http://www.cyclingnews.com/...s/2008/bike_position
I found some interesting points in the above bike fit article, specifically the approach to bike fitting from a neurological basis.
A few excerpts:
"90% of brain activity is tied up in relating the body to gravity" (quote: Roger Sperry - 1981 Nobel Prize Winner for brain research)."
"Our external musculature works in one of two ways, posturally or phasically. If beset by a challenge, the brain will ALWAYS prioritise the muscles acting posturally as they are the ones that allow us to resist gravity, maintain an erect position and play a major part in breathing. In contrast muscles acting phasically are the muscles that generate power to propel bicycle and rider. Yet the brain gives them a lower priority because there is greater evolutionary value in being able to breathe than there is in being able to move.
The postural / phasic split is a generalisation but an accurate one. Some postural muscles like the hamstrings and gastrocnemius act phasically on a bike because they are relieved of the need to help maintain an erect posture such as they are when standing."
"...there is a neurological basis to an optimal bike position. To be most efficient, we need to sit on a bike in such a way as to enlist the minimum amount of postural musculature. If we achieve that, we can devote the greatest effort, both neurologically and physiologically, to switching on and off the muscles acting phasically that generate power, and the minimum effort to controlling the higher priority postural muscles that allow us to hold a position on a bike relative to gravity. When needlessly enlisted, these postural muscles rob heart beats, blood flow and oxygen from the muscles that propel the bike and by doing so, diminish performance."
I found some interesting points in the above bike fit article, specifically the approach to bike fitting from a neurological basis.
A few excerpts:
"90% of brain activity is tied up in relating the body to gravity" (quote: Roger Sperry - 1981 Nobel Prize Winner for brain research)."
"Our external musculature works in one of two ways, posturally or phasically. If beset by a challenge, the brain will ALWAYS prioritise the muscles acting posturally as they are the ones that allow us to resist gravity, maintain an erect position and play a major part in breathing. In contrast muscles acting phasically are the muscles that generate power to propel bicycle and rider. Yet the brain gives them a lower priority because there is greater evolutionary value in being able to breathe than there is in being able to move.
The postural / phasic split is a generalisation but an accurate one. Some postural muscles like the hamstrings and gastrocnemius act phasically on a bike because they are relieved of the need to help maintain an erect posture such as they are when standing."
"...there is a neurological basis to an optimal bike position. To be most efficient, we need to sit on a bike in such a way as to enlist the minimum amount of postural musculature. If we achieve that, we can devote the greatest effort, both neurologically and physiologically, to switching on and off the muscles acting phasically that generate power, and the minimum effort to controlling the higher priority postural muscles that allow us to hold a position on a bike relative to gravity. When needlessly enlisted, these postural muscles rob heart beats, blood flow and oxygen from the muscles that propel the bike and by doing so, diminish performance."