kansasparamedic

I am experiencing problems with my bike fit, I think. First of all I would like to ask where are you supposed to feel the burn in your thighs? The teardrop muscles? The middle thigh etc. I have tried racing and am always terrible even after training hard for months. Im one of those people who have chicken legs no matter how hard or much I ride. My upper body is fairly muscular. I know this gives me a poor strength to weight ratio. I wonder if my bike fit is poor. Im 5'11 inches but have size twelve feet. On top of this my toes are extremely long. Currently I set the fore/aft on my seat so that a plumb bob runs from my knee through the pedal axle like most people recommend. With this setup I pretty much only feel the teardrop muscles in my leg working when I ride. That and pressure in my knees when pushing hard. My girlfriend says that when she rides she feels it in her mid to upper thighs. Is this the cause of my chronically week legs? I love to race and am tired of always finishing towards the back. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

Billy Ray

Two things:
1. Spend the money to get a quality, professional fit. Your usual LBS may be able to do a great job, or you may be better finding somebody else.
2. How long have you been riding/racing? It may take quite a while for you to build up the muscles in your legs. Constant hard work will build up your legs, endurance, etc.

BR

kansasparamedic

Ive attempted races, two or three, each year for about five years. Granted I dont stick with it in the winter. I do train hard in the spring though. So Billy, where do you feel the burn in your legs?

Billy Ray

Mostly along the top and slightly to the outside of the middle of my quads.

I'm not sure what you mean by the teardrop muscles.

BR

kansasparamedic

By teardrop I was meaning the ends of your quads by your knee where the muscles look like or form a tear drop. It is interesting you feel it in the middle of your quads I think that i might need to move my seat forward some.

Billy Ray

I can't say that it hasn't happened, but I can't remember ever consciously feeling the burn down by my knees.

Is your seat too high, maybe?

BR

kansasparamedic

Thats another possibility. Im just wanting to get the most from my bike fit. I guess I might try to ride with different adjustments in time trials or something. Do you race?

Billy Ray

Nothing other than trying to kick my friends' arses!

BR

DnvrFox

I guess I would want a better bike fit than one determined by where my muscles "burn."

Do you have a problem with getting an expert to check your fit out?

Strongly suggest you do this.

Good luck.

manual_overide

just follow these simple guidelines:

Billy Ray

And which simple guidelines would those be?

BR

Diggy18

Oops

berny

Definitely get fitted by an expert and then make sure the 'expert' knows what he's talking about. There are differing theories on the subject of bike fit.
In the meanwhile you might like to read the article at; https://camwest.pps.com.au/news/bicycle_fit.html

my58vw

I feel the typical burn in my upper quads and also into the sides...