Importance of static adjustment of knee angle to determine saddle height in cycling
Keywords:
Joint Range of Motion, Kinematics, Bike fitting, Cycling posture.Abstract
Knee flexion angle is used to determine saddle height during pedaling. However, it is unclear how knee flexion angle at upright standing posture affects measures and interpretation of knee flexion angle during cycling. The objective of this study was to highlight the importance of adjusting knee angle during pedaling according to the knee angle at upright posture. Seventeen cyclists performed three 10 min cycling trials at different saddle heights to induce knee flexion angles (40º, 30º or 20º when crank was at the 6 o’clock position). Knee flexion angle was determined at the sagittal plane during cycling using a 2D motion analysis system. Alteration of saddle height was performed by subtracting the knee flexion determined during an upright standing posture from the observed knee flexion during cycling. Repeatability of knee angles at upright posture in the three trials was very good (ICC=0.73). A reduction in knee flexion angle of 10.6° (95%CI [8.6, 12.6º]) during cycling was found using the adjustment for upright standing posture (p<0.01; effect size>3.0). As a result, saddle height is affected by adjustments based on knee angle measured in upright standing posture. Determining saddle height without adjusting knee angle for upright standing posture could lead to errors with possible effects on performance and/or injury risk.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2016 Journal of Science and Cycling
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors contributing to Journal of Science and Cycling agree to publish their articles under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND license, allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, for any purpose, even commercially, under the condition that appropriate credit is given, that a link to the license is provided, and that you indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
Authors retain copyright of their work, with first publication rights granted to Cycling Research Center.