5 key points for a more comfortable ride.
This article is presented by Selle Italia.
Many cyclists think that back pain is a necessary evil of cycling, but this doesn’t have to be the case. The problems that materialize after a ride are often caused by mechanical or adjustment errors, and even by using the wrong saddle type for your anatomy.
According to the World Health Organization, around 85% of the world’s population suffers back pain at least once in their life. Numerous people–including many millions of cyclists–will wonder if their favorite sport is responsible for the problem.
Back pain arises from diverse causes, such as poor posture at a desk, undue effort, being overweight, and indeed, an incorrect position on the bicycle. It’s caused by muscular imbalances and abnormal stresses that negatively impact the spine. When it comes to cycling, the right position in the saddle reduces the load on the spine.
If you suffer from back pain on the bike, before seeking medical intervention, try to optimize your pedaling position, which may include a second look at your saddle choice.
Let’s look at the key points to consider:
Frame size
First of all, your bike must be the right size. It hardly needs repeating, but the fact is that on the roads you often see cyclists pedaling on machines that are too big or too small. In those cases the distances between the three points of contact with the bike (saddle, handlebars and pedals) are not proportionate to the body and dictate an unnatural posture that can result in physical problems.
Saddle
With 60 percent of the cyclist’s weight on the saddle, this “accessory” is critical o the health and well-being of the back. For people predisposed to lower back pain, a good saddle might be one with a slight lengthways curvature, like the Novus SuperFlow Endurance by Selle Italia. This is designed for long distances and encourages forward rotation of the pelvis and thus greater extension of the spine. (The Idmatch system by Selle Italia system is based on anthropometric measurements analyzed by a sophisticated algorithm and means that the ideal saddle requirement of each cyclist can be determined in the space of a few seconds. Learn more here.)
Adjustments
Once you’ve chosen the right bike and saddle for your body, some accurate adjustments are necessary to optimize every detail. This is best done with the help of a good bike mechanic.
Saddle height and tilt are first and foremost, but also, for example, the positioning of the notches.
A saddle with too much height and backward tilt can create undue stress on the lumbar muscles and the sacro-iliac articulation. A saddle that’s too low or tilted too far forward, however, puts less “load” on the arms and thus overload on the spine.
Poorly positioned notches also encourage bad pedaling habits, which in the long run might affect the back muscles.
Cycling style
It’s better to avoid long periods in “aggressive” or aerodynamic positions, for example in the low grip position, so as not to cause muscles to stay contracted for a long time.
At the same time, however, you don’t have to sit passively on the saddle, especially in the case of asphalt or rough terrain. The bumps need to be absorbed, even if it means lifting off the saddle now and again. Think also about your brake levers, which on road bikes shouldn’t be positioned too low. When you apply them you risk causing excessive tension in the back muscles.
Materials
Overly stiff bike components may give the feeling of great responsiveness when you’re riding, but beware, because even the smallest vibrations from uneven ground are transmitted to the body, causing repeated microtraumas to the back.
Wheels and tires are also very important in this regard: high-profile or large-spoke rims have little capacity to absorb impact and the same can be said for tires that are too narrow or over-inflated.
One final thought: if you’re not a professional, it’s better to sacrifice something that offers performance for something that favors our comfort, health, and well-being.
Selle Italia is the Official Bicycle Saddle of the IRONMAN Global Series and an Official Platform Partner of the IRONMAN Virtual Club.