The effects of relative cycling intensity on saddle pressure indexes

The Effect of Bicycle Saddle Widths on Saddle Pressure in Female Cyclists

Choosing an unsuitable bicycle saddle increases the saddle pressure and discomfort during cycling. Women contract sports injuries more easily than men during cycling owing to their anatomy. To investigate the effect of saddle widths on the saddle pressure in female cyclists. Ten healthy women with an average age of 20.7 ± 1.3 years, height of 162 ± and 5.9 cm, weight of 56.1 ± 7.5 kg, and a sciatic bone width of 15.5 ± 1.4 cm were recruited for this study. The distributions of saddle pressure for four different saddle widths (i.e., narrow, moderate, wide, and self-chosen) were recorded using a saddle pressure mat. Participants were instructed to pedal steadily with a frequency of 90 RPM and a load of 150 watts. Thirty seconds of riding data was randomly retrieved for analysis. The trials were conducted with a counter-balanced design to minimize random errors. One-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the saddle pressure of different saddle widths, and the significance level was set at α = 0.05. When wide saddles were used, the maximum and average pressure on the right surface of the posterior ischium were lower than those with narrow (p = 0.001, p = 0.012) and moderate (p = 0.016, p = 0.019) saddles. The area of pressure on the pubic bone was smaller when using a wide saddle than when using narrow (p = 0.005) and moderate (p = 0.018) saddles, and the area of pressure on the right posterior sciatic bone was larger under the wide saddle than under the narrow (p = 0.017) and moderate (p = 0.036) saddles. The average force was greater with the moderate saddle than with the wide (p = 0.008) and self-chosen (p = 0.025) saddles. Using a saddle with a width that is longer than the width of the cyclist's ischium by 1 cm can effectively improve the distribution of saddle pressure during riding, while providing better comfort.

The effect of saddle setback and cycling intensity on saddle pressures and comfort in male and female recreational cyclists

Cycling is a recreational activity that helps to prevent different diseases. The practice of this popular worldwide sport requires the cyclist to maintain a particular posture in contact with the pedals, handlebars, and saddle for long periods of time. Therefore, the study of the pressure exerted on the saddle is of great importance as it is directly related to the reduction of perineal injuries and pathologies. The present research aims to study the effect on comfort and saddle pressures when performing a cycloergometer test using 3 saddle positions: own setback position (P1), forward [-10% (P2)], backward [+10% (P3)] at two exercise intensities (Ventilatory Threshold: VT1 and VT2). 34 amateur cyclists (14 women, 20 men) were analysed. The results showed that comfort was significantly reduced in P3 (p < 0.01) and significantly increased for some items in the VT1 condition and for men in P1 regarding overall comfort (p < 0.01, ES = 0.105). In addition, the average and maximum pressure in the pubic region were significantly higher at P3 (p < 0.001) and men show higher values for average pressure compared to women (p = 0.006, ES = 0.235). In conclusion, backward saddle setback positions increase pressure and discomfort to recreational cyclists in comparison with the forward and own setback position, which could increase the risk of injury.

Could Proprioceptive Stimuli Change Saddle Pressure on Male Cyclists during Different Hand Positions? An Exploratory Study of the Effect of the Equistasi® Device

When pedaling, the excessive pressure on the seat has the potential to produce injuries and this can strongly affect sport performance. Recently, a large effort has been dedicated to the reduction of the pressure occurring at the saddle region. Our work aims to verify the possibility of modifying cyclists’ pedaling posture, and consequently the pressure on the saddle, by applying a proprioceptive stimulus. Equistasi® (Equistasi srl, Milano, Italy) is a wearable device that emits focal mechanical vibrations able to transform the body temperature into mechanical vibratory energy via the embedded nanotechnology. The data acquired through a pressure mapping system (GebioMized®) on 70 cyclists, with and without Equistasi®, were analyzed. Pedaling in three positions was recorded on a spin trainer: with hands on the top, hands on the drop handlebar, and hands on the lever. Average force, contact surface, and average and maximum pressure each in different regions of the saddle were analyzed, as well as integral pressure time and center of pressure. In the comparisons between hands positions, overall pressure and force variables were significantly lower in the drop-handlebar position at the rear saddle (p < 0.03) and higher in hand-on-lever and drop-handlebar positions at the front saddle (p < 0.01). When applying the Equistasi device, the contact surface was significantly larger in all hand positions (p < 0.05), suggesting that focal stimulation of the lumbar proprioceptive system can change cyclists’ posture.

The Effect of Cycling-specific Vibration on Neuromuscular Performance

PURPOSE

This study aimed to provide an understanding of how surface-induced vibrations in cycling interfere with short-term neuromuscular performance.

METHODS

The study was conducted as a cross-sectional single cohort trial. Thirty trained cyclists participated (mass = 75.9 ± 8.9 kg, body height = 1.82 ± 0.05 m, V˙O2max = 63 ± 6.8 mL·kg-1⋅min-1). The experimental intervention included a systematic variation of the two independent variables: vibration (Vib: front dropout, 44 Hz, 4.1 mm; rear dropout, 38Hz, 3.5 mm; NoVib) and cranking power (LOW, 137 ± 14 W; MED, 221 ± 18 W; HIGH, 331 ± 65 W) from individual low to submaximal intensity. Dependent variables were transmitted accelerations to the body, muscular activation (gastrocnemius medialis, gastrocnemius lateralis, soleus, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, triceps brachii, flexor carpi ulnaris, and lumbar erector spinae), heart rate, and oxygen consumption.

RESULTS

The main findings show that the root-mean-square of local accelerations increased with vibration at the lower extremities, the torso, and the arms-shoulder system. The activation of gastrocnemius medialis, gastrocnemius lateralis, soleus, triceps brachii, and flexor carpi ulnaris increased significantly with vibration. The activation of vastus lateralis increased significantly with vibration only at HIGH cranking power. Oxygen consumption (+2.7%) and heart rate (+5%-7%) increased significantly in the presence of vibration.

CONCLUSIONS

Vibration is a full-body phenomenon. However, the impact of vibration on propulsion is limited as the main propulsive muscles at the thigh are not majorly affected. The demands on the cardiopulmonary and respiratory system increased slightly in the presence of vibration.

Anthropometrics, flexibility and training history as determinants for bicycle configuration

Intrinsic factors such as leg length, arm length, flexibility and training history are factors that may be relevant to the optimisation of the individual bicycle configuration process. Bike fitting methods do not always take all these variables into account, and as yet there have been limited studies examining how these variables can affect the cyclist's position on the bicycle. The main aims of this study were to establish how individual anthropometrics, training history and flexibility may influence cyclists' freely chosen bicycle configuration, and to determine the full-body static flexion angles chosen by cyclists on the bicycle.

Fifty well-trained male cyclists were recruited for the study. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to predict the four main configurations of a bicycle (saddle height, saddle setback, handlebar reach and handlebar drop) based on individual anthropometrics, flexibility and training history. Average joint kinematic ranges for the knee (36°±7°) and elbow (19°±8°) joint supported previous recommendations. Hip (77°±5°) and shoulder (112°±7°) joint angles should be determined as true clinical joints.

Trochanteric leg length (p < 0.01), Knee Extension Angle test (p < 0.01) and mSchober test (p = 0.04) were significant predictors for determining saddle height. Hamstring flexibility can be used to predict handlebar drop (p = 0.01).

A cyclist who wishes to adopt a more aerodynamic position with an increased handlebar drop should aim to improve their hamstring flexibility.