Desk to pedals: how long sitting can hurt your cycling—and how to fix it

Prolonged desk work can shorten hip flexors, worsen posture, and trigger back/neck pain, reducing cycling performance. With office workers spending roughly 70% of the day seated and four+ hours of sitting linked to chronic diseases, the article recommends breaking up sitting every 20 minutes with light activity, optimizing workstation ergonomics, and taking 60-120 second breaks every 30-45 minutes. It also suggests a pre-ride reset and a strength circuit to counteract desk-related stiffness, and emphasizes on-bike tweaks (saddle height/setback, cleat alignment) to protect long-term health and performance.