Properly fitted equipment essential to cycling success

Raslan Abbadi, operations manager at Besport Bikeshop in Dubai, said choosing the right size of frame and riding a properly fitted bicycle will prevent injuries in the long run, and allow cyclists to have fun and be stay safe while contributing to a healthier lifestyle.

From left, Alvin Mercado, 36, and Edmar Magbitang, 30, are specialists at Besport Bikeshop in Al Quoz, Dubai. The National’s second Cycle to Work campaign begins on January 12. Victor Besa for The NatShow more

ABU DHABI // It is difficult to overestimate the health benefits of cycling, but having a properly sized bicycle is necessary to reap those benefits, experts say.

Choosing the right frame and riding a properly sized bicycle will prevent injuries in the long run and allow cyclists to have fun, says Raslan Abbadi, operations manager at Besport Bikeshop in Dubai.

On the streets of the UAE, cyclists riding bicycles that do not fit their bodies properly are a common sight.

“You see it often, especially the height of the seat,” says Mr Abbadi.

“Most people feel comfortable when they are sitting on a seat that allows them to have their legs fully on the ground, so when you pedal you don’t have full extension of the leg.”

His point is that a cyclist’s comfortable posture on a stationary bicycle is not necessarily correct for riding.

According to Mr Abbadi, the first step is to choose a bicycle of the correct size, then adjust the height of the seat by using the heel method, a standard procedure.

For this method, a cyclist gets on the bicycle and places the heel of his shoe on the pedal. He then adjusts the seat to a height that allows the leg to extend fully at the bottom of a pedal cycle.

Mr Abbadi stresses that these are only guidelines because individual fittings can differ between styles of bicycles.

“If you have a folding bike, there is much less you can do in terms of adjusting it,” he says.

“City riding bikes will also have different settings compared to road racing bikes.”

Researchers note that the heel method does not take into account the variations in body types, such as leg and foot length.

Adjustments can also be made to the handlebars.

“The problem with handlebar height is that it is quite limited. You have only a few centimetres of adjustment, a maximum of between two to four centimetres, so frame size is important,” says Mr Abbadi.

As many cyclists disregard the benefits of having properly fitted bicycles, it is only a matter of time before they notice how improperly fitted bicycles affect their riding efficiency and their health, he says.

For instance, a seat that is too high will cause discomfort because most of the cyclist’s body weight will rest directly on the seat.

For a seat that is too low, “it will be much harder to pedal and it can also cause knee injuries”, says Mr Abbadi.

Poorly adjusted handlebars can cause numbness in the hands, shoulders, and soreness in the neck, and contribute to lower back pressure, he notes.

Adjustments on newer bicycles can be made without tools because many are equipped with quick-release levers.

The second Cycle to Work campaign of The National, #cycletoworkUAE, is officially under way and aims to persuade residents to use their bicycles.

The campaign culminates with Cycle to Work day on January 12.