[mandown]

this weekend i rode whistler and noticed something new to me. my hands and fingers were getting very tired and my wrists were a bit sore. i was on a relatively new fork (boxxer ride) and bar/stem combo (funn direct mount & fullon bar). i had been working on adjusting my brake lever position to help out. but it did not seem to be working. my thumbs were sore and hurting around the lowest knuckle joint.

then it hit me

i looked at my hands when i was in riding position and i realized that my wrists were at an odd, and weak angle. they were fighting the bars and contorting to reach the levers. i experimented with arm positions to find a better fit and i noticed that things were much improved with my elbows positioned forward and out. before, i had been riding with them tucked in (to avoid hitting trees). i noticed the new position brought my chest forward over the stem. i felt like i was in much more control in the corners and my hands did not fade as fast or work as hard when braking.

has anyone else noticed this? can anyone speak to other posture adjustments that they have discovered to help with control?

along those lines, how big a difference does bar sweep make and how many different bar sweep variations are out in the dh world now? it seems that more back sweep would be better for riders who like the elbows tucked in and less sweep would work better for those who like them out away from the body.

 

[jonKranked]

ASSUME THE DOWNHILL POSITION!!!111one!1

 

[dirttastesgood]

ASSUME THE DOWNHILL POSITION!!!111one!1

grabbing the front brake will cause an endo.

 

[The Mad Haderer]

look at all the top dh racers in the world and u'll notice all of them ride elbows out as square as possible..most also run levers closer to parrallel with the ground to reduce hand fatigue and arm pump. just have to be more aware to keep your elbows up and out with the levers in that position.

 

[mandown]

thank you jonkranked. that was quite helpful.

 

[jonKranked]

grabbing the front brake will cause an endo.

listen to Jane's Addiction "Coming Down The Mountain" at all times

 

[jonKranked]

thank you jonkranked. that was quite helpful.

this is a Plattekill joke. Sorry. I wish i had the video to share.

 

[mandown]

look at all the top dh racers in the world and u'll notice all of them ride elbows out as square as possible..most also run levers closer to parrallel with the ground to reduce hand fatigue and arm pump. just have to be more aware to keep your elbows up and out with the levers in that position.

i guess i just don't watch enough racers (i don't race). i think i got comfortable with my "old" position by riding XC with narrow bars. that was years ago, but it stuck.

 

[braaaap]

The posture you just explained is one of the first things Gene Hamilton teaches in his clinics. (betterride.net) The "Racer position" makes the most sense in terms of weight distribution and getting your weight centered over the bottom bracket...I also minimizes arm pump and back strain. I made a huge difference in my riding to keep my elbows out and my chest down.

 

[blender]

adam.

a while back, after a Stunt shuttle, i hopped on your BR.. and immediately noticed how your brake levers were rotated so far back (very unusual for me).

I used to run my levers like that, back when i did lots of sitting and pedaling, as it allowed for a good lever reach with slack elbow/upper body position. As my riding shifted towards DH/DJ/FR, I was sitting less, and standing more up-right over the bars with elbows up and out. To keep my wrists in a straight line with my forearms (seems to be the strongest and least fatigue-prone position for me), I had to rotate my brake levers waay forward to allow for easy lever reach.

Not sure if you've already made that adjustment, but it sure helped me.

latez.

 

[PatBranch]

^ By rotating forward, do you mean down?

 

[Full Trucker]

The posture you just explained is one of the first things Gene Hamilton teaches in his clinics. (betterride.net) The "Racer position" makes the most sense in terms of weight distribution and getting your weight centered over the bottom bracket...I also minimizes arm pump and back strain. I made a huge difference in my riding to keep my elbows out and my chest down.

It is also one of the fundamental first thing Lee McCormack teaches in his clinics, as well as his book. It's not just for racer-boys, it's the optimal position for cornering, absorbing terrain, and pretty much anything else.

Chest down, butt out, flat back, elbows out, weight centered on your pedals.

 

[blender]

^ By rotating forward, do you mean down?

affermative

 

[mandown]

thanks y'all.

blender, sounds like i have my levers in the appropriate position for dh. i dig what you are saying about a more urban/dj posture though.

anyone care to comments on how the posture works with the current supply of bars on the market today and the variety of sweep options they offer?

 

[braaaap]

The trend these days seems to be wide and flat bars...I have found that the "Attack/ DH position" works even better with this latest trend. The wider the bars, the more balanced your weight is...to a point. I on the other hand prefer a 1" rise bar vs a flat bar. It seems to keep my weight right over the bottom bracket vs. the fork.

 

[DhDork]

I myself have a very similar problem. Whenever I look at the photos of me at races, I look like I'm standing straight up on the bike.

So, to get a better position, I need to do what?

I currently have a 660mm bar on my bike (way too narrow, and will get a 710 soon). My brakes are somewhat rotated far down.

Here is a pic of what they were:

http://http://i4.pinkbike.com/photo/653/pbpic653848.jpg

 

[DHOatmeal]

Anyone have pictures of ideal posture?? I have been getting cramps on my left fingers.

 

[3D.]

Watch the motocross pros for form help. They are constantly battling severe arm pump and are very fond of the elbows out, levers flat, and weight centered on pegs method.

A few seasons ago, I think RC was even running his clutch lever on a slightly inverted angle to ease his left forearm pump.

 

[davep]

Anyone have pictures of ideal posture?? I have been getting cramps on my left fingers.

Look at any of the pros currently running x-wide bars.

Watch video of Sam Hill...he is the first one that I truely noticed was in such an exagerated position..elbows out & chest foreward..it is especially obvious when he is sprinting toward the finish.