Fitness
in a self-massage tool such as a
foam roller or lacrosse ball. Spend
10 minutes each day working the
roller on the hip flexors and glutes.”
Prevent it... by having a bike-fit.
Richard Melik runs bike-fitting
company Freespeed, and explains
the risks of incorrect set-up: “If a
rider is too low and too far forward,
it can overload the front of the
knee. Too far back and too high
can stress the back of the knee.”
SADDLE DISCOMFORT
Don’t blame the bike
because... saddle discomfort can
arise from either soreness on the
sit bones, too much pressure on
the perineum, or chafing resulting
in saddle sores. A little discomfort
now and again is to be expected,
but focusing on having a stable,
planted position on the saddle,
with balanced pressure on your sit
bones, will help.
Sometimes this will mean you
need to have a less aggressive
position, which is especially
relevant to time triallists — better
this than having to have surgery
for saddle sore complications.
Fix it... by changing your saddle.
According to Melik, “Riders
should look for a saddle that suits
their riding style, has some level
of pressure relief at the front and
keeps the pressure back.”
Prevent it... by wearing
good-quality, well-fitted bike
shorts. The Olympic team pursuit
champion Katie Archibald is
passionate about getting kit
choices spot-on: “Keep investing
until you’ve found a shorts and
saddle combination that you love.
Riding in comfort will make you
go faster.”HAND AND WRIST PAIN
Don’t blame the bike
because... wrist pain is usually
caused by holding the handlebars
with over-extended wrists,
which can cause synovitis or a
compression and inflammation of
the ulnar nerve.
Fix it... by assuming an improved
position and shifting your hands.
Raiher says we need to be alert
to any pain in the wrist or hand:
“Try to adjust your positioning.
Consider using different grips.
Sometimes a vertical grip solves
wrist pain instantly.”
Prevent it... by altering your
grip using a tried and tested
method. Melik explains that
correct hand position should feel
similar to “shaking someone’s
hand together” accompanied by
“relaxed elbows and shoulders,
and better core engagement.” The
effect, he says, is to “lift weight
from the front of the bike andStuart Read, bike buying manager,
Evans Cycles:
“Focus on what you will do more of and look for
a bike that will help you enjoy that aspect the
most. Once you know the type of bike you need
and have determined a budget, make sure you
buy the right size. You could have the perfect
bike, but if it’s the wrong size, it’s going to ruin
your ride.”Nicole Oh, physio and rider with Les Filles
race team:
“Most cycling problems arise from training
errors — too much too soon, increasing volume,
intensity and frequency all at once, high load,
insufficient recovery or rest days, adding
intensity without having a good enough base,
boom-bust training load. So the solution is notonly listening to your body, but also trying to get a
good idea of your capacity and resilience.”Alice Monger Godfrey, osteopath for Team
Dimension Data and former pro:
“My top three stretches for low back and hip
pain are knee hugs, bending forward and
touching your toes to stretch the posterior chain,
hamstrings and calf muscles; and side bending
the spine to target the low back muscles.”James Raiher, osteopath at 322 The Practice:
“Focus on your riding position. It’s not static;
it varies enormously depending on the terrain,
how tired you are and how flexible your
shoulders are — so keep adjusting and don’t
settle on something that was right when you
bought the bike but isn’t working out now.”move the pressure point to relieve
the numbness.”SHIN, ANKLE OR FOOT PAIN
Don’t blame the bike
because... if your feet hurt while
riding, the fault
probably lies with
your shoes. Foot
and ankle pain is
particularly prev-
alent in cyclists
who have recently
done a big volume
of climbing.
Sometimes
the pain comes
from the tibialalis
anterior muscle,
which runs up the outside of the
shin and works to pull the foot
up towards the knee, and can
become overworked. The pain
can also spread round the front
of the ankle.
Fix it... with a tennis ball.
Duckworth-Briggs says that,
although the tibialalis anterior is
hard to stretch, applying massage
pressure on the front of the shins
can help: “Make sure the tops of
your feet are on the floor and feet
are pointed away from the knees.
You can also work into this area
after a ride with a tennis ball,
gently rolling it up and down the
outside of your shin.”
Prevent it... with the right cycling
shoes. Melik says: “Your shoes
should be snug but not overly tight.
Different brands have different fit
characteristics, so find a shoe that
matches the shape of your foot.
Insoles that support the arch and
spread the pressure evenly across
the ball of your foot can be key in
reducing foot numbness.”EXCESSIVE WEIGHT
Don’t blame the bike
because... even though it
may not be the lightest machine
on the market, it’s not the big
factor in holding back your
performance — you are! It’s far
cheaper — and usually more
effective — to improve your
training and nutrition to get fitter
and lose a couple of kilos than
it is to buy expensive new“Keep investing
until you’ve
found a shorts
and saddle
combination
that you love”
Expert advice: make your bike blameless
44 | January 11, 2018 | Cycling Weekly