How does you body positon affect your ride? This is so important!

[Flowrider]

Something I've brought up before, and it's huge when it comes to riding a bike.

I've done some research and found this excellent video from Neil of the Global Mountainbiking Team on body position.

This is the description of the video:

Do you find yourself struggling to corner properly?
Bored of crashing out on those tight switchbacks?
Or perhaps you are just after some helpful advice to improve your skills?
Join Neil Donoghue as he runs you through some of the fundamentals for better MTB body positioning, to give you the confidence, skill set and knowledge for when you're out shredding those trails!

Check it out here: https://youtu.be/IQ--cvs-9ic?si=q2HZXp2A9xY_BZXl

If you haven't been fitted out for your bike, I strongly suggest it!

[rydabent]

Riding a bent or a trike, fully laid back and comfortable, allows you to ride much further on each ride. While I may be tired from a long ride, I have no pain at all.

Back in 2005 when I got my first bent, a RANS tailwind, on my first ride, on one of my usual routes, I rode faster in total comfort, and was disappointed that the ride was over so quickly.

[Jesper]

@rydabent you need to understand that Flowrider's threadcis about adventure/off-road/mtb riding and the optimal position for best navigating a techincal course; not leisure riding on roads and and paths designed for regular bike and trikes, be they recumbent or not. Just read the post first to see if a recumbent trike comment applies.
Of course I would love to hear how your recumbent trike handled rocks, roots, berms, etc. if you are on mtb trails and if the laid back positioning worked very well.

@Flowrider Generally I am off the saddle nearly 100% percent of the time which allows me better control and allowing immediate shifting of weight and frame control. Plus, I am on a rigid frame so my legs are doing the work and sitting down hampers control at most speeds over a rough course. I do not have any of that dropper stuff, I just set saddle about an inch lower than my road bikes since pedalling efficiency is not a factor unless traversing a lot of flat terrain (stop and lift saddle at that point; of course I'm not racing off-road). Bar is set higher for positive control allowing for better upper body position.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Bike fit is so subjective.

I personally prefer to sacrifice comfort for performance schematics.

I run an extra short stem for my fit, but it enables very proficient cornering I could never get if I ran a longer one. I also have to run very specific tires, which are now Maxxis Detonators. The traction sides help me get the most out of my shorter stem and its sharper handling potential.

[Flowrider]

@ReapThaWhirlwind, I agree that bike fit is a subject, as our bodies are not all the same; however, I feel there are some fundamentals that we need to be aware of.

Specifically for long off-road rides, the angle of your neck, the weight on your arms leading to your shoulders, are you leaning too far forward, your lower back, the height of your saddle relative to your leg length, and probably a few other factors I haven't mentioned here.

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@rydabent, it'll be great and beneficial to others if you could give a breakdown of your setup.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Yes, but calcification dictates that when you expose the body to those types of pressure stresses, the body adapts be reinforcing itself and strengthening those stress points. It's uncomfortable for a time, but it builds you up over time also. You just have to be man enough to grit it out. That's not something that's in everyone's interests, and that's perfectly fine. The factors you pointed out though aren't as relevant as suggested. It's kind of AI styled autonomous direction.

[Flowrider]

@ReapThaWhirlwind bit confused here...what is kind of AI styled autonomous direction?

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Such as not being coherent to the point of interest, or diving unnecessarily off onto a tangent without connecting the point of interest. An AI will give you additional information that's only generally relative, but possibly wasn't necessary to mention. It's simply forced to prompt a reply and has to input whatever desperate thing it can muster to fulfill that demand.

For example, the comment about long rides on the road wasn't directly relevant to the fact of bike fit being subjective as I explained it. I directly stated that riders can sacrifice comfort for specific performance schematics. This would be to say that even for a long road ride, a cyclist would do the the same. A comment on subject with that point of interest would highlight another point of interest about personal preferences. That's why it came off weird and autonomous.