What Are the Best Cycling Settings?

Two factors in a cycling program can affect knee and hip pain during the activity: seat height and pedal resistance. Adjust the seat height so that your knee is almost completely extended when the pedal is at its lowest position. This setting allows the greatest range of motion through your knees and hips and disperses the stresses. If you are built like my father (who is 6 feet, 4 inches tall), you may need to have your seat mount modified to allow for greater height; with outdoor cycles, look for a larger frame. Keep the pedal resistance at a low setting, which permits a higher turnover rate. You can set this up easily on a stationary cycle via the resistance control mechanism. When riding an outdoor cycle, utilize a wide range of gears and shift to an easier resistance with hills.

The comfort of the seat also affects your ease during cycling. Many new types of seats are available, which are usually wider and have better padding than older bicycle seats. Try out the seats to see what is most comfortable for your body build. Lastly, bicycling (especially outdoors) can cause problems with your wrists. Find a bicycle on which you can modify hand positions and maintain a relatively upright posture. You may even want to put padding on the handlebar to decrease the discomfort in your wrists and hands.

One variation of the stationary cycle that you may consider using is the type in which the handlebars can move in synchrony with the pedals (for example, the Schwinn Aerodyne). These machines usually permit an upright posture and, because of the position of the handlebars, reduce the stress on your wrists. They also allow you to work your upper body throughout the exercise, which provides better conditioning, flexibility for the trunk and shoulders, and greater comfort. The American College of Sports Medicine has information, available over the Internet, on selecting a stationary cycle.