Cycling
Avoid these set-up errors to get a smoother ride on your road bicycle.
Road riding is pretty simple, just head out the door and go. But there’s a few easily made mistakes that can make your riding life not quite as fun as it ought to be.
Here are five classic beginner set-up mistakes that we think are well worth checking for when first starting out.
1. Tyre pressure
A classic road bike set-up mistake is running your tyres either too hard or too soft.
Too hard will give you a harsh and unforgiving ride, whilst also reducing your grip on the road, whereas too soft will increase rolling resistance and the chance of a pinch puncture; two things you definitely don’t want.
We like to think of Goldilocks when pumping up our tyres – it needs to be just right. This means hard enough to deal with the forces you put through the bike, yet soft enough to provide some compliance and grip.
A good place to start is around 95psi, then increase or decrease in 5psi increments until you find the pressure to suit you.
2. Cross chaining
Cross chaining means using a certain gear that will put undue stress on the drivetrain of your bike.
There are two main undesirable combinations to watch out for; the smallest front chainring and the smallest rear sprocket, and the largest front chainring and the largest rear sprocket. (Front chainrings are the rings on your crankset. Most bikes have two front chainrings, often referred to as a ‘double’. Rear sprockets are located on the back wheel. On most bikes there are usually 10-11 rear sprockets).
Next time you’re out riding, try shifting in to any of these two combinations and you’ll see that it puts the chain at a very extreme sideways angle. This not only increases the wear and friction on your drivetrain, but can often be quite noisy compared to less extreme gears.
So try and avoid these combinations, and instead look for a similar gear with a friendlier chainline. Your drivetrain will thank you for it!
3. Brake hoods pointing down
Pointing your brake hoods downwards (or past horizontal) is another one of those hangovers from the old school way of doing things.
In these more enlightened times, bike designers and fitters have realised that this probably isn’t the best way to go, as it puts unnecessary stress on your hands, wrists and arms.
Instead, try setting your brake hoods bang on or just up past horizontal, as this will reduce some of the pressure across your upper half, and allow for a more aerodynamic position when riding on the hoods.
4. An extreme (pro) riding position
Road cycling is a sport steeped in aesthetics, and the correct or ‘pro look’ is very important to some people. By this we mean an extreme, long, low riding position, with a slammed stem (placing the stem on the lowest position of the fork's steerer tube).
The only problem is that pros have spent thousands of hours training and honing their bodies, so they can contort them into this position, whilst still being relatively comfortable.
For regular joes like you and I, it’s often much wiser to not worry about looking pro and go for a more upright and comfortable position. You’ll be able to ride for longer, and your back, arms and delicate parts will thank you in the long run.
5. Saddle tilted too far up or down
Getting your saddle height right is a fundamental feature of a happy road cycling life. However, many riders often overlook the angle, or tilt of their saddle.
Even if your saddle height is perfect, a saddle angled slightly upwards will put unnecessary pressure where you really don’t want it. Conversely a saddle pointing downwards will have you sliding forwards, leading to a less than optimal and cramped position.
The best place to start is with your saddle as close to horizontal as you can get it. This way, you’re spreading the pressure as evenly as possible.
Certain pros have started to tilt their saddle ever so slightly downwards, but as we’ve learnt, they’re pros, and it’s not always wise to try and emulate them.
