Bike Fitting and its Misconceptions ...
Myth and Legend
Bike fitting has always been surrounded in myth and legend. More ideas, theories and new concepts have been devised than it’s possible to count. Websites crop up with formulaic tables to punch in your credentials and out pops your ‘perfect’ fit. But how much does this really take in to account? Does it for instance take in to account a lack of hip flexion (the basic flexibility at the hip and lower back) or bad weak ankles? What about the issues we are prone to such as tight hamstrings or saddle soreness? These do need to be considered in the complete bike fitting process, but in the majority of iFits there is no room for these details. Do we really boil down to centimeters? I don’t think so.
On the shop floor I hear ‘what do you have in a 56cm?’ or ‘I have a 32inch inside leg, should I be on a 54cm?’ these aren’t bad assumptions, it’s what the consumer is led to believe through bike sizing charts. This Roubaix will suit a rider from X to X height. It’s an attempt at making a bike buyable without the try-able. Surely parting with hard won cash in this way will often lead to misery when you take in to account how far we have come with ergonomics?
Manufactures have in a sense passed the buck on to a bike salesman...
Visti Cycle Logic in Helston, Cornwall for professional advice. Mention you saw this article on Wanda Summers' website, and you never know, they may give you a special deal!
Manufactures have in a sense passed the buck on to a bike salesman. I’m all for this. Long gone are the days of standing in a shed with a bearded man at eye level with
your nethers, wielding a fabric tape. A proper salesman is well worth trusting, if they get it right they’ll get your cash, if it was decent service you’ll recommend them to friends, they’ll do the same, then get yours again because you really need that new Rabobank Team kit. It goes on and on.
your nethers, wielding a fabric tape. A proper salesman is well worth trusting, if they get it right they’ll get your cash, if it was decent service you’ll recommend them to friends, they’ll do the same, then get yours again because you really need that new Rabobank Team kit. It goes on and on.
Yes they are grubby (see photo above), yes they are after your money but they want it next time too.
Here is your trump card. The only way that’ll happen is to give you more than you asked for, an honest opinion, starting with the right size frame of the right bike. That bit can’t be guessed at, it comes from experience, listening and observation. From there you can worry about everything else in detail, without that initial step how can you achieve your best at all?
Here is your trump card. The only way that’ll happen is to give you more than you asked for, an honest opinion, starting with the right size frame of the right bike. That bit can’t be guessed at, it comes from experience, listening and observation. From there you can worry about everything else in detail, without that initial step how can you achieve your best at all?
For me Bike Fitting starts with an interview. Asking basic questions sheds light on what there is to work with, future plans and current concerns. Even I have to whittle this process down but it’s this background information that helps begin build the entire picture.
Examples, and the reasoning are as follows:
How long have you been Cycling?
Obviously this is riding with intent not,
“how old were you when the stabilizers came off?”
This gives an insight to the rider, also giving time scale to everything that
follows. A seasoned rider will have grown accustomed to a riding position-
adjustments may need to be gradual etc.
How many hours do you ride per week?
Someone may have been riding for fitness or even racing for decades but doesn’t get to put in the same hours on the bike. On the other hand it might be a new passion and they are putting in 30 hours a week. All information may help to give ideas about the new position and it’s evolution.
Examples, and the reasoning are as follows:
How long have you been Cycling?
Obviously this is riding with intent not,
“how old were you when the stabilizers came off?”
This gives an insight to the rider, also giving time scale to everything that
follows. A seasoned rider will have grown accustomed to a riding position-
adjustments may need to be gradual etc.
How many hours do you ride per week?
Someone may have been riding for fitness or even racing for decades but doesn’t get to put in the same hours on the bike. On the other hand it might be a new passion and they are putting in 30 hours a week. All information may help to give ideas about the new position and it’s evolution.
What is your riding style? Time Trial, Crits and Endurance etc.
This information is crucial to including the riders’ wants as well as physiological needs. A 10mile TT position is vastly different to someone sitting on the bike all day even. Often the fitting process itself must be adapted for these disciplines
Cyclist Steve Coles
'At no point will I ever measure an inside leg............'
It bears no reference to anything. I can’t put someone on an exotic race bike, in a race position (ass up, head down) if they have just begun riding and want to achieve their first Century ride.
There may be far better suited bikes, even if Barry from Accounts has just bought an S-WorksTarmac and has the stem slammed. It doesn’t instantly mean they need to be on Grannies bike either. (That said a basket is great place for Powerbars, but this whole topic is for another evenings rant). There must be compromise and education. A bike fitter is in the fortunate situation of being able to observe a rider in action, taking what has been gleaned from the interview and later the physical assessment before the bike is bolted to the Turbo Trainer.
There may be far better suited bikes, even if Barry from Accounts has just bought an S-WorksTarmac and has the stem slammed. It doesn’t instantly mean they need to be on Grannies bike either. (That said a basket is great place for Powerbars, but this whole topic is for another evenings rant). There must be compromise and education. A bike fitter is in the fortunate situation of being able to observe a rider in action, taking what has been gleaned from the interview and later the physical assessment before the bike is bolted to the Turbo Trainer.
Asking questions is what reveals answers
If you don’t ask, “What injuries do you/have you had to your lower back- ever?”You might not find out a helicopter crashed in to the lumbar region in 1932, giving a painful twang after an hour on the bike.
Maybe just a standing toe touch was carried out showing excellent flexibility indicating the handlebars can be low. In reality this alone doesn’t add up to the whole picture.
My job is to find out what an individuals body does and why, then build the bike in underneath correctly to fill that space and support it. This is the
Optimum Neutral riding position. From there we can discuss on how we can improve on the position and the performance, this is most effective with help from a Personal Trainer or Physiotherapist who can best advise using that specific body of knowledge.
Maybe just a standing toe touch was carried out showing excellent flexibility indicating the handlebars can be low. In reality this alone doesn’t add up to the whole picture.
My job is to find out what an individuals body does and why, then build the bike in underneath correctly to fill that space and support it. This is the
Optimum Neutral riding position. From there we can discuss on how we can improve on the position and the performance, this is most effective with help from a Personal Trainer or Physiotherapist who can best advise using that specific body of knowledge.
"I did the plumb line thing"
If a client is hovering over the Bike Fit as a possibility, given this is almost always for a reason, be it comfort or‘just to make sure I’m right’ I ask them how they first set up their Cleat position. The general answer is ‘I centred them’ or ‘I did the plumb line thing’. To be honest this is an almost impossible thing to do alone and I know it (told you we were grubby). The concept of the ‘plumb line thing’ is at least on the right lines. It is ascertained by dropping a plumb line from the patella down to the pedal, but this must be done whilst in a specific place in the pedal stroke with the foot in the ‘common’ peddling orientation.
If you’ve read through the waffling ..
In my experience, it takes a third party to subjectively analyse pedal stroke and ankling pattern to get the best results. I choose to do this once a client is warmed up and relaxed as it an all change quite dramatically after 10 minutes in the saddle. I once read that feet are the foundation, the more I work at fitting, the more that rings true. From there can you set a true saddle height, this is inclusive of saddle fore and aft and information from the physical assessment in terms of hamstrings etc. Only then can you find out what the rest of the bike has to offer given the rest of your anatomy.
Without this key start point everything else is guesswork at best. If you’ve read through the waffling, brief explanation of what it is do for around 2.5hours weekdays,
.....eveningsbyappointmentonlypricingdependentonindividualrequirements
followupassesmentincludedwithanincreaseinpowerandcomfortguarenteed..
blah blah...
I’m not convinced that’s how you would want to approach your bike set up. Why would you? There is only one person I know who has that luxury and he rides a Cippolini.
By the way, how did you set up your cleats?
Written by Shane Coram
Without this key start point everything else is guesswork at best. If you’ve read through the waffling, brief explanation of what it is do for around 2.5hours weekdays,
.....eveningsbyappointmentonlypricingdependentonindividualrequirements
followupassesmentincludedwithanincreaseinpowerandcomfortguarenteed..
blah blah...
I’m not convinced that’s how you would want to approach your bike set up. Why would you? There is only one person I know who has that luxury and he rides a Cippolini.
By the way, how did you set up your cleats?
Written by Shane Coram
Author: Shane Coram
Shane Coram ( the cheesy salesman that should be found in every cycle shop) is based in Helston, Cornwall and works in the family run bike shop, Cycle Logic.
Cycle Logic
13 Meneage Road
Helston
Cornwall
TR13 8BQ
Tel:(01326) 561562 E-Mail: info.cyclelogic.co.uk
Cycle Logic
13 Meneage Road
Helston
Cornwall
TR13 8BQ
Tel:(01326) 561562 E-Mail: info.cyclelogic.co.uk
