International Christian Cycling Club

Shalom, brethrens! Peace to you and all yours! Recently my family was presented a new bike. It has much better technical characteristics that my previous. And, naturally, I, like a hungry wolf, sorry, have pounced on “him” in my ridings (even right now my hands are itching to take handlebars). But the problem is that my back began to ache (in childhood I suffered two traumas with my backbone). Brethrens, what am I doing wrong? I’m an amateur. What can you advice concerning the body position during riding, the saddle position, the route, and the proper exercises after cycling and whatever along this line. During my prayer concerning this moment Holy Spirit reminded me Proverbs 20:18:”Get good advice and you will succeed.” I will be so grateful to you all to listen and follow your advices. Share your experience, please. Expecting, Leona.

Hi Leona,
I am no coach or fit expert but one thing I know for sure proper streching before and after rides along with getting properly fit on a bike is real important. Maybe your saddle is either to hig or most likely to low. Your knee should be only slightly bent when you are at the bottom of your pedal stroke. You also don't want to be reaching to far for your handle bars. Make all adjustments very slightly or in small incraments so don;t hurt your self worse. Mark on your seatpost so you know where you started. What kind of back issues did you have in the past. I hope some of this advice helped. Happy Easter.

Paul, Shalom to You and all Yours! Thanks a lot!Your advices are precious for me, an amateur. Hosea says that God's people are dying through the lack of knowledge.I interpretate this verse according my situation too. I will do, what You advises.The frame is high, men's frame.I'm not a high woman.I had to take off the wing to put saddle in lower position for my feet to reach the earth.The region, where we live, we all have to do downhill, we have no alternative, because it's a mountain area.We don't have special roads and the traffic is very intensive on our narrow streets.We all have to learn how to climb up our mountains on our bikes.Concerning my ex-traumas, I don't like to tell about this, but to give glory to God, I have to say that when I was about eight, I fell badly and had the cracks in 8 and 10 vertebras. We found that later, when I through the pains couldn't do many things.Doctors said that soon I would have a hump, because some formation started in my back.My mother prayed as she could and she knew. There were no faith churches, no Bibles in the ex-USSR at that period.But Lord healed me, sinner in that period.Cracks and formations disappeared.For several years I was sleeping on the wooden board and mother tied my braid to my waist. Then I began to visit swimming section, balley shool.Frankly, paying attention to my new bike, I did my daily exercises less.I also swim all year round, the water now is the coldest, colder that in winter, because snow is melting in the mountains and this river flow just in the same beach where we swim. Brother Paul, have a blessed day!For other guys, who ride mtn.How is it better to climb, riding standing or "lying" on the bike? I tried both methods, to "lie" for me is more comfortable, but our rovers say that I should climb standing.

I would say that you should climb in whatever is most comfortable for you.

If you want to know which is more efficient or faster...do the same climb two times, recording the time for each. See how tired you are at the end of each and compare. A real test would have you do these tests on different days.

Dalas Brother, shalom! Thank You for advice.Today, during my riding I was watching the training of professionals while they were climbing.Some of them were riding in stand position, other-"lying", though the most of them were of the same high, weight and had the same bikes.I noticed today, that I climb faster "lying", though it depends on the angle of the mountain.Tell me from your personal experience, what influent on quick wear of brakes, I mean, how to keep them in good state longer? Or what kinds of roads should I escape?I don't mean the roads full of glasses pieces, it's clear.I have front disc's and back not disc's. And may be You will give the advice concerning the keeping tires in good state? Thanks.Leona