EyesWideOpen/Getty Images
DCL
There are some things about riding your bike that you can't control--like cars, for example. However, preventing upper body cramps and muscle soreness is all about maintaining the proper posture. According to the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, there are 4 basic steps to staying comfortable on your bicycle:
1. Position the handlebars correctly--one inch lower than the top of the seat.
2. Change your hand and body position frequently.
3. Don't ride in the racing "drop" position (with your hands on the curved part of the handlebars) for a long time.
4. Keep your arms relaxed and don't lock your elbows.
"The back should be arched, like a bridge, not drooping forward between the hips and the shoulders," adds cycling blogger Sheldon "Ouch!" Brown. "The elbows should be slightly bent, not straight and locked. This allows the arm muscles to act as shock absorbers. The shoulders should be pushed forward so that the muscles in the front of the chest help carry the weight of the upper body."
Some final thoughts:
When adjusting your current cycling posture, do it slowly. You may be used to how you ride now so even when shifting to a more biomechanically sound posture, you have to adjust incrementally. In the meantime, try to occasionally think about your posture as you ride. Maintain a body awareness to help make your positioning feel natural.
