Bike Fit 101
Let’s make one thing very clear. If you ride regularly whether as a serious cyclist, a triathlete or an avid recreational user, proper bicycle fit is extremely important. There are a million very technical reasons for this statement but only one overriding reason that you need to understand. Without a proper bicycle fit you are at risk of injury and with that comes time away from your bike and the outdoors.
This article will attempt to help you make the key fit adjustments right at home so your riding season is started off the right way. With a little bit of playing around you can eliminate some of the guess work and take some real quality fit tips of master fitters and look at your set up for what it really is. The mechanism to make you more efficient and the most comfortable you can be. These are rules that can help get you closer to where you should be on your bike but by no means are these tips everything under the sun. Bicycle fitting is a large dash of scientific research mixed with a total understanding of that individuals physiology. Who better to know oneself than you? Let’s get started with Bike Fit 101.
Basic Cycling Body Position
Saddle Position
Level: It is usually not a good idea to mount your saddle with the nose of it pointing either down or up more than a couple of degrees. Doing so can cause arm fatigue and/or an increase in the chances of finger numbness. As you resist the tendency to slide forward you are also more prone to locking out your elbows, hunching your shoulders and therefore are engaging muscles that should be loose and relaxed. This leads to early fatigue on rides.
- Solution: To start with the correct saddle tilt use a ‘level’ [a tool that helps one put up shelves or correctly tell whether or not something is imbalanced] to correctly assess your saddle position. Make sure to position the level across the saddle starting from the tip and finishing at the back of the saddle. Use your allen keys to move the saddle into a balanced position.<
Height: Saddle height is a basic set up step that is widely misunderstood and more often than not poorly assessed. Known as the distance from the top of the saddle to the pedal axle when the crank arm is in the line with the seat tube, improper saddle height often is the start of poor positioning causing discomfort in many areas. Getting your saddle height positioned and then marked is generally a sure fire way to eliminate a high percentage of knee problems, lower back problems or neck aches related to riding.
- Solution: While these suggestions are not exact science they should help a great majority of the riding population from gross height miscalculations. Once you are very close to your exact saddle position then you can make small adjustments during rides to customize your fit.
- With your bare feet six inches apart, hold a tape measure firmly into your groin and measure to the floor. Have a friend help you so you are exact. Now multiply this number by 1.09 and then use the result to set the saddle height. Remember the measurement is directly along the seat tube of the bicycle and measured from the centre of the pedal axel to the top of a level saddle.
- You can also pedal backwards, using just your heels. While it will feel awkward you can then begin to move your saddle up or down according to where your hips begin to rock and your feet start to pull away from the pedals. Position the saddle directly below the point where your hips begin to roll side to side.
Forward and Backwards: Fore and aft location of your saddle can make a big difference to how you feel within the cockpit of your bicycle. It has never been proven that moving your level saddle backwards or forward can cause damage to your body but it can significantly affect how you use your muscles and how you feel on your bike. If, like a triathlete, you move the saddle forward dramatically, you will use more quadriceps muscle and also make it easier to get into your aero bars helping you become more aerodynamic. If you have very long arms or are longer in the torso you may want to shift your saddle backwards on its rails allowing yourself to sit more happily within the cockpit of the bicycle. For most of us a nice middle position on the rails is a great starting point and from there we can make an assessment of how the fit from axle to knee and knee to saddle position is working. Remember: a person’s overall flexibility makes a huge difference in their bicycle fit. If you are inflexible position yourself more upright so you maintain some comfort.
Adjustments: Follow these steps to set your fore/aft position on your saddle:
- Locate your right leg’s tibial tuberosity; the bony bump below the kneecap. This conveniently lies on a vertical line that passes through the centre of the knee joint when the crankarm is directly forward. This line should also bisect the pedal axle. Next,
- With the bike mounted on your spinner [without the bike being tilted - back wheel and front wheel are equal distance off the ground!] turn the right crankarm to 3 o’clock. It is a good idea to pedal about twenty full revolutions comfortably before you stop in this position. This allows the hips to settle and you to sit as you would normally during your rides. Now drop a plumb line [a yo-yo operates as a great make shift plumb line] from the front of your tibial tuberosity.
- Notice where the string passes the pedal axle and then slide your saddle forward or backwards until the string and axle line up. Now you are positioned in the most basic position and can begin to make comfort adjustments knowing you will not be hurting yourself.
Notes:
- These are not hard and rigid rules but they will help you ascertain your basic position on your bike.
Remember that during the winter riders are more commonly wearing more layers and the added millimeters of padding can adversely affect the work you have done to get the position correct. Make adjustments as the seasons change.
- Always use the same shoes for your fitting that you would be wearing during rides as the difference between one pair of shoes to the next can be dramatic and throw off calculations.
Different styles of cycling can have minor differences in how the fitting of your bike should be. Be sure to engage a professional if you are working within a specific discipline that may require adjustment. Triathletes are an example of a style or discipline within cycling that could require some adjustments.
Saddle position is merely one thing that can assess whether or not you are comfortable on your bicycle but it is definitely one of the most common causes of injury when it comes to riding problems. Follow the above principles to help you put your legs and hips in the correct position on your bike. Follow the below tips to more accurately assess your comfort.
Saddle Comfort:
- Beyond putting your saddle in the correct position there are a few ways that you can make sure your sit bones aren’t being bruised so badly that you would rather never see your bicycle again. Here are some comfort tips that may make the next ride a little bit more pleasurable.
- Sit Bones: The myth that the size of a person relates to the width of their saddle has been widely spread and is actually akin to judging a book by its cover. While choosing a saddle merely by body type will likely conclude in some success with the rider that rarely sits on their saddle it is an absolute fallacy that the bigger you are the bigger your saddle need be. For one to choose a saddle that promotes a healthy crotch area you need to know the distance between your sit bones. Your size weight and height do not determine this distance. Your saddle needs to be the type that will allow your sit bones to neither be falling off the edges nor be compressed by the rounded area towards the centre line of the saddle. Paying close attention to where your sit bones are touching your seat as you are riding can help you determine if you need a different model. Once determined go wider or thinner as necessary. This makes your saddle more appropriate for you and then you can assess the actual comfort of the areas you are touching. Some dense foam or gel will conform to you and hopefully allow you to rid yourself of the bruised feeling that is common with casual riders. Saddle come in all shapes and sizes as well as in women’s or men’s models so choose one that works for you and never settle because something exists that can help.
- Numbness: If you are going numb it is best to consult your doctor and then to consult a professional fit guide at the shop. Immediately!
- Chamois is King: Make sure you are using a proper riding short. They come with many different forms of chamois to fit both women and men differently. Synthetic chamois is widely available and will help keep proper blood flow, reduce moisture through wicking properties and also provide padding in the correct areas.
- Ride: The more riding you do the better it is as your body becomes used to the work out. However, don’t ride through injuries or numbness. Get the problem solved now so that you can have the wind blowing through your hair on a hot day in the spring.
Never settle for being uncomfortable on your bicycle because it is almost always possible to correct the factor leading to your particular problem. A comfortable bicycle is a bike that will be used more often. Make sure that you take the time to set your saddle position so you will reap the rewards of a more efficient, stronger, more relaxed, more comfortable and ultimately happier body.
If you feel you aren’t positioned properly on your bike or have any questions regarding fit give us a call!
Live to Ride.
