Should I be able to touch the ground from my bike seat?
When you are sitting on the saddle, you should be able to touch the ground with your tiptoes, but you shouldn’t be able to put your feet flat on the ground. If you do find that your feet are flat on the ground, then your saddle is too low, and it will need to be raised.
Is it OK to ride a bike with lower back pain?
Bicycling is a popular form of exercise and is a good option for people who have problems with low back pain. Biking is less jarring to the spine than many other forms of exercise, such as running or aerobics.
What happens if your bike seat is too low?
A saddle too low usually means the hip angle between the torso and the thigh at the top of the stroke is restricted, which further diminishes the ability to generate force. And when force is generated, some of it is transferred into the knee instead of down to the foot, and this is a common cause of anterior knee pain.
Should your legs be straight when riding a bike?
“Your leg should be straight, which equates to a 20- to 25-degree knee bend when clipped in,” she says. When both feet are positioned parallel to the floor (3 o’clock and 9 o’clock), the forward knee should be over the ball of your foot.
How do you know if a bike is too big?
If you struggle to make turns or need to sit up straight to reach the handlebars, the frame is likely too large. You may also notice that you cannot quickly turn or pick up speed easily due to the way that you sit in a larger frame. Pain or discomfort after riding also indicates that the frame is too big for your size.
What is the correct saddle position for cycling?
Ideally you want about a 3 degree bend in your knee while your foot is at the bottom of your pedal stroke (6 o’clock). If your saddle is too tall you will get a rocking sensation as you pedal that you’ll want to avoid. The handle bars are the second most vital contact point on your bike after your saddle.