Fit is It

A recent article in Bicycling magazine on the effects of bad fit on your body with road bikes set me to thinking. For the past two seasons I've ridden less on my road bike than in the past. Upon reflection, I realize that the sore neck and shoulders and numb toes are most likely a result of poor fit on my ride.

Stopped by my local shop, Great Lakes Cycling & Fitness, and talked to owner Oscar. Sure enough the do custom fitting by appointment, so I set on up. The fit process was pretty fascinating - in addition to a wide range of all sorts of body measurements, Oscar puts you on the bike on a trainer and watches your riding style. Based on measurements, observations, and a bit of help from computer-based fit sofware, he starts making adjustments.

Two items were immediately apparent. First, my Look stem was a good bit too long. Second my Serfas RX saddle belonged on Grandpa's upright cruiser, not my performance-oriented road bike. Funny thing is that I'd wondered if this saddle was part of my problem - being overly wide and overly padded. A shorter Giant stem and a new Selle Royal saddle were the first times.

Then the tweaking began. Surprisingly, the tweaks were all relatively small, but there were quite a few. It started with raising the seat height, sliding it back, and adjusting the angles. Then, after discussing my flexibility, or lack of it, the handlebars were rotated upward. The effect of all this was to shift my riding position rearward to more evenly distribute the weight load between handlebars and saddle. Previously I'd been riding with much of my weight supported on my wrists, causing neck and shoulder pain.

Finally he addressed the position of my cleats. This is both to provide proper alignment and efficiency, and to deal with the toe numbness I've been experiencing.

It's interesting I'd never considered having a pro do a fitting. Especially since discovering the HUGE benefits of a custom fitting for my ski boots (thanks to Rob @ Sun & Snow Sports for that!) last year. Watching Oscar work made me realize how little I knew about getting a bike to fit me well.

Are we done? No, not quite. I'm swapping the new saddle for one with an anatomical cutout. And there's still a bit of toe numbness lingering. But a few more adjustments today and we should be further along. Hoping to sneak in a ride tonight to see!

-Sean-