Is My Saddle Too Far Back

Figure 1

Saddle fore/aft position, also called saddle setback, determines the position of your knee and hips in relation to your foot-pedal connection. Moving your saddle forward or backward changes the range of motion of your hips, knees, and ankles, which alters your pedal stroke. 

The ideal saddle setback places you in a position that utilizes your quads and hamstrings evenly, which makes you more efficient and reduces injuries as no one group is over-worked. 

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Saddle Setback Definition & Measurement

• Saddle setback is measured in millimeters and is the horizontal distance from the front tip of the saddle to the bottom bracket (see figure-1 or the image above)

Saddle Fore/Aft & Handlebar Reach

• Using the fore/aft position to change the distance between your seat and handlebars (reach) is incorrect. A different length stem should be used to adjust your “reach” or possibly even a larger or smaller frame.

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Signs your saddle is too far back

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Effect of Changing Saddle Fore-Aft Position on Hip Joint Angle

The only difference in cyclist position between A and B is saddle fore-aft position. With the saddle maximally forwards in A, less hip flexion is required. In B, the saddle has been moved maximally rearwards requiring greater hip flexion during the pedal stroke.

(Image and text source: Wadsworth and Weinrauch, 2019)

A saddle that is excessively too far back alters your hip angle which subsequently places more stress on your hamstrings and butt muscles during the pedal stroke.

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Below is a list of possible signs that your saddle is too far back:

• Pain in the back of both your knees (pain in one knee is a sign that your saddle is too high)

• Feet go numb (from “toeing” the pedals)

• Upper hamstring pain in both legs

• Quads only feel like they are working on climbs as you sit more forward on the seat

• Over-reaching

  • Handlebars feel like they are far away from you and you really have to reach for them

  • Pain from being overstretched, especially in your scapula

• Fast cornering Issues

  • The majority of the weight will be in the back of the bike which makes high speed cornering difficult and dangerous

However, everyone has a unique body, so it’s possible that you won't experience any of these symptoms as these are general Rules of Thumb.

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Muscles used in ideal pedal stroke (Image Source: The Internet Journal of Allied HealthSciences and Practice)

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Finding optimal saddle setback: Kops & COG

Unlike saddle height, which has hundreds of studies and several “formulas,” saddle setback is under-researched with no magical measuring technique.

However, there are two schools of thought for finding the starting point for your fore/aft saddle position:

1. KOPS or Knee Over Pedal Spindle

2. COG or Center of Gravity (Balance Test)

Proponents of the Center of Gravity method will say that the KOPS method is outdated with no hard scientific data to support it. However, the COG technique has even less validated data and has been around since the 1980s, so it’s not as modern as many advocates contend.

Either way, both of these methods will provide you with a starting point to experiment with and get you into your ideal saddle setback range.

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Knee over Pedal Spindle (KOPS)

KOPS METHOD

Image Source: International journal of sports physical therapy (2019)

The KOPS method or Knee Over Pedal Spindle does exactly what the name implies. Your saddle fore/aft position is set by placing your knee directly above the pedal spindle with the crank at the 3 o’clock position.

This will position your hip and knee joint over the drivetrain of the bicycle and allows you to push straight down on the pedal during the power phase of the pedal stroke.

This setting is considered the neutral position and is used as a starting point. From here, slight adjustments can be made in either direction, depending on your riding style and feel.

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“If KOPS is to be used, I like the idea of simply using a straight edge, placing it in front of the kneecap and making sure this is in front of the pedal spindle. Used in this way KOPS has helped many riders get themselves into a safe setback position . ”

— Phil Burt

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Balance Test Method

The Center of Gravity (COG) or Balance Test method was developed in the late-1980s but has come into fashion recently. This test looks to place the rider in a position slightly forward of their balancing point.

How to determine saddle fore/aft with the COG method:

1. Set optimal saddle height first

2. Pedal at a cadence you normally ride at in the drops

3. After you had a chance to warm-up and get into a groove - attempt to swing your arms back to your hips

4. Once you can maintain the same riding position with your hand behind your hips, with minimal alterations to your posture or cadence, then you set saddle fore/aft position.

   • If you can balance without tipping or shifting your weight then you are in the optimal position

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saddle setback effects & science

The foremost experts on the effects of saddle setback are a group of researchers out of France. This research team, headed by Mathieu Ménard (PhD), in 2015, his team noted:

“Overall, Forward vs backward conditions have little influence on normal joint forces, but during the top transition phase (300-90°), shear forces in the Forward condition become especially high, more than twice those encountered during the Backward condition." (bolding is mine)

In a 2020 paper, Professor Ménard and his team then switched what was reported back in 2018:

"Our results indicate that moving the saddle forwards was not associated with an increase of patellofemoral joint forces. On the contrary, the tibiofemoral mean and peak compression force were 14 and 15% higher in the Backward than in the Forward condition, respectively." (bolding is mine)

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Basically, if your saddle is too far forward or too far backward, issues will manifest. You don’t have one specific setting but instead a range. As long as you stay within this range you will optimize performance and reduce the chance of injuries.

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Final Thought

If you think your saddle is too far backward or if you’re experiencing any of the signs, then it’s time to make adjustments to your saddle setback. However, it’s possible that your saddle fore/aft position is trying to make up for other incorrect settings, such as handlebar reach.

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Yes please. Click me to learn how

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in La Patagonia. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, reading, snowboarding, researching, and sampling yummy craft beers.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

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Sources & references for “Is My Saddle Too Far Back?”

1. Bini, Rodrigo Rico, et al. “Effects of Moving Forward or Backward on the Saddle on Knee Joint Forces during Cycling.” Physical Therapy in Sport, vol. 14, no. 1, Feb. 2013, pp. 23–27.

2. Burt, Phil. Bike Fit : Optimise Your Bike Position for High Performance and Injury Avoidance. London, Bloomsbury, 2014.

3. Cam Nicholls. “Is Your Saddle Too Far Forward OR Back? (HOW to Set Saddle Fore-Aft).” YouTube, 6 Oct. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX3fKolI25Q.

4. Domalain, M., Ménard, M., Decatoire, A., & Lacouture, P. (2016). Bike fitting: finding an optimum between performance and overuse injuries prevention? Influence of saddle fore-aft position on knee joint forces. Journal of Science and Cycling, 5(2).

5. Evens, Tim & Danoff, Jerome. (2019). Effects of Saddle Alignment and Pedal Stroke Training on a Competive Cyclist with Anterior Knee Pain. Online Journal of Health and Allied Sciences. 17.

6. Hayot, C., et al. “Muscle Force Strategies in Relation to Saddle Setback Management in Cycling.” Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, vol. 16, no. sup1, July 2013, pp. 106–108.

7. Menard, Mathieu, et al. “Influence of Saddle Setback on Knee Joint Forces in Cycling.” Sports Biomechanics, 19 June 2018, pp. 1–13.

8. Ménard, Mathieu et al. “INFLUENCE OF CYCLIST SADDLE SETBACK ON KNEE JOINT FORCES.” (2015).

9. Menard M, Domalain M, Decatoire A, Lacouture P. Influence of saddle setback on knee joint forces in cycling. Sports Biomech. 2020 Apr;19(2):245-257.

10. stevehoggbikefitting. “SEAT SET BACK: For Road Bikes.” The Steve Hogg Bike Fitting Team, 14 May 2011, www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/05/seat-set-back-for-road-bikes/.

11. Petersen, Grant, and Retsu Takahashi. Just Ride : A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike. New York, Workman Pub, 2012.

12. Wadsworth, David J S, and Patrick Weinrauch. “THE ROLE of a BIKE FIT in CYCLISTS with HIP PAIN. A CLINICAL COMMENTARY.” International journal of sports physical therapy vol. 14,3 (2019): 468-486. doi:10.26603/ijspt20190468

Do Stiffer Cycling Shoes Make a Difference

Ricardo ( Pedal Chile guide)

“This study appears to debunk the general belief among cyclists and the cycling industry that the stiffest cycling shoe soles yield the highest performance.”

— James Warren Hurt III

Cycling shoes are designed to be light, snug, and stiff. The element of stiffness, allows you to transfer force efficiently from your foot to the pedal since stiff shoes flex or bend less.

Stiffer soles make pedaling more efficient as more of the energy is transferred from your foot to the pedal but only during sprints and periods of all-out cycling. Recreational riding doesn’t generate enough force onto the pedals to cause sufficient shoe deformation and the low cadence doesn’t affect muscle coordination.

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While stiff-soled cycling shoes have been shown to improve performance, studies show that increasing the level of stiffness even further doesn’t make you faster, and can exacerbate pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and discomfort in your feet due to the increased pressures.

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Cycling performance: Stiff shoes & Science

Product designers and manufacturers say:

“The stiffer the sole, the better the transfer of power through the pedals and better performance.”

However, finding scientific evidence to actually substantiate these claims is rather challenging. A 2020 study entitled “No effect of cycling shoe sole stiffness on sprint performance” concluded:

"In conclusion, we found no difference in performance between less stiff and stiffer road cycling shoe soles during short uphill sprints in recreational/competitive cyclists. The stiffest cycling shoe soles showed no performance benefits in: 50 m average and peak 1-second power, average and peak change in velocity, maximum velocity, peak acceleration, or peak torque compared to a moderately stiff and the least stiff road cycling shoe soles offered by a well-known manufacturer." (bolding is mine)

-----(Hurt and Kram, 2020)

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This most recent study confirms what has been known since the 1990s, which is that stiffer soles are better than flexible running shoes, but stiffer is only better up to a point.

The aforementioned study tested 3 different cycle specific shoes of varying stiffness during a 50 meters sprint up a 5% hill and blinded the shoes by covering all logos and graphics and by matching the uppers.

The stiffness index and materials of the 3 cycle-shoes:

• 6.0 stiffness index - Injection-molded nylon composite

• 8.5 stiffness index - carbon fiber/fiberglass composite blend

• 15.0 stiffness index - Carbon fiber sole

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One of the questions that this paper was unable to answer is what is the “critical” sole stiffness where performance worsens.

If this question could be answered, then manufacturers could develop a shoe that would optimize comfort and performance. The stiffer the sole, the more unnatural it becomes, and uncomfortable.

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Performance Benefits: Hills & Sprints

Stiffer shoes only offer performance benefits while pedaling all-out, such as during hill climbs, sprints, and fast accelerations.

Sub-maximal pedaling, such as recreational riding at a comfortable pace, stiff-soled cycling shoes don’t perform any better than comfy athletic sneakers.

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Cycling Shoes: Maximum effort sprints & hill climbs

• Stiff soled cycling shoes outperform regular sneakers during all-out sprints:

  • 10% more power output with cycling shoes compared to regular shoes (even less with a stiffer soled rubber shoe)

• The level of stiffness of cycle-specific shoes does not correlate with performance

  • Some stiff cycling-shoes perform worse than more flexible ones and vice-versa as the function of shoes is much more than just stiffness

  • The difference between the least stiff cycling shoe to the stiffest is about .6 watts more power in the stiffest.

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LOOK Cycle International. This pedal was used on a stationary bicycle for NASA space shuttle missions.

(Images Source: Smithsonian Institution)

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Flexible Shoes & Wasted Energy

In running, your shoe can actually store energy and return it as elastic energy.

Cycling, by contrast, any mechanic energy that deforms the shoe during the downstroke is lost during the upstroke. However, the difference in this “lost” energy is about .6 watts between the least stiff to stiffest cycle-specific shoe since the relative difference in stiffness is “modest” to say the least.

Considering many cyclists produce 1000+ watts during sprints, the difference between sole types is less than 0.1% or less than 1/10 of a percent.

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Ricardo’s cycling shoes (Pedal Chile guide)

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Cycle Shoes: comfort vs Stiffness

“Competitive or professional cyclists suffering from metatarsalgia or ischemia should be especially careful when using carbon fiber cycling shoes because the shoes increase peak plantar pressure, which may aggravate these foot conditions. ”

— Journal of Science and Cycling

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Relative loads (%) under the foot in a running and a bicycle shoe (*p < .05, **p < .01).

(Image Source: Hennig and Sanderson)

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Cycle-specific shoes, especially when riding clipless, is one of the most important pieces of gear since your feet will be attached to the bike the entire ride. Proper and comfortable fitting shoes is more important than the level of stiffness.

Cycling-specific shoes are stiffer than sneakers or athletic shoes, and this stiffened sole spreads out pedal forces more evenly across the foot. In running shoes, most of the force from pushing into the pedal is centered around the toes/ball of foot, whereas in cycling shoes, the pressure is more evenly distributed.

On a continuum from super flexible to super-rigid shoes, the perfect comfort level for cyclists is somewhere in the middle and based on numerous other factors. A shoe too flexible, like sneakers, places too much pressure on the balls of your feet. However, too stiff a sole, combined with a less-than-perfect fit, will lead to high hallux (big toe) pressure, which can magnify pain, numbness, tingling, and burning in your feet.

"Somewhat less stiff cycling shoe soles may help to prevent or alleviate metatarsalgia or ischemia that can occur in cyclists due to the increased plantar pressures associated with carbon fibre cycling shoe soles." -(bolding is mine)

-----(Hurt and Kram, 2020)

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Cyclists who ride clipless pedals are 2 to 3 times more likely to experience foot pain compared to riders who use platform pedals. The cycling shoe is supposed to alleviate foot pain, not exacerbate it.

This makes you wonder if cycling shoes have gotten too stiff over the years, as studies show that the stiffest of shoes can lead to foot pain and discomfort.

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Really!?!….Tell me more

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why are clipless shoes so stiff?

(Image Source: Stępniewski and Grudziński)

Why are clipless shoes so stiff?

Platform pedals or flat pedals provide a large “platform” that you can drive into.

Clipless pedals, however, are small and require a much stiffer shoe to disperse the pedaling force as the connection area is 80% smaller than a flat pedal. Because of this reduced area, the soles of the shoe itself becomes the platform. If the shoe wasn’t stiff, you would be driving your foot into a tiny area, which would be uncomfortable and inefficient.

“Just because something makes you faster doesn’t make it better ”

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Clipless pedals are stiffer than traditional shoes because they have to be.

Even if super stiff shoes facilitated a more efficient transfer of power and thus made you faster, it still doesn’t mean that stiffer is better. Discomfort, pain, and injuries are all exacerbated from pedaling with a super stiff shoe. While it makes sense to wear the fastest shoe on race day, recreational riding and training sessions are a different story.

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Track Cycling & Smaller Pedals

Track (sprint) cyclists benefit from clipless pedals more than any other cycling discipline.

The original LOOK clipless pedal system was nearly the same size as standard flat pedals. To avoid contact between the pedal and the steep banking track, designers made the pedal smaller and more compact. As high strength materials were developed, the pedal sizes became even smaller. Also, faster accelerations was a side effect of this, due to the reduced pedal mass.

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Final Thought

If you’re wanting to go faster, there are less expensive and easier ways, for example:

• Shaved legs = 50 to 82 seconds faster over 25 miles (40km)

• Shaved arms = 13 to 22 seconds faster over 25 miles (40km)

• Change your riding posture = seconds to minutes over same distance

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Click me to learn how

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in La Patagonia. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, reading, snowboarding, researching, and sampling yummy craft beers.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources & references for stiffer soles and bicycle performance:

1. Burns, Andrew C., and Rodger Kram. “The Effect of Cycling Shoes and the Shoe-Pedal Interface on Maximal Mechanical Power Output during Outdoor Sprints.” Footwear Science, vol. 12, no. 3, 24 May 2020, pp. 185–192.

2. FastFitnessTips: Cycling Science. “Are Carbon Soles on Cycling Road or Mtb Shoes Worth It?” YouTube, 9 Nov. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzZT0wgIzNI.

3. Fletcher, Jared R., et al. “The Effect of Torsional Shoe Sole Stiffness on Knee Moment and Gross Efficiency in Cycling.” Journal of Sports Sciences, vol. 37, no. 13, 18 Jan. 2019, pp. 1457–1463.

4. Global Cycling Network. “Clipless Pedals Vs Flat Pedals - Which Is Faster? | GCN Does Science.” YouTube, 23 July 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkMCYYNTWUY&t=461s.

5. Hennig, Ewald M., and David J. Sanderson. “In-Shoe Pressure Distributions for Cycling with Two Types of Footwear at Different Mechanical Loads.” Journal of Applied Biomechanics, vol. 11, no. 1, Feb. 1995, pp. 68–80.

6. Hurt, James W., and Rodger Kram. “No Effect of Cycling Shoe Sole Stiffness on Sprint Performance.” Footwear Science, 4 Oct. 2020, pp. 1–9.

7. Jarboe, Nathan Edward, and Peter M. Quesada. “The Effects of Cycling Shoe Stiffness on Forefoot Pressure.” Foot & Ankle International, vol. 24, no. 10, Oct. 2003, pp. 784–788.

8. Koch, M., Frohlich, M., Emrich, E., & Urhausen, A. “The impact of carbon insoles in cycling on performance in the Wingateanaerobic test.” Journal of Science and Cycling, vol 2, no. 2, 30 Dec. 2013, pp. 2 - 5.

9. “Pedal, Left, Accessories, Shuttle Cycle Ergometer.” Smithsonian Institution.

10. ‌Sanderson, David J., et al. “The Influence of Cadence and Power Output on Force Application and In-Shoe Pressure Distribution during Cycling by Competitive and Recreational Cyclists.” Journal of Sports Sciences, vol. 18, no. 3, Jan. 2000, pp. 173–181.

11. Stępniewski, A.A., and J. Grudziński. “The Analysis of Pedaling Techniques with Platform Pedals.” International Journal of Applied Mechanics and Engineering, vol. 19, no. 3, 1 Aug. 2014, pp. 633–642.

12. Uden, H., Jones, S., & Grimmer, K. (2012). Foot Pain and Cycling: a survey of frequency, type, location, associations and amelioration of foot pain. Journal of Science and Cycling, 1(2), 28-34.

Single Track vs Double Track

“Single track, a trail that is only wide enough for a single rider or groups in single file”

— IMBA (2007)

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What is the difference between singletrack and doubletrack?

A singletrack is a narrow trail that is about as wide as a mountain bike. A doubletrack is typically an old overgrown dirt road, that has two paths that were created from the wheels of vehicles.

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single track/singletrack

“Single track are narrow and wind around obstacles, such as trees, so that riders experience a highly technical ride at relatively low speeds ”

— IMBA (2007)

Single track / singletrack

• A single track is a narrow mountain bike trail

• Only wide enough for one rider as the trail width is about that of the bike

  • One rider must yield the trail to another when passing

  • Single tracks are ridden in single file

• More difficult trails are narrower

  • Singletrack width is a ranking factor in the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) trail difficulty rating system

Basically, a single track is a narrow path for mountain bikes. However, many singletracks are also multi-use trails and are shared by hikers.

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Double Track / doubletrack

Double track / doubletrack

• A double track, by contrast, has two paths that were created from the wheels of vehicles

• Often resource roads closed to motorized vehicles

  • Fire roads, old logging and mining roads, power-line roads, and former jeep trails are examples of double track

• Two bikes can ride side-by-side

• Sometimes called two-track or twin-track

Gravel Roads

Many mountain bike routes are a combination of gravel roads, doubletrack and singletrack.

Click the image to learn more

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, snowboarding, reading, weight-lifting, taster of craft beers, & researching.

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Sources:

• IMBA, 2004. Trail solutions, IMBA’s guide to building sweet single track, IMBA, Boulder, Colorado, United States.

• IMBA, 2007. Managing mounting biking, IMBA’s guide to providing great riding, IMBA, Boulder, Colorado, United States.

Do I Need a Bike Fit if I Ride Flat Pedals

“Proper handlebar and seat heights may be the most important adjustments when fitting a bicycle”

— M.-C. Chiu, H.-C. Wu, and N.-T. Tsai

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Bike fitting as a profession predates the clipless pedal system that most roadies use by several decades. For example, the LeMond method, which measures “optimal” seat height, was developed in the 1970s when road bikes still had flat pedals with toe straps and cages. Bike fitting became more important as the clipless pedal system advanced, however, there is a reason why bike fitting was a “thing” before clipless.

The most common areas of pain and injuries in cyclists are to the knee, upper back, hand/wrists, butt, and low back, all of which are directly related to saddle height and/or handlebar height. If you have pain in any of these areas, then chances are you’re riding a bike that is not set up properly for you and it’s recommended you get a bike fitting to change your settings to suit your unique body, regardless of what pedal type your ride.

Understanding how to make bike-fit adjustments allows you to ride faster, more efficiently, comfortably, and injury-free, and applies to bikes of all pedal types, as seat height and handlebar height are the 2 most important settings for performance and comfort.

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Possible Bike Adjustments for Bicycles With Flat Pedals:

• Crank length
• Saddle width
• Handlebar height
• Handlebar width
• Foot position
  • (clipless pedals have about 5 more adjustments)
• Distance in height between the saddle and handlebars
  • Handlebar ‘drop’
• Distance from saddle to pedal
  • Saddle height
  • Saddle angle
  • Seat setback (fore/aft)
• Distance from saddle to handlebars
  • Also called ‘reach’

All of these bike settings are important with flat pedals and will determine how comfortable your ride is and how efficient you are while cycling.

Image Source: Applied Ergonomics

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Do I need a bike fit if I ride flat pedals?

Yes, you need a bike fit, since seat height and handlebar height are the two most important bicycle settings for comfort, performance, and injury prevention, regardless of the pedal-foot interface.

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Bike fitting: 3 points of contact

Do you have a sore butt or back, an injured knee, general discomfort, or do you have friends who are in worse shape than you but are faster?

A combination of bicycle settings determines your pedal efficiency, power, comfort, and chance for injury.

There are 3 main contact points between rider and bike. I have listed them in order of importance:

1. Butt to saddle

2. Hands to handlebars

3. Feet to pedals

The goal is to adjust these settings so you can optimize either performance, comfort, or injury prevention, or to find some middle ground between them. If you are a recreational rider, comfort might be more important than performance. So copying the pros doesn’t make sense, as their bike is set up for aerodynamics and efficiency vs comfort.

seat height: Most important cycle setting

“Seat Height is the Holy Grail for power”

— Phil Burt

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Regardless of what type of pedal you use, the most important bicycle-setting is saddle height.

• If your seat is too low, your legs can’t fully extend and you lose power and pedal efficiency as your legs work harder and fatigue more quickly.

• If your saddle is too high, you lose power on the downstroke as your pedaling motion is overstretched and the excessive hip rocking causes saddle sores.

• Both of these situations pose a risk of knee injuries, cause discomfort, and limit performance.

Most important setting = saddle height

• Pedaling efficiency

• Power

• Comfort

Saddle height is the most important cycle-position setting. Many other positioning recommendations are attempting to correct a sub-optimal seat height.

Any adjustment that changes the distance from your seat to your pedals effectively changes seat height. This means that adjustments to saddle tilt and setback (fore/aft) also change your effective seat height and alter your pedaling mechanics, muscles used, and pedal stroke.

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Seat Height

Performance

Power & pedal efficiency is directly related to saddle height

Injury Prevention

Knee pain/injuries & low back pain are related to seat height

Comfort

Handlebar and saddle heights are hugely responsible for overall riding comfort

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Bike fit: Foot to pedal

From a performance and comfort standpoint, the foot to pedal contact point is the least important.

However, if you ride with a clipless pedal system, it’s very important for injury prevention, since your feet are locked to the pedals. A poorly fitted clipless system, over thousands of pedal revolutions, will magnify any possible injuries or pain.

If you ride with flat pedals, after setting your saddle and handlebar heights correctly, then your feet will naturally fall into proper alignment onto the pedals.

handlebar adjustments

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“Whether a weekend warrior or elite Olympic hopeful, all cyclists are positioned the same, with the exception of the hands-handlebar interface. A recreational rider may prefer to be positioned more upright.”

— Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine

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The difference in height between your saddle and handlebars have a huge impact on the amount of power you can generate and on overall comfort.

However, handlebar height is just one setting:

• Handlebar width is one of the most important fit parameters for road cyclists.

• Brake levers: Can you reach your brake levers without adjusting your hand position? If not, then it’s time to adjust them.

• Handlebar position: Hugely important in avoiding hand/wrist numbness or pain

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DIY BikeFitting from a Professional BikeFitter…..Click me to learn how

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, snowboarding, reading, weight-lifting, taster of craft beers, & researching.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources

1. Burt, Phil. Bike Fit : Optimise Your Bike Position for High Performance and Injury Avoidance. London, Bloomsbury, 2014.

2. Chiu, H.-C. Wu, N.-T. Tsai “The relationship between handlebar and saddle heights on cycling comfort.” Yamamoto (Ed.), Human Interface and the Management of Information. Information and Interaction Design, Springer Berlin Heidelberg (2013), pp. 12-19

3. Davis, Andrea et al. “Plantar pressure of clipless and toe-clipped pedals in cyclists - A pilot study.” Muscles, ligaments and tendons journal vol. 1,1 20-4. 30 Oct. 2011

4. FitzGibbon, Sinead et al. “INTERVENTION AT THE FOOT-SHOE-PEDAL INTERFACE IN COMPETITIVE CYCLISTS.” International journal of sports physical therapy vol. 11,4 (2016): 637-50.

5. Grainger, Karl, et al. “Predicting Bicycle Setup for Children Based on Anthropometrics and Comfort.” Applied Ergonomics, vol. 59, Mar. 2017, pp. 449–459, 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.09.015. Accessed 19 Apr. 2020.

6. Silberman, Marc R, et al. “Road Bicycle Fit.” Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, vol. 15, no. 4, July 2005, pp. 271–276.

7. Wadsworth, D., & Weinrauch, P. (2019). THE ROLE of a BIKE FIT in CYCLISTS with HIP PAIN. A CLINICAL COMMENTARY. International journal of sports physical therapy, 14(3), 468–486. https://doi.org/10.26603/ijspt20190468

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Does Cycling Reduce Cellulite?

“Despite the nuisance to patients, cellulite is not considered a disease”

— Aesthetic Surgery Journal

There are very few topics that are as misunderstood and have as much misinformation as cellulite. Many so-called “experts” promote cellulite as “fat gone wrong” and blame the body for failing to eliminate toxic wastes, water, and excess fat as a way to market some gizmo product or diet regime.

Cellulite is not a disease or a medical condition that can just be eradicated. It’s a natural process that affects most women, even supermodels like Tyra Banks.

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Does cycling help reduce cellulite?

If you are physically inactive or overweight, then yes, cycling will help reduce cellulite. Road cycling and mountain biking combine cardio and resistance training. Pedaling, especially uphill, extensively works your thighs, hamstrings, and butt, all areas that are mostly influenced by cellulite.

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Anatomy of cellulite

“In general, the formation of cellulite is a natural process and not a disease”

— Journal of Medicinal Food

80 to 98% of women over the age of 20 have cellulite. Contrary to marketers and advertising agencies, cellulite is a natural process that’s related to hormones, particularly estrogen.

During menstruation, estrogen levels fluctuate:

“Although rarely observed in males, those men presenting with cellulite are commonly deficient in male hormones”

— Len Kravitz, Ph.D

• When estrogen drops there is a breakdown of collagen fibers (connective tissue or fascia)

• Each cycle creates further breakdown. After enough breakdown has occurred, the fat will start to protrude between the damaged collagen fibers, and this appearance is called cellulite   

• Hip, thigh, and buttock fat acts differently. Fat in these areas is under more control of sex hormones because of their necessity for pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

• One of the major functions of estrogen is to break down collagen, which makes childbirth possible.   

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Because natural fluctuations in hormonal levels are the main cause of cellulite, it’s impossible to eliminate and extremely difficult to reduce by any significant amount.

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The pathophysiology of cellulite in a picture

View fullsize

Image Source: Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications,

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Cellulite & exacerbating the appearance

“Between 85% and 98% of post-pubertal females display some degree of cellulite. It is prevalent in women of all races but is more common in Caucasian females than in Asian females.”

— Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy

While cellulite is natural in most women, the appearance and degree of cellulite are influenced by 4 main factors.

• Stress

  • Stresses, such as anxiety, frustration, and depression modify the reproductive hormones circulating through your body and can aggravate the appearance

• Weight gain

  • Obesity is not the cause of cellulite but weight gain does make cellulite more obvious and visible

• physical inactive lifestyle

  • If you are not physically active, you will lose muscle mass, strength, and muscle tone over-time. This is not the cause, but like weight gain, it does worsen the appearance

• Hormonal factors

  • Estrogen plays the main role in cellulite

  • Hormonal Contraceptives - Your body makes or uses more estrogen while taking hormonal contraceptives

cellulite: diet & exercise

“Although weight loss, diet and exercise have been cited as means of improving cellulite, there are no studies to date that confirm this speculation.”

— Dr. Mathew M Avram (MD)

Considering that diet and exercise are ALWAYS recommended for reducing cellulite, there must be thousands of studies to support this??? Not quite. There are only a handful of studies that have researched diet & exercise and their effects on cellulite.

A 2019 study published in the International Journal of Medical Reviews says:

"Only a limited number of scientific studies have been done to investigate the possible effects of exercise training on cellulite improvement." (bolding is mine)

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The few available studies show mixed results:

1) Maintaining your ideal body weight

• Gaining weight aggravates the appearance of cellulite. However, losing weight too quickly also does the same thing.

  • If you are currently overweight, losing extra pounds will generally lessen the appearance.

2) Losing too much weight can make it worse

• If you’re already at your ideal weight for your size, losing more weight could actually worsen it.

• It’s more important to change your body composition than losing weight. Best accomplished through HIIT and resistance training.

3) Lack of physical activity worsens the appearance

• If you’re inactive or don’t exercise, as you age, you will lose muscle tone, strength, and muscle mass. All of which makes cellulite more visible.

• Start moving or exercising if you’re currently inactive, like by pedaling a road or mountain bike and lifting some weights.

4) You can’t exercise away cellulite

• Being active or a regular exerciser is great for your health. However, working out longer or harder will not do much to improve the appearance of cellulite.

• You can’t exercise the cellulite away since cellulite is mostly related to changes in the levels of reproductive hormones.

Cellulite & cycling

“A ‘dimple’ in the cheek is considered a sign of beauty, whereas a dimple in the thigh is considered unattractive.”

— B. Kinney

Road cycling and mountain biking are great exercises if you’re currently inactive or looking to lose weight.

Both mountain biking and road cycling force you into a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) style workout. Natural hills need to be attacked with maximum effort to reach the top. Flat stretches allow you to recover, or you can sprint-cycle for more speed and caloric burn. Cycling is perfect for gaining muscle tone in your legs and butt and losing fat.

Bicycling combines aerobic and resistive type exercises into one fun workout. Also, since your outside, it allows you to get some sun. Having a tan is great for making cellulite less visible, and that natural vitamin D also helps you to lose even more fat.

Riding a bike is super easy on your joints, which allows you to push yourself much further and harder than you would on a jog.

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Lu- Pedal Chile staff enjoying some sun after cycling

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Types of Cellulite

“Photoshop is the single best way to treat cellulite ”

— From a female medical doctor

There are 3 primary types of cellulite:

1) Hard Cellulite

• Most prevalent in the slim and physically active teenagers or young women whose skin is firm and tight.

  • Only visible during a change in body position or a pinch test

2) Soft Cellulite

• Common in mature women older than 40

• Women who don’t get much exercise

• Women who lost weight rapidly

3) Mixed

• Over time, hard cellulite transforms into soft cellulite from gradual losses of muscle mass, strength, and muscle tone, while simultaneously gaining fat. Once you have a majority of soft cellulite, its appearance is more obvious, even though the cellulite was present the entire time.

• This transformation isn’t uniform. So certain parts of your body can have hard cellulite while others have soft or something in between.

• Years of estrogen fluctuations are the main reason for the shift in cellulite type, but the appearance can be improved by being fit and healthy.

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Final thought

“Trying to treat cellulite is much like trying to ignore the normal female physiology that allows for the continuation of the species. Why should women be depressed about something that is a normal part of female anatomy? Why should attention be focused on preventing or eliminating the inevitable?”

— Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos (clinical & research dermatologist)

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Looking for that much needed boost to reach your athletic and health goals?? Learn more

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, snowboarding, reading, weight-lifting, taster of craft beers, & researcher.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources & References for “Cycling and Cellulite”

“It has nothing to do with water-retention, poor circulation, accumulated lymphatic fluid or the ubiquitous scapegoat—toxins.”

— Dr. Peter Pugliese (MD) talking about cellulite

1. Avram, Mathew M. “Cellulite: A Review of Its Physiology and Treatment.” Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, vol. 6, no. 4, Dec. 2004, pp. 181–185, 10.1080/14764170410003057.

2. Bauer, J., Grabarek, M., Migasiewicz, A. et al. Non-contact thermal imaging as potential tool for personalized diagnosis and prevention of cellulite. J Therm Anal Calorim 133, 571–578 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-018-7232-9

3. Bass, Lawrence S, and Michael S Kaminer. “Insights Into the Pathophysiology of Cellulite: A Review.” Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.] vol. 46 Suppl 1,1 (2020): S77-S85. doi:10.1097/DSS.0000000000002388

4. Cassity, Jessica. “Can I Work Off My Cellulite?” WebMD, www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/are-there-exercises-to-get-rid-of-cellulite.

5. Draelos, Zoe Diana. “The Disease of Cellulite.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, vol. 4, no. 4, Dec. 2005, pp. 221–222.

6. Korabiusz Katarzyna, Wawryków Agata. Causes of lipodystrophy. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2018;8(9):1765-1770.

7. Kruglikov, Ilja. “The Pathophysiology of Cellulite: Can the Puzzle Eventually Be Solved?” Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications, vol. 02, no. 01, 2012, pp. 1–7, 10.

8. Leszko M. (2014). Cellulite in menopause. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 13(5), 298–304. https://doi.org/10.5114/pm.2014.46472

9. Pugliese, Peter. “Cellulite Revisited.” Skin Inc., Nov. 2014.

10. Rawlings, A. V. “Cellulite and Its Treatment.” International Journal of Cosmetic Science, vol. 28, no. 3, June 2006, pp. 175–190.

11. Schunck, Michael et al. “Dietary Supplementation with Specific Collagen Peptides Has a Body Mass Index-Dependent Beneficial Effect on Cellulite Morphology.” Journal of medicinal food vol. 18,12 (2015): 1340-8.

12. Smalls, Lola K., et al. “Effect of Weight Loss on Cellulite: Gynoid Lypodystrophy.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, vol. 118, no. 2, Aug. 2006, pp. 510–516.

13. Taati, Behzad, and Maryam Khoshnoodnasab. “Exercise-Based Approaches to the Treatment of Cellulite.” International Journal of Medical Reviews, vol. 6, no. 1, 15 Mar. 2019, pp. 26–27, 10.29252/ijmr-060105.

14. Tokarska, K., Tokarski, S., Woźniacka, A., Sysa-Jędrzejowska, A., & Bogaczewicz, J. (2018). Cellulite: a cosmetic or systemic issue? Contemporary views on the etiopathogenesis of cellulite. Postepy dermatologii i alergologii, 35(5), 442–446.

15. Uebel, MD, PhD, Pedro Salomao Piccinini, MD, Alessandra Martinelli, MD, Daniela Feijó Aguiar, MD, Renato Franz Matta Ramos, MD, Cellulite: A Surgical Treatment Approach, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Volume 38, Issue 10, October 2018, Pages 1099–1114,

16. WebMD. “Can You Get Rid of Cellulite?” WebMD, www.webmd.com/beauty/get-rid-of-cellulite#1.

Should I Wear a Cup While Mountain Biking

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“Men no longer had to worry about flopping around when they were riding a bike or playing a sport. ”

— Bobby Mercer in the book "Manventions"

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The first jockstrap was called the “bike jockey strap” and was designed to be worn by bicycle jockeys in the 1870s.

Many bike terms were adapted from horse riding, especially during the early era of cycling as horses were the primary mode of transit. A person riding a bicycle during this time was known as a bicycle jockey and the “bike jockey strap” was soon shortened to “jockstrap.”

Since the jockstrap was originally designed to be worn by cyclists, it must be perfectly logical to conclude that modern-day riders should be wearing them too???

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Should you wear a cup or jockstrap while mountain biking?

Wearing a cup or jockstrap compromises rider comfort and safety while pedaling from a seated position and is NOT recommended for general or downhill mountain biking. Wearing a cup during cycling will increase the pressure on your perineum, which can lead to severe erectile dysfunction issues.  

There are also no known benefits of cups protecting against straddle-type injuries or protection against branches, rocks, and bike components.

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jockstrap & supporting the “floppy man”

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Image Source: Out Magazine (2004)

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Charles F. Bennett, an avid bicyclist created the first jockstrap in 1874, to remedy the problem of what he called “floppy man parts.”

• The 1st jockstrap was designed to support the manly jewels and prevent them from bouncing around while cycling (underwear wouldn’t be invented for another 61 years)

• It took an additional 31 years and another sport before the cup was added to the jockstrap

Bouncing Cyclists

These first bicycle jockey straps were originally designed to contain “floppy man parts,” as “tighty whities” weren’t even invented yet. In 1935, Coopers Inc. sold their first pair of men’s briefs, which was dubbed the “jockey” as it offered similar support. Coppers Inc. even had one style called the “jock brief.”

The High Wheeler or “penny-farthing”

In 1870s America, the standard bicycle was the High Wheeler. Bikes of this era had a wooden seat with no springs, no suspension, and pneumatic (inflatable) tires were yet to be invented.

Cyclists were 5 feet off the ground and getting bounced around from riding on bumpy cobblestone streets without any proper inner garments. The cycling pad or chamois would be developed about 20 years later, making the bike jockey strap obsolete for the sport of cycling.

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jockstrap & the cup

The original jockstrap was solely designed to support the jiggling jewels and didn’t offer any protection against impacts.

The cup was not part of the bike jockey strap and was a later addition to impact sports. In 1905, a baseball catcher named Claude Berry put a steel ‘safety cup’ in his jockstrap since catchers had no groin protection.

By the 1920s, the cup became standard gear for baseball, hockey, martial arts, cricket players, and other athletes in contact sports.

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“It’s believed his qualities behind the plate were enhanced by the piece of molded steel in his pants ”

— Journal of Urology (talking about Claude Berry)

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Mountain biking with a cup

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According to the 2018 book, Management of Sports and Physical Education by Maddox Howe:

Protective Equipment - Cycling

• Jockstrap (optional)
• Jockstrap with a cup pocket and protective cup for mountain biking
• Spandex shorts
• Helmet

(Howe, p. 217 - - bolding is mine)

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In theory, maybe, wearing a cup while mountain biking makes sense. However, in the real world, it just doesn’t work.

Wearing a cup and sitting down increases the pressure in your groin area. The whole point of wearing padded cycling shorts is to protect your groin from friction and to alleviate pressure on the saddle. Wearing a cup increases the pressure on your perineum while seated and is dangerous for your genitalia, and is also uncomfortable.

You should be riding with padded bicycling shorts without a jockstrap or cup. If you’re riding with a cup, your trading your long-term genital health for the smallest chance of a possible short-term benefit.

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Practical Issues of Wearing a Cup & Pedaling

Sitting in the saddle and pedaling while wearing a cup changes your cycling mechanics. Leaning forward on the seat for climbing with a cup is incredibly uncomfortable and forces you to modify your pedal stroke. The result is excessive rubbing against the cup and increased groin pressure.

Riding over roots and logs while seated is not only uncomfortable but is also painful.

Downhill Riding & Wearing a Cup

If one were to wear a cup while mountain biking, wearing while descending or riding in a bike park would be the most logical. However, in reality, it’s not so practical.

Riding on bumpy trails vibrates the cup, and causes a lot of pressure in your groin area, even while standing. Trying to push down on the seat with your body to activate the dropper post can be painful if the cup gets in the way.

The only possible way to really make it feasible is to hoover over the saddle the ENTIRE ride, which for most people is not very realistic. Also, you use your legs to grip the seat during turns and other maneuvers, and it’s just too easy to make contact with the cup which puts too much pressure on your groin.

Fast Balls

“Scrotal rupture during athletic competition is considered a rare occurrence; however, blunt trauma to the scrotum is relatively common.”

— Sports Health

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While its common to experience testicular injuries in sports and athletic hobbies, most don’t require medical attention. A 2019 study from the Irish Journal of Medical Science noted that:

"A study in the USA involving over 5,400 sports-related injuries arising in the National Paediatric Trauma Registry encountered no testicular injuries at all. When they did occur, as reported in other studies, the majority of testicular injuries (48%) was reported in the sport of lacrosse." - - (bolding from this author)

A 2019 study from Case Reports in Emergency Medicine reports:

"Studies revealed that a 50 kg direct force is required to cause testicular rupture."

While it's possible to suffer a traumatic testicular injury, it takes over 110 pounds of direct force. Getting hit below the belt hurts and is quite common, but for those unlucky few who suffer from serious injury, it takes an imperfectly perfect shot with a lot of power or force.

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From a 1904 sporting catalogue

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mtb bike park & groin injuries

A team of doctors reviewed all the patients admitted to the Whistler Health Clinic for injuries while riding in the Whistler Bike Park during the entire 2009 season. The data was published in the journal of Wilderness & Environmental Medicine in a 2012 publication.

The medical clinic had 898 patients during the season from injuries incurred at the Whistler Blackcomb Mountain Bike Park, of these injuries:

• 86% were male 

• The average age was 26

• Zero groin accidents (0 out of 898 riders with 1,759 total injuries)

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Want to go faster ???

Formulated by tribologists to go faster

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Whistler Bike Park, Groin Injuries & Follow-up

I contacted Dr. Mary Mckay, who was part of the research team for the Whistler bike park study. I wanted to verify that no groin injuries occurred since it’s possible they got lumped into a different category, such as abdominal or lower extremity.

Dr. Mckay said,

“I don't recall seeing any significant groin injuries - but frankly, we did the work for the paper a really long time ago.”

Dr. Mckay in her response did bring up two valid questions though:

1. How much protection does a cup provide in mountain biking??

   • It’s a catch 22. The cup can protect against a traumatic blow, but it can also cause possible long term groin damage while being sat on.

2. Does MTB provide a significant risk of groin injury??

   • Not much risk, as genital injuries are rare.

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Final thought

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“ And why would a cyclist want to wear any garment to support the genitals? I can only comment that several Scotsmen can’t be wrong – nothing is worn under the kilt!”

— Scotford Lawrence at the National Cycle Museum in Wales in response to my quiry about jockstraps

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Wearing anything that comes between your saddle and “junk” is not good. There is a reason you wear biking shorts with a pad or chamois. Compromising riding mechanics, comfort, and long term genitalia health to reduce the freak odds of a traumatic blow is not a good trade.

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Upgrade your ride with a bike-fitting

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, snowboarding, reading, weight-lifting, taster of craft beers, & non-cup wearer.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources & References

1. Ashwell, Zachary, et al. “The Epidemiology of Mountain Bike Park Injuries at the Whistler Bike Park, British Columbia (BC), Canada.” Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, vol. 23, no. 2, June 2012, pp. 140–145.

2. Blok, Derek, et al. “Testicular Rupture Following Blunt Scrotal Trauma.” Case Reports in Emergency Medicine, vol. 2019, 19 Dec. 2019, pp. 1–3.

3. “Briefs.” Wikipedia, 26 Oct. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briefs.

4. ESPN The Magazine. “ESPNMAG.Com - Why Are They Called Jock Straps?” Www.Espn.Com, www.espn.com/magazine/vol5no11answerguy.html. Accessed 27 Oct. 2020.

5. Freehill, Michael T et al. “Presumed testicular rupture during a college baseball game: a case report and review of the literature for on-field recognition and management.” Sports health vol. 7,2 (2015): 177-80.

6. Gabay, J. Gabay’s Copywriting Compendium. London, Hodder Education, 2010.

7. Howe, Maddox. Management of Sports and Physical Education. Waltham Abbey Essex, England, Etp, 2018.

8. Kimmel, Michael S. Cultural Encyclopedia of the Penis. Lanham, Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.

9. Lengerke & Antoine. Fishing Tackle and Spring and Summer Sports. 1904 Net Trade Catalogue, No. 19. Chicago, 1904.

10. Loeb, Charles A., et al. “FR-09 GUARDING THE FAMILY JEWELS: A HISTORY OF THE ATHLETIC CUP.” Journal of Urology, vol. 199, no. 4S, Apr. 2018.

11. Mercer, Bobby. Manventions : From Cruise Control to Cordless Drills-- Inventions Men Can’t Live Without. Editorial: Avon, Massaschusetts, Adams Media, 2011.‌

12. Norcliffe, G B. The Ride to Modernity : The Bicycle in Canada, 1869-1900. Toronto, University Of Toronto Press, 2001.

13. Out Magazine. Out. Google Books, 1st ed., vol. 13, Here Publishing, 1 July 2004, p. 82.

14. Penn, Rob. It’s All about the Bike : The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels. New York/London, Bloomsbury, 2012.

15. Rushin, Steve. The 34-Ton Bat : The Story of Baseball as Told through Bobbleheads, Cracker Jacks, Jockstraps, Eye Black, and 375 Other Strange and Unforgettable Objects. New York, Little, Brown And Company, 2013

16. Tasian, Gregory E et al. “Pediatric genitourinary injuries in the United States from 2002 to 2010.” The Journal of urology vol. 189,1 (2013): 288-93.

When sitting on a bike should your feet touch the ground?

Correct seat height; You can only touch the ground with your toes. Many bicycle commuters will stop and use the curb since they can’t reach the ground without a “boost.”

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“Usually, you cannot touch the ground with both feet when sitting on the saddle - but you should be able to reach the floor with the ball of one foot”

— The Long Distance Cyclist’s Handbook

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Proper saddle height is very important.

Too low of a saddle is hard on your knees and is very inefficient. Too high of a saddle and you can’t get any leverage on the pedal cranks and is very uncomfortable.

Either way, a saddle that is too far up or down is bad, uncomfortable, inefficient, and will eventually lead to injuries or pain.

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Should my feet touch the ground on a bicycle when I’m sitting in the seat/saddle?

For most styles of bicycles, including road, gravel, and mountain bikes, you’re at the CORRECT saddle height when you can only touch the ground with the TIPS of your toes while your ankles are flexed with your toes pointed downward (see pic below).

If you can sit on your bike seat with your feet flat on the ground, then your saddle is much too low.

Notice this mountain biker can only touch with the tips of his toes while reaching down with his foot. This cyclist is riding with a correct saddle height

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The only time your feet should be flat on the ground is when you are straddling a bike while sizing it.

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Image Source: Specialized Bicycle Owner's Manual

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Above are the instructions from the Specialized Bicycle Owner’s Manual.

Basically, your crotch should be 2 to 6 inches higher than the frame when straddling the bike. Once you go from straddling the frame to straddling the saddle, you should only be able to reach the ground while being on your tippy-toes.

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bicycle seat too low

This rider is all bunched up with knees going into his chest. This saddle is too low.

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It’s very common for beginner and intermediate cyclists to ride with their seat too low since they feel more comfortable being able to reach the ground.

However, riding with a saddle that is too low reduces pedal efficiency and overtime causes knee problems.

“Biker’s Knee” or Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) is the most common knee injury to cyclists and is caused in part, by riding with the saddle too low.

Saddle Too Low & Problems

• Pain in the front of the knee or on the kneecap (patella)

  • More common in recreational riders than amateur or professional cyclists

  • Caused from riding with too low of a saddle or sitting too far forward in the saddle

  • Saddle Too Low = Knee is more flexed = causes compression of the patella against the underlying surfaces = excessive amount of shear forces pulling the patella = anterior knee pain

• Limited knee extension = reduced pedal efficiency and power

  • Reduced Efficiency - You will have “smaller” pedal strokes, which means you will need to pedal more to maintain the same speed as your friends

  • Less Power - It’s hard to generate any serious power when you’re essentially turning your long legs (levers) into short legs (levers)

Bicycle saddle too high

Seat too high. Zero bend in my knee and can barely reach pedal even when scooting up on the saddle

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Riding with a saddle that is too high is just as bad as riding with one that’s too low, but for different reasons.

Saddle Too High & Problems

• Saddle sores: Hips rock back and forth against the saddle causing sores (and a waste of energy)

• Causes pain behind the knee from overextending

• Uncomfortable from over-reaching and excessive rubbing on the seat

• Not a very powerful position as your trying to spin the pedals from a very weak position

Image Source: (Leavitt and Vincent)

You know the seat is too high when your riding and your hips are rocking back and forth.

In the above picture, this cyclist has a saddle that is too high as he has excessive hip motion or rocking. However, you don’t want to eliminate all hip motion, since the ideal amount of pelvis movement transfers more power to your legs.

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Optimal saddle height

Image source: The Cannondale Bicycle Owner’s Manual

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There are numerous formulas and techniques for finding your proper saddle height, such as the Hamley, Lemond, Holmes, Pruitt, and heel-toe methods.

Finding your seat height quickly & easily: Heel-toe method

The heel-toe method is the quickest and easiest way to find your approximate ideal saddle height and also requires no specialized equipment.

The heel-toe method:

1. Sit on the bicycle with both feet on the pedals

2. Prop yourself up (hang onto a wall, use a trainer, or ask a friend to help)

3. Pedal backward until:

   • The bottom pedal is in the 6-o’clock position 

   • The top pedal is in the 12-'o’clock spot 

4. Place your heel on the low pedal and your leg should be fully extended 

5. Go for a ride. When you spin the pedals your leg should have a slight bend (25 - 40 degree knee angle) while in the bottom position

   • This is just an approximate starting point and you can make adjustments up or down, from this position

Most bicycle owner’s manuals use this method. Below is the heel-toe method, with instructions, from the Specialized Owner's Manual.

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View fullsize

Image Source: Specialized Bicycle Owner's Manual

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Final Thought

Of all the bike fit adjustments, saddle height is considered the most important.

• Optimal seat height allows you to maximize every spin of the pedals while keeping your knees healthy. You will make over 7,200 pedal revolutions in just a leisurely 2-hour bike ride. If your seat isn’t set properly, your body will let you know.

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Yes. Help me find my ideal saddle height

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, snowboarding, reading, weight-lifting, taster of craft beers, & researching.

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More articles by Pedal Chile

Sources & References

1. Cannondale Bicycle Corporation. Bicycle Owner’s Manual.

2. Doughty, Simon. The Long Distance Cyclist’s Handbook. London, A & C Black, 2002.

3. Kronisch, Robert L. “How to Fit a Mountain Bike.” The Physician and Sportsmedicine, vol. 26, no. 3, Mar. 1998, pp. 71–72, 10.1080/00913847.1998.11440350.

4. Leavitt, Trevor G., and Heather K. Vincent. “Simple Seat Height Adjustment in Bike Fitting Can Reduce Injury Risk.” Current Sports Medicine Reports, vol. 15, no. 3, 2016, p. 130.

5. Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc. OWNER’S MANUAL SPECIALIZED BICYCLE. 2007.

6. Trek Bikes. “Owners Manual - Fitting Your Bicycle | Trek Bikes.” Trekbikes.Com, 2020.

Is Creatine Good for Mountain Biking

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“Short-term creatine monohydrate supplementation has been widely used to improve performance in high-intensity and short-term efforts in cycling ”

— Frontiers in Physiology

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Muscle creatine or phosphocreatine is the critical power/energy source in activities that involve repeated mini-bouts or maximum all-out-bursts, lasting up to about 15 seconds.

Increasing your creatine reserves is very beneficial for mountain biking, especially during steep climbs or quick accelerations as you attack sections or spin the pedals relentlessly coming out of corners and technical features.

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Are there benefits to supplementing with creatine for mountain biking?

Cross-country, trail riders, and endurance-based forms of mountain bikers

• Can benefit from low-dosing or 4 g/daily of creatine-electrolyte without a loading phase for increased power and resistance against fatigue

Downhill Mountain bikers or gravity-assisted riders

• Numerous benefits from the standard recommended dosage of creatine and a loading phase
• Increased power and slower to fatigue, especially while descending long and technical sections

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mountain biking: Increased power & creatine

Supplementing with a creatine and electrolyte combination mixture will improve your power output by 3 - 7%

For the average recreational rider, this will mean an increase of ~25 to 50 watts of extra pedal power, meaning sprinting up hills or climbing over roots, just got significantly easier.

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Creatine & water weight

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“Although body mass increased by 2 kg, the relative volume of body-water compartments was not affected, suggesting that the increase in body mass after creatine supplementation cannot be attributed to water retention ”

— International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

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What about the extra water weight from the creatine?

Ingesting a creatine-electrolyte supplement will cause you to gain weight because you are increasing your muscle creatine content, body mass, and total body water.

• Weight gains of 2 - 5 pounds (.8 to 2.2 kg)

• Average weight gain is around 3 pounds (1.4kg)

The majority of weight gain after 4 weeks of creatine-electrolyte supplementation is in the form of muscle mass with minimal water weight.

However, it should be noted that during the “loading phase” of creatine supplementation, it’s common for people to experience weight gain primarily from water weight.

“Loading Phase” & Weight Gain

Creatine has been called a hyper-hydrating agent because, during the loading phase when 20 grams of creatine is ingested per day, initial fluid retention of 14 - 28 oz (400 to 800 mL) is common.

• Loading phase = water retention and weight gain in form of “water weight” = 1 - 3 lbs (around 1kg)

• Maintenance phase after 3 weeks = increase in protein synthesis and an increase in lean muscle with a reduction in water weight

It’s also important to note that taking creatine with carbohydrates, especially during the loading phase will cause you to gain even more water weight. One-gram of carbohydrate is partnered with 2 to 3 grams of water.

The creatine studies that show the highest rates of water retention involve weight lifters. This makes sense because lifters pick heavy things up and set them down to get bigger & stronger, while simultaneously modifying their diet………like eating more carbs, which leads to a bigger ‘pump’ and larger muscles, partially from more water being in the cells.

(Image Source: Clarke et al.)

Creatine, Weight Gain & Uphill Climbing

Your power-to-weight ratio is hugely important when climbing hills. A couple of days of intense riding per week while supplementing with a creatine-electrolyte mixture will lead to slight increases in muscle gain and subsequent weight gain. Water retention weight is generally negligible after the loading phase.

Gaining 3 pounds of body weight will require an extra ~5 watts of power to pedal up a 15% gradient incline. The creatine-electrolyte supplementation provides you with an additional 25-50 watts of power so even gaining a little bit of water weight, you will be able to climb hills better.

Why take creatine with electrolytes?

You NEED electrolytes to get creatine into your muscle cells.

Creatine is shuttled by specialized electrogenic transporter proteins which are dependent on electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium.

When you take creatine together with electrolytes, your muscles will absorb more of it. For example, taking creatine in the absence of calcium and magnesium results in a reduction of creatine absorption by 47%.

It should be noted that sodium and chloride are especially important since the cellular uptake of creatine can’t happen without them:

• 2 sodium ions + 1 chloride ion = transport of 1 creatine molecule

Creatine & mountain biking in the heat

“These findings provide strong evidence that creatine supplementation (with or without glycerol) may serve as an effective nutritional hyper-hydration strategy for athletes engaged in intense exercise in hot and humid environments
”

— Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

In 2017, the International Society of Sports Nutrition published a “position stand” on the safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation and concluded that cycling in the heat:

The researchers reported that creatine supplementation increased intracellular water and reduced thermoregulatory and cardiovascular responses to prolonged exercise (e.g., heart rate, rectal temperature, sweat rate) thereby promoting hyper-hydration and a more efficient thermoregulatory response during prolonged exercise in the heat.

While the “loading phase” is responsible for water retention, this increased intracellular water has benefits during mountain biking in hot weather or high humidity.

20 grams of creatine-electrolyte solution per day for 5 days before mountain biking in the heat/humidity will hyper-hydrate your cells and allow you to ride harder with a lower heart rate while staying cooler and sweating less.

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If you want even more pedal power, you can supplement with creatine and use Pedaling Science’s specially formulated chain lubricant to give you 10+ more WATTS…. you just got a whole lot faster!

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"Fluid Loading" & Astronauts

Astronauts lose over 5 lbs of weight on short-term flights and over 20 lbs (10kg) during longer missions from a multitude of factors, with losses from dehydration being one of them.

Studies have been conducted where astronauts “fluid load” or “pre-hydrate” with creatine before take-off, to minimize dehydration during flight.

I’m not sure if astronauts actually take creatine supplements before space-missions, yet, it's interesting to note that “space scientists” have studied and determined that creatine has hydration and thermoregulatory effects in terrestrial environments.

low dose creatine: Weight & MTB benefits

If you’re looking to avoid ANY weight gain from creatine supplementation, but still want the benefits, you still have one option.

Studies show that low-dose, short-duration creatine supplementation reduces fatigue rates……but doesn’t increase maximum power output. However, it should be noted that these studies didn’t research a creatine-electrolyte mixture, which is about 5 times more absorbent than just ingesting creatine.

The basic premise behind the low dosage short duration phase is to increase or maximize muscle creatine for a single event.

What is the dosage for low-dose, short duration creatine supplementation?

• 6 g for 5 - 6 days of a creatine-electrolyte mixture (once per day)

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Maximizing Muscle Creatine

(0.3 g / kg body weight)

Loading Phase

5 g of creatine monohydrate 4 times daily for 3-7 days

(0.3 g / kg body weight)

larger athletes = 5–10 g / day

Maintenance Phase

2–5 g/day with electrolytes

larger athletes = 5–10 g / day

or

Once daily with 16 oz of water

No Load Supplementation

4 g/day of creatine combined with electrolytes

Once daily with 16 oz of water

Low Dose Short Duration

6 g/day of creatine-electrolytes for 5-6 days

Riding in the Heat

20 g/day in total for 5 days

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Final thought

“Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes with the intent of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity”

— International Society of Sports Nutrition

Creatine is the most thoroughly studied legal sports supplement and its effectiveness extends way beyond just pumping iron in the gym. If you ride hard at least a couple of times per week, adding some creatine-electrolyte mixture into your diet can do wonders for your power and recovery.

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Learn More

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, snowboarding, reading, weight-lifting, taster of craft beers, & researching.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources & References

“For example, a pound of uncooked beef and salmon provides about 1–2 g of creatine ”

— Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

1. BIWER, CRAIG J., et al. “The Effect of Creatine on Treadmill Running With High-Intensity Intervals.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 17, no. 3, Aug. 2003, pp. 439–445.

2. Butts, Jessica et al. “Creatine Use in Sports.” Sports health vol. 10,1 (2018): 31-34. doi:10.1177/1941738117737248

3. Clarke, Holly, et al. “The Evolving Applications of Creatine Supplementation: Could Creatine Improve Vascular Health?” Nutrients, vol. 12, no. 9, 16 Sept. 2020, p. 2834.

4. de Poli, Rodrigo de Araujo Bonetti, et al. “Creatine Supplementation Improves Phosphagen Energy Pathway During Supramaximal Effort, but Does Not Improve Anaerobic Capacity or Performance.” Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 10, 10 Apr. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6468287/, 10.3389/fphys.2019.00352.

5. DE ANDRADE NEMEZIO, K.M., BERTUZZI, R., CORREIA-OLIVEIRA, C.R., GUALANO, B., BISHOP, D.J. and LIMA-SILVA, A.E. (2015). Effect of Creatine Loading on Oxygen Uptake during a 1-km Cycling Time Trial. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 47(12), pp.2660–2668.

6. Deminice, R., et al. “Creatine Supplementation Increases Total Body Water in Soccer Players: A Deuterium Oxide Dilution Study.” International Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 37, no. 02, 28 Oct. 2015, pp. 149–153, 10.1055/s-0035-1559690.

7. Francaux, Marc, and Jacques R. Poortmans. “Side Effects of Creatine Supplementation in Athletes.” International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, vol. 1, no. 4, Dec. 2006, pp. 311–323.

8. ‌Graef, J.L., Smith, A.E., Kendall, K.L. et al. The effects of four weeks of creatine supplementation and high-intensity interval training on cardiorespiratory fitness: a randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 6, 18 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-6-18

9. Guy, Joshua, and Grace Vincent. “Nutrition and Supplementation Considerations to Limit Endotoxemia When Exercising in the Heat.” Sports, vol. 6, no. 1, 6 Feb. 2018, p. 12.

10. Hickner, R.C., Dyck, D.J., Sklar, J., Hatley, H. and Byrd, P. (2010). Effect of 28 days of creatine ingestion on muscle metabolism and performance of a simulated cycling road race. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 7(1).

11. Hoffman JR, Stout JR, Falvo MJ, Kang J, Ratamess NA. Effect of low-dose, short-duration creatine supplementation on anaerobic exercise performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 May;19(2):260-4. doi: 10.1519/15484.1. PMID: 15903359.

12. Kreider, R.B., Kalman, D.S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T.N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., Candow, D.G., Kleiner, S.M., Almada, A.L. and Lopez, H.L. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1).

13. Mendel, Ronald W., et al. “Effects of Creatine on Thermoregulatory Responses While Exercising in the Heat.” Nutrition, vol. 21, no. 3, Mar. 2005, pp. 301–307.

14. Oliver, J.M., Joubert, D.P., Martin, S.E. and Crouse, S.F. (2013). Oral Creatine Supplementation’s Decrease of Blood Lactate During Exhaustive, Incremental Cycling. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 23(3), pp.252–258.

15. Powers, Michael E. et al. “Creatine Supplementation Increases Total Body Water Without Altering Fluid Distribution.” Journal of athletic training vol. 38,1 (2003): 44-50.

16. Rawson, Eric S., et al. “Low-Dose Creatine Supplementation Enhances Fatigue Resistance in the Absence of Weight Gain.” Nutrition, vol. 27, no. 4, Apr. 2011, pp. 451–455, 10.1016/j.nut.2010.04.001.

17. Walter, Ashley A., et al. “Effects of Creatine Loading on Electromyographic Fatigue Threshold in Cycle Ergometry in College-Age Men.” International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, vol. 18, no. 2, Apr. 2008, pp. 142–151, 10.1123/ijsnem.18.2.142.

Best Saddle Height For IT Band Syndrome

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(Image Source: Hadeed and Tapscott)

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“Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome is the most common cause of lateral knee pain in cyclists”

— From the International journal of sports physical therapy

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Even though Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) is more commonly called “Runner’s knee,” don’t let the name trick you, since it’s nearly as common in mountain bikers, triathletes, and cyclists. 

The first detailed case of ITBS was published in 1975 and involved military recruits whose running and training activities increased drastically, leading to lateral knee pain. 

Iliotibial Band Syndrome is an inflammatory, over-use injury, to the outside of the knee which is caused by a multitude of factors. Drastic or sudden increases in riding intensity or distance are usually to blame and are intensified if you pedal with any anatomical or equipment-related misalignments.

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Your iliotibial band can inflame when you flex and extend your knee aggressively and repetitively, which is why it’s common in both runners and cyclists.

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“Runner’s Knee” actually refers to two separate over-use injuries

1. Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) — Pain on the SIDE of your knee.

   • ITB = ilio tibial band, which is a band of strong connective tissue or fascia. The ITB runs the entire length of your thigh. ITBS is an inflammation or irritation of this band of fascia

2. Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) - Pain on the FRONT of your knee or under the kneecap. This is more commonly known as “Biker’s Knee.”

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knee pain & IT band syndrome

Image Source: (Meardon et al.)

The main symptom of iliotibial band syndrome is a sharp pain on the lateral side of your knee that can radiate into your outer thigh or calf.

• The pain is intensified and becomes sharp when your knee is flexed between 20 - 30°

  • 30 degrees of knee flexion is known as the “impingement zone,” and it’s at this knee angle you will experience the most discomfort

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IT Band syndrome: Compression or friction

There are two general schools of thought when it comes to Iliotibial Band Syndrome:

1. That ITBS is a friction syndrome and is sometimes called ITBFS, with the F denoting the word friction.

   • The IT band “rubs” against the lateral femoral condyle

2. IT Band Syndrome is a compression condition

   • The femoral condyle moves “under” your IT Band, causing compression between the fibers and layers of fat

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Regardless of exactly what’s going on inside your leg, flexion of your knee through the “iliotibial band impingement zone” will cause more pain and further irritate your IT Band.

• Even though the most serious pain in felt at 30 degrees, if your IT Band is irritated, it will become even further inflamed with any pedal motions through a knee angle range of 0 to 30°.

riding with ITB Pain: Optimal Saddle Height

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View fullsize

Notice that for “Biker’s Knee,” you raise the seat and for ITBS you lower the saddle- - - (Image source: Bini et al., 2013).

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What is the best saddle height to alleviate symptoms from an inflamed Iliotibial Band??

• You need to lower your saddle to allow for a 35° knee flexion angle
  • The impingement zone is 30° knee flexion so you need to lower the seat below this point
  • Lowering the saddle increases your knee angle

• Keep in mind that faster pedaling will make your hips rock back and forth, which effectively raises your seat height and will require a further lowering of your saddle

However, this is just a temporary solution. This will allow you to continue to train and ride your bike less intensely, without experiencing severe IT Band pain or discomfort but does nothing to address or fix the cause of it.

What causes IT Band Syndrome & cyclists

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“A seat that is too high causes excess stretch of the ITB as can improper foot position on the pedal, rigid clipless pedals, and excessively toed in cleats.”

— The Knee

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View fullsize

Schematic representation of the anatomy of the iliotibial band (ITB) - - - Image source: (Falvey et al.)

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Despite thousands of studies, most notably in runners (after all it’s called “Runner’s Knee”), the exact cause of ITBS is still not fully understood, mainly because ITBS is multifactorial. Meaning, it’s not just one thing that causes your iliotibial band to become irritated or inflamed.

Cycling is very repetitive. During 1 hour of cycling at an average cadence of 60 to 100 rpm, you will spin the pedals 3,600 to 6,000 times. Mixed in with even the tiniest amount of anatomical or equipment-related misalignment, combined with hills, headwinds, or “aggressive” riding, and you end up with a formula for possible dysfunction or pain.

Just a moderately-intense 25 mile (40km) road ride, the average cyclist spends over 8 minutes in the “iliotibial band impingement zone.” That number spikes considerably when you're climbing technical singletrack on your MTB.

A 2017 systematic review from the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy looked at 72 studies related to cycling and knee pain and determined that ITBS is caused by several factors:

"ITB syndrome is likely caused by increased tibial internal rotation, ITB tightness, inward pointing of toes on the pedals, increased hip adduction, a bicycle saddle position that is too high, and rapid increase in mileage."

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Multifactorial Causes of ITB Syndrome in Cyclists

= Poor Pedaling Technique

Incorrect Bicycle Adjustments

Saddle height, fore/aft seat position, cleats, handlebar reach, crank length, Q-factor

= Poor Pedaling Technique

Anatomical issues

Leg length discrepancies, poor hip flexibility, weak glutes, & muscle imbalances

(Going from level riding to lots of hills or riding all day into a headwind)

Training modifications

A sudden increase in mileage or intensity

(Going from level riding to lots of hills or riding all day into a headwind)

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Knee pain & Cycling intensity

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“The highest prevalence of knee pain (50.0%) was in road racers, but the lowest was in commuters (16.7%), suggesting that the volume and intensity of training are the important risk factors for knee pain”

— Journal of Family & Community Medicine

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Cycling intensity and distance are huge factors in the development of Iliotibial Band Syndrome. This makes sense because ITBS is a repetitive stress injury, which is just another way to say overused, overworked, or too much aggressive pedaling.

A study out of Saudi Arabia researched knee problems among cyclists and determined that “high-intensity training was a key factor.”

The research team concluded by saying:

“There was no association with bicycle fitting, coaching, using clip-less pedals, warming up, average years of cycling, average distance ridden in a week, resistance training, strength training, and average rest days in a week."

It is interesting to note that bicycle commuters experience the least amount of knee injuries, while amateur cyclists experience the most. Most commuters ride with flat pedals, regular shoes and clothes, and have their seat set way too low…..so they can put their foot down at stoplights…..basically, they do everything wrong, yet are rarely afflicted with nagging injuries.

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Yes. Help me adjust my bike!

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optimal saddle height to avoid IT Band syndrome

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“15 to 25% of all over-use injuries in cycling are related to the IT Band”

— Pedal Chile

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• Set your saddle height between 33 - 40° of knee flexion. This will keep your IT Band from “moving” through the impingement zone

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View fullsize

Image Source: Korean Journal of Sport Biomechanics

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Cumulative Sport Action & IT Band Syndrome

Studies show that if you partake in other repetitive activities, such as running, basketball, soccer, hiking, serious walking, jogging, or backpacking, you are more likely to suffer from ITB syndrome.

• If you participate in other activities that have similar repetitive knee extension and flexion, then it’s best to lower your saddle height.

• Performing other sports with similar movement patterns strain your IT Band with ITBS developing from the cumulative overload from all these related activities.

straddling the saddle

Just keep in mind that you’re straddling a fine line between a saddle that’s too high or too low.

Let’s not forget that pain in the front of the knee or “Biker’s Knee is from riding with too low of a saddle. Generally, people have about 6% wiggle room between their optimal saddle height and when problems develop. Also, keep in mind that once you combine intensity with long distances, any slight misalignment will be magnified over time.

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Performance Coach Jesse - Learn More

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, snowboarding, reading, weight-lifting, taster of craft beers, researcher, & compression sock wearer.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources:

1. Althunyan, Abdullatif K et al. “Knee problems and its associated factors among active cyclists in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.” Journal of family & community medicine vol. 24,1 (2017): 23-29.

2. Balint, Nela Tatiana. “Specific Particularities in the Rehabilitation of Iliotibial Band Syndrome Patients.” GYMNASIUM, vol. XIX, no. 1, 24 June 2019, p. 15, 10.29081/gsjesh.2018.19.1.02. Accessed 21 Oct. 2020.

3. Bini, Rodrigo Rico, et al. “Effects of Moving Forward or Backward on the Saddle on Knee Joint Forces during Cycling.” Physical Therapy in Sport, vol. 14, no. 1, Feb. 2013, pp. 23–27, 10.1016/j.ptsp.2012.02.003.

4. Fairclough, John, et al. “The Functional Anatomy of the Iliotibial Band during Flexion and Extension of the Knee: Implications for Understanding Iliotibial Band Syndrome.” Journal of Anatomy, vol. 208, no. 3, Mar. 2006, pp. 309–316.

5. Falvey, E. C., et al. “Iliotibial Band Syndrome: An Examination of the Evidence behind a Number of Treatment Options.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, vol. 20, no. 4, 13 July 2010, pp. 580–587.

6. Farrell, Kevin C., et al. “Force and Repetition in Cycling: Possible Implications for Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome.” The Knee, vol. 10, no. 1, Mar. 2003, pp. 103–109, 10.1016/s0968-0160(02)00090-x.‌

7. Flato, Russell, et al. “The Iliotibial Tract: Imaging, Anatomy, Injuries, and Other Pathology.” Skeletal Radiology, vol. 46, no. 5, 25 Feb. 2017, pp. 605–622.

8. Hadeed, Andrew, and David C. Tapscott. “Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome.” PubMed, StatPearls Publishing, 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542185/.

9. Johnston, Therese E et al. “THE INFLUENCE OF EXTRINSIC FACTORS ON KNEE BIOMECHANICS DURING CYCLING: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.” International journal of sports physical therapy vol. 12,7 (2017): 1023-1033. doi:10.26603/ijspt20171023

10. Meardon, Stacey A., et al. “Step Width Alters Iliotibial Band Strain during Running.” Sports Biomechanics, vol. 11, no. 4, Nov. 2012, pp. 464–472, 10.1080/14763141.2012.699547.

11. Seo, Jeong-Woo, et al. “Relationship between Lower -Limb Joint Angle and Muscle Activity Due to Saddle Height during Cycle Pedaling.” Korean Journal of Sport Biomechanics, vol. 22, no. 3, 30 Sept. 2012, pp. 357–363.

12. Walbron, Paul, et al. “Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome: An Original Technique of Digastric Release of the Iliotibial Band from Gerdy’s Tubercle.” Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research, vol. 104, no. 8, Dec. 2018, pp. 1209–1213, 10.1016/j.otsr.2018.08.013.

Best Saddle Angle For Climbing

“The plane passing through the highest points at the front and rear of the saddle can have a maximum angle of nine degrees from horizontal. ”

— UCI ARTICLE 1.3.014

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If you compete in Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)-sanctioned or regulated races, as of January 1st, 2016, you are allowed a maximum saddle angle of 9° (±1°). This is quite a lot of wiggle room, especially considering that for years, the saddle couldn’t be tilted more than 3° and was unofficially known as the “flatness rule.”

So why did the UCI change the “flatness rule” in 2016?

According to the Clarification Guide of the UCI Technical Regulations manual:

"It is important to grant the rider sufficient freedom to allow a comfortable position to be adopted, reducing the pressure on the perineum, while avoiding any deviation through an excessively sloping saddle that could improve sporting performance to an unacceptable degree by the addition of a lumbar support."

Or to phrase it more simply, tilting your saddle down is more comfortable and easier on your back and groin in certain riding conditions:

• Hills

• Riding low in the drops

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The best saddle angle for climbing is 5 - 15 degrees

• Level Terrain = Level Saddle (or close to it)
• 5% downward saddle tilt = 15% hill
• 10 to 15% forward saddle tilt = 30% climb
  • Saddle tilted forward/down

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SA = Saddle Angle (Image Source: Caddy, Matthew, and Gordon (2016).

The best saddle angle for climbing is a forward saddle tilt of 5 to 15°

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uphill climbing & the “science”

No sport is as thoroughly studied as cycling.

It’s the easiest athletic activity to perform an in-depth analysis of and is also low-risk. Of all the modifications that can be made to a bike, the pedal has received the most attention, since it’s the link between the rider and machine, and how we transfer our energy into motion.

Uphill bicycling, however, remains one of the least examined, mainly because inclines add a bunch of complexities to the research methodology. Then add in saddle angle to the mix, which until recently was a non-factor in elite competition, and what you get is “limited” valid research.

With that said, after combing through the data, I was able to find enough research to come to a few solid conclusions.

So, what does the “science” say about uphill climbing and saddle angle?

This is what a 20º/36% hill looks like (see picture below)

Reference point: This is a 20º/36% hill

(Image Source: Stefanucci et al.)

• Muscle activation and coordination patterns are altered at around a 5-degree slope (a 5°/9% slope is not really steep…..I’d call it modestly steep)

• Level or flat saddle angles become uncomfortable at around 5-degree slope and become increasingly more uncomfortable as it gets steeper

• Changing your saddle angle will improve your climbing ability and comfort when hills become steep, frequent, or are long in distance.

• Low back pain is common and is worsened from altering your posture during uphill bicycling (cycling uphill with a level saddle places more stress on your lumbar)

Riding posture & uphill cycling

When you are mountain biking or cycling uphill, you naturally change your posture by moving forward on the saddle and leaning forward. There are two main reasons for this:

1. To avoid lifting the front wheel off the ground

2. To keep a stable saddle position (not sliding off the seat)

Once you make these two positional modifications, you now changed the length-force ratio of your muscles, thus altering your pedaling mechanics and muscle activation patterns.

Steep hills (12°slope, minimum), modify the timing and duration of muscle activation, especially your quads and hamstrings.

• Quads become less powerful

• Hamstrings become more involved and work about 10% harder

• Calves also are significantly more involved

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Mountain biking: Climbing & saddle tilt

Climbing up steep singletrack is even tougher than climbing on the road.

A mountain biker needs to control and balance their MTB while navigating uneven and narrow terrain, all while simultaneously:

• Keeping enough weight on the back tire for traction

• Preventing the front wheel from lifting

• Climbing over roots, rocks, logs, etc.

• Looking out for fellow riders or hikers (unless it’s a unidirectional trail)

• Watching for wildlife

This is why mountain bikes usually have a more slack seat tube angle (Pedal Chile article on STA) which places more weight over the rear tire and makes technical sections easier.

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Altering Saddle angle & climbing

View fullsize

Image Source: (Salai et al.)

• Tilted saddle = improved climbing performance

  • Altering the angle of the saddle, to coincide with the steepness of the hill will offset nearly all of your muscular and pedal stroke changes

  • You want to change the angle of your saddle to bring your posture as close to the posture you have during level riding 

• Tilted saddle = improved comfort

  • The steeper the slope the more you change your posture and lean forward, which decreases the area of the seat you are actually sitting on. This means your saddle loses all of its ergonomic characteristics, causing you to experience discomfort. Aligning the saddle with the slope will bring back the ergonomic benefits and comfort to that of flat riding.

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Climbing: Why your saddle is not comfortable

Moving forward on your saddle while simultaneously leaning forward means you are sitting on the nose of the saddle with the majority of your weight. This compresses the front perineum and will cause pain in the groin area for both men and women.

• Sitting on nose of seat = lots of weight on your “private parts”

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Back pain: uphill Cycling & saddle angle

“Take home message: Low back pain is common among cyclists, regardless of age, gender, or type of bicycle. Its incidence and severity can be reduced by adjusting the saddle to introduce a 10–15° anterior inclination”

— British Journal of Sports Medicine

There are many possible bike-fit mechanisms for back pain in cyclists, such as:

• Saddle height

• Handlebar height

• Reach

• Saddle angle

• Frame size

• Saddle type

• Length of cranks

• Gearing

• Cadence

• Bicycle-style

Of all those reasons, saddle angle predominates, specifically while climbing or riding in the drops……combine this with mashing on big gears for miles, and you just pedaled up a recipe for back pain and saddle discomfort.

Saddle angle and manufacture designs

“Your Trek bicycle is designed for the seat to be level with the ground. Use a bubble level placed length-wise (front-to-back) on your seat for the best result.”

— Trek Bicycles Bike Fitting Manual

The majority of saddles are designed by the manufacturer to be ridden level with the ground. If you plan on tilting your seat, find a saddle that is designed to be angled by more than just a few degrees.

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Yes, I need helping adjusting my bike

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Final thought

The perfect saddle not only goes up and down but also tilts forward and back (plus lightweight & durable). Unless you have this magical seat, it’s best to bring an Allen key. Matching your saddle angle to the terrain is key to improving comfort, enjoyment, and performance.

For example, if you are tackling a long climb to ride epic singletrack, start by tilting your saddle down 5 to 15 degrees. Once at the top, return the nose of the saddle to level, or even a smidgen higher, as this will allow you to grip the saddle for fast descents and cornering.

Did you know you can cycle faster and climb easier, just by switching to Pedaling Science’s chain lubricant??

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Chile’s Patagonia. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, and researcher.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

‌Sources & references

“Researchers have reported that it is possible to improve cycling performance via kinesiology by adjusting both the rider and the bike”

— The Open Sports Medicine Journal

1. Caddy, Oliver and Timmis, Matthew A. and Gordon, Dan (2016) Effects of saddle angle on heavy intensity time trial cycling: Implications of the UCI rule 1.3.014. Journal of Science and Cycling, 5 (1).pp. 18-25.

2. Fonda, Borut & Sarabon, Nejc. (2010). Inter-muscular coordination during uphill cycling in a seated position: a pilot study. Kinesiologia Slovenica. 16. 12-17.

3. Rodseth, M, and A Stewart. “Factors Associated with Lumbo-Pelvic Pain in Recreational Cyclists.” South African Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 29, no. 1, 24 Oct. 2017, pp. 1–8, 10.17159/2078-516x/2017/v29i1a4239.

4. Salai, M., et al. “Effect of Changing the Saddle Angle on the Incidence of Low Back Pain in Recreational Bicyclists.” British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 33, no. 6, 1 Dec. 1999, pp. 398–400, 10.1136/bjsm.33.6.398.

5. Schultz, Samantha J, and Susan J Gordon. “Recreational cyclists: The relationship between low back pain and training characteristics.” International journal of exercise science vol. 3,3 79-85. 15 Jul. 2010

6. Silva, Gabriel, et al. “Comparative Analysis of Angles and Movements Associated with Sporting Gestures in Road Cyclists.” The Open Sports Medicine Journal, vol. 8, no. 1, 11 July 2014, pp. 23–27.

7. Stefanucci, Jeanine K., et al. “Distances Appear Different on Hills.” Perception & Psychophysics, vol. 67, no. 6, Aug. 2005, pp. 1052–1060, 10.3758/bf03193631.

8. Union Cycliste Internationale. CLARIFICATION GUIDE OF THE UCI TECHNICAL REGULATION. 10 Jan. 2020.

MTB VS Road Saddle Height

“Seat height is the Holy Grail for power ”

— Phil Burt in "Bike Fit"

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Saddle height is considered the most important bicycle-position setting. Changes to the seat-to-pedal distance, most commonly adjusted by moving the seat up or down, involves a complex interaction of angles between your hips, knees, and ankles during the pedal cycle. 

This means that even slight adjustments to saddle height alter the movement patterns and activate or “turn muscles on” at different times and duration, throughout the pedal stroke.   

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Road vs mtb & saddle height differences

Road Saddle Height

• Set to optimize power, pedal efficiency, aerodynamics, and knee health.

Mountain Bike Saddle Height

• Set to optimize maneuverability, control and is largely terrain dependent.

  • The more technical the terrain, the lower the saddle.
  • The smoother and flatter the mtb trails, the higher your seat.

Your MTB seat height will be nearly identical to your road bike when riding easy trails or maybe even a smidgen higher.

Saddle Heights & Mountain Biking Disciplines

With that being said, however, we must distinguish saddle height among the differing forms of mountain biking:

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(Image Source: Trek Bikes Supplemental Info: Bike Fitting Manual)

• Dirt jumping

• Downhilling

• Cross-Country (XC)

• Enduro

• Trail Riding

• Free-Ride

Some of these mountain bike subcategories use similar saddle positioning while others do not.

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Seat Height & MTB sub-categories

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XC - MTB

Same saddle height as road or gravel cycling or a smidgen higher

(Trail and terrain dependent-----Ideally you should have a dropper post)

Trail Riding/Singletrack/Enduro

An inch higher to several inches lower than road bike height

(Trail and terrain dependent-----Ideally you should have a dropper post)

(unless pedaling to connecting trails)

Gravity-Assited MTB (downhill, bike park, etc)

Seat is at bottom and not important

(unless pedaling to connecting trails)

Seat Height & MTB sub-categories

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Saddle height: Road & XC-MTB

Endurance based mountain biking, like cross-country MTBing, are going to have the same saddle height as traditional road cycling. This makes sense, as this form of mountain biking is as close to road cycling as you will get and is more akin to off-road cycling than other forms of mountain biking. 

Mountain bike saddle height is hugely affected by terrain: 

• Double-track

• Fire & forest roads

• Old mining roads/tracks

• Wide mountain paths 

• Interspersed and mostly non-to-less-technical singletrack (generally speaking, but not always the case) 

Bicyclists who predominantly ride these types of mtb trails should be using the same saddle height setting as their road bike or using the same formulas that are recommended by BikeFitters for roadie saddle heights. 

Road racers and endurance MTB racers will have as close to identical saddle heights as possible between the two bikes. Trying to mimic the same position for both types of riding may reduce injuries when switching between bikes if you spend the majority of time riding one style.

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High Saddle: Mountain VS Road Biking

Road Cycling Saddle Height

Once you reach speeds of 9-MPH (15kph), aerodynamic drag becomes the main opposing force, and as go even faster, it accounts for 90% of all forces acting against you. Road cyclists, even unfit ones, can average 13-15 mph (22 kph) fairly easily.

• Configuring your seat height to allow for aerodynamic (aero) positioning takes precedence.

Mountain Biking Saddle Height

In theory, mountain biking uphill on a smooth double-track is easier and more efficient with a higher saddle than what is riding with on your road or gravel bike.

The advantages of a lower saddle height are more related to aerodynamics, handling, corning, traction, control, and lack of hamstring flexibility, none of which play a role in uphill climbing on a double-track (maybe except hamstring flexibility). 

• A Higher Saddle = More Pedal Power: Riding with a saddle higher than your road bike is perfect for climbing smooth and gradual inclines on a wide, non-technical single-track or double-track. 

• Theoretically, muscles produce the most force just before they reach their fully stretched length. Raising your seat to the highest possible position while maintaining level hips will give you the most power and efficiency.

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Road VS MTB: Clipless Pedals & Crankarm Length

• Shoe/cleat thickness

• Pedal thickness (flat/or clipless)

• Length of the crankarm

These are all factors to account for if you are trying to ride with the same saddle height between your road and mountain bikes. Just because your saddle height is the same, that doesn’t mean the actual relative saddle height is identical if your riding with different shoes, pedals, and different sized crankarms.

Technical single-track & saddle height

Riding singletrack or trail riding is one of the most popular forms of mountain biking. Before the dropper-post became standard, many riders climbed with a raised seat and manually lowered the seat before descending. 

• Riders of technical singletrack ride with a lower saddle compared to road cyclists.

• How much lower?? That’s trail and terrain dependent. However, the lower your seat, the more control, maneuverability, balance, and traction you have.

Getting “high” and “forward” on the saddle by mimicking the standing position to propel yourself forward on tough climbs on double-track makes sense.

• However, the same level of steepness on narrow, technical, and steep single-track will give you control, traction, and maneuverability issues.

If the majority of your riding takes place on singletrack, having a dropper post is critical to optimizing pedal efficiency, regardless of technical features. Ideally, you want a dropper post with 3 settings:

1. Highest Position: This is slightly higher than road bike saddle height - - - This is for maximum power and pedal efficiency for non-technical climbing or flat sections

2. Moderate height: A few centimeters lower than road saddle height - - - Allows for increased control and maneuverability on technical climbing and flat(ish) sections

3. Bottom position: As low as the seat will go - - - You want the seat out of the way for descending, jumping, drops, and high-speed corning, switch-backs, or banking turns

Downhill mountain biking & saddle height

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Notice the seat in the full bottom position?

Saddle height is not-important in gravity-assisted mountain biking as the shuttle, lift, or gondola does the climbing for you.

Gravity-assisted mountain biking

• Downhill

• Dirt jumping

• Slope-style

• Freee-ride as the shuttle or lift does the climbing for you.

Downhill mountain bikers don’t have seat adjustments, as the saddle remains at the lowest position. Gravity assisted, downhill biking, like in a bike park at a ski resort, doesn’t consist of much pedaling. The lift takes riders up, followed by bombing down a ski resort at speeds exceeding 50 mph (80kph), riders never sit down.

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“Improper height in either direction can lead to injury”

— Todd Downs

Improper saddle height can result in knee pain/injury, low back pain.

There are 4 primary saddle heights for bicycling

• Too low

• Too high

• Preferred saddle height

• Optimal saddle height

Too Low Saddle

• A saddle height that is set too low can result in anterior knee pain due to increased compression in the knee joint through the top of the pedal stroke and during the follow-through to the bottom.

Too High Saddle

• Too Low: A saddle height that is set too high can lead to posterior knee pain due to over-extension of the knee at the bottom of the stroke.

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Saddle too low

If the saddle is too low, excessive stress is placed on the knees. Anterior knee pain is common, due to increased compression of the knee joint as the rider pushes through the top of the pedal stroke.

Saddle Too Low = Knee is more flexed = causes compression of the patella against the underlying surfaces from increased activity of the quads and hamstring.

So what is too Low?

• Anything greater than a 44° knee angle places too much compression forces on your knee. Also, it’s very inefficient, so you will tire easily and have minimal power on the pedals.

• This "shortness" extenuate hip and knee extension and will aggravate your knee and thighs.

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Image Source: (Leavitt and Vincent)

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The higher your saddle the less knee flexion angle

• For example, a saddle height with 25° knee flexion means the saddle is higher than a saddle height with 35° knee flexion

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Saddle too high

“A saddle that is set too high can lead to anterior knee pain
”

— Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

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A) Seat too high. B) Saddle height is ideal with a slight pelvic drop Eliminating all pelvic motion is not ideal because it transfers power from upper torso to your lower limbs. (Image Source: Leavitt and Vincent)

When your saddle is too high, your hips rock back and forth, which causes your legs to rub against the saddle. Besides chafing, posterior knee pain can result from overextension of the knee at the bottom stroke. 

• Saddle Too High = excessive knee extension = patella is no longer stabilized by the quadriceps muscles and it becomes overstretched, leading to knee pain.  

• Even though you will have a longer activation of upper leg muscles as the seat is raised, once the seat is raised above optimal, the muscles are overly stretched, which doesn’t allow for force optimal production………..you will produce less power and possibly suffer injuries. 

Negative outcomes from riding with too high of a saddle

• Chafing and saddle sores

• Posterior knee pain (behind the knee) 

  • Usually pain in only one of your knees (your dominant leg)

• Hips rocking back and forth = loss of pedal efficiency

• Loss of pedal power from overstretched muscles

• Waste of energy from hip-rock

Saddle Too High & Mountain Biking

In addition to the negative outcomes listed above, the higher the saddle, the higher your center of gravity. Cornering, descending, rolling over obstacles like roots, and logs all become harder with a high center of gravity.

(Image Source: García-Lópezand & Blanco, 2017)

optimal saddle height

“Most evidence-based studies have supported using saddle heights with 25° knee flexion for beneficial effects in both performance and injury prevention.”

— Journal of Physical Therapy Science

• Road Cycling

  • The theoretical optimal saddle height = 25° knee angle (when the pedal crank is in the 6 o’clock position)

• Cross-Country Mountain Biking

  • 30° knee angle = theoretical optimal saddle height

• The best combination of power output and endurance (most efficient)

• Most power comes from 25-30° knee angle

So what actually makes “optimal” seat height optimal?

When you are riding in your optimal seat height

• Your butt muscles and tibialis anterior (shin) have a longer and more forceful activation 

• Your quads/thigh (vastus muscles + rectus femoris) and hams (bicep femoris) all have a greater activation time.

• Your knee and hip are more in-phase

  • Excessively low or high seat = more out-of-phase the ankle and knees are (such as the ankle leading the hip).

• Pedaling Style

  • A faster cadence is easier with a lower seat

  • Higher seat for riders who like to push big gears at lower cadences

“When examining the results of the economy trials as a whole, it would appear to support the recommendation of a 25° knee angle for optimal performance”

— Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Preferred saddle height

• Average knee angle range of professional road cyclists = 30–40°

  • Average knee angle of pro-cyclists 38.± 4.5°.

• Recreation cyclists have similar seat height to professionals, with the average cyclist in the same 30–40° knee angle range.

For both recreational and professional road cyclists, their preferred saddle height is right around 37-38 degrees.

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If the theoretical “optimal” angle is 25°, then why are pro-cyclists riding with a lower seat?

The theoretical optimal seat height is hypothetical since it’s based on data from studies in laboratories. Most of these studies involve cycling on a treadmill or stationary bike.

Cycling, especially elite-level racing, aerodynamics are everything. Losing a little bit of pedal power is okay if the aero gains are greater. Also, road cyclists go upwards of 65 mph (105kph) during downhill descents and average 25 mph (40kph), which means high speed turning and cornering, all of which are easier with a lower saddle and is something that is not accounted for by researchers in the lab.

Limited Hamstring Flexibility

For many cyclists, the limiting factor preventing them from riding in an optimally high saddle position is limited hamstring flexibility. If you have “tight” hammies, even getting lower than a 38 knee angle won’t be possible without developing injuries and discomfort.

Lower Saddle = Lower Center of Gravity = More Control

More control can be maintained with a lower saddle position and provides better traction and control for climbing steep singletrack.

• Mountain Bikers: Keeping the saddle around 35°± 5° provides an ideal combination of balance and control while still allowing for good pedal mechanics and power. This is also a good height when riding with a dropper post, as you don’t want to be continuously pressing the dropper lever.

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Proper saddle height & injuries

A knee angle of 25° to 40° is recommended for injury prevention.

• Cycling, especially while “clipped in,” is a repetitive motion. A bicyclist riding at 90 rpm will pedal 16,200 revolutions in 3 hours. An incorrect saddle height places a large amount of strain on the knees and can lead to overuse injuries.

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Click me if you want to super fit your ride!

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Final Thought

The research looks exclusively at cycling and seat height, and usually conducted in laboratory settings. Extrapolating that data to both cyclists and mountain bikers can be contentious, which is why seat height settings remain the most controversial of all bicycle adjustments.

Raising or lowering your saddle by anything more than a smidgen, in either direction, can have profound effects on both your muscle activity patterns and pedaling mechanics.

Changes in terrain have a huge impact on what your ideal saddle height should be. Why???? Because simply changing the positioning of your pelvis (from hills) alters when and how your muscles activate while spinning the pedals. Also, adjusting your cadence changes mechanics and force relationships on the pedals.

Ideally, while pedaling under 9mph (14 kph), your seat should be at it’s highest setting, since you will be able to generate the most force and efficiency. As you go faster, slightly lowering the seat to allow for:

• Increased control/stability

• Lower center of gravity

• Increased flexibility of the hamstrings, permitting a more aero position

Yes, I want 10 more watts of speed for $27 bucks

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance, a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, and an Associate of Science in Radio Broadcasting. Hobbies: MTBing, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, researcher, & compression sock wearer.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

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Sources:

1. Bini, Rodrigo Rico, et al. “Saddle Height Effects on Pedal Forces, Joint Mechanical Work and Kinematics of Cyclists and Triathletes.” European Journal of Sport Science, vol. 14, no. 1, 17 Sept. 2012, pp. 44–52, 10.1080/17461391.2012.725105.

2. Burt, Phil. Bike Fit : Optimise Your Bike Position for High Performance and Injury Avoidance. London, Bloomsbury, 2014.

3. Chang, Wen-Dien, et al. “Relative Variances of the Cadence Frequency of Cycling under Two Differential Saddle Heights.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, vol. 28, no. 2, 2016, pp. 378–381, 10.1589/jpts.28.378.

4. Dedieu, L. (2016). Effects of seat height on muscular pattern and interlimb coordination in cycling. Journal of Science and Cycling, 5(2).

5. Downs, Todd. The Bicycling Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance & Repair for Road & Mountain Bikes. Emmaus, Pa., Rodale, 2005.

6. Garcia-Lopez, Juan & Blanco, Pedro. (2017). KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF BICYCLE PEDALLING USING 2D AND 3D MOTION CAPTURE SYSTEMS.

7. Leavitt, Trevor G., and Heather K. Vincent. “Simple Seat Height Adjustment in Bike Fitting Can Reduce Injury Risk.” Current Sports Medicine Reports, vol. 15, no. 3, 2016, p. 130, 10.1249/jsr.0000000000000254.

8. Moura, Bruno Monteiro de, et al. “EFFECTS OF SADDLE HEIGHT ON PERFORMANCE AND MUSCULAR  ACTIVITY DURING THE WINGATE TEST.” Journal of Physical Education, vol. 28, no. 1, 2017, 10.4025/jphyseduc.v28i1.2838.

9. Peveler, Will W. “Effects of Saddle Height on Economy in Cycling.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 22, no. 4, July 2008, pp. 1355–1359, 10.1519/jsc.0b013e318173dac6.

10. Trek Bikes. “Owners Manual - Fitting Your Bicycle | Trek Bikes.” Trekbikes.Com, 2020, www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/owners-manual/fitting-your-bicycle/.

11. Wang, Yong, et al. “Cycling with Low Saddle Height Is Related to Increased Knee Adduction Moments in Healthy Recreational Cyclists.” European Journal of Sport Science, 16 July 2019, pp. 1–7, 10.1080/17461391.2019.1635651.

Are Merino Wool Socks Hot?

“Wool is the best fabric choice in the desert environment.”

— From the Encyclopedia of Deserts

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Wool is a very diverse and dynamic material, that works in all types of weather. From the hottest day of the year to the coldest, and depending on where you live, even both on the same day. This is why wool, specifically Merino, is called a “super-fabric” and is the fabric of choice for premium outdoor clothing and active-wear.

Most synthetic fibers are designed to emulate Merino wool, but like most copycats, you can’t emulate the real thing.

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Merino socks don’t trap moisture, which keeps your feet cool, light, airy, and comfortable, making Merino ideal for summertime activities.

• Merino is also anti-microbial, meaning your feet won’t stink when they sweat, and unlike the traditional wool, ultrafine Merino doesn’t itch because of its soft and ultra-fine fibers.

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Merino wool: keeps you cool & warm

In desert conditions, wool is the best fabric choice because of its ability to maintain constant body temperature, even though deserts have large diurnal (daily) temperature fluctuations, with extreme heat during the day and frigid temps at night.

• This is why nomadic Bedouins of the Sahara and Arabian Deserts, wear robes made from wool.

merino wool is Breathable

Wool can absorb up to 35% of its own weight in water without feeling damp. While the benefits of this are obvious when it’s cold, they are a little more technical when it’s hot.

When you sweat, your clothes absorb water vapors. Wool will absorb these sweat vapors and move moisture away from your skin, then evaporate the moisture, into the air, without creating fluctuations in your skin temperature.

When people talk about clothing being “breathable,” what they are really talking about is the ability of the clothing to evaporate sweat off the skin the same way that you would while being naked…..which is also the same way the wool functions on the Merino sheep.

Merino wool is naturally crimped

Many fibers hold moisture against your skin. When it's hot, this makes the clothes feel sticky and it also prevents your sweat from evaporating, which will make you even hotter. The natural crimp in wool fibers forces each strand to press against each other, as opposed to side-by-side or lying flat-together.

This keeps tiny air pockets, which act as microscopic insulators, and is one of the main reasons why Merino wool keeps you both warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot.

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Cool when it's hot and warm when it's cold --- Merino Wool EXPLAINED

Merino wool is a dynamic insulator, and like all great thermos, it keeps you warm in the cold and cool in the heat.

Through convection, air can transport heat from one place to another, and it’s through convection that your home loses heat/AC (through doors, windows). Merino wool has tiny air pockets that form from the natural crimp in each fiber strand. These microscopic air pockets limit the amount of circulation and temperature losses, thus retaining heat or cold…depending on the weather.

An easier way to think about this is by picturing a Styrofoam cooler. The Styrofoam has tiny pockets of air that act as insulators for heat or cold, depending on what’s inside the cooler…hot coffee or cold brew, perhaps.

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Schematic diagram of a Merino wool fibre showing the major structural features of non-medullated wool. - - (Image Source: Theopoline Itenge, 2007)

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Merino Wool: Moisture-wicking, Humidity & keeping you cool

Merino wool absorbs water from both your skin and the atmosphere, which creates a dry microclimate against your body while keeping your skin at its ideal temperature (90°F/33°C).

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Dopey sheep or complex superfiber? I think we all know the answer

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In addition to wool being able to absorb nearly 1/3 of its weight, Merino also repels water. Wool fibers are made up of a filmy outer layer that helps to repel moisture by drawing in vapors from the atmosphere (during high-humidity conditions).

The tiny pores in the epicuticle layer break the hydrogen bond of water, which then allows moisture to evaporate out before it even had a chance to come in contact with your skin. It’s no wonder that synthetic materials are designed to duplicate the natural fibers of Merino sheep.

merino wool socks keep your feet cool, comfy, & blister-free

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“During strenuous exercise or hot conditions, a Merino wool garment closer to the skin actively transfers moisture vapour away from the body”

— Advanced Functional Materials

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Of all the pieces of clothing, socks are among the most important, especially when working or exercising in hot conditions. The palms of your hands and the soles of your feet have more sweat glands than any other part of your body.

Wearing Merino socks, especially during balmy weather, is a great choice. Merino will absorb moisture from your sweaty feet, which then gets evaporated into your shoe.

Socks, like cotton, trap heat, and the sweat that is absorbed doesn’t evaporate out, leaving you stewing in a pool of your own sweat. If you happen to be walking in these soggy, perspiration filled, bacteria infested socks, then blisters develop.

socks & frictional blisters

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“During World War II, blisters accounted for almost 2.5% of all noncombat hospitalizations.”

— Military Medicine

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Frictional foot blisters are the most common skin injury in sports. Many people blame their boots or shoes for causing blisters, yet the sock is more to blame than the shoe. Blisters are caused by friction between the skin of the foot and the sock, with more friction increasing as the sock gets wetter.

Different fabrics cope with moisture differently. However, one of the main ways to reduce blisters is to wear socks that absorb lots of moisture, as this will reduce friction between the sock and skin.

A 2012 study that was published in The Annals of Occupational Hygiene looked at sock fabric and blister prevention and noted that the best sock was a Merino wool blend (50% Merino wool), which was best at regulating temperature, dampness, friction, and comfort.

merino, “smart” wool & synthetic

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“Nature is typically better and doing things than we are.”

— Joshua A. Austin

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Superfine Merino wool has superior water absorbency, is quick-drying, and transfers moisture/sweat away from your body.

Synthetic fibers have the same qualities as Merino, which makes sense since synthetics are refurbished laboratory mimicries of Merino. This is why SmartWool, the apparel company, uses Merino wool and has branded it as “Smart.”

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Related article: “Are Merino Socks Itchy?” and why do some fabrics itch while others don’t??

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Jesse is Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, user of compression socks, researcher, & Merino sock wearer.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

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Sources & references

“As a second skin of the human body, clothing offers protection and aesthetic qualities.”

— Advanced Functional Materials

1. Bogerd, C., Niedermann, R., Brühwiler, P. and Rossi, R. (2012). The Effect of Two Sock Fabrics on Perception and Physiological Parameters Associated with Blister Incidence: A Field Study. The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 56(4).

2. Brennan, F.H., Jackson, C.R., Olsen, C. and Wilson, C. (2012). Blisters on the Battlefield: The Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Foot Friction Blisters During Operation Iraqi Freedom I. Military Medicine, 177(2), pp.157–162.

3. BRYANT, C. (2009). How does wool keep you warm even when it’s wet? [online] HowStuffWorks.

4. ‌Itenge, Theopoline. (2007). Identification of genetic markers associated with wool quality traits in merino sheep.

5. Hu, J., Irfan Iqbal, M. and Sun, F. (2020). Wool Can Be Cool: Water‐Actuating Woolen Knitwear for Both Hot and Cold. Advanced Functional Materials, p.2005033.

6. Mares, M.A. (2017). Encyclopedia of deserts. Norman: University Of Oklahoma Press.

7. Nawaz, N., Troynikov, O. and Watson, C. (2011). Thermal Comfort Properties of Knitted Fabrics Suitable for Skin Layer of Protective Clothing Worn in Extreme Hot Conditions. Advanced Materials Research, 331, pp.184–189.

Should cyclists shave their arms?

Aerodynamic drag is the single biggest force acting against cyclists, as the rider experiences 75% of the drag while the bike accounts for 25%. 

The aero drag of a cyclist originates from frictional drag, which is caused by skin friction.

This can be reduced by lowing the roughness of your skin, which is how wearing one of those fancy cycling skinsuit works and can be more easily and cheaply duplicated by shaving the hairs off your body, like your arms and legs.

Specialized & The "Win" Tunnel

Specialized, the bicycle manufacturing company, which also designs components and apparel, has its own wind tunnel, which they dubbed the “Win Tunnel.” In July of 2014, the “Win Tunnel” research team tested the difference between shaved and hairy legs and found that shaved legs was 50 to 82 seconds faster over 25 miles (40km).

• Shaved legs = 70 seconds faster on average

So, does shaving arms affect speed and getting “aero” just like the shaved legs?

Cycling: a hairless arm makes you faster

Using the same wind tunnel and research team, 6 months after the shaved leg trial, Specialized assessed the difference between shaved VS hairy arms. Chris Yu and Camron Piper (Specialized researchers) found that shaved arms were 19 seconds faster over 25 miles (40km).

This trial only had one test-cyclist. However, it should be mentioned that he had below-average arm hair. Riders that have a resemblance to Chewbacca will get even more time savings, approaching 22 seconds over the same distance.

On average, shaving your arms saves you an additional 25% of whatever savings you get from shaved legs. Say, for example, if you save 80 seconds with shaved legs, you will save 20 more seconds with shaved arms, totaling 100 seconds over 25 miles (40km).

Shaved Legs

50 to 82 seconds

Shaved Arms

13 to 22 seconds

Total Time Savings

63 to 104 seconds over 25 miles (40km)

Shave Pattern & Speed

There is evidence that shaving strategic lines down both your arms and/or legs will lead to even further improvements in aerodynamics. However, unless you have your own wind tunnel or understand Computational Fluid Dynamics, It’s probably best not to worry too much about it.

(Image Source: Godo, Corson, & Legensky 2009)

a hairless arm is a cool arm

“Our cooling system is so superior that in a marathon on a hot day, a human could outcompete a horse.”

— (Jablonski, 2010)

A hairless arm is a cool arm, just like a shaved leg is a cool leg. Shaving body hair makes your body more efficient at cooling. Hair holds onto water and sweat, by shaving your arms, legs, or both, sweat evaporates directly off your skin, which helps in lowering your core temperature on those hot days of cycling.

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(Image Source: Jablonski, 2010)

For humans, the primary way we rid the body of excess heat is through sweating. Sweating cools the body through the production of liquid on the skin’s surface that then evaporates, which draws heat energy away from you.

Vigorous cycling generates huge amounts of body heat and in hot and humid climates, it becomes a limiting factor. Mouth breathing is also effective at reducing body heat, as it allows for higher airflow in and out of your mouth.

Sweating & Speed

The faster you go, the faster the air is moving around, which causes you to sweat less, due to quicker evaporation. Just going from .5 mph to 7 mph will double your rate of evaporation and subsequent body cooling at 95°F (35°C). While going faster actually requires more work, simply shaving your arms and legs will lower your body temp.

shaving & style

Some cyclist shaves their legs since it’s part of the “look” of cycling. Shaving arms isn’t as popular among roadies as shaved legs, but it does offer the same benefits…….or a quarter of the same benefits to be more precise.

Final thought

Just shaving your legs and arms, depending on your level of hairiness, can save you about 63 to 102 seconds over 25 miles (40km). To put this in perspective, a few dollars spent on a razor and some cream will make you just as fast as spending $15k on a new high-performance bike.

However, shaving or wearing a skinsuit only reduces one type of aero drag. Form drag or pressure drag, which is mostly related to your position or posture while riding, has an even larger effect on your speed than frictional drag. Even very minor changes in your riding posture have huge impacts on how fast, or how slow you go.

Many recreational cyclists don’t think about how their cycle clothing fits, helmet design, how unzipped their jacket is, or what their arm hair is doing to their time. But just keep in mind that at 9mph (14kph), air resistance becomes your number one obstacle, and every little thing compounds……resulting in 5+ minutes in less than 25 miles.

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Yes, show me more!

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Jesse is Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: MTBing, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, researcher, & compression sock wearer.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

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Sources:

1. Adams, W.C., Mack, G.W., Langhans, G.W. and Nadel, E.R. (1992). Effects of varied air velocity on sweating and evaporative rates during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 73(6), pp.2668–2674.

2. Defraeye, T., Blocken, B., Koninckx, E., Hespel, P. and Carmeliet, J. (2010). Aerodynamic study of different cyclist positions: CFD analysis and full-scale wind-tunnel tests. Journal of Biomechanics, [online] 43(7), pp.1262–1268.

3. Godo, Matthew & Corson, David & Legensky, Steve. (2009). An Aerodynamic Study of Bicycle Wheel Performance Using CFD. 47th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition. 10.2514/6.2009-322.

4. Jablonski, N.G. (2010). The Naked Truth. Scientific American, 302(2), pp.42–49.

5. Specialized Bicycles (2014). The Win Tunnel: Shaved and Dangerous? YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZnrE17Jg3

6. Specialized Bicycles (2015). The Win Tunnel: Are Shaved Arms Faster? YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_C8K9x47q0

Should I Wear a Mouthguard Mountain Biking

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“A mouthguard, also known as a gumshield, mouth protector or sports guard is an appliance that covers the teeth and surrounding mucosa with the aim of preventing or reducing trauma to the teeth, gingival tissue, lips and jaws.”

—  Primary Dental Journal

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Studies show that 13 to 39% of all dental injuries are sports-related, with mountain biking causing the 10th most dental injuries out all contact and non-contact sports.

In 1890, British dentist, Woolf Krause created the first Gum Shield to protect boxers against lip lacerations. Since, this “Gum Shield,” has seen significant changes and improvements, and today it’s commonly known as an athletic mouthguard.

Mountain biking & dental protection

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“Mouthguards function by absorbing impact stresses, which results in a reduction of force transmitted to the teeth, bone structure, cranium and surrounding soft tissue”

— Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise

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Mouth and teeth protection while mountain biking comes from 3 pieces of protective equipment or gear.

• Helmets

• Face mask

• Mouthguards

A full-face downhill helmet offers more dental protection compared to a cross-country style open-face helmet, which lacks any face protection.

However, even if you are wearing a full-face helmet, you can still get more protective by using a mouthguard, as it will dissipate the energy during impact from crashing.

Do mouthguards help prevent concussions?

While research clearly shows that mouth-guards significantly reduce dental injuries, there is much confusion as to whether mouthguards reduce concussions. However, the main reason for wearing a mouthguard is to protect your teeth, if you do happen to get even a tiny amount of added protection against concussions, that is just a bonus.

Custom Mouthguard (Image source: ‌Schulze, et al., 2019)

Dental injuries: Mountain biking & mouthguards

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“The Fédération Dentaire International subdivides organized sports into two categories based on the risk of traumatic dental injuries: high-risk sports (such as American football, hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, rugby, inline skating, skateboarding and mountain biking)”

— The International Dental Federation

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Both the American Dental Association (ADA) and the International Dental Federation (FDI) recommend the use of mouthguards while mountain biking. These organizations list 29 sports where mouthguards should be worn, such as hockey, rugby, and American football. It should also be noted that mountain biking not only was included but is categorized as “high risk.”

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“Of all questioned participants, 25.4% had witnessed mountain bike accidents resulting in dental trauma before. ”

— Dental Traumatology

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The International Academy of Sports Dentistry recommends that mouthguards should be used in 29 sports and exercise activities

Image Source: (Green, 2017)

Mountain biking has a dental-injury rate between ~6 to 15% and is the 10th leading cause of visits to the dentist among all sports.

Every mountain biker knows a fellow rider or two, who has experienced traumatic injuries to their teeth…..I certainly know more than a handful.

As you can see from the bar graph (below), outside of the obvious contact sports and skiing, mountain biking has the most mouth-related accidents. There is a good reason that both the ADA and FDI recommend mouthguards for mountain bikers.

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Should I wear a mouthguard mountain biking?

A group of researchers conducted a study called "A prospective study of downhill mountain biking injuries" and had this to say:

The use of mouthguards should be enforced in all sport types facing a higher risk of orofacial injuries, such as mountain biking - British Journal of Sports Medicine

If bombing down tight singletrack, stunting jumps, or blasting through the bike-park is you, then wearing a mouthguard should be part of your MTB body armor kit.

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Necessity of using mouthguards during sporting activities ( in order)

PedalChile.com (adapted from OZSİN OZLER et al., 2020)

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Mouth guards & performance

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“ The same motives for choosing not to use a mouthguard have been reported for men and women.”

— Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

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In surveys of athletes, the main arguments for not wearing a mouth-guard are 3-fold:

1. Difficulty in communication

2. Discomfort

3. Fear of performing worse

hindered communication ( speech impairment)

Mountain biking, especially downhill or while riding steep & technical singletrack is essentially a solo sport. When riding the lift or gondola up in bike parks or climbing on singletrack, it’s pretty easy to store the mouthguard in a pocket or pack and talk freely.

Discomfort

What is more comfortable, a busted mouth, or wearing an adult pacifier??

Boil-and-bite mouthguard (Image Source: Uzel et al., 2014)

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Fear of reduced performance ( negative breathing effects)

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“The results indicated mouthguard use did not affect heart rate, rate of perceived exertion, minute ventilation, oxygen consumption, or respiratory exchange ratio at any given power level during exercise.”

— Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

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Numerous studies have been conducted in soccer, rugby, boxing, and cycling, that look at athletic variables, such as respiration, heart rate, oxygen consumption, power output, sprint and jumping ability with and without mouthguard use.

The overwhelming consensus is that mouth-guards don’t hinder performance as measures of athletic variables remain stable:

• Muscular endurance is the same

• Power output is the same (some studies even show higher)

• Breathing rate and the ability to utilize oxygen remains unchanged

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Did you know that you can go FASTER, just by switching chain lubricants??

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best mouthguard for mountain biking

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“Mouthguards differ and wearers need to be aware of their various protective capabilities.”

— British Journal of Sports Medicine

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There are 3 types of mouthguards

1. Custom-made by your dentist (offers superior protection)

2. Mouth-formed “boil-and-bite” mouthguard

3. Ready-made or stock

Custom-made mouthguards are best. However, the price will dictate whether you want to spend $2 at your local sporting store or upwards of $100 on a custom made mouthguard. Considering the cost and subsequent hassles of a busted tooth, I’d say the only option, as far as I’m concerned, is going custom.

Final thought

A custom-made mouthguard is relativity cheap, lightweight, and convenient piece of protective equipment that should be deemed “essential” for any serious downhill mountain biker.

For those that ride XC trails, if you have ever been held back during steep and technical singletrack, carrying a mouthguard in your pack or pocket for those questionable sections might give you that boost of confidence, and protection that you need.

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Jesse is Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: MTBing, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, researcher, & compression sock wearer.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources

1. Arent, S.M., Pellegrino, J., McKenna, J. and Jaouhari, C.A. (2009). Effects Of A Neuromuscular Dentistry-designed Mouthguard On Muscular Endurance And Anaerobic Power. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41, p.127.

2. Ashwell, Z., McKay, M.P., Brubacher, J.R. and Gareau, A. (2012b). The Epidemiology of Mountain Bike Park Injuries at the Whistler Bike Park, British Columbia (BC), Canada. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 23(2), pp.140–145.

3. Becker, J., Runer, A., Neunhäuserer, D., Frick, N., Resch, H. and Moroder, P. (2013). A prospective study of downhill mountain biking injuries. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(7), pp.458–462.

4. Fernandes, L.M., Neto, J.C.L., Lima, T.F.R., Magno, M.B., Santiago, B.M., Cavalcanti, Y.W. and de Almeida, L. de F.D. (2018). The use of mouthguards and prevalence of dento-alveolar trauma among athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Dental Traumatology, [online] 35(1), pp.54–72.

5. Green, J. (2017). The role of mouthguards in preventing and reducing sports-related trauma. Primary Dental Journal, 6(2), pp.27–34.

6. ‌Lloyd, J.D., Nakamura, W.S., Maeda, Y., Takeda, T., Leesungbok, R., Lazarchik, D., Dorney, B., Gonda, T., Nakajima, K., Yasui, T., Iwata, Y., Suzuki, H., Tsukimura, N., Churei, H., Kwon, K.-R., Choy, M.M.H. and Rock, J.B. (2017). Mouthguards and their use in sports: Report of the 1st International Sports Dentistry Workshop, 2016. Dental Traumatology, 33(6), pp.421–426.

7. Müller, K.E., Persic, R., Pohl, Y., Krastl, G. and Filippi, A. (2008). Dental injuries in mountain biking - a survey in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Italy. Dental Traumatology, 24(5), pp.522–527.

8. OZSİN OZLER, C., GÜÇİZ DOĞAN, B., BİLGİN, E., DEMİRHAN, G., ARAS, D., ÇETİN, E., ŞİMŞEK, H. and UZAMIŞ TEKÇİÇEK, M. (2020). What do Turkish sports sciences students know about dental trauma and mouthguards? A descriptive study. Acta Odontologica Turcica, 37(2), pp.29–35.

9. Patrick, D.G. (2005). Scale of protection and the various types of sports mouthguard. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 39(5), pp.278–281.

10. Rapisura, K.P., Coburn, J.W., Brown, L.E. and Kersey, R.D. (2010). Physiological Variables and Mouthguard Use in Women During Exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(5), pp.1263–1268.

11. Rowson, Steven et al. “Biomechanical Perspectives on Concussion in Sport.” Sports medicine and arthroscopy review vol. 24,3 (2016): 100-7. doi:10.1097/JSA.0000000000000121

12. Schildknecht, S., Krastl, G., Kühl, S. and Filippi, A. (2012). Dental injury and its prevention in Swiss rugby. Dental Traumatology, 28(6), pp.465–469.

13. ‌Schulze, Antina et al. “Influence of Mouthguards on Physiological Responses in Rugby.” Sports medicine international open vol. 3,1 E25-E31. 5 Jun. 2019, doi:10.1055/a-0891-7021

14. Uzel, I., Aykut-Yetkiner, A., Ersin, N., Ertugrul, F., Oncag, O. and Attin, R. (2014). Dental Trauma and Mouthguard Usage among Soccer Players in Izmir, Turkey. Dentistry Journal, 2(3), pp.78–84.

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Is it ok to wash your bicycle at a self-service car wash?

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(Image Source: Cannondale Bicycle Owner’s Manual and also found in GT Bicycles Owner’s Manual)

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“Avoid using the high-pressure sprayers you find at pay car washes to clean your bike. The soaps can be corrosive, and the high pressure forces water into bearings, pivots, and frame tubes, causing extensive damage over time. ”

— Zinn & The Art of Mountain Bike maintenance

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It’s common to see people wash their road and mountain bikes at the car wash using a high-pressure sprayer.

This is a quick and convenient technique for cyclists or riders to get a super clean bike, really fast. And as most serious riders know, nothing prolongs the life and performance of your bike, as much as just keeping it clean and lubed.

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However, is it really okay to wash your bike using high-pressure washers, such as those found at car washes or in your garage?

If you care about the lifespan of your bicycle and its components, then you should avoid using pressurized water to wash and clean your bike.

• These washing systems can force water past seals, such as those in your hubs, headsets, and bottom bracket, which will severely reduce their working life and can cause sudden failure.

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pro mechanics & power-washing

In the book, The Official Tour de France Bike Maintenance Book, which takes you behind the scenes of the Tour de France, the authors note:

“Tour mechanics use jet washers to clean off the degreaser and wash off soapy water. There are mixed views on whether this is advisable because a jet washer can force grease from bearings if aimed directly at them.

Most pro team mechanics, however, use jet washes on low power and with a spray nozzle which they operate in a sweeping motion and do not hold directly over bearings.”

-The Official Tour de France Bike Maintenance Book

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Now, just because the pros use high-pressure washers, doesn’t mean that it’s good for the longevity of the components. Race-day performance is the only thing that counts, and a clean bike helps with that.

Later in the book, they note:

“a jet wash will blast away dirt and rinse the frame and wheels in seconds, but it can also drive water into bearings, which can seriously shorten their working life.”

“(as) moisture ingress can over time break down grease and oil and cause corrosion, destroying bearings and impairing the function of other components.”



These professional bike mechanics aren’t just mindlessly spraying:

1. They have the bike in a repair stand with the wheels off to make sure no degreaser comprises the tires or that chain lube isn't splashing about (like on rotors) 

2. They use the lowest pressure-setting unless race-day happened to be a rain and mud fest

3. Just as soon as the bike has been rinsed, it’s passed to another mechanic-stand to be meticulously dried, from a combination of air hoses and micro clothes

4. Finally, these mechanics will re-lube all the required components, such as the derailleur pivots, jockey wheel bearings, and the chain

Needless to say, this washing process is significantly different compared to Joe and Jane Rider at the local car wash.

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Owner’s Manual & jet washing your bike

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“ Do not use high-pressure water.”

— Santa Cruz Bicycles User Manual

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“Never spray your bicycle using high pressure, and never spray directly onto bearing points or electrical parts on e-bikes”

— Trek Bicycle owner's manual

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“Rinse thoroughly (if you use a hose, don’t direct high-pressure spray at your bike)”

— Arktos Owner's Manual

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“Once the bike is soaped and the degreaser applied, rinse it with non-pressurized water and make sure the water does not get into parts like the headset, hubs or bottom brackets.”

— Mondraker owner's manual

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“For wet cleaning, use a gentle water jet or a bucket of water and a sponge. Only use clean fresh water or desalinated water.”

— Cube Bike Owner's Manual

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It’s pretty clear, bike manufacturers, who know a thing to two about bikes, strongly advise against using high-pressure water to clean them.

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If you “must” power (jet) wash

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“While using high-pressure car washes to clean your bike is sometimes unavoidable when your bike gets covered with mud while traveling, be careful when using them. ”

— Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance

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If you still want to use a power washer, make sure you do so, smartly and carefully:

1. Don’t spray directly into anything that spins

   • Hubs

   • Bottom Bracket

   • Headset

2. Don’t use the soapy setting. Only rinse with water

3. Avoid spraying directly onto fork or shock if you have a mountain bike

4. If you have an electronic derailleur, avoid direct spraying on its components

5. It’s VERY important to dry your bike off after spraying…..at the very least, bounce the bike a few times and let sit in the sun

6. The majority of lube will be blasted off your chain, so it’s vital to apply lubrication after drying your bike

Garden hose vs pressure washer

“Pressure (jet) washers are certainly quick, but generally not a good idea for cleaning your bike as they tend to blow water into sealed units such as the headsets, forks, hubs, and bottom bracket. They also ruin your cables and blow all the lubricant off your chain.”

— Complete Road Bike Maintenance

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A typical garden hose has a pressure of 40 to 60 PSI, whereas a pressure washer at a car wash will range from 1,200 to 1,900 PSI.

Muc-Off makes a “bike specific” power washer, which is basically just a less-powerful jet washer, with a max PSI of 1,450 (100 bars) and it has a bike attachment that lowers the force to about 1,000 PS (69 bars)……which is still way too powerful, IMO.

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Many power washers that contractor use have a PSI of 3,000+ which should never be used on your bike. Anything over 1900 can damage the paint on a car…..just imagine what it can do to delicate carbon components?

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Calvin Jones, Park Tool & bike washing

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“If you were to use a water hose, use a very fine mist - do not blast things on the rise. ”

— C. Calvin Jones

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C. Calvin Jones doesn’t even like to use a standard garden hose to rinse off a bike. So who is this Mr. Jones? Calvin Jones is the Director of Education for the Park Tool Company and is the author of the Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair, which is basically the Bible of bicycle repair and is the book that professional bike mechanics reference when they have a question.

So how does Calvin Jones rinse off a bike?

Drinking bottle or bike rinsing tool???

Answer = both

Calvin uses a cycling water bottle to rinse off the bike and says, “it won’t over-douse the bike, it won’t blast out grease.”

If you want to use a garden hose, Calvin recommends using a very list mist as anything stronger “cleans out the grease from inside the bearings.”

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final thought

Some bike aficionados claim the dangers of power-washing a modern road or mountain bike are overstated, as these modern machines have sealed hubs, headsets, and bottom brackets.

Simon, from the Global Cycling Network (GCN), blasted a bottom bracket with a jet washer for 5 seconds, 20 seconds, 1-minute, and 2-minutes, totaling 4 rounds at 3 minutes and 25 seconds. Only the final round of blasting resulted in water ingress.

However, like most things in life, the dose makes the poison. Pressure washing your bicycle after every ride, without regard for seals or drying, will most certainly shorten the lifespan of your bike. However, after riding through a rainstorm, mud, or being exposed to excessive dirt and grime, there are worse things you can do for your bike than power hose it off…..assuming you’re careful with your aim, take time to dry, lube, and do it rarely.

At the end of the day it’s your bicycle, just keep in mind, that routinely spraying it with pressurized water will eventually cause component failure……but maybe that’s just the “Universe” sending you a “sign” that it’s time for that brand new upgrade.

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Related article from Pedal Chile: Can I use WD-40 on my chain?

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Want to go Faster?

Pedaling Science - Formulated to go really fast

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Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Chile’s Patagonia (most of the year). Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and is an avid MTBer, snowboarder, reader of narrative non-fiction, taster of yummy craft beers, and user of pressure washers on his beater bike.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources for "Dangers of Power Washing Your Bicycle"

1. Andrews, G. (2013). Complete road bike maintenance. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

2. Downs, T. (2010). The Bicycling guide to complete bicycle maintenance & repair for road & mountain bikes. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale.

3. Edwardes-Evans, L. (2019). The official Tour de France bike maintenance book : how to prep your bike like the pros. London: Carlton Books.

4. Global Cycling Network (2017). Should You Jet Wash Your Bike. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzbpHGyFzc8

5. Park Tool(2015).  Bike Wash Tips. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtgMzais5G0&t=81s. [online]

6. Park Tool (2020). How to Wash a Bike. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2sKhSDrugE&t=568s ‌

7. Rohan Dubash and Andrews, G. (2014). Bike mechanic : tales from the road and the workshop. London: Bloomsbury.

8. Zinn, L. (2016). Zinn & the art of road bike maintenance : the world’s best-selling bicycle repair and maintenance guide. Boulder, Colorado: Velopress.

9. Zinn, L. and Telander, T. (2018). Zinn & the art of mountain bike maintenance : the world’s best-selling guide to mountain bike repair. Boulder, Colorado: Velopress.

Do I Need a Sports Bra For Cycling

“A comfortable, ideally seamless, sports bra is essential for cycling, and mountain bikers will want extra support and stability. ”

— Robin Barton in "The Cycling Bible"

In 1977 runners Hinda Miller and Lisa Lindahl sewed together two athletic supports or “jockstraps” and created the prototype of the modern-day sports bra. This “Jockbra” was later rebranded under the name Jogbra, for obvious reasons.

If you have small breasts that don’t move much while cycling, you’re unlikely to suffer from exercise-induced breast discomfort.

However, if your breasts move a lot when you’re cycling or mountain biking, or if you experience breast pain/discomfort, even if your breasts are small, a supportive bra is an absolute must and will make your ride even more enjoyable and relaxing.

Do I need a sports bra for cycling?

• Yes. You should wear a sports bra during any activity that causes breast movement which encompasses all forms of cycling and mountain biking.
  • Vigorous forms of cycling and mountain biking cause breast bounce, which leads to breast discomfort and stretching and is easily minimized by wearing a correctly fitting sports bra.

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FUN FACT: The first commercially available jogbra (1977) sold for $8.00, which is nearly equal to $35.00 today (2020).

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How do I know if I need a sports bra?

• If you experience breast pain or discomfort from bouncing boobs, then you need to wear a sports bra. Breast bouncing during cycling and mountain biking should be minimized to increase comfort, performance, and pedal efficiency.

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Image Source: Zhou, Yu and Ng, 2012)

Cycling: Sports bra & efficiency

Sports bras work by allowing the breasts and trunk of the body to move as one unit, which is mimicking the motion of males.

Wearing a proper-fitting supportive bra reduces the activity of the “pec” muscles by 55%, which causes you to get fatigued quicker, especially while mountain biking.

“A woman’s choice of breast support can also influence her breathing rate, lung capacity and thermoregulation during exercise”

— Dr. Deirdre McGhee

The bigger the breasts, the heavier, for example, a size 34B (75B in EU) weighs about 7 ounces (200grams) and a size 38D (85D in EU) weighs about 1.5 pounds (700gram). The heavier the breasts, the more movement, which will cause you to use more energy without the right amount of chest support.

When breasts bounce during activities, they don’t bounce in unison nor do they bounce in coordination with your torso. In addition to this causing discomfort, it also is very inefficient and will require you to expend more energy to maintain the same power output while pedaling.

So a sports bra can make me faster?

While no direct studies have been conducted that look specifically at cycling performance and breast support, several studies have researched running performance while wearing sports bras. The researchers found: 

• Significant reductions in “pec” muscles activity with reductions of over 60% during endurance events 

• Shoulder and deltoid activation was also significantly higher without adequate bra support (similar to “pec” activation) 

• Decreased efficiency through modifications in running mechanics and stride length and frequency 

While cycling and running are different, the increased activation of upper body muscles during cycling can lead to increased energy demands and fatigue. If you are out riding all day, wearing a sports bra can make you faster by not wasting precious calories and energy.

intensity, age, size, activity & extra support

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The anatomy of the breast (Image Source: Haake and Scurr, 2010)

“If your breasts move a lot during exercise or if you suffer from exercise-induced breast discomfort, even
if they are small, a supportive bra is an absolute must.”

— Breast Research Australia (BRA)

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Three Body Planes

(Image Source: Zhou, Yu and Ng, 2012)

Any activity that causes your bosoms to bounce, especially if they move excessively and frequently, then you should be wearing a sports bra for extra support.

All breasts sit on top of the pectoralis muscles (“pecs”) and are attached to your body only by the Cooper’s ligament and your skin. The heavier the breasts, the more movement.

The amount of breast support needed varies with age, bra size, type of exercise, and intensity:

“Cooper’s ligaments and the skin are the only anatomical structures that provide any breast support.”

— Breast Research Australia (BRA)

• Age - As you age, your skin thins and its elasticity decreases. Breasts are only attached to the chest by the Cooper’s Ligament and skin, so more movement occurs as you age

• Size - Large breasts weigh 1.5 to 2+ pounds (700g to 1kg). Larger breasted women will need more support as larger breasts move more

• Activity - Any activities that cause vertical movements of the body cause more breast movement and require greater breast support

  • Vertical movement exercises = running, horseback riding, basketball, volleyball, and mountain biking

• Intensity - The more vigorous the intensity, the more support you will need. Going from a walk to a jog or a leisurely bike ride to intense cycling will require extra support.

Breast Movement, Dynamic Activities, & Bra Type

PedalChile.com

“The ratio of fat to connective tissue content determines the firmness of the breast”

—  Technology and Health Care

Leisurely cycling & sports bra

Excessive breast movement during activities like jogging and jumping can cause breast discomfort.

However, leisurely cycling on a beach cruiser or commuter bike causes minimal breast movement or discomfort and generally doesn’t require the wearing of a sports bra.

• Leisurely cycling

  • Low impact

  • Minimal forward lean

  • Upright sitting posture: No forward lean as cruiser and commuter bikes are designed for maximum rider comfort and upright sitting

road cycling, exercise-induced breast pain, & sports bra

“As our study shows, everyday bras trigger exercise-induced breast discomfort and cause greater vertical bra movement during chest expansion”

— Journal of Human Sport & Exercise

Road cycling, especially when getting “aero” or riding in the drops places you in a less supportive position. Also, going from seated pedaling to standing, high-speed cornering, and fast braking, all-cause excessive breast movement.

If you are a serious road cyclist or participate in vigorous indoor cycling, it’s recommended to wear a sports bra. 3D motion studies show that breasts move 30% more from a standing position to walking, with over triple the movement going from a walk to a run, with cycling falling in the middle of this range.

You should keep in mind, that for bike touring or long-distance road cycling, having extra support makes you more efficient, even if you don’t have any comfort issues.

Mountain biking & wearing a sports bra

Mountain biking, especially riding technical singletrack and downhilling steep MTB paths, causes large amounts of breast movement and a sports bra should be worn.

Cycling during hormonal changes

Throughout normal hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle, your breasts will be at their most sensitive, which could require extra support and even a different size bra.

Breast pain commonly increases from ovulation and will ease during menstruation. Being in rhythm with your cycles and utilizing the correct bra during the right time is important for your breast comfort and enjoyment of your pedal time. Keep in mind that breasts during this time can be larger and/or heavier, due to increased fluid retention.

Sports bra fit

“A bra can only function properly if it fits you ”

— Breast Research Australia (BRA)

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Design details of the sports bra sample

(Image Source: Zhou, Yu and Ng, 2012)

It does not matter how supportive your bra is if it's not fitting right. Studies estimate that 85% of women are currently wearing the wrong size bra.

If you're currently wearing a sports bra and still experience discomfort, you might be part of the 85% club.

Also, keep in mind that bras have a used by date. Worn bras become stretched and have little elastic properties, which means not much support.

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Dial in your ride with a DIY Professional BikeFitting

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about the authors

Valentina is a guide for Pedal Chile and is our resident badass. Valentina was born and raised in La Patagonia, which probably explains her affinity for adventuring. When Valentina isn’t crushing some poor dude’s soul, you can find her shredding down Rucapillán. Favorite season: Austral Summer

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Jesse is Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: MTBing, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, researcher, & compression sock wearer.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

“This thesis is dedicated to all the female athletes who have felt some how limited by their breasts”

— Brooke R. Brisbine

Sources:

1. Barton, R. (2011). The cycling bible : the complete guide for all cyclists from novice to expert. Guilford, Conn.: Falcon Guides.

2. Breast Research Australia (2008). Sports Bra Fit. [online]

3. Brisbine, B., Steele, J., Phillips, E. and McGhee, D. (2019). Elite female athletes experience breast injuries that affect their performance. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 22, pp.S67–S68.

4. Gefen, A. and Dilmoney, B. (2007). Mechanics of the normal woman’s breast. Technology and Health Care, [online] 15(4), pp.259–271.

5. Gibson, Taylor M et al. “Reductions in Kinematics from Brassieres with Varying Breast Support.” International journal of exercise science vol. 12,1 402-411. 1 Mar. 2019

6. Haake, S. and Scurr, J. (2010). A dynamic model of the breast during exercise. Sports Engineering, 12(4), pp.189–197.

7. Henry, P. (2020). Support your breast friends: A search for the perfect sports bra. [online] Health & HP.

8. Liang, R., Yip, J., Yu, W., Chen, L. and Lau, N.M.L. (2019). Numerical simulation of nonlinear material behaviour: Application to sports bra design. Materials & Design, 183, p.108177.

9. Lu, M., Qiu, J., Wang, G. and Dai, X. (2016). Mechanical analysis of breast–bra interaction for sports bra design. Materials Today Communications, 6, pp.28–36.

10. McGhee, Deirdre E.; Steele, Julie R. Biomechanics of Breast Support for Active Women, Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews: July 2020 - Volume 48 - Issue 3 - p 99-109 doi:

11. Mills, C., Risius, D. and Scurr, J. (2014). Breast motion asymmetry during running. Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(7), pp.746–753.

12. Norris M, Mills C, Sanchez A, et al. Do static and dynamic activities induce potentially damaging breast skin strain? BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine2020;6:e000770. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000770

13. Risius, D., Milligan, A., Mills, C. and Scurr, J. (2014). Multiplanar breast kinematics during different exercise modalities. European Journal of Sport Science, 15(2), pp.111–117.

14. Schultz, J. (2014). Qualifying times : points of change in US women’s sport. Urbana: Univ. Of Illinois Press.

15. Wang, C.-S., Wang, L.-H., Kuo, L.-C. and Su, F.-C. (2017). Comparison of breast motion at different levels of support during physical activity. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 12(4).

16. Zhou, J., Yu, W. and Ng, S.-P. (2012). Studies of three-dimensional trajectories of breast movement for better bra design. Textile Research Journal, 82(3), pp.242–254.

Do You Wear Underwear With Mountain Bike Shorts

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“Shorts are the most important item of bike clothing as well as the most misunderstood, especially among non-cyclists. ”

— (Edwardes-Evans, 2017)

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Biking Shorts: 3 Functions

Biking shorts have three primary functions and is an important piece of gear for comfortable riding:

1) Make you more aerodynamic

• Only important in cross-country mountain biking (XC-MTB) and road cycling. Most mountain bikers don’t care about aerodynamics and select shorts based on style and comfort.
• MTB shorts are more comfortable than Roadie shorts and also have pockets.

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2) Create a friendly relationship between your butt and seat

• The butt/seat relationship is super important in avoiding saddle sores and skin chafing.
• The sewn-in pad inside the crotch is called a chamois, and adds padding between your butt and the seat or "saddle."

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3) To distribute & dissipate pressure

• To distribute and dissipate the pressure, shock, and vibrations transmitted to your MTB seat/"saddle

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Notice the tight, more aerodynamic biking shorts that this XC-MTB rider is wearing

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Do you wear underwear underneath MTB Shorts?

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“Avoid the rookie mistake of wearing underwear beneath cycling shorts. This defeats the idea of special-purpose cycling shorts. Nothing should come between your skin and the chamois, except, perhaps, some lubrication. ”

— (Pavelka, 2009)

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NO. Both male and female riders should wear their mountain bike shorts DIRECTLY against their skin.

• You do NOT wear underwear beneath mountain biking shorts with a built-in chamois pad

• The MAIN point of the pad is to provide a contact surface that absorbs moisture and does NOT chafe your skin

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Wearing underwear not only defeats the purpose but will lead to:

• Chafing: Cotton underwear becomes abrasive once it’s wet.

• Seams & Ridges: Underwear, regardless of material, creates seams and ridges which are unconformable and lead to saddle sores.

  • Seams for cycle and MTB shorts are located away from delicate areas and are flat-stitched to prevent irritation.

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Notice the baggier and more stylish MTB shorts in more downhill focused mountain biking (less time sitting on the seat)

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If you must wear underwear & mtb shorts

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“Do not wear regular undergarments while using cycling shorts, as the seams of the underwear can cause saddle sores.”

— International Journal of Athletic Therapy and Training

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If you must wear underwear for some reason, wear underwear that has moisture management characteristics, such as Coolmax.

• The pad is designed to absorb perspiration, so if you must wear underwear, you will need to wear an undergarment that absorbs moisture and has the least amount of seams.

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Difference between road & mountain bike shorts

• Generally, road cycling shorts are tight-fitting spandex with a pad (chamois) built into it.

  • Designed to be close-fitting and aerodynamic

  • No pockets - Pockets flap & rattle

  • Roadies spend considerable time in the saddle compared to mountain bikers. If you plan on mountain bike touring or going on long MTB rides, you might want to consider wearing cycling-shorts as they are designed to be ridden for extended time over many miles.

Ricardo (guide for us) wearing cycling shorts on his road bike

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Mountain Bike Shorts

• Mountain biking shorts are generally loose or “baggy” that comes with a removable padded liner (chamois). These shorts look like regular shorts and include pockets. Some mountain bikers (MTBers) especially, downhill (DH) MTBers don’t spend much time in the saddle, these shorts are more comfortable when off the bike but don’t have extended pedal comfort.

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MTB shorts look like regular athletic gear

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WOW! I want 10+ more WATTS of Pedal-Power

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Wash chamois after every ride

As the case with regular underwear, it’s important to wash your chamois after every ride.

• Microbial infestation happens with next-to-skin clothing, especially athletic underwear. Bacteria thrive in a dark, warm, and moist environment, such as your used chamois.

If you don’t wash after every ride, you will be ripe for infections, UTIs, rashes, and saddle sores.

• Wash your padded liner after every ride

• Air dry if you want the chamois to last longer

• Soiled shorts don’t perform as well as freshly washed ones (because of those dirty microbes)

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Click ME to learn about bikefitting a MTB

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Jesse is Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: MTBing, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, researcher, & user MTB shorts.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

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Sources for “Do You Wear Underwear With MTB Shorts?”

“Shorts designed for mountain biking have built-in padding, called a chamois, that will increase your comfort and your ability to ride for long periods of time. ”

— From the book: "LET’S MOUNTAIN BIKE!"

1. Bridge, R., Lencicki, J. and Club, S. (2009). Bike touring : the Sierra Club guide to travel on two wheels. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.

2. Bury, Keira et al. “Prevalence, Prevention and Treatment of Saddle Sores among Female Competitive Cyclists: A Scoping Review Protocol.” Methods and protocols vol. 3,1 4. 6 Jan. 2020.

3. Edwardes-Evans, L. (2017). Road cycling manual : the complete step-by-step guide. Sparkford: Haynes Publishing.

4. Klinge, Sven. (2000). Mountain biking : the fundamentals. Pubblicazione: Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland Pub.

5. Miller, M. and Berry, D. (7AD). Back in the Saddle Again: How to Prevent Cycling Saddle Sores. International Journal of Athletic Therapy and Training, 12(4), pp.19–21.

6. Marcolin, Giuseppe et al. “Biomechanical Comparison of Shorts With Different Pads: An Insight into the Perineum Protection Issue.” Medicine vol. 94,29 (2015): e1186. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000001186

7. Molenberg, P. (2019). LET’S MOUNTAIN BIKE! : the complete guide to mountain biking. S.L.: Gatekeeper Press.

8. Pavelka, E. (2009). Bicycling magazine’s complete book of road cycling skills : your guide to riding faster, stronger, longerm and safer. Emmaus, Pa: Rodale Press.

9. Pruitt, A.L. and Matheny, F. (2006). Andy Pruitt’s complete medical guide for cyclists. Boulder, Colo.: Velopress.

Compression Socks During or After Exercise

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Graduated compression stockings (GCS) correctly fitted over legs, flush under the knee, and smoothed to avoid bunching. (Image Source: Ali, Creasy and Edge, 2011).

“Based on our results we recommend athletes wear compression tights for faster recovery, particularly after intense exercise with a pronounced eccentric aspect.”

— Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Compression socks are a special piece of clothing that applies mechanical pressure to the lower leg, which helps stabilize, support, and compress the tissues. Compression therapy started as a form of treatment for varicose veins in the mid-15th century.

Since the late-1980s, compression apparel has been used by elite athletes for training, as they enhance and accelerate recovery and improve performance during long-distance endurance events, such as marathon running and road cycling.

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When is the best time to wear compression socks, during, or after exercise?

• Most of the benefits come AFTER EXERCISING, but by wearing compression during the activity, you will jump-start the recovery process.

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Compression Socks & Athletes

• Faster recovery
• Increased range of motion (>flexibility)
• Blood flows faster back to your heart and lungs
  • More oxygen to your leg muscles
  • Metabolic waste products from training are filtered faster (more efficient recuperation)
• Counteract stasis and hypercoagulability (decreased blood clotting, which is important for older athletes during endurance training)
• Reduce jeg lag

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Normal blood flow through lower legs. Notice the huge drop in pressure with exercise in the feet?? (Image Source: Brown and Brown 1995)

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Compression socks during exercise

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How many runners are wearing compression socks??

The primary benefit of wearing graduated compression socks (CS) is their ability to speed up recovery.

Wearing CS while exercising or engaging in sports, generally doesn’t improve performance, but there are a few exceptions. It should be stated plainly, however, that the main benefit of compression socks is faster recovery, whether you wear compression socks during or after training.

Compression Socks: Endurance Based Sports and Hills

“Compared with the placebo group the compression group had a 5.9% improvement in their run time to exhaustion.”

— Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

“Our present findings suggest that by wearing compression clothing, runners may improve variables related to endurance performance (i.e., time to exhaustion) slightly. ”

— Sports Medicine

For endurance-based sports, such as long-distance running and cycling, wearing compression socks during the activity will lead to slight increases in performance. The main benefits though, show up in the following days, as you will have less muscular pain/soreness and better flexibility.

When running or cycling long distances, particularly if it’s hilly, your muscles will experience micro-trauma and inflammation. As you continue running while fatigued, your jogging mechanics become sloppier. Running while wearing compression socks will increase your muscle temperature, reduce muscle pain & muscle damage, all resulting in less inflammation. This leads to slight increases in performance, but more importantly, this will speed up the recovery process after the activity.

Wearing compression socks while running has shown to improve running efficiency and mechanics, equating to good strides throughout and consistent foot strikes.

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How many strides does it take to run a marathon?

Marathon running has been part of the Olympics since 1896 and covers a distance of 42.195 km or 26.219 miles.

• It takes the "average" marathon runner 20,000 strides
• Standard range is 11,400–26,000 strides

*A step is the movement of one foot. A stride is the movement of both feet

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Resistance Exercises, HIIT & Power-Driven Movements

“A recent meta-analysis, however, concluded a positive effect of compression garments on “recovery” particularly after resistance exercise and prior strength performance.”

— Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) from weight lifting and resistance training results in tiny tears in your muscles. Wearing compression socks as you weight-lift, will reduce the amount of muscular micro-trauma. While this will not allow you to lift more weight or for longer, it does speed up recovery, so you won’t be as sore and can lift more often (#MoreGains).

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Allen Iverson

It’s also beneficial to wear CS during High-Intensity-Interval-Training (HIIT) style workouts, such as CrossFit, spin-class, or sports like tennis and basketball. There are good reasons why Vince Carter, Allen Iverson, and Kobe Bryant all wore compression tights before then-NBA-commissioner David Stern banned the functional apparel from games. Basketball, for example, is a HIIT-style activity with intermittent power-movements, such as jumping and frequent accelerations and decelerations during normal gameplay. This leads to significant muscle damage and muscle soreness, which causes poor shooting and play during back-to-back games, especially on the road.

Compression socks after exercising

“In fact, it has been proved that using compression clothing after exercise assists in the recovery of muscle fatigue.”

— Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy

The vast majority of studies researching compression socks and sports look at compression socks post-exercise. Compression socks won’t hinder performance, and in some cases, will provide a slight boost. All sporting activities and exercise routines that are intense will be aided in recovery and reductions in pain by wearing graduated compression socks following the activity.

What is intense?

If you are sore or fatigued from the activity, especially over the following couple of days, then it’s intense enough where you will benefit from wearing compression socks.

wearing compression socks during & after exercise

“ In conclusion, wearing compression garments during the post-exercise period can be an effective way to reduce DOMS and accelerate the recovery of muscle function”

— Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation 

Athletes regardless of sport/exercise will benefit from wearing compression socks during training and once it has finished because nearly every sporting-activity is endurance or power-based, unless you are a leisurely exerciser.

However, during certain activities, like marathon running, it’s very important to wear compression socks during and after the race.

Activities: Compression Socks During & After

Intense, prolonged activities, such as marathon running, has long been known to increase your risk for transient activation in blood coagulation (clotting), platelet aggregation, and fibrinolytic activity. Which is medical speak for your blood gets more “clumpy” and is the reason that 1 in 1,000 endurance-based contestants will experience a post-exercise blood clot.

Marathon Running & Blood Clots

“About 85% of air travel thrombosis victims are athletic, usually endurance-type athletes like marathoners.”

— Air Health.org

Causes of clots in marathon and long-distance athletes?

• Dehydration - Makes your blood thicker.

• Travel - Many marathon runners and triathletes travel long distances to compete. Sitting in a car, train, bus, or plane for more than 4 hours doubles the chances your blood will clot.

• Repetitive Microtrauma - When you cut yourself, your blood cells (platelets) join together at the cut and form a clot to stop the bleeding. During a 26+ mile run and 20,000 strides later, your muscles are receiving micro-tears, which are like miny papercuts on the inside of your muscles, and your body will increase the thickness or coagulation effect of your blood in an attempt to heal the muscle damage.

• Thick Blood - Endurance athletes, from training, have more oxygen in their blood than most people, which is good for performance. However, these extra red blood cells make your blood thicker.

• Endothelial (arteries) Damage - During exercise, each beat of the heart pushes out more blood than it would at rest. This results in increased pressure that causes damage to your arteries, especially over the distance of 26.2 miles while going as fast as humanly possible.

“Based on blood concentrations levels of marathon runners, those wearing knee-high compression socks have ~30% fewer test-indicators of blood clot inducing enzymes. ”

Once you compound all these factors together and add in additional factors, such as medications (like birth-control) and genetics, it’s easy to see why AirHealth.org says “about 85% of air travel thrombosis victims are athletic, usually endurance-type athletes like marathoners.”

While marathon running disturbs your coagulation and fibrinolytic balance, which is the equilibrium between clotting too much and not clotting at all. The wearing of compression socks maintains this balance, by increasing blood flow and circulation, speeding up the rate of blood purification, detoxification, and re-oxygenation.

How long should you wear compression socks?

Wearing the socks for just 1 or 2 hours isn’t long enough to provide significant benefits.

You should aim to wear the socks for 6+ hours after you have finished the activity.

If you just completed a marathon or long-distance activity, you will want to wear the socks for 6 to 12 hours per day and continue to wear them for the next couple of days after a super intense workout.

In the studies that don’t show positive results, the users didn’t wear the socks long enough to gain any benefits. As the socks speed up blood flow, just increasing circulation for a couple of hours isn’t enough to make a difference, especially considering a super-intense workout can leave your sore for 4 or 5 days.

Also, keep in mind, after the event or workout, you might want to change into a fresh pair of compression socks. As you can see from the picture below, when wearing compression socks in the great outdoors, there are many complex factors in play, which can affect the level of compression.

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Complex interactions among multiple mechanisms and environment

(Image Source: Liu and Little, 2009)

Compression socks: Travel & sports performance

“Jet lag is typically associated with individuals rapidly traveling across three or more meridian time zones; however performance decrements have also been suggested to occur when as few as two time zones are traversed.”

— Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Flying, Jet Lag, & performance

Following intense training or competition, athletes are at higher risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT)pulmonary embolisms and jet lag, while flying.

• Limited Space

• Cramped seating arrangements

• Minimal bodily movements

• Hypobaric hypoxic environment (less oxygen)

“Jet lag” or circadian dysrhythmia manifests as a general feeling of tiredness, sleep disruption, a lack of concentration and motivation, and/or decreased mental and physical performance and will persist until re-synchronization to your new environment occurs.

It only takes 2 hours of airplane travel to disturb your normal circadian rhythm.

“participants wearing compression in the current study felt less fatigued and sore during travel”

— Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

A 2019 study out of Australia researched elite female volleyball players during an 8-hour flight and the effects of compression socks. The research team concluded, “ sports compression socks maintained exercise performance, and reduced lower-limb swelling” when worn in-flight. The researchers also noted, “this also coincided with improved subjective ratings of alertness, fatigue, muscle soreness, and overall health in participants assigned to wearing compression socks.” 

A general rule of thumb, it takes one day of recovery per time zone crossed. However, when wearing compression socks, the recovery time is 1/2-day or 50% faster, as the resting circulation is improved, leading to increased oxygen in your muscles, improved muscle repair from confined stress configurations, and improved sleep your first night in your new destination.

quick summary

If your an endurance athlete, weight lifter, or involved in HIIT activities, you will benefit from wearing compression socks during and after. For everyone else, if you exercise intensely enough to have lower-body muscle soreness, wear compression socks once finished, for at least six hours. Also, for long-distance road trips or flights, wear compression socks, regardless of the reason for the trip.

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CYCLING HACK: Go FASTER by Using our Artisanal Chain Lubricant that provides superior performance

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Jesse is Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: MTBing, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, researcher, & compression sock wearer.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources for: “Should I Wear Compression Socks Before or After Exercise?

1. Ali, A., Creasy, R.H. and Edge, J.A. (2011). The Effect of Graduated Compression Stockings on Running Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(5), pp.1385–1392.

1. Araujo, A.M., Cardoso, R.K. and Rombaldi, A.J. (2018). Post-exercise effects of graduated compression garment use on skeletal muscle recovery and delayed onset muscle soreness: a systematic review. Motricidade, 14(2–3), pp.129–137.

2. Areces, F., Salinero, J.J., Abian-Vicen, J., González-Millán, C., Ruiz-Vicente, D., Lara, B., Lledó, M. and Del Coso, J. (2015). The Use of Compression Stockings During a Marathon Competition to Reduce Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: Are They Really Useful? Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, [online] 45(6), pp.462–470.

3. Armstrong, S.A., Till, E.S., Maloney, S.R. and Harris, G.A. (2015). Compression Socks and Functional Recovery Following Marathon Running. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(2), pp.528–533.‌

4. Beliard, Samuel et al. “Compression garments and exercise: no influence of pressure applied.” Journal of sports science & medicine vol. 14,1 75-83. 1 Mar. 2015

5. Broatch, J.R., Bishop, D.J., Zadow, E.K. and Halson, S. (2019). Effects of Sports Compression Socks on Performance, Physiological, and Hematological Alterations After Long-Haul Air Travel in Elite Female Volleyballers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(2), pp.492–501.

6. Brown, J.R. and Brown, A.M. (1995). Nonprescription, padded, lightweight support socks in treatment of mild to moderate lower extremity venous insufficiency. The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 95(3), p.173.

7. Engel, F.A., Holmberg, H.-C. and Sperlich, B. (2016). Is There Evidence that Runners can Benefit from Wearing Compression Clothing? Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), [online] 46(12), pp.1939–1952.

8. GOTO, K. and MORISHIMA, T. (2014). Compression Garment Promotes Muscular Strength Recovery after Resistance Exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 46(12), pp.2265–2270.

9. Hettchen, Michael et al. “Effects of Compression Tights on Recovery Parameters after Exercise Induced Muscle Damage: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Study.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 2019 5698460. 8 Jan. 2019, doi:10.1155/2019/5698460

10. Kim, Jieun et al. “Effect of compression garments on delayed-onset muscle soreness and blood inflammatory markers after eccentric exercise: a randomized controlled trial.” Journal of exercise rehabilitation vol. 13,5 541-545. 30 Oct. 2017.

11. Liu, R. and Little, T. (2009). The 5Ps Model to Optimize Compression Athletic Wear Comfort in Sports. Journal of Fiber Bioengineering and Informatics, 2(1), pp.41–51.

12. MacRae, B.A., Cotter, J.D. and Laing, R.M. (2011). Compression Garments and Exercise. Sports Medicine, 41(10), pp.815–843.

13. ‌‌Priego, J I et al. “Long-term effects of graduated compression stockings on cardiorespiratory performance.” Biology of sport vol. 32,3 (2015): 219-23. doi:10.5604/20831862.1150304

14. Pruscino, C.L., Halson, S. and Hargreaves, M. (2013). Effects of compression garments on recovery following intermittent exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 113(6), pp.1585–1596.

15. Zadow, E.K., Adams, M.J., Wu, S.S.X., Kitic, C.M., Singh, I., Kundur, A., Bost, N., Johnston, A.N.B., Crilly, J., Bulmer, A.C., Halson, S.L. and Fell, J.W. (2018). Compression socks and the effects on coagulation and fibrinolytic activation during marathon running. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 118(10), pp.2171–2177.

16. Zhang, Jun-Ming, and Jianxiong An. “Cytokines, inflammation, and pain.” International anesthesiology clinics vol. 45,2 (2007): 27-37. doi:10.1097/AIA.0b013e318034194e

Sore Forearms & Mountain Biking

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Downhill, freeride, enduro, and cross-county mountain biking all require longs periods of isometric (no movement) contractions, as your arms act as both shock absorber and steerer. All while you are landing jumps, banking sharp turns, and negativing down steep, narrow trails. It’s no wonder many mountain biker’s forearms hurt.

Sore forearms while mountain biking and 4 major factors:

• Improper bike set-up/bike-fit

• Arm-Pump

• Over-use

• Vibrations

3 minutes of mountain biking while gripping the handlebars with 15% effort will reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood through your forearms by 50%.

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Sore forearms, bike fitting, & brake levers

This is the easiest solution and most likely the main cause of forearm discomfort if you are new to mountain biking or are unfamiliar with “bike fitting.”

• Brake Levers - Having your brake levers tilted to far up or down (optimal angle is 30 - 40 degrees)

How to tell if you need to adjust your brake levers?

If you have to adjust your hand-grip while braking or shifting, then you need to make modifications to the position of your levers.

You should be able to ride with your hands on the handlebar grips at all times while only extending a finger or two to brake, shift gears, or adjust your dropper post…..if not, then it’s time for a bike-fit.

In addition to lever positioning, saddle height and handlebar height are important. The less upright you sit, the more weight is being supported by your arms and hands. On a properly fitting mountain bike, about 25% of your weight is supported by your hands, while the rest is supported by the saddle and pedals.

Arm Pump & mountain biking

When you’re barrelling down technical terrain or steep singletrack your forearms start to burn and ache. As you continue the descent, the ache intensifies, soon enough, you can barely hold onto the handlebars, and pulling the brake levers becomes a bitch…….this is called “arm pump.” 

“Arm pump was like having a dead arm”

— HAND (internationally peer-reviewed journal)

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Medically, “arm pump” is known as Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome (CECS) of the forearm.

While mountain biking, especially downhilling in a bike park or riding down steep and technical singletrack, both forearms are continuously exposed to heavy vibrations while maintaining balance on rough and uneven terrain, without an opportunity to relax.

“Of the estimated 300 elite motocross racers in the United States, approximately 85% have symptoms of CECS”

— HAND

Prolonged isometric contractions are necessary to absorb shocks and vibrations caused by the roughness of the trail and stabilization during the handling and landings.

“Arm pump” is also common in motocross (the throttling and significantly heavier bike exacerbate it) and is a problem for many mountain bikers, especially downhillers. The longer, steeper, rougher, and faster you go all work together to fatigue your muscles and if you’re riding a heavy DH mountain bike, this only amplifies it…..as does cold weather.

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Arm Pump Explained

All your muscles are surrounded by a thin, inflexible sheath of connective tissue called fascia.

Image Source: Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology

Mountain biking, especially downhill, makes your forearm muscles work extra-hard, which results in increased blood flow and pressure. The higher the pressure gets, the more your veins and arteries get squished, which results in less blood moving to and from your forearms, causing blood to get trapped. 

Consequently, an imbalance occurs, where your forearms consume more toxic waste-products than nutrients. Because the fresh blood is unable to get to the muscle, while toxic blood is unable to leave, these muscles will not receive nutrients, such as electrolytes or oxygen, and are left to sit a pool of de-oxygenated blood. 

In the short-term, inflammation and soreness is the by-product. In the Long-term, without any interventions or modifications, the result could be arm-pump (Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome of the forearm).

“Muscles are wrapped in fascia, which is much like the casing on sausage. Fascia is strong but inelastic so volume increase causes pressure in the compartment. As pressure increases it engorges the forearm causing the forearm to become rock-like, affecting function.”

— Mark Hamilton

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Mountain biking & tips to reduce arm pump

Optimal Grip Diameter

Image Source: (Chang et al., 2010)

Most MTB handlebar grips have a diameter of 28 to 40mm with the “standard” grip being 30mm.

However, these sizes are too small for many riders. Larger diameter grips allow for a more powerful and stable grip.

So what is the optimal diameter?

• Men - 35mm to 45 mm

• Women - 30 to 40 mm

• Just changing the diameter by 5mm up or down from your optimal size, results in -25% difference in your grip strength

Things to keep in mind:

• Gloves - Wearing gloves adds thickness, which increases the effective grip diameter

• Levers - Bigger handlebar grips may require you to adjust the position of your levers

Gloves

“This range of observations shows that there can be as much as a 23.7% drop in grip strength when wearing gloves.”

—  AIHA Journal

Gloves affect grip strength, comfort, force, and even alter the recruitment and activation of forearm muscles. Many gloves negatively impact grip strength by nearly 25%.

Gloves change the effective grip diameter, and they have a huge impact on your ability to maintain grip strength during a ride and how long it will take before your “gripping” muscles get fatigued.

Thicker and stiffer gloves cause a larger decrease in peak grip force than thinner, more elastic, or flexible gloves. This means that when you wear full-fingered gloves, you need to grip about 10 to 25% more forcefully to actually equal the same amount of force without a glove. This translates to over-gripping and much quicker forearm fatigue and “arm pump.”

“This study showed that cycling gloves had no significant effect on the reduction of vibrations ”

— Sanseverino et al., 2020

The thickest of gloves also changes the length-strength relationship of the flexor and extensor muscles. This loss of gripping ability results in a lowered efficiency and a decrease in performance over time.

Does this mean you shouldn’t wear gloves?

I personally feel “naked” on my MTB if I’m not wearing full-finger gloves.

Fingerless gloves are a quick fix, but if you’re like me and only ride with fingered-gloves, then look for the thinnest, most flexible, and best fitting glove.

Relax

“[The game] is 90% mental, the other half is physical”

— Yogi Berra

Mountain biking, especially navigating new technical singletracks and extreme steeps can cause you to have anxiety, which is your body's way of focusing your attention and amping you up, to prepare you for the ride. While this sounds psychological (mental), which it is, it still alters your physiological (physical) response:

As a result of these thoughts, your body will:

• Produce more catecholamines: Namely adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline.  This will make you more alert and ready, but it also raises your heart rate, blood flow, makes you sweat more, and breathe harder……and as a result, you will grip with significantly more force without even realizing it.

As you continue on your ride, thoughts such as “I hope the next drop is smaller” or “who is riding up behind me?” just cause your body to keep dumping adrenaline (and related hormones) into your body. Once thoughts like these enter your head, it's a great time to stop…...look around, breathe, relax, enjoy the view, and clear your mind.

If you don’t, your ‘death grip’ will cause your heart to pump even more blood, which will get trapped even quicker into your forearms, which just causes them to swell and “burnout.”

Loosen Grip

• Relax your grip every chance you get: This allows de-oxygenated and toxic blood to leave your muscles while freshly oxygentated and filtered blood will come streaming in.

However, keep in mind that just gripping the handlebars with 10 to 20% effort will reduce the oxygen in your forearms by 50% within ~10 minutes. But that is significantly better than gripping with two-thirds of your power, as your forearms won’t be able to hold on for more than a minute.

Strength Training

While you can use a hand-clamp/grip exerciser to target your forearm muscles, there are much better exercises.

Vintage CPC DH-MTB. This bikes weighs over 60lb

Deadlifts, farmers walk, power-clean, hammer curls, finger-tip push-ups, squats, bent-over rows, and pull-ups & hangs will do wonders for your overall conditioning and grip strength. If you want to step it up a notch, try using an extra thick barbell (3-inch bar) and turn every lift into an intense gripping motion.

The grip muscles in your hands and forearm are primarily composed of slow-twitch fibers, allowing you to go long periods before exhaustion. You use these gripping muscles all day long during routine tasks of daily living. Because of this, you need to train these muscles for long duration while using heavy weights (dead-lifts are perfect).

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Breeze-1 - First Mountain Bike hand-built by Joe Breeze in 1971 - - Image Source: (Smithsonian Institution, n.d.)

Want to know what MTB means, as per the inventor of the mountain bike? Read my article and find out!

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Bikes & vibrations

“It is also possible to conclude that, in terms of hand-arm vibrations, the bicycle is more harmful to humans than the motorcycle.”

—  International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics

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Vibration is a mechanical movement that is a form of a mechanical wave, like all waves……..it transfers energy. Due to the consequences of these vibrations, standards, and guidelines in the workplace have been developed to define exposure limits and allow for preventive action. Most Hand-arm Vibrations (HAVs) are transmitted from power tools, but they are also passed-on from the handlebars to the cyclist.

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Are your hands in an optimal position to absorb vibrations? (Image Source: Lépine, Champoux and Drouet, 2013)

Numerous disorders are associated with prolonged or intense exposure to vibrations. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and Repetitive Stress Injuries (RPI) are the two most common in bicycling. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is so common that cycling has it own term for it……Cyclist’s Palsy.

There are many different manifestations of HAVS, such as numbness or tingling in the hands, pain and discomfort in your forearm/elbow or loss of GRIP STRENGTH

“Vibration itself results in increased muscle activation”

— Journal of Sports Science & Medicine

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Riding on a flat, rough road, will cause your forearm muscles to work at half-capacity. After a couple hours of pedaling up a rough fire road or old mining road to access singletrack, you forearms are already fatigued from the vibrations. Before bombing down the singletrack, take some time to rest those forearms, even if they don’t feel tired.

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How do you know if you’re affected by HAVS?

Generally, your dominant hand absorbs more vibrations, thus, you will tend to have more pain/symptoms from that hand/arm.

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Cyclists on road bikes experience 2 to 4 times more vibrations compared to mountain bikers riding on the same surface. Why? Mountain bikes have larger tires running at a lower PSI, one or two shock absorbers (suspension), and MTBs don’t have top end gears (more speed on rough roads = more vibrations).

“If bar tape is used however (both with and without gloves), there is a much larger drop in the level of transmitted power and energy through the handlebars,”

— Drouet, Covill and Duarte, 2018

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Jesse is Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: MTBing, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, researcher, & compression sock wearer.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

Sources for “Why Do My Forearms Hurt When I Mountain Bike”

Road Cycling & Number of years needed for a 10% possibility of symptoms from vibrations

Adapted from (Roseiro et al., 2016) PedalChile.Com

1. Arpinar-Avsar, Pinar et al. “The effects of surface-induced loads on forearm muscle activity during steering a bicycle.” Journal of sports science & medicine vol. 12,3 512-20. 1 Sep. 2013‌

2. Brown, J.S., Wheeler, P.C., Boyd, K.T., Barnes, M.R. and Allen, M.J. (2011). Chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the forearm: a case series of 12 patients treated with fasciotomy. Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), 36(5), pp.413–419.

3. Budd, D., Holness, D.L. and House, R. (2018). Functional limitations in workers with hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Occupational Medicine, [online] 68(7), pp.478–481.

4. Chang, J., Jung, K., Hwang, J., Kang, Y., Lee, S. and Freivalds, A. (2010). Determination of Bicycle Handle Diameters considering Hand Anthropometric Data and User Satisfaction. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 54(20), pp.1790–1793.

5. Drouet, J.-M., Covill, D. and Duarte, W. (2018). On the Exposure of Hands to Vibration in Road Cycling: An Assessment of the Effect of Gloves and Handlebar Tape. Proceedings, 2(6), p.213.

6. Hamilton, M. (2006). ELECTIVE PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT SURGERY FOR ATHLETES: SHOULD IT BE RESISTED? Acta Univ. Palacki. Olomuc., Gymn, [online] 36(2).

7. Kirkwood, L., Taylor, M., Ingram, L., Malone, E., Florida-James, G. and Kirkwood, L. (2019). Elite mountain bike enduro competition: a study of rider hand-arm vibration exposure. J Sci Cycling, [online] 8(1), pp.18–25.

8. Kong, Y.-K. and Lowe, B.D. (2005). Optimal cylindrical handle diameter for grip force tasks. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 35(6), pp.495–507.

9. Kovacs, K., Splittstoesser, R., Maronitis, A. and Marras, W.S. (2002). Grip Force and Muscle Activity Differences Due to Glove Type. AIHA Journal, 63(3), pp.269–274.

10. Kunal Sindhu, Brian Cohen, Joseph A. Gil, Travis Blood & Brett D. Owens (2019) Chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the forearm, The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 47:1, 27-30, DOI: 10.1080/00913847.2018.1530577

11. Lépine, J., Champoux, Y. and Drouet, J.-M. (2013). Road bike comfort: on the measurement of vibrations induced to cyclist. Sports Engineering, 17(2), pp.113–122.

12. Macdermid, P., Fink, P. and Stannard, S. (2015). The Effects of Vibrations Experienced during Road vs. Off-road Cycling. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 36(10), pp.783–788.

13. Miller, Elizabeth A et al. “Endoscopic Fascia Release for Forearm Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome: Case Report and Surgical Technique.” Hand (New York, N.Y.) vol. 12,5 (2017): NP58-NP61.

14. Roseiro, L.M., Neto, M.A., Amaro, A.M., Alcobia, C.J. and Paulino, M.F. (2016). Hand-arm and whole-body vibrations induced in cross motorcycle and bicycle drivers. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, [online] 56, pp.150–160.

15. Sanseverino, G., Schwanitz, S., Krumm, D., Odenwald, S. and Lanzotti, A. (2020). Understanding the Effect of Gloves on Hand-Arm Vibrations in Road Cycling. Proceedings, 49(1), p.70.

16. Slane, J., Timmerman, M., Ploeg, H.-L. and Thelen, D.G. (2011). The influence of glove and hand position on pressure over the ulnar nerve during cycling. Clinical Biomechanics, 26(6), pp.642–648.

17. Smithsonian Institution. (n.d.). Breezer 1 Mountain Bike. [online]

18. Stecco C, Macchi V, Porzionato A, Duparc F, De Caro R. The fascia: the forgotten structure. Ital J Anat Embryol. 2011;116(3):127-138.

19. Wimer, B., McDowell, T.W., Xu, X.S., Welcome, D.E., Warren, C. and Dong, R.G. (2010). Effects of gloves on the total grip strength applied to cylindrical handles. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 40(5), pp.574–583.

does hot tub help sore muscles?

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“Muscles recover more quickly if I sit in a tub of hot water, right? WRONG!”

— The Whartons’ Complete Book of Fitness

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There are 4 different methods for using water immersion in recovery:

• Cryotherapy (cold water immersion)

• Thermotherapy (hot water immersion, such as a hot tub)

• Contrast therapy (alternate between hot and cold water)

• Temperate water immersion (temperature is not as important as the effects of hydrostatic pressure and buoyancy)

Does Hot Tubbing help recovery after exercising or cycling?

• There are NO known benefits to muscle recovery, muscle soreness, or increased sports performance following Hot Water Immersion or “hot tubbing.

• According to the research, soaking in hot water can worsen muscle recovery, causing a detriment to subsequent training or sports performances.

Heat Acclimation & Hot Tubbing

The ONLY known benefit to Hot Water Immersion (hot-tubbing) for athletes is heat acclimation adaptations for athletes not acclimated to hot environments.

• Most professional/elite cyclists recover using cold water immersion or contrast therapy.

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Theory vs reality of hot tubs & muscle recovery

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“Although a hot spa may make athletes feel good after a ride, it is likely to have no effect on recovery from performance and may even impede recovery by causing fluid loss through promoting sweat production and delaying post-exercise decreases in core temperature”

— From Cycling Science by Dr. Cheung and Dr. Zabala

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Thermotherapy refers to being immersed in water that raises your core body temperature, which would be water that is hotter than 97°F (36°C) and generally between 100 to 115ºF (38 - 46°C).

Of the 4 types of water immersion techniques, thermotherapy (hot-tubbing) is the least effective, even though nearly every training center, health resort, gym, and sports complex has a hot tub or spa.

The theory behind this form of “therapy” is that the hot water increases the flow of nutrients to muscles after exercising by widening the blood vessels, which improves circulation and blood flow.

However, the research shows only an increase in the surface skin temperature and circulation, as the heat doesn’t penetrate deep enough to affect muscles (heat pads do though, as they are hotter and you wear them longer).

muscle damage & avoiding the spa

After you have been active, your muscles are already heated. There is a reason you do a cool-down after a ride and not a “heat-up.”

Intense physical exertion causes trauma to your muscles, including micro-tears. Cold acts as a natural compression and will help aid recovery by reducing swelling and slowing the flow of blood to traumatized areas. Heat, by contrast, makes the swelling and inflammatory response worse. This is why even hot tub manufacturers do not recommend soaking if you have inflamed muscles.

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Muscle recovery is defined as the return of the muscle to its pre-exercise state following exercise.

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Cycling performance: Science of different water immersion techniques

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“Very little scientific evidence exists to support the use of Hot Water Immersion as a post-exercise recovery intervention.”

— From the International Journal of Sports Medicine

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A 2008 study, published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine compared cold water immersion, hot water immersion, and contrast water therapy as a post-exercise/cycling recovery technique to next day cycling performance.

The results after 14 minutes of hydrotherapy:

• Both Cold Water Immersion (CWI) and Contrast Water Therapy (CWT) enhanced next day cycling performance over 5 days of testing

• Cycle-sprinting was enhanced by both CWI and CWT

• Hot Water Immersion in a spa set at 100°F (38°C) led to nearly a 4% reduction in both sprinting and cycling performance (~4% slower/worse)

While the previous study only looked at next-day performance. How does taking a dip effect sports performance right after a 30-minute soak?

A 2013 study that was published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, compared cold water immersion, contrast water therapy, and hot water immersion on cycling performance, 40-minutes after soaking.

The researchers’ conclusion:

“Cold water immersion at 15°C (59°F) was the most effective as it was the only treatment that maintained cycling endurance in the subsequent bout”

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Why doesn’t Hot Water Immersion aid athletic recovery?

There are several reasons why, such as:

• The hot water adds an additional strain to your cardiovascular system
• More sweating = promotion of dehydration
• Increased body temperature at a time when you want your body to cool down
• Exacerbates swelling and inflammation

Hot tub manufactures & there “Science”

If you look at any hot tub/spa website or brochure, you will find all the supposed health benefits of hot tubbing, including benefits to muscle recovery from exercise.

A large hot tub/spa company, says on their website, “studies have shown that both heat and cold therapy can promote healing and prevent muscle damage following exercise.”

If you actually read the study that was cited, you will discover that hot tubs and cold tubs were not even tested. Instead, heat packs and cold packs were applied to the skin. In the case of the heat pack, it was applied for 8 hours. The study also happened to be sponsored by Pfizer pharmaceuticals.

Sitting in a hot tub for 20 minutes is hardly comparable to wearing a hot-pack for 1/3 of the day, but I don’t need to point out the obvious.

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I prefer hot springs with a view (Near Pucón, Chile)

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Another large hot tub website says,

“one study found that hot tubs and hydrotherapy helps sore muscles because the soaking reduces lactic acid.”

At least this study actually looked at hydrotherapy, however, hot tubbing was not part of the investigation. This research only looked at Contrast Water Therapy that alternated between 53°F (12°C) water and 97°F (36°C) water baths.

The researchers' conclusion was

“contrast water immersion is a valid and effective means of accelerating recovery from high-intensity exercise in both males and females”

This is good to know. But this is clearly not the same as soaking in a spa or hot tub after a day of riding

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Hot Tubs & Marketing

The reasons these hot tub companies resort to “trickery” is because there are no real benefits to hot tubbing for muscular recovery or sports performance (unless acclimatizing to hot environments).

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Saunas vs hot tub & recovery

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“Sauna bathing, an activity that has been a tradition in Finland for thousands of years and mainly used for the purposes of pleasure and relaxation”

— From the Mayo Clinic Proceedings

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Hot tubs and saunas are both equally ineffective at promoting muscle recovery and subsequent sports performance. Saunas, like hot tubs, increase core body temperature, which places considerable strain on the thermoregulatory and circulatory systems, especially right after exercising.

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Why is a sauna bad for sports/exercise recovery?

Many bodily systems are activated to maintain a healthy temperature. As a result, your heart rate doubles, you sweat profusely, blood flow becomes altered, and your body releases cortisol and catecholamines.  

All of which impose additional stress after you just stressed the body sufficiently by exercising or engaging in intense physical activity.

Sauna bathing for endurance training

If you are looking to add sauna bathing to your training regimen (as opposed to recovery strategy) there are some benefits. Most notably, an expansion of plasma volume, which will improve endurance performance as the physiological responses are similar to those produced during vigorous walking (for sedentary and out of shape people).

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“75% of the participants recorded slower performance times after the sauna intervention”

— From the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

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Final thought

Hot tubs certainly feel wonderful, but that is the extent of their benefit for muscle recovery and won’t do anything for your riding performance.

If you are looking for some easy to implement post-exercise recovery strategies, you can always try compression socks, massage, naps, or contrast water therapy (~15-minutes).

If you just want to relax while soaking in a tub of hot water under the stars, then cheers.

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For some easy to implement recovery tips, check out my blog on “Recovery Techniques”

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Jesse is Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Valdivia, Chile. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: MTBing, snowboarding, reading, taster of craft beers, & researcher.

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More articles from Pedal Chile

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Sources ‌for “Hot Tub & Muscle Recovery”

1. Al Haddad, H., et al., Effect of cold or thermoneutral water immersion on post-exercise heart rate recovery and heart rate variability indices, Auton. Neurosci. (2010), doi:10.1016/j.autneu.2010.03.017

2. Burke, Darren G. et al. “Effects of Hot or Cold Water Immersion and Modified Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Flexibility Exercise on Hamstring Length.” Journal of athletic training vol. 36,1 (2001): 16-19.

3. Cheung, S.S. and Zabala, M. (2017). Cycling science. Champaign, Il: Human Kinetics.

4. Crampton, D., Donne, B., Warmington, S.A. and Egaña, M. (2013). Cycling time to failure is better maintained by cold than contrast or thermoneutral lower-body water immersion in normothermia. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 113(12), pp.3059–3067.

5. Laukkanen, J.A., Laukkanen, T. and Kunutsor, S.K. (2018). Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, [online] 93(8), pp.1111–1121.

6. Leicht, C.A., James, L.J., Briscoe, J.H.B. and Hoekstra, S.P. (2019). Hot water immersion acutely increases postprandial glucose concentrations. Physiological Reports, 7(20).

7. Morton, R.H. (2007). Contrast water immersion hastens plasma lactate decrease after intense anaerobic exercise. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 10(6), pp.467–470.

8. Petrofsky, J.S., Khowailed, I.A., Lee, H., Berk, L., Bains, G.S., Akerkar, S., Shah, J., Al-Dabbak, F. and Laymon, M.S. (2015). Cold Vs. Heat After Exercise—Is There a Clear Winner for Muscle Soreness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(11), pp.3245–3252.

9. Scoon, G.S.M., Hopkins, W.G., Mayhew, S. and Cotter, J.D. (2007). Effect of post-exercise sauna bathing on the endurance performance of competitive male runners. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 10(4), pp.259–262.

10. Skorski, S., Schimpchen, J., Pfeiffer, M., Ferrauti, A., Kellmann, M. and Meyer, T. (2019). Effects of Postexercise Sauna Bathing on Recovery of Swim Performance. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, pp.1–7.

11. Vaile, J., Halson, S., Gill, N. and Dawson, B. (2008). Effect of Hydrotherapy on Recovery from Fatigue. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 29(7), pp.539–544.

12. Wardle, Jonathan. (2013). Hydrotherapy: A forgotten Australian therapeutic modality. Australian Journal of Medical Herbalism. 25. 12-17.

13. Wharton, J., Wharton, P. and Browning, B. (2002). The Whartons’ complete book of fitness. New York: Three Rivers Press.

14. Wilcock, I.M., Cronin, J.B. and Hing, W.A. (2006). Physiological Response to Water Immersion. Sports Medicine, 36(9), pp.747–765.

15. Zurawlew, M.J., Mee, J.A. and Walsh, N.P. (2019). Post-exercise Hot Water Immersion Elicits Heat Acclimation Adaptations That Are Retained for at Least Two Weeks. Frontiers in Physiology, 10.