Bike fitting as the way to an optimally adapted bike – professional advice from specialist retailers

It’s easy on the joints, reduces stress, aids with weight loss, strengthens muscles and boosts the immune system. No, its not the latest pharma miracle pill we’re talking about here, it’s cycling; one of the healthiest forms of exercise there is. But does the following sound familiar? Lots of cyclists complain of numbness in their hands and feet, knee pain or saddle soreness. The problem here isn’t so much a lack of fitness, it’s more to do with a poor riding position. And that’s easy to remedy with a bike fitting.

So what does bike fitting entail?

It’s all about making adjustments to your bike. A bike should provide the best possible fit for the rider. And this can be achieved through the proper adjustment of the saddle and handlebars as well as the right grips and pedals. Of course, the bike itself also plays an important role here, because your upper body position depends on the type of bike you’re riding, i.e. whether it’s a city, trekking, racing or mountain bike. A professional bike fitting involves analysing all these things for you.

How does a conventional bike fitting work?

There are various options when it comes to the bike fitting. One of the most comprehensive of these is a visit to an experienced bike fitter. They take a detailed look at both bike and rider to determine the optimal bike adjustments required. This usually means you have to sit on a stationary bike. The bike fitter then considers your needs and preferences step by step, using these to determine the adjustments needed, which are then transferred to the bike you’ve decided on. The advantage of this is that the adjustments are spot on. The disadvantage is that it can take a lot of time and can therefore cost accordingly.

An optimised version of this is a modern bike fitting using a scanner system.

Modern bike fitting builds on the existing process and also makes use of the latest technology. In other words, skilled specialists use state-of-the-art scanner systems to collect the information they need. This professional consultation tool involves a specifically developed camera system and a standardised bike model. If you’re not yet sure which type of bike is right for you, different bikes can be accurately simulated on the basis of different sitting positions. The tool helps the salesperson in configuring your preferred bike for a healthy riding experience.

For a modern bike fitting, the stationary bike used must be designed in such a way that several adjustments and changes can be easily implemented. This enables different sitting positions and bike components, like grips, handles, pedals and saddle, to be experienced and tried out quickly. And you don’t have to switch from one bike to another and ride around the bike retailer’s yard in all weathers after every adjustment.

An ergonomic bike fitting includes the following:

• Adjustment of seat tube angle, top tube length, handlebar height and stem length
• Quick saddle and handlebar changes
• Quick adjustment of saddle height and angle
• Adjustment of fore/aft saddle position (knee plumb line)
• Simple changing of different grips

The perfect bike set-up and suitable components can therefore be defined in next to no time. Peddle movement is part of the process too; you don’t sit still throughout. Plus you get to see yourself on a screen so you can visually track the changes. The calculated measurements are then easily transferred to the bike of your choice. So, regardless whether city, trekking, mountain or racing bike, the way to an ergonomic, perfectly adjusted bike is actually quite simple

• A professional consultation tool for qualified retailers should help you determine your ergonomically correct riding position and the type of bike that suits you best.
  
  
• It should help the salesperson in selecting the components that are right for you. You should be given the opportunity to try out different components while “riding” on the system’s stationary bike.
  
  
• The following factors and adjustments should be addressed by the scanner system:
  • Saddle height and angle
  • Adjustment of fore/aft saddle position (knee plumb line)
  • Adjustment of distance between handlebars and saddle
  • Adjustment of seat tube angle
  • Handlebar height
  • Cockpit adjustment
  • Foot positioning

• ergotec Scanner

Manufacturer

Wilhelm Humpert GmbH & Co. KG
Erlenstrasse 25
58739 Wickede/Ruhr 
GERMANY
Phone +492377/9183-0
Fax +492377/9183-90
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.ergotec.de

Video