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The correct
interface between rider and bike is a crucial foundation for developing
good riding skills. The key is to sort out your three contact points:
the saddle; pedals; brakes and handle bars. The set up of your saddle
and pedals primarily effects "power" while the handle bars are all about
control.
Sit
on it
 Seat
height is determined by pedalling efficiency and has nothing to do with
being able to touch the ground while sitting in the saddle. To find the
right height - put one heel on the pedal at its lowest point while keeping
your pelvis square on the saddle. Your leg should be straight.
It's
a bit high if your pelvis rocks with each pedal stroke. Adjust the height
by flicking over the quick release mechanism at the base of the seat post
and unscrewing it a few turns.
 There's
an Allen bolt under your seat to adjust its angle. Men tend to find
a horizontal setting most comfortable, whereas women generally prefer
to
angle the nose down slightly (around 5-10° or about 1cm lower
at the front than the back).
The same
bolt lets the saddle slide backwards and forwards on its rails - the central
position is about right for most people. For techno freaks, spin your
cranks to the horizontal position and use a plumb bob to line up the back
of your knee cap with the ball of your foot.
Choose a
comfortable saddle. It's an individual thing requiring trial and hopefully
not too much error. Beware of the big softie. Shape, base material and
rail flex determine comfort - not the amount of foam on top. Women should
consider a specific women's model. There are an increasing number on the
market - they tend to be narrower in the front, softer in the nose and
wider at the back to better suit a woman's pelvis shape. Be careful it's
not so wide that you cannot easily slide over the back of the seat on
steep descents.
Power
to the Pedals
 The
secret to efficient pedalling is an even cadence, pushing down on one
pedal while pulling up with the opposite one. Tightening your toe straps
helps achieve this. The ultimate solution though is to score some clip-less
pedals. You click in and out of these a bit like a ski binding. They can
be a bit daunting to come to grips with but are ultimately easier to use
and are worth an extra gear, or about 10% extra pedalling power. When
setting up your cleats or toe clips, aim to position the pedal spindle
under the ball of your foot.
Cycling shoes
have a stiffer sole which provides a bigger platform to push on and hence
transfer more power to the pedals. They're a must if you go for clip-less
pedals.
Cranks come
in different lengths - the standard is 175mm. Riders with shorter legs
should consider 170mm cranks which require less bending and extension
of your legs to complete a rotation.
Get
a Grip
One finger braking.
 With
modern brakes you only need to use one or at the most two fingers to effectively
stop your bike. Think of your hands performing two independent functions:
Thumb and outer fingers for holding on, steering and weight transfer.
Index and middle fingers control speed.
  Controlled
riding in difficult terrain is only possible by performing these two functions
independently. You'll probably need to move your brakes towards the centre
of the bars so your inside fingers can easily grab the brake at the outside
for maximum leverage. This can make combination brake/gear shifters slightly
more difficult to reach but in most cases is an acceptable compromise.
 Brake
lever angle - try them angled down at about 45° to begin with, then
adjust them up or down until it feels most comfortable. A good method
is to jump on your bike, extend your arms and rest your wrists on the
top of the handle bars. Your fingers should rest easily on top of the
brake levers.
 If
you have smaller hands then adjust the brake levers closer to the handle
bars by tightening the screw under the brake mechanism.
If your bike
doesn't already have them, you can add bar ends which some people find
useful when hill climbing.
The distance
from saddle to handle bars should be comfortable, ie. not too cramped
or over stretched when riding. This will be correct if you have the right
size frame. It can be adjusted with different length stems but this will
change how the bike handles. Keep within a range of 110-130mm..
 Your
handle bars should be around 25-75mm lower than the top of your seat (lower
bars are better for hill climbing, higher are better for descending and
are more comfortable for your back).
Adjust handle
bar height by using a stem with a different rise (-5° to 25°)
or placing spacers under the stem An easy option for raising the height
is to use downhill bars.
Indulge
Yourself
Cash
therapy is always available to the dedicated mountain biker with loads
of lightweight, shiny, trick bits to adorn your bike with. Anything made
from Titanium Grey or with CNC on the label will assist your quest for featherlight
performance and make you feel like a million bucks when you hit the trail.
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