Even though cities with a lot of traffic make the use of the bicycle quite difficult, the number of people using it as their mean of transport has not stop increasing in the last years. This shows an increase in solidarity and ecological awareness amongst people, whom are taking the bike for its daily journeys more often than before. 

Moreover, the bicycle is also contributing to improve the health of its users. The bicycle is a source of health in every sense; it reduces the risk of heart attacks and the "bad cholesterol" levels as well as it increases the "good cholesterol" levels; cycling also make the muscles of the body and the back get stronger reducing the pain; it improves the immunologic system, increases the lung capacity and cycling even improves the mind's health. The regular practice of moderate exercise means an immediate benefit in the cyclist health, and the absence of associated CO2 emissions to the atmosphere from bikes helps to get a cleaner air to breathe.

The culture of cycling in the city is quite recent in our place. The general idea of cycling is simply taking a bike and start pedaling. The campaigns to encourage the use of the bicycle and the ads based on the "be healthy" and "be greener" concept have obviously had their desired effect in Barcelona. But now it is time to spread the real "culture of cycling". This should be a culture that needs to promote more civility in the traffic and that should avoid health problems due to not been careful enough with the use of the bike itself. There are already some problems amongst non-expert cyclists, but on the other hand, we have ergonomic designs and more convenient technologies for the every day use of the bicycle. But we think that still there's is a long way to go in, apart from just encouraging citizenship to move around on bike, to promote a new culture for cycling around the city, a culture that stimulates health on the bike.

Custom-made bicycles or recycled bicycles

When we think of a tool, there is a high difference between the ones made for a professional and the ones thought for the amateur DIY (do-it-yourselfer). And so with the bicycle is the same thing. It might be because, traditionally, bicycles have been thought as a leisure vehicle for an intermittent use that the most valued aspect is the economical one, instead of the adaptation to the user. In Spain, the customer's size is not as important in the purchase of a bicycle as in other countries. So it would be necessary that, like in a clothes' shop, the shopping assistant not only helped us to choose a suitable design for our purposes, but that they would assess us about the quality and check that is right for the size of the person. With this assessment we could get the maximum comfort for the user. So, in a bike shop we need to get help in choosing the right bike for our body, independently if it is a new one or a second hand one.

If we want that bicycles become an every day means of transport, we need to value the comfort. Although current problems with robberies , we need to consider that a recycled bicycle might not be the best option if it does not have minimal ergonomic and technology requirements to avoid unnecessary injuries to the user.

When we use the bicycle as a means of transport we need to value not only the best offer in the market, but also a few criteria of suitability, specially, with respect to the ergonomic aspects and the facilities so that the daily use of the bike does not have an option to be the origin of injuries.

The role of the seller is basic because some of them are the only ones that can advise some buyers that do not know the world of the bikes that much. What is important is that the seller of a bicycle's shop assesses what the customer asks for, his or her needs and which is the best option thinking that the wrong choice of bike might mean a "stop" in its use or even it might generate physical injuries. 

There are also pieces of advice (not infallible) that can highly minimize the risk of theft. In this aspect, bike's shops also have an important role. Marking the frame of the bicycle with methods such as the Registry of Bicycles is a security element against robbery that should be considered.

Weak points of the bike for the health

Like any other sports practice, to keep the body ready for physical exercise, it is recommended to use the bike at least for forty-five minutes three days a week.

Although the bike is one of the most efficient machines regarding the energy used and the energy given, it has two weak points. We place our body on an object to which we give our energy to make it move. This means a biomechanical effort of our muscles over a system of mechanical transmission. So to make this effort the position we adopt to transmit this strength is a key factor. Consequently, the technology used in the transmission of biomechanics energy also turns into an essential factor for the cyclist's health. If the effort is done mainly on the skeleton (femur and hummer) with an optimal position, then the work is done more efficiently, the muscles are not overloaded and injuries are avoided.

A good position requires an adjustment of the main parts of the bike in relation to the body of the cyclist. To find everyone's magic recipe we need to take into account basic dimensions that are related to the distances between the handle, the seat and the pedals. To get it right, the arms must not be much flexed or very straight, to allow having the shoulders relaxed to avoid injuries in the cervical area. The thighs have to work in parallel without opening the knees, which could produce problems on the ligaments of the knees. The legs have to stay nearly straight when the pedal is at the lowest, and they always have to make a circular movement, going on with the pedal. Observing these measures the most common injuries can be avoided, such as tendonitis, breaking ligaments of knees and ankles, problems with the kneecap, injuries in the muscles and in the nerve of the food sole.

Apart from the convenient position, the technologies that the bike incorporates, as a machine, they also have effects in the driving. The current technologies in most of the bicycles are thought for making sport and therefore to promote this physical effort. However, using the bike as a means of urban transport needs to have as a main objective to protect the human body of any bad habits in the body's position or any brusque movements or efforts, and therefore, to push biomechanics and ergonomics.   

The urban cyclist does not need to feel faint no matter the length of the journey. That is why we believe that it is necessary to encourage four main ideas about the MORE RECOMMENDED technology in an urban bike for daily use.

1. Ergonomics and posture

The aerodynamic position adopted on race bicycles does not have anything to do with the ideal posture on an urban bicycle where the most important is the ergonomics . While on the first one it is important to bend the body since the circuit is supposed to avoid any obstacles, the urban cyclist needs to be erect, with maximum visibility to pay attention to the environment since the route is more variable and irregular. This posture is determined by three elements in relation with the height of a person: the body of the bike, the stem and the backward movement of the seat. The frame of the bike is built in different sizes to adapt to as many different body structures as possible. In this sense it is important to spread the most common sizes of frames for different people. A way to know which is the best frame is to multiply the length from the feet to the crotch of the person 0.6 times. It is also important to consider the agility of the person so that the frame allows getting up and down the bike with the major security and without losing equilibrium. The straight frame is not for gentlemen as neither it is the S-shape exclusive for women. The shape of the frame and its variants are so to facilitate the election of the bike depending on the user's skills and the environments. In reality, the different measures between men and women are because, generally, women's legs are longer than men's. The urban bike needs to encourage safety in front of external determining factors; it has to be appropriate for daily use and it needs to be comfortable when we need to start and stop due to traffic lights, pedestrians, etc.

For more demanding people, there is the option of a custom-made bike, where it is thought and built depending on the measures of a certain person. It is an option far from many budgets, but however available for instance for professionals, bike-lovers or even people with special body attributes.

The second aspect of ergonomics is the handle. When we hold on to the bike it is necessary to have maximum mobility of the body to allow all our senses to work, especially the sight and hearing which are essential to drive safely in the city. Many times the handle is valued as an aesthetical part of the bike and not as what it is: a crucial piece to facilitate the best position of the body in terms of visibility (which is more important than to manage the muscular strength we do). Apart from the posture, once we are on the bike, it is interesting to pay attention to the load of the bike when we need to lift it up from the floor to go up the stairs, a lift, etc. Often the bike is a transportation system that requires combination with other means of transport, so it might be necessary to lift it up and transport it within spaces that are not adapted to the bike and user needs. A good technique to lift the bike and to avoid injuries or pain is to try to distribute the weight around the whole body without pushing any muscle and keeping the body straight.

So it would be ideal that the bike stays in a diagonal position with respect to our body when we lift it in the air and the weight is equally distributed amongst both sides to make it easier.

It is essential to assume a little education of the cyclist regarding the distribution of the loads on the bike. It is necessary to combine the need of transporting objects and the reality of having to leave the bike in non-protected places so it is advisable not to leave it with the bags loaded. The concept of ergonomics is more observable in some of the main brands for "folding bikes". These bicycles are an ideal option for the urban cyclist.

2. Softness conserves, abruptness destroys 

Taking the bike is nevertheless a physical exercise that we demand to our body. Very often, urban cyclists, after getting up and having breakfast, jump on the bike when the body is not warmed up yet. This sudden work for muscles and joints can bring injuries or muscle's tearing. It is wise that, before we get on the bike, we dedicate some time to stretch and to check the state of our body to do what we will ask him for, overall if we do not regularly practice any other sports. One of the points that make our lower body suffer most is the start of the pedaling from a dead center point that is given due to the opposite position of the piston rod. If we use the bike as a sports tool what is valued is that the strength we make on the vehicle is maximum. The changes of gear were designed to reduce the strength needed in the different positions of flat or slope. The sprocket wheels are sequential. From the smallest to the biggest we need to go one by one. Consequently, if we are approaching a traffic light at moderate speed with a small sprocket, once we need to restart the route we need to lean the weight on one of the legs to overcome the dead center of the pedal. The ideal situation would be that when we starting we changed to the longest gear in order to have an easy start. If we compare with a car, to start the route in fifth gear would mean to demand a great effort from the engine. For the urban bike, where stopping and starting are common routines while we circulate, it is very handy to have a change of gear that can be changed when we are still and so to start with the right gear, that is with the minimum muscular effort. This possibility is offered by the "internal changes " that have the advantage of not needing greasing maintenance. With an internal change we can arrive with a small sprocket wheel and to start without problems with a longer one, because the change handle is placed in the desired position without the need of pedaling. To start the bike softly it is the best guarantee to reduce the risk of injuries not only muscular but also in the joints. Unfortunately, internal changes are not only little known as technology in our country but very often people think they are synonym of a "pocket" bike. On the other hand, in most countries in central Europe urban bikes are equipped mainly with internal changes to avoid the health risks associated to the abruptness of the traffic in a city.

3. To overcome the dead center

One of the main mechanical defects of the bicycle is the connecting rod that is the system that allows transmitting the power from the equilibrium position. Anyway, to break this equilibrium we need to make a great effort. The problem of the dead center is clear when we want to go over a slope and to push hard. The dead center in pedaling has not been overcome by a technological development until recently. Curiously, there are several technologies in the market going after this, but there is only one that actually achieves it, and therefore, it gives comfort because it allows for a more harmonic movement in the transmission of the strength. This harmony in the movement means a protection for the joints and a general physiologic improvement during the effort made.

This pedaling system with the technology avoiding the dead center is known as Rotor system and it is one of the most innovative technologies developed since the invention of the bike more than a century ago. Moreover, this technology was initially developed for professionals of cycling competitions. Obviously, these are the people who need to take more care of their "body tools". However, using the same way of thinking, the person who is a common user of the bicycle is who stays more exposed to the risks of pedaling, because even though it does not seem to require such a big effort as the professional dedication, the task is done irregularly. 

This pedaling system without dead center, totally built in Spain by Rotor Bike Components, is also a very interesting technology for the urban cyclist. This company has a good practice politics in which you get your money back from the kit if the user is not satisfied. It is an evident proof that they are sure about the effectiveness of this genial invention. The Rotor is a technology that avoids creating bicycles that become a barrier for old people or people with problems in their joints; it also increases muscular performance in a 16%. Currently this same company manufactures the system Q-rings , a simulation of the Rotor but cheaper and that introduces a saving in muscular strain during pedaling of some more of 4%. The Rotor system that minimizes or avoids the dead center during pedaling is one of the best investments to keep healthy knees. Without a doubt it is a very interesting option for people that cycle many kilometers each year around the city.

 4. Well seated does not mean

For many years, comfort on the bike has been linked to the idea of distributing the weight of the body on the buttocks on a triangular surface due to the position we adopt while seating. Be comfortable has also been a synonym of crushing sensible parts of our reproductive apparatus without being conscious of it. In the case of men, an inappropriate use of the seat could derive in problems of the prostate or even infertility. In the case of women, the friction might lead to infections and even to muscular injuries in the genitals. When one is in a car, the driver is seated as if he or she was on a sofa and he only needs to move the feet, whereas in the bike it is the whole body that is moving, and therefore the seat must be the right one .

The right position in biomechanics research is to make the effort to pedal over a structurally rigid physiological part. This is the case of the bones located at the end of the pelvis. Unfortunately, even though in the last times the ergonomics of conventional seats have tried to encourage the ventilation of some parts and to reduce the friction, the problem is still present in the designs. One thing is to be seated comfortably on the buttocks and the other one is to be correctly seated when all your body will move around this axis, resting over weak muscular structures such as the reproductive apparatus. Like we said, the best way for a body to work in movement with minimal risk is to do it over bone structures such as the ones in the pelvis.

This standard for sitting on a hard bone structure is what the technology developed by a Spanish company offers: the seats called Duopower . But even though we have the technology, we need to train these bones to adapt to the new situation of supporting all the body weight. However, sitting on these bones is the best guarantee not to affect negatively one of the main functions of our body, the reproductive, and also to adopt the most correct back posture. Even this, it is important that each person assesses if an ergonomics seat is adapted to his or her physiology independently of the technology of each manufacturer.

We cannot forget that we need to place the seat at a height that allows our leg to stay straight and at the same time place it around 2 to 10 cm under the handle line. Many of the problems with the knees and the tendons apart from the own debilitation of the ligaments due to the dead center are due to pedaling with the wrong seat height. There is a say that to be well seated and to be safe on a bike you need to be able to touch with your feet the floor. The ergonomics tell us that we need to touch the floor tiptoeing when we are well seated on a bike. When we stop what we need to do is to slip of the seat and to lean slightly the frame to be able to stand firmly on the floor. Apart from a suitable seat, the importance of pedaling with the maximum comfort demands a bicycle that adapts to our body dimensions.

The importance of making bikes healthy, also for the planet

This call to the idea of putting health to the bike amongst the users of bicycles as urban transportation has another side. Today we see that we have available and reliable technologies that make advancements in the idea of joining body health with the practice of urban cycling.

Terra Foundation started a space for the demonstration of some of these technologies, specially the system of the Rotor pedaling. It has also made a modest promotion of the seat Duopower. At that time, 100 units were distributed amongst users of urban bicycles and today the promotion continues as a basic component of the bike.

But we wanted to go beyond the idea of putting health on the urban bike and when we talk about putting health on the bike we also believe that the concept of health for the planet needs to be incorporated. For this reason, we suggest to install signal and light elements powered by a magnetic system that is easily installed in the wheels of the bicycle and which doesn't need batteries such as in the case of the Reelight illumination kit . For longer trips needing a more intense lighting we recommend the bushing dynamo , which extracts the energy from a magnetic generator located to the bushing of the front wheel that gives enough electric energy after each round to light both the front and the rear lamps.

We also think that for bike maintenance needs, biodegradable greasing oils should be used, such as the ones offered by Motorex. It is clear that getting all these technologies to our urban bicycle is slightly more expensive but the expense is largely repaid by the healthy aspects that they have for us as daily users of the bicycle and for our environment. This is what pushes us to promote the campaign "Add some health to your bike".

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