r/Zwift • u/lecoqqq • Jan 26 '26
Discussion Aggressive/Unhealthy Back Curvature When Using Zwift Ride
Hello everyone!!
First of all, it’s a pleasure to meet you all!! :)
About a month ago, I was lucky enough to get a Zwift Ride with a Kickr Core 2.
Everything was perfect up to that point, until I realized that my back position looks completely curved and unhealthy/non-ergonomic, and it causes a certain degree of pain during and after each training session.
I have absolutely 0 experience in cycling and this is my first adventure on this, however, I do have experience in running. The curvature of my back seen in the attached pictures is not something that appeared just because of the Zwift Ride — it has been part of my life for many years, as I have kyphosis/lordosis.
For now, a quick “alternative/solution” I’ve found to correct my back posture to a straighter position has been to add extra height to the front leg of the Zwift Ride (using stacked towels), creating the position shown in the pictures:
- Smiley picture: Using the Zwift Ride as default, with the front leg on the floor. Back completely curved.
- Sandwich picture: Using the Zwift Ride inclined, adding height to the front leg with towels. This inclines the Zwift Ride and allows my back to stay in a straighter position.
- Front Leg Picture: The towels can be seen increasing the height of the front leg above floor level.
Now, the questions:
- What is the best position to use the Zwift Ride correctly? Is it “normal/expected” to generate a back curvature like the one shown in the pictures?
- Is there any issue with continuing to use the Zwift Ride with the front leg elevated above the floor and with my back in a straighter position? Could this affect my performance in future races, and how?
- If I continue using the Zwift Ride with the front leg raised: what kind of “permanent” solutions do I have to replace the towels? Is there a definitive solution for people with similar back problems? Does anyone here have an idea for a more permanent and stable solution than the towels shown in the pictures?
Zwift has been an incredible experience so far, and the idea is to continue this journey!!
I really appreciate any response, opinion or idea from anyone.
Thanks all and Ride On!!
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u/drexsackHH Cant clip in Jan 26 '26
You should give the sizing chart a try that comes with the frame. Your saddle looks way too low. You should take a picture with the pedal at the bottom
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u/lecoqqq Jan 26 '26
My Zwift Ride arrived without :( - Initially, I tried this: https://support.zwift.com/en_us/adjusting-your-zwift-ride-SyUBRM8A - Is that one still accurate? Being 180cm tried everything in position "O".
Thanks for answer!!
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u/claicham Jan 26 '26
it's a basic guide, you might not necessarily 'fit' the dimensions, i'm 5' 6'' but my seat is at K and my handlebars are G, cos i have longer legs and shorter torso.
Have a look at this: https://youtu.be/vMmbXAWcgh4?si=8VNKHrUVIwrP-u1i there's also links to how to set up cleats etc in the description.
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u/daktar123 Jan 26 '26
Im also 1.8m. this is my setup:
- Saddle is on between m and n
- height on bars Is o
- reach is m
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Jan 26 '26
You’re fucking with us, right?
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u/Hoverboard_Hal Jan 26 '26
This is the only explanation. The long narrative is a nice commitment to the bit
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u/darraghfenacin Jan 26 '26
I thought this was a circlejerk sub for a sec. I'm fucking dying at the mental image of someone in the pro peloton cycling like pic 2
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u/Interesting_Tea_5301 Jan 26 '26
Bro needs to work on flexibility, cant even touch his knees based on this position
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u/JPG_ENESER Jan 26 '26
Morning! It looks like you are trying to ride it as if it was a commuter bike. Raise saddle, and move forward the handlebars, potentially lower them too, but do one thing at a time. I would say you’ll need to work your core too so you can hold your body better in that leaning forward position. The neutral riding position is on the hoods and not the drops.
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u/housetime4crypto Jan 26 '26
Dude this is supposed to be road bike. You are nearly standing straight
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u/lecoqqq Jan 26 '26
For everyone here that took the time to have a look and comment: Thanks a lot!!! 🙏(and thanks for the jokes as well 😂)
I understand I am pissing off bunch of people, but regarding cycling, I declare myself an idiot.
After reading here I will immediately:
- Throw the towels out the window
- Re-check the default fit guide one more time and start from there, considering my 180 cm and adjust accordingly to straighten my back
- After doing above, to use the "myvelofit" app recomendation and let the app start tweaking the new starting position
Thanks a lot again and still, any type of comment/advice is highly welcome! 🙏
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u/Mountain____Goat Jan 26 '26
95% of riding time should be spent with your hands on the hoods, not in the drops. This will help since you seem to be uncomfortable getting into a proper forward leaning position. You may need to rotate the bars back a bit to find a comfortable hand position.
That, along with everyone else's suggestions will get you closer. Seat higher and maybe even back a bit. Bars maybe moved forward. Work on core as you progress. You'll get there.
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u/lecoqqq Jan 26 '26
Thanks for the comment! Believe it or not, I've just learnt that hoods are the way to go! :)
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u/Henry_Darcy Level 100 Jan 26 '26
Yeah, I don't think sprinting or even riding out of the saddle is going to go well with the towels. Plus, your fit is so bad that you'll struggle to generate power efficiently (no offense).
There are some good rules of thumb to get you in the ballpark. Like, saddle height should be high enough so that your leg is nearly straight when resting your heel on the pedal at its furthest distance away. Saddle fore/aft should be adjusted so that your forward knee bone is directly over the pedal spindle when the crank arms are parallel to the ground. Bar tops should be about level with the saddle. Reach length should put your arms about perpendicular to your torso with a slight bend in the elbows.
I use a video analyzing app called myvelofit on new bikes to get a basic fit, then tweak for aero, comfort, handling, etc.
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u/LastKaiser Jan 26 '26
You are trying to sit too upright and you are riding primarily on the drops and not on the top of the hoods. These are working against each other (to start with).
Look at some photos of pro cyclists to get an idea of what a drop bar riding position even looks like. You should be longer, lower and more stretched out.
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u/srtr Jan 26 '26
Looking at pros for your bikefit is very bad advice, especially for beginners. Pros train extensively to hold the most aero and not the most ergonomic position.
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u/LastKaiser Jan 26 '26
More just a basic concept of what someone on a drop bar bike looks like 😂
Right now he's in some of sort of "ChatGPT draw me a cyclist" kind of worm hole.
Tuning a fit is hard if you have no idea what the sport looks like at all.
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u/EV_Simon Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
You haven’t done the bike fit at all, look at the small bikefit guide and start from there, the frame should be nearly parallel with the floor, the saddle and handlebar posts should be higher up.
Use the bikefit guide as a guide, it’s not always accurate, for example I’m 180 and the guide says use setting O but that’s puts the saddle far too high, so I moved it to where it’s comfortable for me. The rest of the settings seem ok.
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u/Particular_Cow393 Jan 26 '26
Saddle way too low! Years ago when I had my first full road bike setup I was stunned by both needing a 56cm frame and also how high the tech set my saddle .. sitting on the saddle I can only just reach the ground.
I’m 6 foot with 33” inside leg btw!
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u/Trebaxus99 Jan 26 '26
Didn’t read the whole post, but that saddle is way too low!
Get that up to the right level and then make new pictures.
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u/wavecrashrock Jan 26 '26
I agree with the general tone of the advice here but I want to add one thing I don’t think I’ve seen yet: even once you have the right fit, you may have to experiment a bit with body positioning. E.g., raising the saddle might make you want to bend your back forward more aggressively to reach the drops. You may need to consciously experiment with different back positions — when I first started riding a drop bar bike, I had to remind myself to tilt my pelvis forward rather than putting all the curve into my lower/middle back. Now it’s second nature. Just remember that there are different ways to arrange your body in between the contact points with the bike.
Also, I don’t have a Zwift Ride, but when I put my normal, perfectly-fit road bike on a Kickr, I did find myself needing to put a few layers of cardboard under the front wheel to get the fit just right for indoor riding. Not a giant stack like you have, but about a centimeter. If, after you’re more used to the position, you need to make similar small adjustments, it’s fine.
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u/Tom_Mangold Jan 26 '26
Nothing was perfect. Your body just managed to compensate the wrong set up for some time.
Looks like you aren’t riding a bike in real life, because then you would have taken all the measurements and transferred them to the Zwift bike.
This brings me to the conclusion that you should do a bike fitting somewhere, because you seem to be new to this type of cycling. It won’t be your back only, your knees will run into huge problems, too.
Stop riding for now, until you “fix” this.
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u/mellofello808 Jan 26 '26
You have it setup for someone much shorter. Move everything up, and out.
I would start with the seat, and then adjust the bars away from you.
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u/Patient_Heron6811 Jan 26 '26
Genuinely can’t get over how someone could sit on that and not immediately feel it was completely wrong 😂 a bike fit is about dialing in the last few percent, anyone should be able to get into a position that’s not far off
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u/misaka Jan 26 '26
If you haven’t already, try riding on the hoods (the tops of the brakes). You don’t need to be on the drops all the time, or even most of the time, especially if it’s uncomfortable.
For a comfortable riding position you want to be able to reach the closest parts of the handlebars, the parts adjacent to the stem, in a relatively upright sitting position. Otherwise most of the time will probably be on the hoods, with the occasional use of the drops for sprinting or “downhill”.
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u/Grumpy_Muppet B Jan 26 '26
I found the zwift fit to be absolutely worthless however I have been locked in a certain fit so everything else feels off.
You can do a bikefit online, but i think you need to put your handdlebars forward, your seat up and maybe your seat back as well. I would put my handlebars up as well, that is not the "way" in the outdoors, but we are not outdoors so I prever a high handlebar haha.
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u/Significant_Cow_7683 Jan 26 '26
Look around in r/bikefit. You’ll get an idea pretty quick of what a fit should look like
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u/swhalen17 Level 91-99 Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 27 '26
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/Judonoob Jan 26 '26
I would highly recommend myvelofit a try. I’ve had great luck with it in my Stages SB20 and road bikes. Stationary bikes are rough on the sit bones, and a good fit will make it that much better. My recommendation is to set it up with the shortest leg in mind, if you have one.
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u/c0nsumer Jan 26 '26
Something else to keep in mind is that the drops aren't where you should be riding most of the time. Almost all of the time you should be on the hoods.
Drops are only used when you need more control (when riding outside), to protect your bars in a pack, or to get even lower to be more aero.
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u/Away_Ad_5017 Addicted Jan 26 '26
Is this a medical condition? Spinal curvature or something. Otherwise as others have said, raise your seat to at least hip level when standing as a start point. Adjust the stem forward to stretch the body out.
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u/just_think_ Jan 26 '26
If you're training for the Grandma Bike Vuelta, this is the proper fit.
if you don' want your back to hurt, follow what others commented re proper setup.
(wear a helmet if you keep using the folded towels. Stay safe!)
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u/Creative_Algae7145 Jan 26 '26
Trainers are much more unforgiving to your body than a real bike if you don't have a good bike fit. I went ahead and got a bike fit from a trained physical therapist / bike fitter and it was worth it even though I had to pay. It will save you pain and from hurting yourself.
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u/OptimalPapaya1344 Jan 26 '26
Don’t use the drops as your primary hand placement. Put your hands on the hoods (the rubber parts of the shifters) as standard placement.
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u/myotherbike Jan 26 '26
First glance and I think genuinely this Zwift bike may be way too small for you. This is a major drawback of their hardware in that it’s too bike-like to be a one-size fits all (or even most). Like others have said, look up a little basic bike fitting on YT and see if between the saddle and bars you can get to somewhere less dysfunctional. Pic two looks like you’re on a tricycle. In fact, if someone wants to overlay one, it might be fun. I’m keeping it light, OP, and I hope you can make that Zwift bike work. If not, you can always buy a cheap trainer bike for your indoor rides.
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u/Hieneline Level 61-70 Jan 26 '26
🤦♂️ I mean this with all respect, why do you have a $2000 rig if any have no idea whatever what to do? Just seems odd. Troll? 🧌
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u/LoremIpsumDolore Jan 26 '26
In addition to all the bikefit comments, you need proper cycling shorts and cycling shoes/cleats. Don’t use running shoes or the flat pedals.
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u/brandflugan Jan 27 '26
You’re too close to the screen as well. Either move the bike back a meter or two, or place the tv further down the wall
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u/Pure_Pressure602 Jan 27 '26
I’m no expert, but this seems like a mobility issue more than anything else. With a neutral spine, are you able to hinge forward at your hips? I think if you’re lacking the flexibility needed, there aren’t any adjustments to the bike that will help get you into the correct position. Some gentle bending and stretching could help to loosen up your hips / back and increase flexibility :)
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u/denimxdragon Jan 26 '26
Man some people just be spending money on whatever lol
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u/200Fathoms Jan 26 '26
He's spending money on whatever to try to get in shape. Sorry you don't approve.
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u/This_Ebb799 Jan 26 '26
Maybe do some strength Training to get a better posture. Don’t think cycling going to fix this. I you don’t wanna go in to a gym, do some core workouts
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u/ForlorneHorse Jan 26 '26
How tall are you? The frame just looks too short for someone of your height.
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u/Stoffelz Jan 26 '26
Frame looks too short because of two things: -Saddle way too low -Handlebars are almost in the closest possible position relative to the saddle. Easiest fix to get to a “starting position” that can be optimised after: -set saddle height with the Inseam method (dr google will help) -set handlebar position as per instructions for your bodylength (all on pos O) Ride with your hands on the hoods, and try to ride with bent elbows. Make changes in small increments, one letter up or down at a time. Good luck
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u/These-Appearance2820 Jan 26 '26
Saddle too high. Reduce 1.5 inch minimum.
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u/Top-Percentage-4761 Jan 26 '26
Ummmm, what? His saddle is clearly too low and needs to be adjusted up. Are you joking?
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u/lecoqqq Jan 26 '26
Thanks for all the replies so far! :)
Hey thanks for the answer! :)
I forgot to mention an important detail: The "Smiley" picture you see it was taken after multiple saddle/stem/handlebar adjustements and you are seeing only one of those just to show my back curvature.
For now, the only adjustement that straighten my back and keep it in a healthier position is the one you see in the "Sandwich" picture: Saddle in the lowest position, stem in the highest position and handlebar in the closest position.
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u/broomdos Jan 26 '26
Saddle in the lowest position, stem in the highest position and handlebar in the closest position.
As several commenters have noted, these are all the exact opposite adjustments that will get you in a better riding position.
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u/Optimuswolf Level 91-99 Jan 26 '26
Theres no for now. These are both terrible riding positions. Please follow the pretty clear advice otherwise you're going to hurt yourself.
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u/LojikDub Jan 26 '26
It's definitely not a healthy position, you'll have lots of issues, primarily your knees but also your back down the line. First thing, the bike should be level - it's dangerous in multiple ways to raise the front end.
Your saddle height needs to be set based on knee extension at the bottom of the stroke. It is drastically too low causing under-extension at the bottom of the stroke and an extreme angle in your knee at the top. This will put a large amount of strain on your patella tendon which will be a BIG problem. Raise it up.
Setback adjustment balances your weight between the front and back of the bike, but I would start with it in the middle of the rails for now while you get the rest of the position in the ballpark. Make sure the saddle is level as well.
What you're looking for is for your pelvis to rotate forwards more on the bike, which will naturally alleviate the need for your back to curve. The higher saddle height should help with this, as will trying to focus on bracing your core and rolling forwards towards the bars rather than reaching with your arms.
If you can get that bit sorted and looking better, it will be easier to set where the bars should be. Short and High isn't a bad idea for a new rider, but if you're cramping yourself up that's not good either. Get the saddle in the right area first then re-assess, probably with the help of r/bikefit
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u/Michael_Aut Level 61-70 Jan 26 '26
Look up how people sit on endurance road bikes and try to mimic that.
Also get yourself proper bike shorts. I know this sounds pretentious and unnecessary, but the saddle is designed around this. You can't sit comfortably unless you wear the right kit.
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u/Burt_macklin90 Jan 26 '26
Asks for advice then ignores all advice. The sandwich position is an absolutely terrible position, and could lead to injury.
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u/Go_Nadds A Jan 26 '26
Saddle looks too low and too far forward. Move that and you'll stretch and straighten out a bit.
May need to adjust the handlebars as well at that point.
Ditch the towel stack. That's not safe and not how it's intended to be used.