BIKE SET UP AND BASIC FIT

Getting You Fitted On The Bike Rather Than Bike Fitting You

Please note: The guide to bike fit is for basic set up meant for riders to get a start, however, I strongly recommended to get a pro fitter to do what they are best at.

Step One :

Measure your Inseam heightis the length from rider’s crotch to the ground.

To measure Inseam height riders need to stand with their feet apart with a distance of about 12” between both feet.

Rider may want to hold one end of the measuring tape touching their crotch and have someone to take the measurement where tape touches the ground, another option is to hold a stick in between your legs from the crotch area and have someone measure the inseam length.

Step Two

Stand over the frame with both feet on the ground.

Frame type	Top tube clearance from the crotch
Road/Hybrid	1"-2"
MTB	width of your hand across your fingers
Note:
Omit Step 2, In case of Women bike without top tube

Three important point of contacts on your bike which one should not mess around with:

Saddle

Pedals

Handle

Getting the right position in place is imperative, as this will not only enrich your riding experience, but, also mitigate the risk of injuries!!!

Saddle Height got to be right, one common mistake many riders do is they adjust their seat height only to an extent that when they place their feet off the pedal it touches the ground (This is okay if you are learning to ride a cycle). Rider needs to have their seat to a height that will allow their legs to extend until it is almost completely straight when seated on the saddle with a slight bend to your knee joint when your foot is on the pedal at its bottom position.

If you experience knee pain while riding you might need to increase your seat height to the desired height only in increments of 2-3mm only.

Rule of Thumb

Right saddle height

Start with

Inseam length in cms x  0.889 = Saddle Height

e.g. 86.7 X  0.889 = 77.10cms

Fore-aft (seat forward and backward in relation to the seat post)

Road Bike

Nose of the Saddle = 5cms  behind from the center of the crank (as per UCI guidelines for majority of events)

Triathlon Bike Nose of the Saddle = 2cms ahead from the center of the crank Hybrid Its usually in line with Road set up MTB Nose of the Saddle is further back from the center of the crank as per the bike design and event riders plans to ride

Saddle Tilt- Keep it straight for maximum pedaling efficiency and without worrying about where you are on the saddle and losing your focus from riding.

Handlebar size: Like buying a ready made shirt that goes with the width of your shoulders, you will need to choose a handle bar as per your shoulder width. Handle Bars come with variety of options. You will need to look for the one which gives you maximum comfort by doing some experiment. MTBs and Hybrid Bikes which come with bars which are fairly straight and are designed to assist your back with maximum comfort; as you will sit more upright. Road/Racing Bikes are designed to give you more aerodynamic position with the bends allowing you to go faster.. these handle bars give you three different positions

i.e. Handle straight  - Close to the Handle Stem, with your back more upright

Brake Hoods – Using your hoods for better grip and being close to your brake with a slight bend on your back.

Handle Drops – Getting a Low aerodynamic position with a bent on your back to assist you cheat the winds and go faster. 

 

Handle Bar Distance

Measure Fully Extended Arm and compare it with the distance from Nose of the Saddle to the Bar, length needs to be about the same, if there is offset of 2cms, replacing the handle stem is recommended.

Note:

Incase  you feel weight on your Hands Up the saddle tilt by 1 degree at a time

Incase you feel pressure on your Soft Tissue lower your saddle by 1 degree.

Rider will require to do some experiment and minor adjustments to come to a final conclusion

Cycling shoes and cleats:

Optimum positioning of the cleats will be needed to minimize stress on the knees and maximize pedaling efficiency.

Here is what you can do: Step 1 : Get your feet into the cycling shoes to determine where your  foot ball is i.e. the widest section of foot. Use a tape to mark this area (electrical tape preferred). Follow this process for both feet.

Step 2 : Fix the cleats on to the shoes, center it and tighten the bolts just enough for it to stay in that position and can be moved with slight force.

Step 3 : Cleat your shoes onto the pedal

Step 4 : Get Ball of your Foot (the marked area) on the center of the pedal over the pedal axel.

Step 5 : Line up the middle of the cleat in line with your shoe.

Step 6 : Center your cleats side by side.

Step 7 : Mark this position with a marker or electrical tape – un cleat the shoes and tighten the cleats as per the marking done

Step 8 :  Move your saddle forward or backward to get your knee aliened exactly  above the ball of your feet when at 3 o’clock position (as seen in the picture on the right)

Do a test ride

If you feel the position is right and is allowing you to ride in a natural position on the pedals, without experiencing any pains or discomfort, you possibly have got it right.

If you feel it isn’t right and adjustments are required, you may want to either move the cleats slightly backwards or get it forward, what ever you feel more comfortable with.

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My back pains when I extend my arms on the handle bar?
Try getting a position which will keep your back relaxed. May have to change the handle stem, so that your elbows are slightly bent.

Ahh…My Knees hurt?
Saddle height/cleats might the cause (refer the Bike Fit article on saddle height and cleats), it could also be because of using high/heavy gears.

One common mistake many enthusiast do is without conditioning their muscles they push them selves more than what their body is prepared for and Many trained cyclist (elites) thinks nothing will happen to them and ignore symptoms of over training which leads to over use injury.

PLEASE SEE A KNOWN GOOD DOCTOR/ PHYSIOTHERAPIST SPECIALIZED IN SPORTS!!!

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Cyclozeal – Training and Assistance