We noticeably want to increase
the riding pleasure for every cyclist.

Bike Ergonomics:
Rider and Bike together as one.

Cycling is one of the few types of travel in which different body parts interact with different parts of the bicycle to form a single unit. The slightest changes have an impact on the body and the efficiency of travel. Therefore, the bicycle should be matched as a whole to human body.

According to Ergonomics

Support

The design of the product takes on the form of your body and leads to a better distribution of opposing forces. Unpleasant pressure points and related discomforts are avoided.
Comfort

The physiological adaptation of ergonomic products to your body makes it exceptionally user-friendly and comfortable.
Optimization

Your joint position, range of motion, and overall posture can be optimized. Misalignments and the associated pains will be corrected or prevented.
Control

Different materials with specific properties on the various contact points of the bicycle optimize your contact to the bicycle, thus enabling a better control.

Ergonomics of sitting

The Sitting Area

When cycling, most of your body weight lies on the relatively small saddle surface. The seating area is one of the most sensitive regions of the body. This situation often leads to discomfort, numbness feelings, and saddle problems while cycling.

Why do I have saddle problems?

On the buttock lies the pressure-sensitive perineum and genital area. If the rider’s weight is not transmitted uniformly to the insensitive points of the buttocks, arising pressure points can lead to increased seat symptoms. Between the pelvis and saddle, compressed nerves are leading to numbness and discomfort, particularly the pudendal nerve which is comprised of a web of many nerves.

What can I do against saddle pain?

For healthy pressure distribution of your body weight on the saddle the sit bone distance and torso inclination should harmonize together. Equally crucial is the right saddle width, so that sufficient contact surface is provided for weight distribution and the thigh is still free to rotate. In the perineal and genital area there should not be high pressure so that nerves and blood vessels aren’t being pinched. A relief channel fills accommodates this need and distributes the pressure off the pressure points.

Illustration der Nervenbahnen, die am Beckenknochen entlang laufen. — Topographic anatomy

The Nervus pudendus (pudendal nerve) is a nerve that originates from the Plexus sacralis. It spreads into smaller nerves in the perineum and genital area. A flat sitting area makes it possible to find a healthy seating position without pressure points.

The Female Anatomy

**More Flexibility:** Women are significantly more flexible in the pelvic area than men. This is why, when in the saddle, their pelvis often rocks further forward.

**Low Pubic Symphysis:** In women, the distance between the sit bones and the pubic symphysis is lower by 25 % than in men.

The Sensitive Nervous System and Soft Tissue Areas

In the female anatomy, the pubic symphysis (front cartilage connecting the two halves of the pelvis) is positioned 25% lower than in the male pelvis, and the angle of the pubic bones is wider overall. Additionally, when on the saddle, mobility is higher in women as their pelvis often rotates further forward. This can create high pressure in the genital area.

The Solution: Gender-specific Relief Surfaces against Numbness and Pain

Ergon Women Series: Thanks to the forward positioned relief channel and the saddle’s wide wings (V-shape) the pressure is effectively transferred to the sit bone area.

The Male Anatomy

**Pelvic Tilt:** In comparison to the female, the male pelvis is less flexible, meaning male riders are sitting more upright on the saddle and put more strain on the sit bones. This allows the transition zone between the saddle’s fore and aft to be narrower (Y-Shape), creating more pedaling room.

**Pubic Bone Angle:** In contrast to the female anatomy the male’s pubic blades stand at a much steeper angle and the pelvic symphysis sits notably higher.

The Sensitive Nervous System and Soft Tissue Areas

With men numbness when biking most often occurs due to high pressure in the sensitive perineal area. The external genitals are usually not the cause for discomfort because they can yield and are generally not compressed by bone structures.

The Solution: Gender-specific Relief Surfaces against Numbness and Pain

Ergon Men Series: It all depends on the optimal pressure distribution. The task with male specific saddles is to keep pressure off the perineal area and transfer the loads to the sit bones and to parts of the pubic arch. That is what the relief-surface of the new Ergon Men’s saddles is doing.

Dynamic sitting

Cycling is not static. The body naturally tries to counteract the occurring pressures due to slight variations in the seating position. Uphill, the rider slips intuitively towards saddle nose to displace the body center of gravity forward. Downhill, it behaves in an opposite manner.

Ergon saddles are designed for dynamic sitting. The seating area is designed to be completely free of steps and allows all variations of the seating position through its anatomical shape.

Ergonomics of gripping

The hand

Many recreational and professional cyclists know the problem when the hands fall asleep or begins to tingle. The hand is a very complex and sensitive part of the body, a lot of nerves running through the wrist, which is a bottleneck and thus a problem zone. Due to the low fat and muscle, the hand is less protected and thus vulnerable to pressure load.

Why do I get hand pain?

The hands bolster a large part of the upper body weight onto the handlebars. Thus there is constant and high pressure onto a small area causing nerves to be irritated. To make matters worse, many cyclists bend their wrists too much. The result is sensory loss, tingling, numbness or abnormal sensations in the little finger and ring finger. In extreme cases, even the grasping function of all fingers is limited.

What can I do to combat hand pain?

Hand pressure must be distributed on a wider scale. Through a larger contact area of the grip, the forces are distributed better and the nerves are not irritated. A rider who has these problems should opt for an ergonomic wing grip. Through the use of a screw clamp, Ergon grips can be fixed to a custom and individual angle on the handlebar. The result, the wrist is actively prevented from kinking of falling downward.

One should also pay attention to the seating position, since a poorly adjusted bicycle also has negative effects on the body. A correct bike fit is assured from your dealer, a fitting expert, or the Ergon Fitting Box.