I suggest you search Google for bike fit advice, there are plenty of instructions so pick the one that makes most sense to you and then, if you experience any of the issues I describe here, make the necessary adjustments.
IS MY ROAD BIKE CHAIN TOO LONG PRO
You can be fit by a pro and still be miserable on the bike or you can be comfortable but your fit is off according to most fit standards.
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What I'm trying to say is don't be obsessed with bike fit. If you can enjoy the ride without pain and numbness and have fun on the saddle then you’re fit properly no matter what people say. What needs to ultimately happen is that you have to become comfortable on your bike. There is also the ugly reality that a 45 years old person with 15 extra pounds around the waist just can’t be set up on a bike the same way a 25 years old, fit person can. There are some aspects of bike fit that are known to be necessary for comfortable fit, universal for all body types and most people agree on, such as the saddle height, but there are some that are being argued and depend on your physical characteristics, such as the forward body angle.Īlso, bike fit isn’t all that important for short rides, like an average commute, or nobody would be riding City Bikes ) In the simplest terms, a bike can be fit either for performance or for comfort or somewhere in between, but you can’t have extreme performance and extreme comfort at the same time, it’s always a compromise. There is no single, universal approach to bike rider weight distribution and to bike fit because that depends on many things: your body type and size, your physical fitness, your body response (different people can develop different problems in response to the same trigger), the type of your bike and your ridding style and needs. What really matters for most people is the total of time you spend sitting on your saddle and how the weight is distributed during your time on the saddle. When you pedal along a flat road your weight is distributed more or less evenly between all the three points. Even more so if you’re standing on the pedals. When you climb up a steep hill almost all your weight is carried by your legs, you’re actually pulling the handlebar, not resting on it. When you coast downhill most of your weight is probably supported by your seat. Your weight distribution also varies during a bike ride. That’s because you’re not applying any force with your legs. Notice, how you suddenly feel the saddle pressure more when you’re coasting. However, people are often confused about how it is that your supporting your weight with legs if your legs are moving in circles and you’re not standing on the ground? That’s because when you pedal you apply downward force to the pedals which in turn creates a counter force pointing upwards which lifts your upper body with every pedal down-stroke, therefore supporting part of your weight. It’s obvious how you support your weight with your behind and your arms on a bike: the first rests on the saddle the second rest on the handlebar. This, of course, will vary from person to person. Your body weight is distributed between these three points and if the weight isn’t distributed in a way that your body can tolerate it one of those three areas will start causing problems that may affect various parts of your body and cause discomfort and pain and make you miserable.
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Your body touches your bike (interfaces with) in three points: your seat, your feet and your hands. Your bike doesn't need to be the perfect size either, as long as it's not drastically too small or too large you can compensate for incorrect bike size by changing the stem, the handlebars or the seat post.īefore you start troubleshooting: about weight distribution and bike fitīefore you start troubleshooting your bicycle related aches and pains it would help to understand the weight distribution. That cash would be better spent on a quality saddle or new grips or bar tape. However, to get you fit to your existing bike all you can do is to move things around, maybe replace a stem and most people should be able to do that themselves.
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It makes more sense if you are into competitive cycling and are buying a whole new bike and every ounce of performance matters. Sure, it's cool to pay someone to fit you for a bike, but it's not that necessary. It doesn't really require expensive equipment and it doesn't have to be done by experts.