Cycle Know-how \ Your cycling questions answered the road it’s worth trying both. In fact, mountain bike bars are rarely flat these days – most rise up at the ends so are called riser bars.
How high should my saddle be? Many beginners want to be able to put a foot flat on the ground while sitting in the saddle. The problem is that puts your saddle too low for comfortable, efficient pedalling. With your saddle too low, you’ll get tired quicker and put extra strain on your knees. You should have your saddle high enough that your knee is at a 25-35 degree angle when your foot is at the bottom of the pedal’s rotation – it will look like the knee is not quite fully straight. On most bikes you’ll still be able to reach the ground from the saddle in this position – you may just have to shuffle sideways a little.
What are clipless pedals? Pedals come in two varieties: flat and clipless (confusingly named because you do actually clip into them). The simplest pedals are flat
Clipless pedals will make your pedalling more efficient, but take a little getting used to
Dual pivot rim brakes are found on most road race bikes
With your saddle too low, you’ll get tired quicker and put strain on your knees and are found on most budget bikes and often on off-road bikes. Clipless pedals have a spring mechanism that a dedicated cleat on your shoe fastens into. Clipless shoes for mountain biking have small cleats that sit in a recess in the sole so the rider can still walk in the shoes. Road clipless systems have larger, external cleats and are inconvenient to walk in. In general, clipless pedals are used by performance-orientated riders who like the feeling of being connected to the bike and the greater pedalling efficiency of the stiff-soled cycling shoes that accompany them. Flats are favoured by riders who want to be able to ride in regular shoes, or who don’t feel comfortable being mechanically attached to the bike.
Do I need suspension? Only if you plan to ride off-road. In short, the idea of suspension is to improve handling on rough surfaces such as dirt tracks. Good suspension is a boon for proper mountain biking, but if your ambitions don’t involve zooming 14
On Your Bike | Issue 02
www.onyourbike.org
Disc brakes are standard on mountain bikes from mid-range up
down Welsh hillsides, you’ll probably be fine with a rigid bike. Even if you do like the idea of some suspension taking the sting out of those rocky trails, many of the low-end forks found on a lot of mountain bikes under £500 are quite poor quality and can be really heavy, so you need to do your research before you buy.
That saddle looks uncomfortable Bike saddles need to be fairly narrow so you can pedal easily. As a result, they undeniably take some getting used to – it’s a bit like breaking in a new pair of shoes. The trick to getting used to a saddle is to build up both frequency and distance gradually. Also wear well-fitting padded bike shorts, ideally with no underwear. Very wide and thickly padded saddles are counter-productive. While they might feel comfier at first, wide saddles get in the way of your thighs when pedalling and thick padding tends to bunch and pinch. They also add a big weight penalty you’ll notice on climbs.