Bike Fitting

Bike Fitting in Swindon

Get the perfect bike fit for your body
Improve cycling efficiency and reduce the likelihood of injury
Avoid expensive equipment upgrades

Cycling is a very accessible and low-impact sport, which attracts many new participants who quickly find themselves “bitten by the bug”. The temptation to invest in your passion can be great. However, cyclists come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, with bodies changing over time. While you will get help and advice from your bike shop when you first buy a bike, it is unlikely that a bike will be a great fit straight away if you buy online or second hand. Your fit will also change over time.

Musculoskeletal pain during or after your ride is the clearest indicator of poor bike fit. Before investing in new equipment, it is worth considering how well you fit on your bike to make the most of your current kit.

What is bike fitting?

Bike fitting is a tailored analysis of a rider’s individual biomechanics, allowing adjustments to be made to the bike to ensure it is set up to minimise injury and optimise performance.

Following a medical history, the process involves watching the rider cycling with their bike stationary on a turbo trainer. This may be done by eye, or using a system, such as Retul. A series of adjustments to their position on the bike, starting from the feet, and working upwards. Following each adjustment, the rider will cycle again to analyse the impact of the change. This process will continue until a good fit is achieved.

The process takes around two hours, costing around £200. Fitters will usually offer discounted rates on subsequent appointments to support riders as their bodies adapt to position changes over time, or as they change their equipment.

What are indicators of poor bike fit?

Pain and discomfort within the musculoskeletal system are indicators of poor bike fit. As cycling is an endurance sport, riders should expect to experience muscle fatigue in the legs when pushing towards the limits of their fitness. Riders should not otherwise be in pain on, or off, the bike.

If a rider is experiencing any of the following, they should consider a bike fit:

Focused pain (e.g. feet, joints, neck, back, any pain specific to one side)
Numbness to areas in contact with the bike (e.g. hands, sit bones, perineum)
Being able to comfortably touch the ground with both feet while on the saddle
Being unable to touch the ground from the saddle
Increased fatigue in single leg muscles (e.g. hamstrings, hip flexors, calves)

General bike fitting principles

Don’t rush to get a bike fit. In the first instance, make use of free advice where it is available. If you buy a new bike on the high street, your bike shop will help you choose the right frame and help set it up for you. Even if you don’t buy it from your local shop, they will often try to help you with free or cheap advice. After all, they’re probably going to be the ones who you’ll turn to when your bike needs fixing.

If you are setting it up yourself, these are some basic principles to follow:

The centre of the pedal (or cleat, if you have one) should sit between the first and the fifth metatarsal.
The saddle should be set at a height where you can only put one foot on the floor at a time.
As you raise the saddle, it will move further away from and above the handlebars. You should consider adjusting the seat forward and the handlebars up as you raise the seat.
Approximately 70% of the rider’s weight should be carried on the saddle, with the remainder through the handlebars.

Why get a bike fit?

A bike fit could benefit someone who spends regular time on their bike, whether that is on a daily commute, a weekly long ride, or regular training. It has the following benefits:

Injuries are time-consuming and expensive to resolve. A well-fitting bike reduces the likelihood of injuries developing. Remaining injury-free allows cyclists to spend more time in the saddle and less time in the treatment room.
Related to injury prevention, poor posture on the bike can have a knock-on impact on daily life. For example, tension from a hunched bike commute may lead to an uncomfortable day at work.
Getting a bike fit is a great way to gain speed and efficiency on your bike. While it’s easy to look at an equipment upgrade and quantify weight savings or aerodynamic properties, a well-fitting bike can help you make the most of the power you already have.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Retül fitting?

Retül is a bike fitting system that involves placing infrared sensors on the rider, and using motion capture to analyse the rider’s movements. This has the advantage over assessment by eye of being very precise, allowing an analytical approach to fitting. Movements are benchmarked against parameters tested by British Cycling.

What should I wear to a bike fitting?

During your fitting, you’ll be spending some time on the bike, so your normal cycling clothes are best. This will allow you to feel changes better during the process and allow you to provide feedback to your fitter. However, the bike fitting does involve placing sensors at fixed locations (e.g. knees, hips, shoulders, etc.). Wearing tighter clothing, such as bib shorts, helps to ensure the sensors remain in the right place and readings are accurate.

Will I have to buy new equipment?

The aim of a bike fit is to avoid making unnecessary equipment purchases. However, position changes on the bike may mean that the way your weight sits on the saddle changes. If this causes discomfort or numbness, you may need to look at changing your saddle. You may also need to change minor components to achieve the right fit, such as for moving the position of the handlebars.

Does a bike fitting change over time?

Bike fit will inevitably change over time as your body changes. This is especially the case for those who are changing the nature of their cycling or the amount of time they are spending on a bike (e.g. starting to train for a first event).

If you’re training regularly, increasing your miles or starting to train differently, we would recommend updating your bike fit after a year.

Is it worth getting a bike fitting?

A bike fitting can be a very effective way of minimising the risk of injury and making the most of your current equipment. As you cycle more, it can be very tempting to upgrade your equipment. A bike fit is considerably cheaper than any new bike on the market, and can help save you the disruption and expense of treating an injury.