This is where a consultation with a good bike fitter can make all of the difference.
If you're soliciting opinions from random folks on the internet, here's mine. Yes, IMO your back is too arched. It looks to me like you're straining to reach the bars (holding them by the very ends of the drops, elbows nearly locked) without allowing your hips to roll forward. Your butt is trying to sit bolt upright and that makes you reach with your upper back and arms only. You're probably not able to engage your glutes well from that position, and are sacrificing some strength and efficiency. Been there. Flattening your back will mean rolling your hips forward. I find I can't do that on a stock B17 without *significant* perineal discomfort. The Brooks' I have left in service have been cut out a la the Imperial to relieve some of that pressure, otherwise I ride modern saddles with large cutouts. Yes, adapting to a flatter back will require some different muscles to tone up. Yoga, pliates, etc. will probably help with that. So will practicing the position on the bike. Your back doesn't need to be dead flat, but a bit flatter would probably be good. You don't need to look like a modern racer, but you could do worse than to look back at how bikes were fit a few decades ago: http://www.linternaute.com/sport/dossier/cyclisme/tour-de-france/06/diapo-cols/images/anquetil.jpg http://vinnieblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/fausto-coppi.jpg Bill On Dec 20, 6:41 am, Paul Yeoh <rawfoodcuis...@gmail.com> wrote: > 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.
