{"id":39980,"date":"2015-05-13T11:15:26","date_gmt":"2015-05-13T15:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=39980"},"modified":"2021-09-18T08:05:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-18T12:05:00","slug":"spin-class-spin-bike-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/spin-class-spin-bike-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Mistakes You Make Setting Up Your Bike for Spin Class"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"4
Photo: SoulCycle<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s a reason most spin classes<\/a> have a strict \u201cget here five minutes early\u201d rule. It takes (at least) that long to get set up on a stationary bike. And if you\u2019re new to spinning, that could stretch even further, as you struggle to adjust your seat and figure out proper form.<\/p>\n

Even among class-goers who actually manage to clip in, a whole lot of them are doing it wrong, says Jessica King, a coach with Peloton Cycle<\/a> in New York City. \u201cProper bike set up is one of the most important parts of a successful ride. It puts your body in proper riding form, preventing injury, ensuring the most effective workout, and giving you one less thing to battle on the bike,\u201d King says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 8 Ways to Learn to Love Spin Class<\/a><\/p>\n

How to Ace Your\u00a0Spin Class\u00a0Set-Up<\/h3>\n

To make your rides smoother, easier, and way more beneficial<\/a>, here are the top four mistakes spinners make on their bikes \u2014 and some simple tips for fixing them.<\/p>\n

Mistake #1: Setting the Seat Too Low<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Listen up, low riders. \u201cOne of the best aspects of indoor cycling is that it is non-impact,\u201d King says. \u201cHowever, if the saddle is not high enough, and you\u2019re riding too low, you\u2019ll put undue pressure on the knee joint and can experience knee pain.\u201d Meanwhile, sitting too low can make getting out of your saddle (say, to switch to second position) slower and more difficult, says Los Angeles SoulCycle<\/a> instructor Tina Davis. When you\u2019re riding low, you tend to overwork your quadriceps and risk tuckering out way before you should.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 9 Trainer Tips to Get More From Your Fitness Classes<\/a><\/p>\n

How to fix it: <\/strong>\u201cTo find the sweet spot for your saddle, stand next to your bike with your feet flat on the floor,\u201d King says. \u201cThe [seat] should be adjusted so that it comes right up against your hip. Once you clip in, bring your foot flat and to the six o\u2019clock position [the base of the pedal stroke]. You should have a very slight bend in your knee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mistake #2: Positioning the Seat Too Close to the Handlebars<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Feel like you\u2019re all crunched up on the bike? This common setup mistake also puts injury-risking pressure on your knees by forcing them too far forward forward, says New York City Flywheel<\/a> master instructor Danielle\u00a0Devine Baum.<\/p>\n

“Clipping in has a way of simultaneously infuriating and embarrassing every new rider in the history of spin classes.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How to fix it:<\/strong> To find your seat\u2019s ideal distance from the handlebars, sit on the saddle with both pedals at an equal distance from the ground. \u201cImagine a weighted string dropping down from your knees. If the seat is appropriately adjusted, the string would land right over the ball of the foot,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Get Off Your Spin Bike and Start Cycling Outside<\/a><\/p>\n

Mistake #3: Ignoring the Handlebars<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you go to town trying to get the seat positioning \u201cjust right,\u201d and then totally neglect the handlebars, this one\u2019s for you.<\/p>\n

How to fix it:<\/strong> Davis recommends adjusting your handlebars to align with the height of your seat (make sure you adjust your seat first). This goes a long way in\u00a0preventing neck and back<\/a> overuse and injury, she says. If you have back issues or are pregnant<\/a>, you may want to position the handlebars even higher, Baum adds. Over time, as your core<\/a> becomes stronger and you\u2019re better able to keep your torso upright, you can begin to drop the bars, King says. But remember: The handlebars are only to assist your ride. Your weight should always be in your legs, not your arms, she says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Workout Playlist: Tour de France Cycling Mix<\/a><\/p>\n

Mistake #4: Furiously Trying to Jam Your Shoes Into the Pedals<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Clipping in has a way of simultaneously infuriating and embarrassing every new rider in the history of spin classes. \u201cMy advice here: relax. The quick, frustrated approach will get you nowhere fast,\u201d King says.<\/p>\n

How to fix it: <\/strong>First, make sure the pedal is flat and right-side up (you should see an opening shaped like the cleat on the bottom of your shoes). While two types of clips exist, most require the same motion to clip in, King says. Slide the lip of the cleat down into the pedal and then press down through your heel \u2014\u00a0you should hear a click. \u201cBefore starting your ride, do a double check to make sure your shoes are aligned forward, they feel steady and solid, and aren\u2019t sliding around,\u201d Davis says. Otherwise, you risk flying out of the pedal mid-stroke or crashing down from third position. Trust us, it\u2019s happened before.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Love spin class, but suspect you\u2019re setting up your bike all wrong? Learn to spot the common mistakes that might be wrecking your ride, according to spin instructors. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":39984,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6],"tags":[288,265,212,341,342],"class_list":["post-39980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-cardio","tag-fitness-class","tag-spinning","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2indoor-cycling"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39984"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}