Bike Fit 101
Why do I need a bike fit?
A bike fit can, and should, be done on any type of bike, including mountain, gravel, road, TT, etc. The three main reasons someone would get a bike fit include Prevention, Pain and Performance.
Prevention - Did you know that you make approximately 10,000 pedal strokes during a two hour ride? Now imagine if something was just slightly off on your bike and you continue to repeat that motion. Eventually, you're going to create an overuse injury. By having your bike fit appropriately, you're eliminating the risk of injury, setting you up to feel good riding all season long.
Pain - The most common injuries include knee and low back pain or wrist/hand numbness. Simple corrections to your pedals, saddle, or handlebars can put you into the correct alignment and eliminate the aggravating position.
Performance - By getting into optimal positioning, you're going to have more power coming from each pedal stroke as well as improved efficiency, especially on climbs. Don't work harder than you have to!
How does the bike fit work?
First, your bike will be set up on an indoor trainer. Then, you will go through a strength and mobility screen by the physical therapist to identify any restrictions or areas for improvement (we try to avoid the term "weakness"). The PT uses this information during the remainder of the bike fit to make clinical decisions on what positioning you should be in.
Next, you and the PT will systematically go through all of the touch points on your bike, starting first with your shoes and pedals. Whether you ride clipless or flats, this is a very important first step. Most people just throw their cleats on their shoes and keep them there as long as it feels pretty good. This is great, however there are optimal positions based on the anatomy of your individual foot.
Once that is dialed in, we move to the saddle. The saddle can move up/down, forward/backward, and tilt. That's a lot of adjustments! You spend a lot of time in the saddle, so let's make sure it's in the right spot.
Finally, we move to the handlebars. A lot can be changed here based on the pedal and seat adjustments. We will look at neck, shoulder and wrist positioning, and can make adjustments with the height, reach, and rotation of the bars. Will will look at your brake positioning as well to make sure your wrists are ready to ride all day long.
You'll leave feeling great knowing your bike is custom fit to YOUR body and you're going to prevent pain and improve performance.
