How to Set Up Your Spin Bike
Whether riding in- or outdoors, fitting your bike to your body is critical to preventing injury and maximizing comfort and performance. On modern-day Spin bikes, you can move the seat up, down, forward and backward, raise and lower the handlebars, and clip into your pedals. So spend a few minutes before your next class making your bike fit as well as you can. Your body will thank you.
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Instructions
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Set the seat height at a level you think might be about right - aim on the lower side to be safe - and sit on the saddle, placing the balls of your feet on the pedals.
Push down on one pedal, stopping it at the bottom of the pedal stroke, where your foot is at its furthest point from your body. Your leg should be almost fully extended, but with a slight bend in the knee, and your hips should not rock as you pedal. -
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Once you get the seat about right, place your pedals in the horizontal position (parallel to the ground) and look down to see how your knee is lining up with your pedal: a plumb line hanging from the bottom of your forward knee cap should align with the center of the pedal.
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Adjust the seat forward or backward accordingly, and remember that you may now need to raise or lower the seat slightly since the seat's fore-aft position affects your reach to the pedals.
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Now sit on the bike and see how your hands feel on the handlebars. About 40% of your weight should be resting on the handlebars while about 60% should be on your saddle. If you have too much weight up front, raise the handlebars; if you have too much weight on the seat, lower the handlebars.
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Be sure both legs still have a slight bend in the knee at maximum extension. Most of us have one leg that's shorter than the other!
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This is just a rough starting point. Do what feels most comfortable to you.
If your back bothers you, try raising the handlebars higher. -
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Bring a pen and some paper with you to write down the best settings once you've dialed them in as best you can. That will save you time and energy in the future.
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