Hips rocking?

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OP
OP
gazza81

gazza81

Über Member
Location
Edenbridge
A rocking pelvis isn't so easy to spot, especially when wearing loose clothes. Have a helper stand behind you and use two pointing fingers to touch the left and right side of your pelvis at its widest point before disappearing into your waist. Now pedal. The helper's hands will now show whether your pelvis is actually rocking and by how much. It shouldn't rock, just jiggle a bit.
I tried to feel my hips and im not sure they were "rocking" but theres alot of movement in my back which i wasn't sure was a good thing!
 
OP
OP
gazza81

gazza81

Über Member
Location
Edenbridge
Feeling comfy is a good start, certainly if you’ve had knee gripes
Bike fit by a proper fitter is another thing ( cf helmet debate - some are pro fit, others not).
Clipped in spinning would help, by keeping your foot still.
Maybe don’t overthink it. If you’re feeling comfortable, just enjoy your riding.
Yes you're right! I guess if i start to get pain then look at my form
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
Dont over think the situation. If its comfortable, then its ok. When you get into bigger miles, any niggles can be addressed by small incremental adjustments.

You do these one by one, IF and when they arise
 
About a year ago someone informed me my hips were rocking. I've since watched a lot of pro-racing, and it's vv common for a little rockin' to occur, mile after mile with some riders.
So I decided not to worry about it - I've ridden many 300km days with no problem, so I don't want to bu99er about and create new problems.

From the vid I'd say there is minimal rocking, but it's hard to say with loose-fitting clothes.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
The movement in your back is your muscle. Certainly saved my spine from worse injury when it got broken. Specialist commented on the back muscles either side of my spine. It's good exercise. Listen to yellow saddle.

Your seat height looks ok. My bikes are all set up with Bernard Hinaults book on racing and training. Can't remember the formula, but two of my bikes are from 30 years ago so I just measure them and apply it to my other bikes including the MTB's
 

boydj

Legendary Member
Location
Paisley
I don't think your hips are rocking. I think the movement you see is because the saddle is a bit low and your knees and therefore your thighs are coming up too high. I'd gradually move the saddle up a little at a time until you get to the right height going by the heel on pedal test which should hopefully be somewhere near the bike fit setting. It does take time for a new saddle height to feel right if you've been at the wrong height for a long time.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
I have read that, as a rule of thumb, to set the saddle at the right height your leg should be straight when the heel is on the pedal.

Wrong. With the pedal at the bottom of its stroke the leg should be in what's called the "naturally cocked" position, meaning hanging loose rather than stretched straight. In this position the heel should just contact the pedal when swung gently back and forth.

This thread contains some of the worst advice I've ever seen collected together in one CC thread.

FWIW the hip movement in the OP's video doesn't look abnormal to me. What you're seeing is the muscles moving. A video shot properly in landscape (hence taking up the entire screen) with the rider's hip area in lycra shorts and top or even just underpants and bare top would tell us more. There will always be hip movement when making an effort so in the landscape video, ride with normal effort.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Try the calculation using Ballantine's formula of 1.09 x inside leg = saddle top to pedal dimension. If I set a saddle by trial and error for comfort and lack of knee pain, then measure it after, I find both the Ballantine and Lemond method numbers are very similar to my actual empirical adjustment.
i find 1.09 is 5 cm short
 

Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
Try the calculation using Ballantine's formula of 1.09 x inside leg = saddle top to pedal dimension. If I set a saddle by trial and error for comfort and lack of knee pain, then measure it after, I find both the Ballantine and Lemond method numbers are very similar to my actual empirical adjustment.

The Ballantine and Lemond method should give you two different results if done correctly.

http://veloptimum.net/Velop/documents/1-choisir/RBR15juil10.htm

I have always found the heel on pedal with straight leg works for me, with cleats,

In the op Video the saddle looks a touch low,
 
Last edited:

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Shouldn't you be subtracting 5mm ?



The Ballantine and Lemond method should give you two different results if done correctly.

http://veloptimum.net/Velop/documents/1-choisir/RBR15juil10.htm

I have always found the heel on pedal with straight leg works for me, with cleats,

In the ops Video the saddle looks a touch low,
I think your mixed up i run shorter cranks so to get to the right measurement i need to add the difference.
 
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