There is an abundance of useful material on line such as forms, charts and step by step articles explaining how to fit a bike. It is a good way to get started and get a general fit. Even better way is to get fitted by a professional with years of experience to accommodate your needs.
Whether your goal is comfort or performance, Gary Smith at TLC for Bikes will fine tune your fit to optimize your riding position so that you can ride as comfortable and efficiently as possible. It’s essential to do this to any bicycle that you plan to ride regularly.
1) Saddle Angle – short discussion about your saddle and saddle angles (flat vs nose up or nose down).
2) Adjust seat height – to obtain proper leg extension.
3) Adjust the pedal/cleats/shoe
If you’re riding in cycling shoes, it’s important that the cleats on the soles are positioned correctly. There are two important adjustments, fore/aft and angular. The former is easy to find, the latter takes some careful trial and error. The cleat should be positioned so that the balls of your feet rest over the centers of the pedals (the axles) when you’re pedaling. Not everybody will fit this type of positioning but most riders will. The balls of your feet form protrusions on the insides of the shoes and these should rest right over the axles. Ideally, your cleat position allows resting your feet in a natural position on the pedals. Otherwise, you could injure your knees. Usually, aligning the cleats with an imaginary line that bisects the soles provides a safe starting position.
If you’re riding in cycling shoes, it’s important that the cleats on the soles are positioned correctly. There are two important adjustments, fore/aft and angular. The former is easy to find, the latter takes some careful trial and error. The cleat should be positioned so that the balls of your feet rest over the centers of the pedals (the axles) when you’re pedaling. Not everybody will fit this type of positioning but most riders will. The balls of your feet form protrusions on the insides of the shoes and these should rest right over the axles. Ideally, your cleat position allows resting your feet in a natural position on the pedals. Otherwise, you could injure your knees. Usually, aligning the cleats with an imaginary line that bisects the soles provides a safe starting position.
4) Saddle fore/aft position
The fore/aft seat adjustment is correct when a plumb line (any piece of string with a weight on the end) hanging from the bony protrusion just below your kneecap, bisects the pedal axle.
The fore/aft seat adjustment is correct when a plumb line (any piece of string with a weight on the end) hanging from the bony protrusion just below your kneecap, bisects the pedal axle.
5) Check handlebar height
The first bar-height check is comfort. If you’re sore during or after rides particularly in the lower back and/or neck, the bars may need adjustment. For road riding, a difference of 1 to 4 inches is optimal, even slightly more, if you’re a flexible racer. For off-road use and recreational riding, bar height should be equal to or up to 2 inches below the seat height. Keep in mind that these are guidelines that work for most people that want more performance. A handlebar that is level with the saddle or above the saddle will be more comfortable for some riders. There is no reason to sacrifice comfort for aerodynamics. Sometimes it takes a little experimentation to find the most comfortable position.
6) Check handlebar reach
A proper reach to the handlebars is also very important to enjoying comfortable rides. If the bars are too close or too far away, you may experience neck, shoulder, back and hand pain. And, it can cause you to scoot backward or forward on your seat all the time. On some bikes, to change length, you must either replace the stem or the seat post. Stems come in a variety of types and diameters and seat posts come in a variety of clamp off-sets.
7) Check handlebar size
Most bicycles today come with handlebars that suit the person who fits the bike. So, it’s likely that your handlebars fit adequately. There are lots of different handlebar sizes and shapes, however, and changing might fine-tune your fit providing additional comfort.
&Width
For optimal control and efficiency, drop handlebars should be about the same width as your shoulders. These bars come in sizes ranging from about 38- to 46-cm wide. So, if the distance between the bony protrusions on top of your shoulder blades is 42 cm, that’s what the handlebar width should be.
For optimal control and efficiency, drop handlebars should be about the same width as your shoulders. These bars come in sizes ranging from about 38- to 46-cm wide. So, if the distance between the bony protrusions on top of your shoulder blades is 42 cm, that’s what the handlebar width should be.
&Shape of handlebars/aerobars will be discussed.
