Getting fitted for bike

Qualitymark

Various people have said it's important to be properly fitted for a bike. Where do you get this fitting done, and what does it involve?

Qualitymark

Nobody's answering… perhaps nobody knows?

Google tells me:

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2011/03/bike-fit-is-it-worth-it/ (Australian)

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2010/04/science-of-bike-fitting/ same site - suggests that a professional fitting isn't worth it, and gives some tips for your own fitting. It suggests these measurements:

Saddle-to-Stem Distance

Simply start by taking your elbow and lean it against the front of your saddle. Your middle finger should be touching the middle of your steer tube exactly. This measurement will determine the precise position of your saddle relative to the stem.

Saddle Height

Once your seat to stem distance has been established you can now raise your saddle height. Put your armpit on the saddle and make sure your middle finger is exactly touching the top of the bottom bracket. Femur and forearm proportions have been found not to vary between test subjects therefore this is an extremely accurate measurement technique.

Stem Height and Length

For PRO positioning… from the top of the headtube to the top of the steertube there should be 3 fingers of space. No more, no less. For women retaining water at times of the month this measurement may be reduced to two fingers. For old men, commuters, and touring cyclists the 4 finger rule (and in extreme cases the 5 finger rule) is used.

Your stem length isn’t adjustable but this is something that should be checked carefully when buying your bike. Reach your thumb so that it’s at 90 degrees to your index finger. Your middle finger should reach exactly to the end of your stem when your thumb is anchored to the middle of the steertube section.

(no idea what the italicised section means - what's a steertube?)

Women-specific bike fitting: http://totalwomenscycling.com/road-cycling/maintenance/bike-fitting-what-women-need-to-consider-for-a-bike-fit-10962/#UDFKOpv7cVwdMBfZ.97 (English)

“Quite often though the problem isn’t the saddle itself, but the way the bike is set up, which forces the rider to distribute their weight unevenly or in the wrong places.”

and http://www.thebirdwheel.com/womens-specific-bicycle-fit-guide (though I'd tend to distrust any article that refers to a woman as a "lady")

And a piece (English) on the specific problems of fitting a bike to a small woman http://www.myra-simon.com/bike/petitest.html

dragratchet

this lad is regarded as one of the best fitters around.. pricey but anyone who's gone says its worth the money

http://www.bikefittingireland.com/

I got a bike fit done by aidan ryan in ucd (Belfied) bike shop.. about a 1/3 of the price, done in a less high tec manner but i was more than happy with the results

emigrate2012

Richie's off swords main street,top lads,well worth the time/money(no idea of price though)

Qualitymark

Only problem about a fitting done in a bike shop: I'd feel obliged to buy a bike there, and to buy the bike they recommend…?

Leroy42

No need, IMO, to go to a specialist bike fitter. Unless you have particular problems or are looking for that last few % gains, for most the normal estimates are mor than enough.

Canyon have a measurement system on their website, which although obviously designed to give you the best fit for their frames, gives a good indication of what are the typical measurements.

A good bike fit is essential but once you get the right frame size then everything else can, and will, be tweeked. Riding style is different for everyone, as is flexibility etc.

Try to borrow a bike and head out for a few cycles and that will give you a good indication of what suits. Most bike shops will be able to give pretty accurate advice just from looking at you.

dragratchet

go to a few bike shops and sit on a few bikes to see how they feel, the bike shops should do a rudimentary fit with you to get the right frame size etc.. some bike shops do it in depth, others will have you up on a trainer for a couple minutes and see if it looks about right.

if the bike shop you decide to buy in offer a proper fitting service why not save some money and go for it.. if not, try the aforementioned providers. i bought from one shop. then after a few months of getting into cycling, went to ucd to fine tune the fit (stack height, stem length, bar angle, cleat position etc)

wexandproud

Qualitymark wrote: »

Nobody's answering… perhaps nobody knows?

Google tells me:

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2011/03/bike-fit-is-it-worth-it/ (Australian)

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2010/04/science-of-bike-fitting/ same site - suggests that a professional fitting isn't worth it, and gives some tips for your own fitting. It suggests these measurements:

Saddle-to-Stem Distance

Simply start by taking your elbow and lean it against the front of your saddle. Your middle finger should be touching the middle of your steer tube exactly. This measurement will determine the precise position of your saddle relative to the stem.

Saddle Height

Once your seat to stem distance has been established you can now raise your saddle height. Put your armpit on the saddle and make sure your middle finger is exactly touching the top of the bottom bracket. Femur and forearm proportions have been found not to vary between test subjects therefore this is an extremely accurate measurement technique.

Stem Height and Length

For PRO positioning… from the top of the headtube to the top of the steertube there should be 3 fingers of space. No more, no less. For women retaining water at times of the month this measurement may be reduced to two fingers. For old men, commuters, and touring cyclists the 4 finger rule (and in extreme cases the 5 finger rule) is used.

Your stem length isn’t adjustable but this is something that should be checked carefully when buying your bike. Reach your thumb so that it’s at 90 degrees to your index finger. Your middle finger should reach exactly to the end of your stem when your thumb is anchored to the middle of the steertube section.

(no idea what the italicised section means - what's a steertube?)

Women-specific bike fitting: http://totalwomenscycling.com/road-cycling/maintenance/bike-fitting-what-women-need-to-consider-for-a-bike-fit-10962/#UDFKOpv7cVwdMBfZ.97 (English)

“Quite often though the problem isn’t the saddle itself, but the way the bike is set up, which forces the rider to distribute their weight unevenly or in the wrong places.”

and http://www.thebirdwheel.com/womens-specific-bicycle-fit-guide (though I'd tend to distrust any article that refers to a woman as a "lady")

And a piece (English) on the specific problems of fitting a bike to a small woman http://www.myra-simon.com/bike/petitest.html

totally wrong way around , get you saddle position correct first and then work from there , of course stem distance is adjustable, you have to change it..
if you do it the way you suggest the distance from tip of saddle to centre of stem will change if you raise or lower saddle as you try to get its height correct

Brian

wexandproud wrote: »

totally wrong way around , get you saddle position correct first and then work from there , of course stem distance is adjustable, you have to change it..
if you do it the way you suggest the distance from tip of saddle to centre of stem will change if you raise or lower saddle as you try to get its height correct

This video explains the saddle-first process you mentioned -

Qualitymark

Good video, though the advice seems more for the figure at 0.14 of this than my own figure, which is more like that at 0.19, so I'm not certain that it would apply very much…?

Qualitymark

This, by Ivanhoe Cycles, explains quite a lot to me

How do people feel about the woman-geometry of the Giant WSD ("Women-specific design") bikes?