Peeling back the layers of bike fit: from sizing to applied cycling - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Peeling back the layers of bike fit: from sizing to applied cycling biomechanics

Andy Brooke BSc, MA, MRes, PhD candidate

www.cyclologic.com www.ibfi‐certification.com

Commercial interests and affiliations

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EDUCATION

• Bike fitting since 2010
• MRes in Sport and Exercise Science in 2012
• International Bike Fitting Institute started in 2014
• PhD in Cycling Biomechanics started in 2015
• Associate university lecturer 2019
• 16 bike fitting courses
• 10 bike fitting conferences

Introduction

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• Bike sizing vs bike fitting
• Basics of bike fitting
• Advanced fitting and cycling analysis
• The body or the bike
• Future research

Content

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Bike Sizing vs Bike Fitting

Bike sizing

• identifies the right size of frame
• Ball park position
• bike fits, or it doesn’t
• Can be formulaic

Bike fitting

• identifies the right riding position
• Exact position
• Often requires swapping parts
• Should be individualised

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Basics of fit – do no harm!

Forefoot Midfoot Hindfoot

• Cleat position
• Road neutral
• Neutral rotation/float
• Saddle height
• Not too low (potential knee issues)
• Not too high (potential saddle discomfort)
• Bar position
• Too much reach can cause numb hands,

neck/back issues

• Too little reach can load saddle, create toppling,

difficulty tucking out of the wind

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Basics of fit – continued

Forefoot Midfoot Hindfoot

Recommended ranges (training wheels)

• Ranges that work for 95% of people…
• 8 variables (platarflexion, dorsiflexion, knee

extension, knee flexion, hip extension, hip flexion, back angle, shoulder angle)

• (0.95x0.95x0.95x0.95x0.95x0.95x0.95x0.95=0.66)

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• Conceptualise
• Analyse
• Question
• Evaluate

From basic to advanced ‐ critical reasoning

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• Interview
• Physical assessment
• On‐bike assessment

Chain of evidence

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Supporting evidence

• Knee pain
• No other sport/exercise or off‐

the‐bike work

• Visually less‐developed gluteal

muscles

1 – pre‐fit 2 ‐ PA 3 – On‐bike

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• Form a hypothesis based on the

information available

• Test the hypotheses
• Bike interventions aren’t permanent!
• Trial and error
• Reassess and change if necessary

Hypothesizing

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The body or the bike?

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a) Bike only b) Body only c) Bike then body d) Body then bike

• Basic – toe up/toe down
• Absolute position

Bike fit layers – ankling 1

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• Plantarflexion/dorsiflexion
• Terminology
• Direction of movement
• Ankle as absorber of

force when shifting towards DF under load

Bike fit layers – ankling 2

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