Long Sections And Endurance

[Netherking]

i was having the same problem a couple of days ago

my hand was cramping up and it felt like a couldn't hold the brake (Rear mainly)so i let the Tpa off a little. i was riding with the rear brake lever only moving 5mm to 1cm and i think its because my finger could never reach a comfortable postion to hold it at. and so yoiu pull harder and clamps ur whole hand up as well as ur braking finger.

well saying this i pretty sure i've sorted it out but haven't been able to ride much because i completely bugger my cranks pedal thread

cheers harry

[Si-man]

I used to get toe cramp, f**k me it felt like i was about to die!

Best bet to stop foot pains is to move them about more on the pedals, just to take the pressure off the same spots.

[omgnoseat]

I find the best position at least to start with and work in whatever direction feels better to you is to have the levers at about 45deg (I just put my hopes reservoir so the tops level) and so the breaks lock where the part of the lever blade you actually pull on is parallel to the bars. Give this a try for a while, and see if its comfy. I definitely find that having the levers pointed any further down than this can hurt my hands a fair amount.

Also what break set-up are you running? it may be too stiff. That can definitely hurt your fingers when riding for prolonged periods.

I'm running magura marta front and rear, but i feel like they're too loose instead of too stiff

My rear brake needs a bleed aswell so i'll see if that help

Going outside in half an hour and try some sections with different lever angles and see what feels best

[Krisboats]

For lever position i generally tell people to pull the bike into its position if you were balancing on the back wheel, its natural position if you were just correction hopping on the spot. At this position the comfiest lever position is striaght forwards so while the bike is on the back wheel, slide the levers so their in parallel with the ground (flat ground obviously, don't do it on a hill) and then tighten them up. Should put the levers in a fairly nice place for both being on the back wheel and trackstanding, as they should be roughly in line with your forearms.

As for the bite position, purely personal preference. Obviously the further out the bite position the less you have to pull it and the sooner your fingers cramp up due to being stretched out while trying to compress. Closer to the bar means their more compressed when your trying to compress them and doesn't lead to muscle strain quite as quick. I have mine so the final locking position is roughly in parallel with the bars. Works for me.

[omgnoseat]

ah thanks for the info kris, I will check how my lever position is on the real wheel, I do believe it is quite parallel tot the ground after I changed it this afternoon.

As for the bite position, purely personal preference. Obviously the further out the bite position the less you have to pull it and the sooner your fingers cramp up due to being stretched out while trying to compress

But i noticed that my hand cramps up even if i don't have my hand hand on the lever, its is my left (front brake) hand btw, my right hand never really cramps up

While hopping up some stairs (this always gives me the most cramp in my hand) that my grips were slipping sometimes, I will hairspray them soon so they wont slip as easy and see if that helps.

As for the foot cramping, I have placed the top of my foot on the pedal some more and that definatly helped

In combination with some new shoes, most of the foot cramp shoudl be gone

I have ridden for 3.5 hours today and my hands are aching quite bad, I hope this means that the muscles in my hands are growing stronger