correct riding position?

Cycler6n

When I got suited for my bike, the guy suiting me, showed me a correct riding position, and I did not like it, my back was straight and my elbows ponting down, is it okay if I ride differently? or is that the only was I should ride?

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DrunkenBiker

I think the best way to ride is with the handlebar in one hand and a nice cold brew in the other.

All other riding positions are sad substitutes.

Question for ya. I finally got an O-ffical, 100%, no shit road bike. I'm not giving the name because it's not a, "ta-da", LBS bike. Bought it online and not interested in an argument over it.

Are all road bikes so skittish compared to mtn bikes ??

It was like having to learn how to ride all over again. Ridden a few days and now have it all sorted out so I'm actually enjoying this(especially up hills....damn what a difference) but just wondering if more expensive bikes are the same.

And for those reading this on a Saturday nite....sing it with me: "It's Saturday nite and I ain't got no booty, I got some money cause I just got paid"

Bro Deal

If you watch some pro racing, you will see that even the position of the pros varies quite a lot. Ideally you would like to be able to ride for hours with your back flat and parallel to the ground, but most people don't have the flexibility to do that.

What you need to do is get as close to the ideal aero position as possible while still being comfortable. Go to a local event and look at the riding position of other riders. You may have to experiment a little to find what works for you.

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kdelong

Most serious road bikes are more skittish than MTBs. It is all in the geometry of the frame and the wheel size.

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mongooseboy

yep, ive noticed this too, my mtb will RIP through corners and the road bike, well, not so much. maybe its because your gripping wider on an mtb than a road bike? might have something to do with them big wide knobby tires too

one thing i do notice, mtbs take a bit more input as far as steering goes, its real easy to oversteer a road bike it seems. I have a bit of a time switching between the two (i use my mtb for the local canal path of finely crushed rock). I love both now, never thought i would like these skinny tires, but they have grown on me!

Oruboris

When I went back to a road bike after riding a mtn for years, I was very surprised how much more skittish is seemed, especially on dirt, or if there's any loose gravel around.

Most of it is the tires, but some is the position. The steering inputs are different, and at road bike speeds, most of your steering is 'whole body'-- just leaning a bit rather than turning the bar.

But you adapt pretty quickly, I think. At this point, its the mtn bike that seems odd to me. But I'm moving soon, and will be about 2 miles from the nearest pavement. Mtn bike will get a lot more use.

dangerousbiker

all said. you'd get used to it. the first times always the hardest.

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stlblues

I find the most important thing is proper leg extension, the back is more whats comfortable to you. I ride fairly hunched over, but I've ridden crotch rockets for years and thats what I'm used to. My wife rides much more upright.

And yes road bikes are much more skittish. Geometry and tire size. Even fully inflated, Mt tires have much more give and are much more forgiving than road tires which are rubber rocks, but that also means less rolling resistance and more speed.

oldbobcat

You ride road long enough and it will start to feel normal. The online store CompetitiveCyclist.com has a road positioning guide and fitting program that might help you get sorted out. You get yourself measured and tell the program whether you want a French, Eddy, or contemporary fit.

Basically, French is the way pro racers sat on the bike until the late 60s, the beginning of the Merckx period. The Eddy is lower, using slightly smaller frames, with a flatter back and more handlebar extension. When I raced in the mid-70s it was becoming the norm and we called it the Belgian fit. The contemporary fit is with smaller frames still, with an even lower handlebar in relation to the saddle. Interestingly, the overall effect is somewhat negated by using "ergonomic" handlebars and tilting them upward, but pro riders of the last few years are lower than was the fashion from the 70s through the mid 90s.

Most sport riders might want a fit in the French to Eddy range. My current bike has me a bit flatter than I was 20 years ago, but I had to work down to it and lose some bulk around my middle.