Bikefit Question

Donie75 · 05-08-2014 10:17pm #1

Hi, I'm having some problems with saddle sores and I am currently training for a 7 day cycling event. They are the deep tissue, boil type of saddle sores. I'm wondering if it would be worth my while getting a bike fit seeing as I have big mileage planned for the next 6 weeks.
Will the bike fit address saddle fit and sit bone measurement?
Should I try a few different saddles in the bike fit? I have 3.

Finally, can anyone recommend a bike fitter in the midlands or Dublin west? Or could possibly go to Galway.

brownian · 05-08-2014 10:21pm

If you've tried google and got no relief from your pains, then a bike fit might indeed help. BikeFittingIreland is five mins off the S end of the M50; there's another one (or used to be) at the Carrickmines junction of the M50 (name escapes me).

You could just try dropping the saddle a cm or so, and see if that helped, of course?

ZiabR · 06-08-2014 8:57am

brownian wrote: »

You could just try dropping the saddle a cm or so, and see if that helped, of course?

Often these are caused due to the saddle being to low and not to high. If the saddle is to low, there will be to much pressure on the sit bones. As you pedal, your legs/knees should be taking some of the pressure off your sit bones on the down stroke. If the saddle is to low the pressure will always be there and the legs will not relieve any pressure.

OP - Is your saddle at the correct height? Have you measure your sit bones to see if the saddle is to wide or narrow? Are the saddle sores towards the back of your ass or to the front just behind your manhood?

For me, my saddle was to wide and low. I purchased a good quality saddle and got the saddle height right, now I have little to no pain.

QueensGael · 06-08-2014 11:06am

brownian wrote: »

there's another one (or used to be) at the Carrickmines junction of the M50 (name escapes me).

http://www.irishfit.eu/shop/bike-setup-analysis

I had my two bikes fitted there, he's very thorough and did a great job, would recommend him.

h_orse · 06-08-2014 11:08am

Alan May

Tri & Run in Mullingar is quite good....

Donie75 · 06-08-2014 11:34am

Thanks for the info. I had read a lot about saddle height and having a saddle too high can cause saddle sores. I hadn't heard much about having a saddle too low. I had dropped mine by 10mm and I just felt it was harder to pedal. Then I raised it by 5mm and it felt better. I put my bike side by side with my friends bike the other day to check bar and saddle heights. We have very similar measurements and his saddle was a good 30 to 50mm higher.
I'll look into the Bikefit a bit more and I'll try raising the saddle a good 20 to 30mm to see how it feels.
Thanks.

ZiabR · 06-08-2014 11:45am

Why not set up the saddle correctly now and give it a go? Get a book and measuring tape. Put the book in between your legs (so it is snug against your crotch) with your back against a wall. Make sure your shoes are off when doing this. Measure from the floor to the TOP of the book. Take the measurement in cm. Once you have this reading multiple it by .883. This will give you a close estimate as to where your saddle needs to be relative to the centre of the crank.

For example, if your inseam length is 85cm. 85*.883 = 75.06cm.

Measure 75.06cm from the centre of the crank along the seat tube bar to the top of the saddle.

Donie75 · 06-08-2014 7:58pm

Thanks logik,
I am even more confused now. I have an inside leg measurement of 82cm so my saddle should be at 72.4cm. My saddle height is currently at 75cm and it actually feels low. Weird...

G1032 · 06-08-2014 8:33pm

Donie75 wrote: »

Thanks logik,
I am even more confused now. I have an inside leg measurement of 82cm so my saddle should be at 72.4cm. My saddle height is currently at 75cm and it actually feels low. Weird...

That method only gives a very rough idea. My saddle height was set a good bit higher than that method suggests it should after I got a bike fit done earlier this year. I'm not sure I'd pay too much attention to it tbh.

That method doesn't take into account the crank arm length or pedalling technique.............

ZiabR · 06-08-2014 9:04pm

G1032 wrote: »

That method only gives a very rough idea. My saddle height was set a good bit higher than that method suggests it should after I got a bike fit done earlier this year. I'm not sure I'd pay too much attention to it tbh.

That method doesn't take into account the crank arm length or pedalling technique.............

Agreed, just trying to give you a starting point so to speak, my inseam is 85 but I have the saddle at 76.2 or there abouts. So I used the LeMond method as a baseline.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 07-08-2014 12:36am

The method I use is to sit on the bike (holding onto a window ledge or something to steady yourself) and put the heel of one foot onto the pedal when the pedal is in the lowest position. Your leg should be almost in a straight position but not locked at the knee. If you have to lock your leg then the saddle is too high and if there is a considerable bend at the knee your saddle is too low. It's only a rough method but it gives you a starting point.

Donie75 · 13-08-2014 11:29am

Update: I gave the guys at Velocity in Galway a call last week and made an appointment for Friday. I met with Mark and he went through the whole process and recorded my details. Then I changed into my cycling gear and started cycling on the Apex Bike. This is an amazing piece of kit as it lets the fitter adjust the bar height, reach, saddle height, etc. while you are cycling. It has powermeters that shows power delivery on each pedal so you are set up to deliver optimum power. Mark went through the full process to set me up in the right position. Overall, Mark raised my saddle by 17mm and moved it back 17mm on the rails. The various saddle height methods that I found online had me way lower and it didn't feel right at all. This new height is way better.
Mark transferred all the measurements over to my own bike.
My bars were also too low and I was reaching too far so I got a shorter stem (100mm to 80mm) and the new stem also has a steeper angle to give a bit more bar height. I was limited with my spacers so I also angled the bars up slightly.
Overall the bike feels way more comfortable and I felt a lot better doing a big 130km training spin on Saturday and no saddle sores.
I also did a short but very hilly spin last night and I felt a lot better climbing. I was able to put the power down much better.
The whole process took over 2 and a half hours and it was very thorough. Mark was great to deal with and I would highly recommend the guys at Velocity.

ZiabR · 13-08-2014 11:43am

Donie75 wrote: »

Update: I gave the guys at Velocity in Galway a call last week and made an appointment for Friday. I met with Mark and he went through the whole process and recorded my details. Then I changed into my cycling gear and started cycling on the Apex Bike. This is an amazing piece of kit as it lets the fitter adjust the bar height, reach, saddle height, etc. while you are cycling. It has powermeters that shows power delivery on each pedal so you are set up to deliver optimum power. Mark went through the full process to set me up in the right position. Overall, Mark raised my saddle by 17mm and moved it back 17mm on the rails. The various saddle height methods that I found online had me way lower and it didn't feel right at all. This new height is way better.
Mark transferred all the measurements over to my own bike.
My bars were also too low and I was reaching too far so I got a shorter stem (100mm to 80mm) and the new stem also has a steeper angle to give a bit more bar height. I was limited with my spacers so I also angled the bars up slightly.
Overall the bike feels way more comfortable and I felt a lot better doing a big 130km training spin on Saturday and no saddle sores.
I also did a short but very hilly spin last night and I felt a lot better climbing. I was able to put the power down much better.
The whole process took over 2 and a half hours and it was very thorough. Mark was great to deal with and I would highly recommend the guys at Velocity.

Thats great to hear. What were you charged for the fitting?

flatface · 13-08-2014 12:42pm

From twitter the Apex fit seems to be €180

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