Cycling is an excellent cardiovascular activity that is easy for most people to do. For this reason, it’s a popular activity for older adults who may find other forms of exercise painful or difficult to do. But one thing older riders often talk about is how sore they get after riding for longer periods of time. The soreness may be limited to the sit bones or it may be spread throughout the body.Since cycling does strain certain muscles and joints (especially the knees), it may cause some discomfort to older adults. Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize your post-cycling soreness and enjoy riding your bike more fully. Here are some helpful tips for cycling at 50 and older.
Make Sure Your Bike Is the Right Size
When buying a bike, you may think you can simply eyeball things and guess the correct size for your body. But this would be a mistake. If you are not properly fitted for a bike, you could end up with a bicycle that does not properly fit your body. As a result, your form may not be very good when you’re riding. If you don’t have proper form, you’re more likely to experience discomfort in your knees and other parts of your body during your rides. You could even injure yourself by riding a bike that is the wrong size for your body.
Make Sure Your Seat Is the Right Height
In addition to being properly fitted for a bike, you also need to make sure your seat is adjusted to the right height for your body. You can tell if your bicycle seat is too high, too low, too far forward or too far back by how your knees look throughout the pedaling process. As you move your leg through the forward motion of each pedaling stroke, your shin should be at a 90-degree angle to your thigh, and your thigh should be at a 90-degree angle to your hip.
Keep Your Knee Straight When Pedaling
When you’re pedaling your bike, make sure you keep your knees straight throughout the pedaling motion. If you tilt your knees outward or inward while pedaling, you’ll feel that there is a problem before too long. Any wobbling of the knees or outward or inward movement of the knees while pedaling increases stress and pressure on your knee cartilage and can cause inflammation and injury.
Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard
On the inside, you’re still a spring chicken. But on the outside, your body is starting to slow down and become a little more worn out. To protect your body from excess inflammation, discomfort and injury, go easy on yourself while riding your bike. Don’t push yourself too hard or you’ll end up regretting it later. Your body can’t snap back from exertion as easily as it used to, so enjoy slower rides and don’t ever try to push through the pain.
Get the Perfect Bike
Finding the right bike for your needs is the best way to ensure your comfort while riding at age 50 and older. Elux Bikes has a variety of sizes and models of electric bikes that relieve most of the strain caused by riding non-electric bikes.
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