Re: Arthritis, advice please...

On 2007-08-04, Nick Maclaren <nmm1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In article <slrnfb98f3.5jj.spamspam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Ben C <spamspam@xxxxxxxxx> writes:
|>
|> Why the low saddle? You said something in another post about hamstring
|> length being the problem, but is that true for everyone? I'm not very
|> flexible (can't even touch my toes) but adopt a highly aerodynamic
|> semi-crouched position on the bike and my legs can perfectly well
|> straighten completely. I have the saddle just high enough that the knees
|> don't quite lock out when riding.

It is true for all of the cyclists I have observed. Hamstring
length is the main problem, but not the only one. Let's look at
one of Simon Brookes' pictures:

http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/album/girvan_2007/target85.html

Well, the knee is quite a way from being straight, let alone relaxed,
as it is as you lift it off the ground when walking, but that isn't
the real problem. Look at the other one. It is EXTREMELY bent, and
he needs to put force on it to rotate the pedals. That is NOT good
news for people with many forms of knee problem, and is one of the
most common causes of knee pain when cycling.

Perhaps shorter cranks would help with that. Then you could have the
up-knee lower without having to put the down-toe down so much.

But higher cadence (with the lower force that that implies) also helps
with that surely? The problem with higher cadence I think you said was
if it's too jerky, but if you can get into a smooth pedalling style
then it isn't.

Despite the misquoting of the dogmatists, the primary reason for a
traditional riding position is to avoid this, and not to achieve a
low cadence. Assuming that he is the same height as me, my saddle
would be a good 4" higher - to achieve that, I have to ankle, of
course, but it avoids the extreme knee bending.

4" higher would be a lot. Is it the case then that the hamstring becomes
more of a limit in this very toes-down position?
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Arthritis, advice please...
    ... |> Why the low saddle? ... You said something in another post about hamstring ... I have the saddle just high enough that the knees ... Well, the knee is quite a way from being straight, let alone relaxed, ...
    (uk.rec.cycling)
  • Re: Saddle dilemma :(
    ... This was before I started using Shoulders Back and in a time when ... Shimming the back of the saddle will do no ... The toe should sit on the stirrup with adhering with gravity, ... about where the knee should be. ...
    (rec.equestrian)
  • Re: Kick bike
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  • Re: Kick bike
    ... struggling in a high gear, in a saddle that's too low, with far too much ... lateral knee movement. ... mountain bike along an city street. ... Peter Duncanson, UK ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Kick bike
    ... struggling in a high gear, in a saddle that's too low, with far too much ... lateral knee movement. ... mountain bike along an city street. ... from pain anywhere. ...
    (alt.usage.english)