figuring out fit

[Torrilin]

Ok, there's two main ways to breathe, and there isn't a sharp dividing line between them. A lot of people use elements of both styles. Many people breathe by lifting their shoulders to expand their lungs. Other people breathe by using their diaphram and other core muscles to expand their ribcage.

If you breathe with your core muscles (which I do), you need to keep your torso straight. No compressed tummy, no slouching, no flopping. Bad posture and doing aerobic activity will leave you gasping for air or feeling suffocated. My bike was set up so the easiest and most comfortable way to sit in the saddle made it very hard to have good posture, because good posture would smash anything delicate into the padding. Ow! So just imagine me curled up on my bike like the woman in the TE banner, except I'd be gasping for air. The saddle move seems to be helping tho

Switching breathing styles isn't a good choice for me, since I'm using a backpack for most carrying and this way of breathing is a good way of strengthening my core.

I think I'll put handlebar adjustments down as the next thing to try.

[spokewench]

Here is a handlebar suggestion for mountain bikes that many people don't think about anymore because it is out of vogue. When I started riding mountain bikes, or shortly thereafter, bar ends were in vogue. I can't ride a mountain bike without them now. They allow you to rest your hands a bit - I don't have carpal tunnel, but do have problems with insufficient tendon support at my wrist, so having this different position is key for me. They do not have to be long bar ends, they can be just about 4 or so inches long and they do the trick. They give you a different position for when you are climbing, etc. You do have to get out of them to brake.

Another suggestion with a mountain bike is to try different grips that will help your hands. Some grips are smoother, some with more friction (rougher); some larger in diameter - so give them a try to see if some other grips might help you.

spoke

[Torrilin]

The good news: I think I've got the saddle in about the right place. Much easier to keep my body in the right position so I can breathe. The biggest immediate pain issue is the handlebars, and they're too low. Not sure by how much yet, but I can experiment.

The bad news: The Pruitt book isn't available at the Madison Public Library, so I'll get myself a copy soon.

I'm still getting saddle sores, so I'm going to replace my saddle when I get my handlebars raised a bit. Having it in the right position makes it clear that it's too narrow for my sit bones, and the chafing is due to it being too pear shaped. The rubbing is in places where the saddle is the only thing that can rub. So I should fix that. Having it in the right position has also made it clear that I'm a lot stronger than I thought tho... I'm now able to comfortably use the biggest chainring on flat ground, and I can climb gentle hills on the second chainring. I can even do this when I'm carrying a 40lb load of groceries!

[five one]

Andy Pruitt's book is available as a download on www.roadbikerider.com.

Andy Pruitt's Book

I've ordered several ebooks (including this one) from RBR. It's quick,easy, and inexpensive.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

A few tips here:
http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6...5711-1,00.html

[RC @ HSP]

Is this a women's only forum?

Either way, I have done hundreds of fitting/positioning services for women and have a bit of advice. First, it takes a long time to truly understand the science and art of bike fitting. A good bike for and position requires both. But there are some basic principles that can make you understand what is important. In response to your specific question, breathing is very important (obviously). and the ability to breathe correctly will rely on all aspects of a bike fit. Yes, ALL aspects of a fit. We do pulmonary testing with athletes in different positions to test this and it does make a difference. The ability to take in and deliver O2 is the basis for aerobic activity, so it is a top priority. This requires a position which allows for a proper spinal position. Without this position/posture, an athlete is limited. Keep in mind that a bike can be adjusted to match the riders body but without correct body positioning and posture (biomechanics) the rider can be limited.

In general, a bike fit is all based around the bottom bracket of the bike. From this point, the saddle will be adjusted up/down and for/aft for the proper placement. Before doing this, cleats MUST be adjusted. This is VERY important. Once the saddle is in the proper position, THEN the front of the bike is addressed. The front is always based relative to the saddle and not vice versa. There are various positions for the front-end set-up and this is much more subjective then saddle/cleat positioning. Best advice is to work with a skilled professional to customize your needs.

Core stability is important and can make a difference with comfort, especially with saddle comfort. Pore core stability has been shown to increase vertical displacement of ischial tuberosities (bones you sit on) during pedaling (great increase in women vs men) which causes discomfort. So addressing core is very important. Think "Kegal" more than "crunches" for correct exercises. As far as which saddle is right for each person... there is no easy answer. With each person's anatomy, we can determine an approximate width that might work for them, but there will always need to be some trial of different saddles to see which is perfect. But without proper fit, proper position and posture, proper cleat adjustment, pedaling technique, core stability, the chances of being comfortable and obtaining optimal performance is limited. Luckily, these things are all very easy to address!

Best of luck,

RC

[Torrilin]

Got my hands on the Pruitt. Got my hands on 2 used saddles from my LBS. And... it looks like I may have a winning combo.

I did the math to get an idea of what sort of bike geometry I ought to be on. I'm 5'6", with a 29" inseam, and a wingspan of iirc about 5'8". This means I should be on a men's frame (which I am) and I logically shouldn't need the handlebars higher, since they're level with the seat. So, I'm now doing stretches for my back and leg muscles to get more flexibility. I'm also working in shoulder and neck rolls. I have better wrist position, and I'm not putting as much weight on my arms.

The two saddles were chosen to be as T shaped as I could get, with the firmest seats I could get, and narrow noses. One has a shorter nose than the other, so I could play around with just how long a nose I need. I plonked one of the saddles on my bike (turns out it's the short nose one). A 6 mile ride in shorts that previously had left me in agony left me with no saddle sores and no agony. Well that and a conviction that I need to push my speed more to continue building my core *g*. I'm now comfy enough that I feel like I can push for more distance and not hurt myself. I can have comfy wrists, a comfy butt and air!