I'm not sure why people think more set-back is going to give a flatter back. Increasing the set-back INCREASES bending at the hips. The reason we long distance/comfort type riders slam our saddles back is because it shifts weight off of the hands and not because it's more efficient or better for our lower body mechanics. Look at photo's of time-trialists, their saddle position puts their knees forward of their pedals which gives them a more efficient pedal stroke and allows them to get lower and more aero without being bent over double. The TT position also places too much weight on the hands and crotch, and is less stable steering wise - the reasons we avoid it. However, understanding all this can allow us to find a middle ground which suits us best.
Also, I say that Brooks saddles (the B17 and wider) encourage more set- back, because that extra width interferes with pedal stroke if the saddle position is much further forward. It may sound like blasphemy, but we are too often allowing our wide comfy saddles to determine unrelated aspects of body mechanics simply because they do not allow us to comfortably experiment with a wider range of saddle positions. Wow, I think I just talked myself into trying a narrower Brooks! On Dec 20, 9:41 am, Paul Yeoh <rawfoodcuis...@gmail.com> wrote:000 > After looking at some photos taken by Early Grey of me riding his Sam > with drop bars (example > here:)http://www.flickr.com/photos/25150...@n08/5260456237/ > > I noticed that I am particularly "bent" in the lower back. Well, no > surprise really, I've noticed this elsewhere in my life but cycling on > drop bars makes it really pronounced. What are the implications of > this crooked posture? How would one go about straightening the spine > during cycling or anything else? > > On today's ride on my bike (Sam w moustache bars set about level with > saddle height) I made an effort to keep my back straight and tilt the > pelvis more. Not easy, and I had a mild back ache 30 minutes into the > ride. What does that mean? > > On another note, on my way back down the mountain I had an absolute > blast on the Sam. Smooth, fast and winding road on Marathon Extremes > and tektro cantilevers - wow. To me, the way the Sam feels on fast > descents is the highlight of this all-round fantastic bike. (the way > downhills can be a highlight of the overall cycling experience, unless > you're riding rough pavement on a racing frame with 23 mm slicks at > 100 psi) The extremes probably slowed down overall speed a little but > still rode very smooth and comfortable. Not buzzy at all. > > Any advice / help with improving my posture much appreciated! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
