Cycling benefits

Factual Questions
41

1920s Style “Death Ray”: “As a rule of thumb, your leg should be straight with your heel on the pedal.”

EmAnJ: “I disagree. The ball of your foot should be on the pedal, not your heel. And you want about a 30 to 45 degree angle at your knee when at the lowest point of your pedal stroke.”

Huh? What are you disagreeing with? If your saddle height corresponds with a straight leg and heel on the pedal (which has been the standard advice from experts for decades), it will probably correspond to a 30-45 degree angle with the ball of the foot on the pedal - in fact that’s the whole point. It’s just a lot easier to do the straight leg/heel placement measurement than to gauge the angle at the knee.

You do realize that this is part of a discussion of setting saddle height, and not of riding technique? No one advocates riding with heels on the pedals.

42

I guess it’s six of one, half dozen of the other. I interpreted it as advice to ride with the heel on the pedal, not seat height. I’ve honestly never heard that advice before, I apologize. Perhaps it’s a regional thing?

43

On listening to headphones while riding: it is dangerous. Do not do it.

Almost every day I catch up with at least one cyclist wearing headphones. As I am going faster then they are, I want to pass. So I ring my bell to alert them to my presence and ensure that they continue on in a straight line, without suddenly swerving to the left. But they don’t hear me! They are in their little musical world. And since they are in their little musical world, it doesn’t occur to them to check over their left shoulder before swerving into the roadway, whether to avoid a parked car or pass someone else or maybe test the flexibility of their handlebars. I don’t know why they swerve into my path without checking their shoulder, but I have come to expect any cyclist to do it at any time, but they often do (headphones or no headphones), which is why I always ring my damn bell before I pass anyone.

Once a cyclist on headphones nearly crashed straight into me because it hadn’t occurred to her that her lane was merging with mine, and she should move to the right, because I couldn’t move to the right, and we both can’t occupy the same position at the same time. How I ding-a-linged my little bell! But she heard nothing. Catastrophe was averted by the fortunate lack of automobile traffic in the road at the critical moment.

Yes, cyclists without headphones can still put my life at risk, and surely some cyclists with headphones are perfectly safe. However, in general, headphones on bikes facilitate idiocy. Idiocy puts my life in danger. Therefore, on general principle, I am against wearing headphones on bikes.

44

If you’re just beginning cycling, the most important thing right now is to do it consistently. Get into a routine; establish the habit.

Don’t worry about reaching any particular level of exertion yet. You’ll find yourself being less winded, going longer distances, and speeding up naturally.

When you do decide to increase your exercise, do it gradually. Be patient with yourself.

A garbage truck collided with and killed a cyclist a few days ago in Chicago. The cyclist was talking on a cell phone at the time. The truck driver was ticketed for an improper right turn, but if the cyclist hadn’t been talking on the cell phone, she might have avoided the truck.

Don’t wear headphones. Don’t talk on the cell phone.

45

[QUOTE=MyglassISfull]
OK I take your point but cannot see your logic?

In the car you’ll be listening to the radio, possibly thinking about work or worrying about something, and be enclosed in a metal box with little exposure to the outside elements. On a bike you can feel the road a lot better, notice cross winds, hear/feel that enormous truck passing you, you can tell if the road surface is rough or greasy/damp a lot better etc etc.
[/QUOTE]
The difference is that a car provides you wit a helluva lot more protection than you get on a bike.

A few weeks ago, I very nearly pitted a bike rider who was ahead of me because he couldn’t hear a bus, nor me bellowing at the top of my lungs trying to warn him that it had come up behind him. He hit the bus (the bus tried desperately to avoid him) and a pedestrian witness came over and yelled at him for being such a dumbass.

You are much, MUCH more exposed to danger on a bike than you are surrounded by the frame of a car. You need to have all the sense you’ve got in play to stay safe, particularly if you are commuting in rush hour traffic. It is not at all the same as listening to a radio while in a car.

Do not ride in traffic with headphones.

RE: WEIGHT LIMITS:

Steel or aluminnum frames shouldn’t be an issue for you. Frames are really strong. You just have to watch your components. Some road bike tires and/or wheels have weight limits, but they come with warning stickers, and if you are a beginner it’s not likely you’ll be investing in a road bike with eensy-weensy tires like that. Some seat-posts have limits around 185-200 lbs.

Folding bikes, which are popular with commuters, aren’t as robust and can take only around 220 lbs. Some recumbent bikes take up to 300 lbs.

Steel frames have a bit more flex than aluminum frames which give you a more rigid ride. If you are exceptionally heavy (and it does not sound like you are), the less rigid steel frame will wear better, but will be a little bit more work to pedal up hills. You’d also want to avoid cheap-ass, no name bikes because their welds don’t stand up so great to abuse or bumpy roads.

Bottom line, it really shouldn’t be a problem if you have a beginner’s bike. A tall muscular rider plus paniers carrying an extra 50 lbs will be just fine and that probably exceeds your weight.

46

(Missed the edit window).

P.S. Congrats on biking to work! Once you get the hang of it, you’ll probably want to take longer fun rides too. I hope you really enjoy it.

P.P.S. Don’t forget your helmet.

47

[QUOTE=EmAnJ]
I guess it’s six of one, half dozen of the other. I interpreted it as advice to ride with the heel on the pedal, not seat height. I’ve honestly never heard that advice before, I apologize. Perhaps it’s a regional thing?
[/QUOTE]

If you read my whole post you’ll see that I suggest making sure your leg is straight when your heel is on the pedal and then, “…when you ride normally with the ball of your feet on the pedals you will have a slight bend in your leg.” So I wasn’t advocate riding with your heel on the pedal.

I first came across this method of checking your seat height from my Trek bicycle manual, I’ve since seen it in various other places.

Once you’ve set the seat height, if you do a bit of riding and get some knee pain, you can make further adjustments depending on what sort of pain it is, i.e., the pain will be associated with either over extending your leg or not extending it enough.

The best thing I did for my riding was getting clipless pedals (despite the name, those are the ones you clip your shoes into, not the ones with a stirrup.)

48

[QUOTE=1920s Style “Death Ray”]

I first came across this method of checking your seat height from my Trek bicycle manual, I’ve since seen it in various other places.
[/QUOTE]

Same thing in my Specialized manual, and also from the pros at the bike shop where I bought my Specialized.

49

If you have a 1.75-mile commute and are looking for health benefits, I’d suggest you walk. It woludn’t take you much longer than what its taking you now, but you’d be exercising longer.

50

[QUOTE=Swallowed My Cellphone]

P.P.S. Don’t forget your helmet.
[/QUOTE]

Without wanting to get embroiled in a debate again, there’s no evidence that cycle helmets prevent serious head injury, and in fact they tend to cause a higher incidence of neck injury. (The larger diameter of the helmet compared to the head leads to a greatly increased rotational force about the neck.)

That said, I still tend to wear one.

51

[QUOTE=1920s Style “Death Ray”]
If you read my whole post you’ll see that I suggest making sure your leg is straight when your heel is on the pedal and then, “…when you ride normally with the ball of your feet on the pedals you will have a slight bend in your leg.” So I wasn’t advocate riding with your heel on the pedal.
[/QUOTE]
This is standard and always thought this was common knowledge. Sizing your “inseam” from seat to pedal that way ensures you get a full extension in your leg with each pedal stroke, with enough of a slight bend in your knee so that you aren’t locking the joint or over extending. On the upswing you generally don’t want your knee going up so high that your thigh is no longer parallel to the ground because you’ll lose efficiency.

If you haven’t been on a bike it a long while, this height can be a little intimidating until you get used to stepping onto the pavment when you stop. You’ll feel like if you have to break sudenly, then your tippiest of tippy toes won’t be able to touch the ground! I had my ex-girlfriend start riding with her seat an inch and a half lower then it ought to be unitl her confidence and riding ability got better. We’d raise the seat a half inch until she got the hang of stopping and stepping over her cross bar to get her feet firmly planted in the ground when she stopped. It was at it’s proper height within a few weeks.

52

Here is a link to the IMHO helmet debate you can peruse and decide for yourself.

I don’t wear a helmet because I’m waiting for the One Catastrophic Crash where I hope it will save my life. I wear a helmet for the same reason I wear my protective cycling glasses – for the piddly crap I deal with weekly.

I’ve had gravelly debris come off a farm vehicle while road riding. It gave me a little, wee welt on my chin but the visor from my helmet and the cycling glasses protected the rest of my face. I’ve bumped my head on a branch that I swear wasn’t that low when I rode the same route the day before. I had a big, fat, bumble bee bounce off my glasses instead of my eye. I’ve had a pedestrian rush out of the bowels of the subway system to catch a connecting streetcar, trip on the curb and, in a supremely Three Stooges moment, bash his forehead against the side of my helmeted noggin and stomp my toe. (He was fine but got chain grease on his pants). And a few weeks ago, as detailed in a Pit thread, I actually got into a small bike accident which scraped all the nice finish of the side of my helmet rather than the skin off my ear.

The helmet/glasses didn’t save my life in any of those, but I really appreciated having it.

The glasses are cool by the way and I’d recommend something to keep road grit out of your eyes which is probably one of the most common hasards of my morning commute.

They look exactly like you’re regular, sporty sunglasses, but the lenses are shock proof and interchangeable, so at night I can put on clear ones. I forgot them one morning and that day there was some kind of crazy aphid bloom! I had to walk my bike to work because the little bugs kept getting in my eyes.

53

[QUOTE=1920s Style “Death Ray”]

The best thing I did for my riding was getting clipless pedals (despite the name, those are the ones you clip your shoes into, not the ones with a stirrup.)
[/QUOTE]

Yes, me too. Much more efficient.

54

[QUOTE=Swallowed My Cellphone]
This is standard and always thought this was common knowledge. Sizing your “inseam” from seat to pedal that way ensures you get a full extension in your leg with each pedal stroke, with enough of a slight bend in your knee so that you aren’t locking the joint or over extending. On the upswing you generally don’t want your knee going up so high that your thigh is no longer parallel to the ground because you’ll lose efficiency.

[/QUOTE]

What I meant when I said I hadn’t ever heard that standard before was that I hadn’t heard it phrased that way. I have always heard it as the degree of knee bend. It could be because I’m not a casual rider and I’ve always received advice from a spinning instructor or in triathalon training. It’s a bit more specific at those joint.

Anyway, sorry for the confusion.

55

[QUOTE=EmAnJ]
What I meant when I said I hadn’t ever heard that standard before was that I hadn’t heard it phrased that way. I have always heard it as the degree of knee bend. It could be because I’m not a casual rider and I’ve always received advice from a spinning instructor or in triathalon training. It’s a bit more specific at those joint.

[/QUOTE]
Growing up I always heard about “degree of knee” bend too. I think the standard wording has been changed because when you’re sitting on a bike, it’s subjectively tougher to tell if your knees are coming up too high or not… unless there is a mirror, which there are in many spinning classes. So it totally makes sense that you’d hear that more from a spinning instructor, who wants you to optimize the height of your seat post, than the guy at the bike shop who is helping you choose the right sized bike frame.

ETE: Regarding clipless pedals, I’ve also found getting regular toe-clips works awesome without the stirrup straps. Ak! I hate the straps. I can still get my foot out really quickly. I use the kind where the very front fits in the cup and there is a thin metal bar that goes along the top of my foot. I’m supposed to feed a strap through the end of that bar, but straps are the devil’s way of murdering cellphone swallowers!

56

[QUOTE=Swallowed My Cellphone]
Growing up I always heard about “degree of knee” bend too. I think the standard wording has been changed because when you’re sitting on a bike, it’s subjectively tougher to tell if your knees are coming up too high or not… unless there is a mirror, which there are in many spinning classes. So it totally makes sense that you’d hear that more from a spinning instructor, who wants you to optimize the height of your seat post, than the guy at the bike shop who is helping you choose the right sized bike frame.
[/QUOTE]

To expand on this, there’s a lot more to a properly fitted bicycle than just seat height, but that’s the easiest thing to adjust on your own. In addition to a seat high enough to put your legs at the proper angle, you also want to have the handlebar stem high enough and far enough forward so that your body is angled comfortably forward and you can support yourself on the handles without being cramped up or stretched out. This is harder to gauge and (since handle stems are more limited in how far they can be extended) may mean that some models of bike frame simply won’t fit you.

57

If you are buying a new bike you can also start by finding a general sizing chart that will recommend a bike frame like this one (depneds on the bike manufactuere and style of bike). You can also look up general info like this (for road bike sizing). But even then you often have to make additional adjustments (longer/shorter seat post, longer/shorter handle bar stem etc.).