Riding Position

[Haelous]

I saw another thread under general that made me question whether my riding position is correct, so I thought the right thing to do was to simply ask in the noob section.

Currently, I rest my foot on the brake and on the shifter while just cruising. Is this correct? I never asked in my MSF course; I just did it this way.

Also, how should the brake and shifter levers be adjusted with regards to foot positioning?

My boots have a lot of padding and my feet are kind of big (Alpinestars MX 2, size 47 - I wear size 13 shoes/sneakers) and did take a bit of getting used to, but I can now feel where the brake engages.

I believe otherwise my positioning is correct, but I would appreciate any further critique. I place my rear closer to where the passenger seat begins, and make sure my elbows are bent out.

Thanks in advance!

 

[sleepymas]

not gonna be much help but can i ask you how you like those boots and do they fit true to size? are they much thicker than a tennis shoe and how hard is the toe? I am looking at some other models of alpinestar but still similar.

 

[Haelous]

not gonna be much help but can i ask you how you like those boots and do they fit true to size? are they much thicker than a tennis shoe and how hard is the toe? I am looking at some other models of alpinestar but still similar.

They do not fit true to size, they fit one size larger. Euro 47 is US 12~ and I wear 13.

They are thick. The toe is hard, with a significant amount of padding on the top. I got used to this with regards to shifting in no time at all. The brake pedal took a bit longer, as the insoles are well padded, and the rubber soles are thick and appear to be durable. I haven't had them long enough to comment on durability over time.

They are comfortable. All the reviews that say that are factual. I am very picky about what shoes I wear.

Previously, I wore with a pair of Wolverine waterproof / electrical hazard / steel toe boots. The A* have a lot more padding, and the soles are slightly thicker. The toes feel about the same firmness, but the A* is from thick padding and the Wolverines feel that way from the steel toe.

 

[FB400]

when I was new to riding I kept my feet in that position. I even used to drag the rear brake without knowing it until my friend followed me and told me.

Now that I am more comfortable (7,000 miles riding) I usually keep the balls of my feet on the pegs.

At least that's what feels good on the highway when no need for shift or braking. When either shift or brake is needed I return to the normal position and it is so automatic I never really think about it.

 

[greg]

keep your foot off the brake until you need it, unless you like spending money on new brake pads

i rest my feet on the pegs, with toes under the levers. If I'm going tight around a corner I might put the ball of my feet on the pegs to stop my toes scraping the ground

 

[Haelous]

keep your foot off the brake until you need it, unless you like spending money on new brake pads

i rest my feet on the pegs, with toes under the levers. If I'm going tight around a corner I might put the ball of my feet on the pegs to stop my toes scraping the ground

Hmm, your first sentence is what made me wonder. Is the rear brake only engaged when the light is on? There's definitely a "dead section" of the pedal where the brake light does not come on, but the pedal moves with very little pressure.

So if I'm commuting to work, it's cool to keep my foot in that "dead section" for a bit, but if I'm out for a cruise I should go toes under or balls of feet on pegs?

 

[Ransom]

Keep your feet where they feel comfortable right now you will change that as you get more experience, EXCEPT don't rest your toes on the brakes like the rest have said.

If your foot feels better over the brakes just adjust the brake pedal down a little bit so you don't brush it when you don't need it.

As for my foot position I have to put the peg at the center of my foot, because I have a crazy right foot that is angled to the right a little. haha

 

[sleepymas]

thanks for the info.

now for useful advice, i keep the balls of my feet on pegs most of the time since it is most comfortable there, as someone else said.

 

[Hellgate]

Being on the balls of your feet puts you in an active position vs. the flats of your feet. This helps you react to the road and more your body around on the bike. Think of it as being in a "fighter's stance."

 

[06FZ6_IN]

Hmm, your first sentence is what made me wonder. Is the rear brake only engaged when the light is on? There's definitely a "dead section" of the pedal where the brake light does not come on, but the pedal moves with very little pressure.

So if I'm commuting to work, it's cool to keep my foot in that "dead section" for a bit, but if I'm out for a cruise I should go toes under or balls of feet on pegs?

I believe the light comes on before the rear brake provides any stopping power on my bike.

My only concern with keeping that rear brake in the "dead section" is it may cause the person behind you to not notice your brake light when actually stopping if its been on the whole time.

 

[Haelous]

Keep your feet where they feel comfortable right now you will change that as you get more experience, EXCEPT don't rest your toes on the brakes like the rest have said.

If your foot feels better over the brakes just adjust the brake pedal down a little bit so you don't brush it when you don't need it.

As for my foot position I have to put the peg at the center of my foot, because I have a crazy right foot that is angled to the right a little. haha

I will definitely be looking into adjusting the brake pedal down, per this post and the others that note accidental engagement being both potentially dangerous and expensive. Thanks!

Being on the balls of your feet puts you in an active position vs. the flats of your feet. This helps you react to the road and more your body around on the bike. Think of it as being in a "fighter's stance."

Ah I understand. I'll give the pegs a try when I'm on a back road by myself, just in case I need to adjust my footing more than once. I don't want to be trying a new riding position in traffic on my way to work.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

You should position your foot so that they are near the controls while riding, but not over or underneath them. Like others have mentioned, place your foot where the balls of your feet meet the pegs. This will also allow you to stand up on your pegs immediately if you ever had to for some unexpected bump or obstacle.

 

[DDS]

Agreed.

Feet under the pedals puts you at greater risk of injury should you get caught unawares but also increases your reaction time should you need to brake.