Originally Posted by
MoAlpha
I don't want to hold myself out as any sort of expert, but the pictures suggest to me that you are fighting the position the bike wants you to assume. I think you are protracting your shoulders, hyperextending your arms, and sliding back on the hoods, to keep from having to flex your hips and lower the back to where it needs to be. I want to hear what the others have to say, but I think the fix is to work on getting comfortable with being more horizontal on the bike.
Many here call it flexibility, but I believe it's got a lot more to do with the gluteal strength to cantilever the trunk out from the pelvis without straining the lower back. In my case, I have found deadlifts, bridges, squats etc., very helpful for getting low on the bike and you can't do them safely without strengthening the rest of the core.
agree with this, but also not an expert.
I’d also offer a slightly different perspective- when I was on a more upright endurance type geometry I found my arms were usually straight (like in the pic) as I was fighting my body’s natural desire to want to be more stretched out and lower. By getting a bike with a lower stack and extending the reach with a longer stem, I’m naturally riding with a flat(ish) back and bent arms. It may seem counterintuitive, but may be worth reducing the # of spacers to see if that helps.
Also agree on deadlifts, squats and a core regimen. It helps, a lot. I know it’s not necessarily feasible for you, but pre Covid I was working with a personal trainer 2x a week and lifting heavy really helped develop the strength to ride better. YMMV obviously.