# Sticky  Ergonomics



## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Yo Beginners!

Welcome to mountain biking and to MTBR. As someone who's been riding bikes off-road for a few decades and worked at bike shops in a previous life, I thought I'd mention ergonomics. Everybody talks about how important bike fit is and it's true. Fit is critical. If you're riding the wrong size bike, the universe is a sad place.

Well, ergos are a part of bike fit. Once you're on the right size frame, ergonomics come next because ergos fine tune your bike to YOU. But sadly, it seems that many new riders don't know they have options to optimize comfort and performance by tweaking things just a bit here and there.

If you brought your bike home from the LBS (local bike shop) and just started riding it 'as is', well, you're like most folks.  But know this: tweaks can be made and sometimes those tweaks make all the difference when it comes to comfort and performance on your bike.

Okay, let's get down to business. Your body contacts your bike in three places: your feet, your hands and your butt. Let's talk about feet first.

Feet are the simplest. Pedals, right? You've either got platform pedals or you've got clippy pedals & shoes. Well, in either case there are plenty of options to improve the interface between feet and bike. Shoes being the #1 comfort and performance enhancer in this department. But beyond the two main types of pedals (platform / clippy), each type offers sub-types. For example with platform pedals, you can have a 'non-aggressive' platform (lacking pins) or an 'aggressive' platform that has what seem like razor sharp 'pins' (actually tiny screws) that really bite into your shoes. These pins keep you feet practically glued to your pedals, provided you're wearing the appropriate mountain biking shoes made to work with them -- like 5/10's, Ride Concepts or other mountain bike specific footwear. True pedaling security.

Pedals are a huge rabbit hole that we won't go down further here, just know that you can go from mild to wild with pedals and shoes and the comfort and performance rewards can be sizeable whichever camp you're in.

Next: your hands. This includes the whole front of your bike -- stem, bars, grips, levers (brake, dropper, shifter.) I'm not talking about buying anything new here, I'm talking about adjusting these things that are already on your bike so that you're most comfortable. What if I told you that you can loosen the clamps on your brake levers and adjust them up or down or in or out from your grips in order to place the brake lever's 'hook' right in the crook of your index finger for maximum comfort and braking power? Trust me, that brake lever angle is a big deal.

Put it where you want it. Same thing with your dropper lever. Wish your dropper lever was closer to the grip than it is? Easy enough -- just move it to the other side of the brake lever perch. Or the opposite way if that feels better. Loosen your stem/bar clamp and roll your handlebar so that the bar's bend feels best to you. It's your bike. The only right or wrong here is how things feel to YOU. I can't say which way you'll like things, I'm only here to tell you that these adjustments are available to you. Experiment. Fiddle. See what feels best.

As for stems and bars, there are a zillion shapes and sizes. To make adjustments here, yes, you may have to buy a longer or shorter stem or a higher or lower handlebar or one with more backsweep or whatever makes you happy but just know that virtually anything/everything is out there if you're not comfortable the way things are. As for bar height, you may be able to shift stem spacers from below the stem to above or vice versa. Grip diameters vary from one brand / model to another. Got big hands? You might want larger diameter grips. You might be amazed at how much less your neck or back hurts during a long ride if you adjust your stem or bar a little bit. Don't be afraid to fiddle with stuff.

Another massive rabbit hole there with controls... but let's move on.

Seats. No -- saddles. In mountain biking we call them saddles, don't ask me why. Anyway if you go out to your garage and look at your bike, you'll discover that you have the option to not only tilt the nose of your saddle up or down, you also have the ability to slide the whole thing forward or back. Most folks already know they can adjust overall saddle height via the seatpost clamp but do you know what your optimum saddle height is? Really, it's whatever feels best, though you'll achieve your maximum power transfer to the pedals when your legs become alllllllllmost straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Not quite straight but almost. Again, experiment, see what feels/works best for you.

Okay this is getting long and I apologize for that. The important thing is this. Bikes are actually pretty simple. We just have to look at them and we can see lots of screws that hold things together, and in many cases these screws are the keys to moving something that affects our position on the bike. Once we get the keys to the castle, we're free to slay some dragons. Dial things in to maximize our enjoyment and safety. Speaking of safety, keep in mind that most fasteners on bikes need to be torqued properly so make sure you fasten those stem bolts to spec! We don't want that handlebar coming off while we're in the middle of a back flip, do we. 

Happy trails!
=sParty

P.S. An additional thing to mention, not ergo related. Reflectors are for road bikes. They're on your new mountain bike because the CPSC requires bike companies to sell new bikes with reflectors installed. Don't want to look like a newb when you're riding the trail? Remove your bike's reflectors. Same goes for the 'dork disc' -- the clear plastic plate between the cassette & spokes. Reflectors & dork discs are newb stamps for sure. Before removing the DD, make sure your derailleur's low limit screw is properly adjusted so the der won't push your chain into your spokes when downshifting into the large cog. Don't thank me.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Something else, not exactly ergonomic but kinda -- tire pressure.

Proper tire pressure is critical in mountain biking and tragically there's a tendency for newbies to overinflate their tires. What happens when we put too much air in our tires? Several negative things.

The bike bounces off every trail irregularity, rock , root, feature, so it's harder to control.
The ride is uncomfortable. This is because tires are one of the 3 primary forms of suspension on a mountain bike.* Softer tires feel better.
The bike will lose traction more easily because a harder tire doesn't conform to the trail's tread surface as well as a softer tire.
Because of #3 above, overinflated tires simply make riding more dangerous.
So what is the 'right' psi to fill your tires to? This depends on your weight, the width of your rims & tires, the type of trails you ride and the way you ride (riding style.) Too many variables to say, "You should put XX psi in your tires" but just don't make the mistake of looking a the tire's sidewall and seeing an inflation number there and putting that much air into your tires. That number on the sidewall is typically the tire's maximum psi and therefore it's virtually always too much. Way too much.

In addition to providing traction, control and a more comfortable ride, another key benefit of the pneumatic tire is to protect the wheel's rim from damage. Try to lower your tire pressure to as low as possible without threatening the rim. If you regularly get pinch flats, then you've gone too far -- add some air.
=sParty

*The three primary forms of mountain bike suspension include: your arms & legs, the bike's actual suspension components (suspension fork &/or shock) and tires.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Good stuff @Sparticus.

-Build some basic fitness before making wrong or too many judgements on bike parts. 
-Be careful of shop and expert advice when that advisor might ride differently or have different goals. What's right for an XC racer or gravity focused rider might not be right for a casual and all sorts of terrain and places rider.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

Fantastic advice. Noobs -- read it twice then go fiddle with your bike, then go ride it, then come back and fiddle some more!


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Sparticus said:


> Something else, not exactly ergonomic but kinda -- tire pressure.
> 
> Proper tire pressure is critical in mountain biking and tragically there's a tendency for newbies to overinflate their tires. What happens when we put too much air in our tires? Several negative things.
> 
> ...


When I put in "too much" pressure, it doesn't "bounce off everything". It might if I go way way high, but it doesn't instantly get that way being a little high. On the other hand, being a little low, if you like to ride with the pressure more towards maximum pressure, can put you at risk for cracking/breaking a rim, so you choose your priorities.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

Jayem said:


> When I put in "too much" pressure, it doesn't "bounce off everything". It might if I go way way high, but it doesn't instantly get that way being a little high. On the other hand, being a little low, if you like to ride with the pressure more towards maximum pressure, can put you at risk for cracking/breaking a rim, so you choose your priorities.



With every passing year you get better at reading the room.

Chapeau.


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## WillDB (Jul 15, 2020)

Pick up an Accu-Gage and bring a pump.

Find a trail and experiment. Repeat until your hearts content.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

If you have a buddy who honestly knows about mountain biking, ie builds their own bikes, riding for years, etc… see if they’ll help you with setup, bonus if they’re your size 👍


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## ocnLogan (Aug 15, 2018)

Great post. 

The first step IMO is really just checking your tire pressure before you ride and knowing what it is set at, even if the pressures are somewhat arbitrary at first. Once you do that, you’ll likely naturally find pressures that work for you.

All of the new riders I know who have had flat tires/rim damage, it was because they hadn’t checked their tire pressure in months/ever. And just had assumed it would be constant. 

Where I live (PNW), especially in the wet, I feel too high of tire pressure as “feeling like a ping pong ball (or pinball)” bouncing and sliding off of every root and rock I see. Too low of pressure and it will feel mushy, or you’ll just feel rim strikes.


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## NoletaRider (5 mo ago)

Ergos ... So true.
When I bought my first full suspension mountain/trail bike (2000 Cannondale V-800), the bike shop tech spent close to a couple hours with me sizing and adjusting to set the bike just right for me. He swapped out handle bars and a few other components to make sure the bike fit my body proportions. That was the best bike purchase experience I ever had. Hoping my next purchase will be as good.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

NoletaRider said:


> Ergos ... So true.
> When I bought my first full suspension mountain/trail bike (2000 Cannondale V-800), the bike shop tech spent close to a couple hours with me sizing and adjusting to set the bike just right for me. He swapped out handle bars and a few other components to make sure the bike fit my body proportions. That was the best bike purchase experience I ever had. Hoping my next purchase will be as good.


That is sooo awesome. And so rare.
In fact, awesome because it is rare.
=sParty


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## GoldenKnightMTB (11 mo ago)

How are you guys prepared for a flat with tubeless tires? Desert, rocks, gravel, all sharp riding. Currently, I don't have a plan to deal with a flat besides to walk 5-10 miles back. 

Can someone show their dropper lever position, brake lever position, and grips if they are not round. My setup is off and it may be the dropper, brakes, grips, and bars positioned slightly incorrect. My right hand feels fine, but my left goes numb. I notice it most when I ride downhill. I will also more closely monitor my tire pressure to see if that helps.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

A plan for flats with tubeless...
Proper amount of sealant in tires will mitigate most potential problems.
If we experience a flat I have several options. Plug the tire with a bacon strip. If that fails, next plan B is to pull the wheel, remove tire and install a spare tube.
Air up and finish the ride.
Walking out is most undesirable.


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## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

Carry plugs (bacon strips, Stans darts, etc), they work most of the time. Carry a tube and a boot, that will always work. Of course, a pump, and maybe CO2.

The hand numbness, that's probably not a dropper lever positioning issue.. mine is pretty much mirrored of my shifter. Is your wrist bent, straight, is the whole hand going numb or just parts of it? etc.. etc..


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## GoldenKnightMTB (11 mo ago)

dysfunction said:


> Carry plugs (bacon strips, Stans darts, etc), they work most of the time. Carry a tube and a boot, that will always work. Of course, a pump, and maybe CO2.
> 
> The hand numbness, that's probably not a dropper lever positioning issue.. mine is pretty much mirrored of my shifter. Is your wrist bent, straight, is the whole hand going numb or just parts of it? etc.. etc..


Wrist is straight, same as my right. I do have a wrist issue, but this seems unrelated to it, as this is my hand. I am going to try and change the angle of my bars a bit this weekend. The same with my grip, just slightly.


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## Hillcharl (1 mo ago)

This was very helpful. I’m building out a frame so I have a lot to consider.


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