Get with the programme
Buying a bike that fits you properly
By Robert Thorpe, with images by Fiona May-Aylward & SQLab
When you first get into a car – especially a new car – you set the seat so that it’s in the perfect position for you. These days, that includes lumber support, and the height of the seat, as well as the distance. The steering wheel is adjusted upwards or downwards, as well as distance-wise, ensuring that you’re comfortable and better able to control the car. The seat-belt is also adjustable, and the mirrors allow your own personal perspective on the world around you – so, why do people simply walk into a bike shop and choose a bike off the shelf, without looking more closely at the necessary refinements for their own unique body?
Yes, all too frequently cyclists will pay large sums of money for bike and then, not have it fitted correctly for them. In time of course, they may change the stem, the handlebar width, the saddle and even in rare cases, they’ll the saddle position fore and aft. And yet, all too often cyclists will come back from a ride with aches and pains all over the body and put it down to having had a hard ride, when in truth, it may simply be down to the fact that in too many ways their bike simply doesn’t fit them properly. It may look shiny and stylish, and yes, it may have been ridden in the Tour de France by some well-known pro rider. However, if you haven’t had a professional bike fit, and you’ve spent a few thousand pounds on the bike – well, to some extent you may not have bought wisely, I’m sorry to say.
Identifying our uniqueness
Bike fitting isn’t some mumbo jumbo nonsense like reading the tea leaves, or playing with tarot cards. It’s a whole new science that’s based on evidence and how the human body performs. Thankfully, we’re all built differently and unique. Imagine a world filled with people like Donald Trump – God forbid! No, we all have our own idiosyncrasies. His uniqueness is in painting his face orange like the ‘You’ve been tangoed’ man from the old adverts, and mine – well, I walk on the outside edges of my feet, which affects the insoles I use in my running shoes. Yes, for many years, runners have known that they perform better by having a properly carried out analysis of their running style. Me, I’m an over-procrastinator!
No, in all seriousness, as cyclists, we need to take the same level of care as runners do when buying our sporting equipment – bikes, cycling shoes and even the clothing we wear. Lake Cycling Shoes from the Netherlands and the USA, have probably the widest range of cycling shoes available in the industry, with ranges designed on various shoe ‘Lasts’ – the bedrock of every shoe footplate. They’ve got over 390options of sizes for cyclists, a work closely with their retail partners and bike fitters across the world, to measure your had-working cycling feet properly. Comfort and performance is an investment for them – as is their innovation and excellence.
Finding your perfect fit
Other brands such as SQLab from Bavaria in Germany, have developed software to properly analyse each and every cyclist, in every aspect, including the pressure points when seated on the saddle. They then point you towards the right products for your own bike, such as saddles, stems, handlebars, and grips. From a clothing perspective, they even measure the width of your hands and provide gloves in width fittings as well as general sizes.
Bike fitting has come along way from the days when an experienced retailer would watch you walk across the shop and then size you accordingly. Brands create gearing and crank lengths to support individual needs, and there’s now a whole range of saddle and handlebar options – all designed to give you that same feeling of comfort and performance that you get when you switch on the heated seats in your extremely comfortable Audi Q5. Yes, a good bike fitter will ensure that you and your bike are ready to take on any adventure on 2-wheels.
Man & machine in harmony
If you’ve been riding for a while and haven’t ever previously considered a professional bike fit, then do so. Those minor aches and pains may not be related to the ride itself – they may be able to be alleviated. Ultimately, once your bike fits you and becomes a part of you – man… or woman, and machine in perfect harmony, you’ll be increasing the smiles on all of those amazing cycling miles. Isn’t that what we all want to achieve.
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