders.

Conclusion

If you can follow all the tips given on correct cycling posture and get a road bike speedometer, you’ll enjoy cycling better. You should know that this isn’t something you can achieve within a single day; you’ll need to practice for some time.

If you’re a beginner, there are some mistakes that you’re expected to make – these are common to other beginners too, and not just yourself.

However, learning from those who are on higher levels than you, and also avoiding the mistakes that they made, would push you far within a short time frame.

Remember to always keep the right road bicycle posture while cycling for better comfort and efficiency.

Have you ever had problems with biking posture when riding your bicycle? Tell us about your problem in the comments and we will get back to you.

Shailen Vandeyar

A proud Indian origin Kiwi who loves to plant trees and play with my pet bunny when not out doing about every kind of biking and experiencing the occasional tumble. Ready to share the ride with you.

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