Bike & Saddle Fit Performance, Comfort & Injury prevention - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Bike & Saddle Fit

Performance, Comfort & Injury prevention Royce Murphy

Objectives for a bike fit

What matters most?

• Comfort
• Performance
• Injury prevention

Fit bike to rider and/or Fit rider to bike? Is there one position to rule them all?

• Rider’s objectives & priorities
• Injury history
• Any current problems
• Their flexibility & other limitations

Physical assessment

• Unassisted leg raise
• Hip hinge
• Knee bend with heel on floor
• Press-up

Review rider’s history & objectives Physical assessment

Process & Degrees of Freedom

Hands

• Stem (length, angle, spacers)
• Handlebar shape (reach & drop)
• Handlebar width (versus clavicle width)

Goal = Straight wrists, relaxed arms & no neck/shoulder pain Iteration

Feet

• Cleats (fore/aft, rotation, in/out)
• Shoe design (curved or straight last)
• Arch support (defaut = flat foot)

Goal = good knee tracking & no knee or foot pain

Seat

• Saddle position (height + fore/aft)
• Crank length (shorter is better)
• Saddle design (shape, padding, pressure relief, etc.)

Goal = Support for pedal stroke & no pain in soft tissues

Feet

3 degrees of freedom with cleats - why? Work for

• Cleats match your natural foot rotation & ball of foot
• Shoes match a curved or straight foot shape
• Linear knee tracking
• Support your arch - if needed
• Stretching & microfacial release

Knee tracking

Your position on the saddle

Why do saddles have “wings”? Can you match the image to the “pressure map”? If you’re too far forward, what happens?

• Bones go off the edges of the saddle
• Pressure shifts onto soft tissues
• Lose support for your pedal stroke

○ Shifts work onto your core muscles

You should be able to see the saddle nose while riding!

Saddle position on the bike

Saddle Level

• Why does it matter?
• Is there one method to check all saddles?
• Check manufacturer’s website for guide

Saddle Fore/Aft Position

• Why does it matter?
• Knee over pedal axle

Saddle Height

• Why does it matter?
• Is there one “best” height?
• Heel on pedal method

○ Set bike on turbo ○ Heels on pedals ○ Pedal backward ○ Full leg extension, but ○ No rocking of hips

Hands & Upper Body

Is it just reach, drop & bar width? How can you avoid numb hands, stiff neck & sore back? Work for

• Neutral wrists
• Relaxed shoulders
• “Soft elbows”
• Hip hinge for neutral back
• Stronger core (lower back & obliques)

Female fit versus Male fit?

Feet: Hips are generally wider

(knees don’t stay over toe throughout pedal stroke)

• Pedal spacers to widen stance
• Cleat wedges or arch support for knee tracking

Hands: Narrower shoulders & more joint mobility

(soreness in neck or between shoulders)

• Narrower handlebars (joint mobility)
• Less handlebar reach & drop (shorter & higher stem)

Seat: Bones at front of pelvis are wider & shorter

(discomfort on the saddle)

• Saddle width
• Cut out or groove to relieve pressure on front
• Torso angle more upright to reduce pressure at front

Analysis & Workshop with Chris

Sources of more information

Bike Fit by Phil Burt (British Cycling) Strength & Conditioning for Cyclists by

Phil Burt and Martin Evans

BikeDynamics.co.uk www.slipstreamers.co.uk/2015/08/royc es-bike-fit-session-18th-april/ Royce@velocitysportscycling.com

Hands

• Stem (length, angle, spacers)
• Handlebar shape (reach & drop)
• Handlebar width (versus clavicle width)

Goal = Straight wrists, relaxed arms & no neck/shoulder pain

Feet

• Cleats (fore/aft, rotation, in/out)
• Shoe design (curved or straight last)
• Arch support (defaut = flat foot)

Goal = good knee tracking & no knee or foot pain

Bum

• Saddle position (height + fore/aft)
• Crank length (shorter is better)
• Saddle design (shape, padding, pressure relief, etc.)

Goal = Support for pedal stroke & no pain in soft tissues

Process & Degrees of Freedom