Adjusting Your Bike in 5 Steps

November 24, 2022

Cycling is a bucolic activity, a breath of fresh air, guaranteed relaxation. Yes, but like any activity, it carries some dangers and certain pains you might encounter are often related to a poor setup of your bike. Saddle up to discover with your favorite team how to cycle comfortably and as efficiently as possible! 🚲

1 – Having good pedal support

To achieve the best efficiency when pedaling, it's important to have a good posture, and that starts with proper foot support. To do this, always keep the axis of your big toe joint (or the bump on the inner edge of your foot) aligned with the pedal's axle. Your foot should remain horizontal. This correct support will make you more efficient when pedaling and also ensure good mobility of your ankle joint.

2 – Adjusting the saddle height

Now, let's take care of your seating position. To do this, place the pedal at its lowest point in its rotation. Put your heel on the pedal; your leg should now be straight. To properly adjust this seat, which will allow you to pedal comfortably and avoid knee pain, the following advice is often given. When seated on your saddle, your leg should be slightly bent when your foot is at the lowest point of the pedal's stroke, and if you put your feet on the ground, you should be able to touch the ground.

3 – Managing saddle setback

The nose of the saddle should be aligned with the horizontal tube of the frame.

4 – Defining the correct stem length

The stem refers to the distance between the handlebars and the saddle. This adjustment is particularly important for maintaining good spinal flexion and avoiding lower back pain. Thus, this distance will depend on the length of your upper limbs and the flexibility of your spine. To do this, grasp the handlebars in the center, where they are slightly curved, while sitting comfortably on your saddle. Your forearms and hands should then be aligned.

It's important to note that in this position, the angle between your arms and forearms is a right angle.

💡Note: if this angle is too open (i.e., too large), it indicates that the stem is too long.

5 – Handlebar adjustment

What width for my handlebars?

To choose handlebars that are adapted to your body shape, make sure to choose handlebars whose width is equal to the width between your shoulders. You should be able to have your hands on the brake hoods while keeping your arms parallel.

Handlebar height

Last but not least, the handlebar height. This will depend on your saddle adjustment. Generally, it's preferred to have a handlebar height that is lower than or equal to that of the saddle. Keep in mind that the lower your handlebars are, the more you will have an aerodynamic position, and the higher your handlebars are, the greater the wind resistance. This configuration also helps relieve lower back and neck pain. To each their own adequate posture!

Once the adjustments are made, all that's left is to get on your bike. The most important thing is to have a comfortable posture that facilitates your practice. The benefits of a good adjustment are numerous: limiting fatigue, reducing and preventing muscle, tendon, or joint pain. The main thing to remember is that your bike should be adapted to your morphology, not the other way around! So, at the first sign of pain, don't wait and check your settings🔧.