[chemist]

Originally Posted by Motofool

You can use the following site to input your height and inseam, to locate yourself on the seat, to customize pegs, seat and handlebar and to compare to different bikes:

http://cycle-ergo.com/

thanks motofool! that link is pretty sweet. I have been playing around with some of the settings on it and find it useful.

Originally Posted by Ghostt

Also work on your core strength, very important!!! You shouldn't be holding yourself up with your arms.

Also might want to consider a better seat, or modify yours.

Where in Tennessee are you located?

I am located 30 miles south of nashville in Spring Hill. Beautiful area Yea, working on core strength. I have a fair amount from bicycle racing but taxing different muscles in different ways here.

Originally Posted by csmith12

Hey there Jonathan!

Let’s start with 3 questions;

1. How do you support your weight on the bike?
2. How do you want to set your bike up? Comfort while just riding around town, comminuting or cornering?
3. Have you spend enough time cornering on the bike to find a spot in the seat where you are comfortable while cornering and not sitting right up on the tank?

The first question will address fatigue and other comfort factors no matter what ergo changes you make to the bike.
The second question will answer if you should go with clip-ons. Commuting = no/maybe, cornering = yes.
The third question will help to know if and how adjustable a new set of rear sets can help you.

Let’s take care of the rider first. Comfort on the bike begins with stability while riding. This task of supporting your riding weight should be done by the larger muscles of the body, ie the legs and core. Being “newer” at riding, it may be as simple you’re not supporting your weight on the bike with your legs and core. This is where tank grips can help and yep… many brands of mesh/textile gear are kinda slippery on shiny painted surfaces, making it harder to get a good solid lock on the tank.

Teaching a man to fish.
We begin with ergos by putting your knees on the tank where you are comfortable AND allow you to grip the tank sufficiently to ride loose on the bars. Do you fit comfortably somewhere on the seat? If so, this will be close to your “sweet spot” in the saddle and all the other ergos of the bike should be based on that location.

Now reach for the bars. If you commuting, do you want to lean over or do you want them higher to allow for a more straight up posture? If you're a canyon carver, do you want them farther down to help enable a more aggressive riding position? Make note that some riders buy clip-ons to get a lower, more forward upper body riding position and other riders buy full handlebars with risers to raise the upper body riding posture. Only you know what you want.

Now put your feet on the rear sets. Can you get your knee/legs in the same place to grip and support your weight on the bike? If you answer YES, then no rear sets are needed unless your ankles are at an uncomfortable angle, if you answer NO, then you will have to move your feet around to find a comfortable spot and estimate how much your pegs need to move and in what direction. Some rear sets are very adjustable. Others… not so much.

Finally, these two ergos work together to create an overall riding position that tilt the entire body mass forward, neutral or farther back. The trick is to find the combo that works for you.

The most common bike setup I have seen are;
1. Commuting = stock height (or heigher) bars and stock height or lowered rear sets (sometimes even more forward)
2. Canyon/track = lower, forward bars and higher, farther back rear sets

Sweet advice!!! I looked at the post yesterday and let the questions percolate while I rode a few times

1) I do think I support my weight with core and legs 70% of the time Still working of course on not being a newbie. A few things, when I shift gears, I have to move my leg forward and I notice my knee comes up over the "ridge" and when I am in this position it is much harder to hold my weight with my legs. I also notice this when braking. I tend to sit up a bit more and ultimately end up putting more weight on my arms when I brake and I do think a large part of that is my mesh/textile pants with a tank that I clean and wax often.

In other words I can actively be squeezing my legs/knees into the tank and still slide forward some when going down hill or braking due to slippery surface.

I ordered stompgrip for the tank as it seems like a win win mod other than the look(went clear). I am sure I will get better at gripping the tank and I am sure that is part of it. All that being said, when I am not upshifting,downshifting or braking my arms are weight free

2) Well I want my bike setup for cornering but probably need it set up for commuting All I do is commute, I don't have much time on the weekends to canyon carve but with that said, you know TN roads are pretty similar to KY and we have some FUN areas even commuting. My bike handles and turns great as is but I do get concerned if I mod it too commuter friendly as I still want that dialed in turn luxury that and I love the look of clipons but probably need to get over it.

3) Hmm, spent enough time cornering...not sure but I can tell you that I am never up on the tank. My ass is either against the rear cowl or an inch from the back cowl. I still haven't perfected the 90 degree turn into side street from main traffic going 50 but time and practice should fix that. Any sweepers/hairpins while commuting or on a fun adventure seem fine at normal speeds.


I do fit comfortable a bit closer to the tank? almost in the middle of the seat.

Wierd thing is I do actually like/want to be a bit more leaned over than I am now. My problem when I lean over of course while commuting is it is a pain in the ass to see traffic behind me. While sitting up, I just move my elbow out of the way and can usually get a good gauge of traffic behind me. If I am crouched over I have to sit back up to look behind me.

I will have to play around with what you suggested on finding out if I should get rearsets or not. I haven't sat still on the bike and tried to move positions yet.

thanks all