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Help with Bike Fit

grubba

May 8, 12 8:19

Post #1 of 41 (2134 views)

Help with Bike Fit	Quote \| Reply

hi all,

Please help. I've been trying to get my bike fit dialled in for some time. I've been reading lots of helpful information on this website and I've had a go at fitting myself on my TT Bike. Last week I finished a Half Ironman with a bike split of 2:20 with 217watt average power. Even though my effort was steady I thrashed my quads in the process as I seem to not use my Gluteus muscles as much as I would like. My PT said post-race that I have extremely weak Glutes. I always have severe quad cramps on my run leg which I think could be due to a bad bike fit that doesn't allow me to engage my Glutes. Today I shortened my stem and moved my seat forward and this is my current set up. Please let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/...amp;feature=youtu.be

Thanks in advance

NickG

May 8, 12 9:16

Post #2 of 41 (2102 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Seat looks high...
_________________________

- The key is to lift with your back in a twisting, jerking motion

tskeltonpga

May 8, 12 10:56

Post #3 of 41 (2060 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

i think the further forward your go the less you use your glutes and hamstrings and the more you use your quads...perhaps moving the seat down some would allow you to slide back more so you could engage your glutes. would probably have to shorter the reach some though.

don't take my word for it...i would wait for someone more knowledgeable!

JT_Dennen

May 8, 12 11:06

Post #4 of 41 (2049 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Holy shit you're from the future! Can you help me out with some winning lotto numbers!

JT_Dennen

May 8, 12 11:08

Post #5 of 41 (2045 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

But yeah your seat does look a little high. Could go down a bit and then will be able to slide back to help engage those muscles a bit more.

Big

May 8, 12 12:20

Post #6 of 41 (2011 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...e_critique_P3917237/

You may have already read through this...but I posted some info on bike fitting...It really doesn't have to be super scientific...some people like to understand the science behind it because it gives them more confidence when they go to spend lot of time and effort training on the bike to trust their fit...

If you get a good fitter, it is really like any other sport...You want to get in a good athletic postions where you can generate and transfer force from your hips....

Bike FIT

Get seat height and fore/aft positon set for maximum power/comfort...can't really have one without the other...you can read my post from above about pelvic stablity...

Adjust the Front end for desired drop and reach...again cockpit length (how compact you are is key to comfort and stability)...it really doesn't require as much flexibilty as people think....

You can read my posts from above to find out where your body will self select to maximize power (if you have a power tap then you can use that as well)....You don't adjust saddle height and fore/aft position to fit your bars and find comfort...Your bars move to your optimal saddle postion...How steep you ride and how far you are rotated around the bottom bracket will be relative to your drop...

It is all about stablity and understanding the importance of balance/stabilty when applying force...the nice thing about this is that your body is very good and self selecting this...it actually seeks to achieve it...

Make sure you are cycling with some real power and use some harder effort when bike fitting...just spinning doesn't cut it..

2 big limiter for comfort...Saddle that won't let your hips roll foward without pain...and being too far stretched out...(which may cause the first issue)

Gman108

May 8, 12 12:35

Post #7 of 41 (1988 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Just my 2cents ...

I bought my bike at a LBS and although they let me try several types of bikes to find the right general frame for my body, the fit was good but not really dialed in. I knew that things were off so I decided to go to a fitter afterwards and pay more for a retul fit.

Best money I've spent so far. I went to John at Acme in Brooklyn, he spent 3 hours with me and by the time I left my bike looked different, felt different and I was comfortable. He found 3 different tweaked options for my position and we chose from there. So my point is you can tweak online and show videos or pics but ultimately the best changes will be made by a good fitter. I would suggest finding a Fist or Retul fitter locally spend the money to have them dial you in.

Big

May 8, 12 13:07

Post #8 of 41 (1972 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Gman108] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

While I generally agree with you...a Retul fit is great (I have had one)...However, there goal is to get you in a postion where you feel like you are generating real power and are comfortable doing it...at the end of the day who/what determines whether or not the bike is dialed in...(your body)

Like I said before the parameters (angle measure, stack, reach etc..) they give you is the science...some people are completely clueless and probably need the entire package...they don't know how to raise there seat, change a stem, work with carbon bikes, ect.....basically would have no idea where to even start...

I think there is a large portion of the slowtwich community that do not fall into the completely clueless category...and with the information on here can probably dial their fit and without dropping a bunch of money....

The science (and numbers) behind all of the fitting just give a range based on what the best cylclist have demonstrated as optimal...The big gap I see between the people asking for help on here is the practical application of all the information...These numbers do not tell anyone what is happening from a functional perspective inside the body....

This is why I here about so many people paying a bunch of money for a fit and it not working out...The biggest mistake I see by a lot of fitters (not the good ones) is that they rely soley on the numbers...and send people out of their shops thinking that they are good...when they "feel" they are not...

It really is much more simple than people think...You body does a pretty good idea of telling you what it likes and dislikes...

I think this where the art of bike fitting comes in and where....really good fitters earn their money...

So, I guess what I am saying is that if a person wanted to fit themselves in a TT postion (or any bike postion) it is entirely possible to do without the technology...

If you have a great fit...then you paid money to a good bike fitter...not just the use of an expensive machine that measures things...

Runless

May 8, 12 13:16

Post #9 of 41 (1961 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

move seat down(just in general)

Typically moving the seat back will get better glute and hamstring engagement.

In general your position is better than most that get posted here.

grubba

May 8, 12 15:27

Post #10 of 41 (1916 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Big wrote:

Yes, I've read your post and wanted to see if I was close to being set up correctly as I sat on the tip of my Adamo saddle in the Half Ironman on the weekend. It felt comfortable but after reading your posts I thought that maybe by doing so I didn't engage my muscles correctly, hence I cramped in the quads immediately off the bike. Last night I moved my seat forward to sit underneath the saddle more and put a 70mm stem on instead of the 110 that I had on the weekend. Because I have a 83cm inseam I looked for a 73.5cm saddle height. My problem is where to measure that to on the Adamo saddle as it's a sloping saddle if you know what I mean. I did the measuring to the middle of the saddle. Looking at the video my saddle does look a little high so I'll drop it 1cm and see how it feels. My only problem is that as I drop the saddle my knees ending up hitting my elbows on the pads.

Thanks for everyone input so far. Yes, i know the date is wrong on the video, my fault for working on it at 11pm :)

9kfever

May 8, 12 16:27

Post #11 of 41 (1898 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Isn't that fork recalled?

If so, be careful on that. Ive heard of some nasty crashes because of failure.

Big

May 8, 12 16:27

Post #12 of 41 (1897 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

By the way...where you want to sit on the seat is really personal preference...your quads being toast isn't so much a function of where you sit on your seat...but why you ended up sitting on the end of your seat, how it effected your pedaling mehcanics and your bodies ability to generate force...

You might not have needed to move your seat foward...but just shortened the stem...So first...the measurement for saddle height is just a starting point...ideally you want to measure to the point on the seat where you are going to sit...so yes closer to the middle will be fine to start....

You don't want move your seat to adjust for cockpit lenght...adjust the fore/aft of you seat based on what your body tells you is most powerful....By the way your fit looks really good (you are in the range, so to speak)...To find optimal power do the following

1. go outside (again...if you have a power meter you can use this afterwards to support fit, but I like this process outside and not on a trainer...it is a more dynamic process)...lower your seat and put it back to where you had it (or in a nuetural postion...dead center of the rails of the adamo seat rails...)that will basically get you riding at the steepness of your bikes seattube angle...

2. Don't get in the areo postion yet...just stay seated and get low (kind of like a road bike racer in the drops)...get on a hill that isn't to steep...and start pedaling from bascially a stand still...put your bike in a really Big gear and start up the hill at a low cadence...use your butt/glutes (keep your core tight) to start push phase of pedal stroke...feel well your hips are trying to move to generate power...foward or backwards....

3. Then do the same thing but get on a really small gear and accelerate up the hill at 95 to 100 rpms (high cadence)...again feel where your hips are trying to go...your body will self select the most explosive position...If your feel your butt trying to move foward to get the pedals more underneath you then you know your seat will have to come foward a little bit...do this until you get your seat height and fore/aft in the optimal postion for power...You body will also self select the most stable postion for your pelvis on the seat...

4. Once you have established that..then set your bars (stem) for the desired stack and reach...the key here...especially with the adamo is to make sure you are nice and compact or your body will feel like it is sliding off the front of the seat...

Start with this and then repost...

grubba

May 8, 12 21:50

Post #13 of 41 (1836 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmacUnGWZjs

New Vid posted.

I've lowered the saddle, lowered the front and moved the seat to the centre of the rails @ 78 degrees.

Any thoughts?

grubba

May 9, 12 2:58

Post #14 of 41 (1797 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxg9pkBbi2M

Raised the Arm Pads as I felt that my hip angle was too acute.

New Video posted

tskeltonpga

May 9, 12 4:42

Post #15 of 41 (1762 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Dig the music. looking forward to see what Big has to say.

vibrolux

May 9, 12 5:10

Post #16 of 41 (1738 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I'd be thrilled with that fit!

BTW, do your knees touch/hit your elbows? Just wondering.

grubba

May 9, 12 5:17

Post #17 of 41 (1733 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [vibrolux] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Thanks - knees are not touching elbows at all. I think there is about 3 inches. I feel I may have lost some aero but in the process gained power and comfort.

Big

May 9, 12 9:38

Post #18 of 41 (1685 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

This is a good start...because you always focus on Power first and then aero last...but I think we can do a few things to keep the feeling of power and get you back down comfortably in front...The good thing is you are getting a feeling for how compact you really want to be...If you are going to go lower you would have to get shorter cockpit length...however...I don't think we are at that point yet...There are a couple of things I would like you to feel out first before we do anything else with your stack and reach...

Couple of things I am noticing...again...I am knit picking here, because you don't look too bad at all...

1. Your hips are rolled back a little bit...this is why you had to raise your front end...I can see where having it lower would have closed your hip angle at top of pedal stroke (12 o'clock)...as you would have to bend from the waste too much from that hip position...

It is almost like you are trying to generate force from more behind the bottom bracket...and this is getting your butt/glutes involved, however over the course of a longer time trial you are making your core work a lot because you are applying force opposite (not completely opposite, but your pelvis isn't in it's most neutral/stable position) of the direction you are trying to lay down...you want you pelvis/hips/core area to almost feel weightless (always strive to focus on the being an athlete...) when you are getting on it...You are going to want it to relax your pelvis at more of a 45 degree angle (foward)...Some of this will happen with adaptation...but the fit need to allow for it....

This is also giving you the significant amount of curl in your lower back...

So what I would like to have you do now is move your postion down and back a little more...This means you will have to bring your front down and back towards you proportionately...On your next clip...warm-up a little and let me see 30 secs at your HIM Watts (220 ish) at a cadence of 70-75 rpms...and then 30 secs (same watts @ 90-95 rpms)...I am looking to see what your hips do...

Let me know how you feel...but I want to start from there...

tskeltonpga

May 9, 12 10:03

Post #19 of 41 (1668 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

so he needs to roll his hips forward more and crush his junk?

vibrolux

May 9, 12 10:09

Post #20 of 41 (1662 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [tskeltonpga] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Not if he's on the right saddle like an Adamo or Cobb. Virtually impossible to do so on those, at least if you're sitting on them properly.

tskeltonpga

May 9, 12 10:20

Post #21 of 41 (1646 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [vibrolux] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Love my adamo...no junk crushing with it...

Big

May 9, 12 10:24

Post #22 of 41 (1642 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [tskeltonpga] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Hopefully it dosnt' crush is junk :)...But when I look at your video clip (or even his 1st one)...hips look a lot better too me...could have just been because he was pushing bigger watts on trainer..that is why I said...some of the relaxing of the core comes from being in a good fit and then actually adapting to it over the course of a couple weeks of training...

If the front end comes down and back (shorter stem ect..) everything should just move proportionely...so I don't think his junk should feel any different...

Big

May 9, 12 10:46

Post #23 of 41 (1623 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

grubba wrote:

Thanks - knees are not touching elbows at all. I think there is about 3 inches. I feel I may have lost some aero but in the process gained power and comfort.

Hey, after looking at it again...lower your seat .25cm to .5cm, but don't move it back...this will get you back on the seat a little more...then shorten your stem...and drop your bars back down to get you back flat like in the first video...If your going to stay back on the Adamo...you have to make sure your reach is nice and compact...otherwise you get that feeling like you are sliding down the seat...

Let me know how this feels...getting the seat underneath you will prop your pelvis/hips up and foward...but you have to make sure your reach is nice and compact so you are just roll foward on to your arm pads...This should allow you to get your back lower like your 1st video, but get you the same feeling of comfort and stability you had ...Basically just moving entire postion back .5cm from original (but making sure you are compact) and changing where/how you sit on the seat...

Then on the next video do the 30secs at 70-75 rpms...and then at 90-95 rpms and 220 watts (HIM) and then let me see the video and tell me how you felt.....

grubba

May 9, 12 15:08

Post #24 of 41 (1569 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I am on an Adamo Race. I cut the back off to fit a single bottle set up.

Big

May 9, 12 15:21

Post #25 of 41 (1562 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

This is where you are headed...but like I said in some earlier posts...you want to be able to "feel the power" as you move to this postion...

to do this you need to find a powerful/stable/comfortbable postion on the seat...which I feel like you are pretty dang close too...

You will notice in the pic above he is very compact...and the space on the back end of the adamo seat that is showing is more from his pelvis rotating foward as he lays on to his arm pads...He isn't sliding off the front of his seat...to lay down like this and not feel like you are wanting to slide foward you have to be compact...I actually think you will feel better lower in the front...

You just want to start the process from a little less steep seattube angle (saddle height) to make sure you are optimizing power then move from there...Good chance you move foward and up a little when we are all said and done..but I want you to do it because you feel more powerful/stable...not because you are adjusting your saddle to a reach that is a little too long...

One thing I have learned about the Adamo...(and love the saddle) is that you need to be more compact than you think...and you will feel much better...The Adamo does allow you to slide off the nose...but like I said before this significantly changes your postision and pedaling mechanics...

Again...some people choose to ride off the end and like it...(and set there bike up that way...but a lot of times I think it is a funcition of not having a short enough stem...or being on a bike that is too big.)

Big

May 9, 12 15:29

Post #26 of 41 (1027 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

http://www.slowtwitch.com/...n_the_bike_2416.html

Sorry, Pic didn't post...click here at Kona-top15 men...and look at Pete Jacobs set up on the adamo...

Big

May 9, 12 17:50

Post #27 of 41 (1002 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

If you want...I will check in here 8pm pacific..time...let me know if you want to finish it up tonight......make the changes I said above...lower saddle .25 to .5 cm...lower your arm pads, shorten cockpit length, and get your back flat...do the 30 secs at each cadence...ect..post video and then we will go from there...

by the way let me know what you are feeling....

grubba

May 9, 12 17:55

Post #28 of 41 (1002 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

His seat looks a lot tall then mine - hence he seem to have more room between his knees and elbows. I rode to work this morning and dropped the seat .5cm and also lowered the front (75mm 16 degrees to 75mm 12 degrees). I'll post a vid tonight. On the ride I felt comfortable but did still slide down the saddle. Did feel like I was using my entire leg more but the hip angle still feels too tight or am I just used to too large a hip angle. I do feel very compact - would you recomment tilting the adamo to a -1 degree ?

Big

May 9, 12 18:06

Post #29 of 41 (993 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

No...I would say keep the rails of the seat parallel to slightly angled up...which should have the top of the seat tilting down already a litltle bit...don't want to adjust tilt for fit unless it is more or less a comfort thing...don't do this to change bike fit dynamics...Post a video of what you had from your ride...then we will go from there...I am probably going to have you raise your seat back up and move it foward...just a touch..but I want make sure your angle of your foot (toe down) is part of your pedaling mechanics (which is fine by the way)...and not a result of being too tall and steep...

When we are done....you will feel good...you shouldn't have to force a tight hip angle...anyways...post what you have.....

Big

May 9, 12 20:16

Post #30 of 41 (971 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

I am around...when you get a chance get your gear on and post the video

grubba

May 9, 12 20:31

Post #31 of 41 (963 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Thanks Big, I'm at work at the moment. It's 11.30am here in Perth, Western Australia so the soonest I'll do it is when i get home from work. Thanks for being really helpful!! and patient :)

Cheers

Big

May 9, 12 22:06

Post #32 of 41 (951 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

No problem...shoot 2 videos then and I can check them in the morning...1 min at 220 watts...30 secs @ 70-75 rpms and then 30 secs @ 90-95 rpms

1st video - how you are now...but leave reach alone..you can probably move the stack up just a touch to keep back at relatively same flatness, and raise the seat .25cm up and .25cm forward

2nd video - Go back to bike fit 3 (where you felt most powerful and comfortable..but lost a little areo)...From there...leave front end alone (stack and reach), but just raise seat .25cm up and .25 cm forward..

at the end of each video stop pedaling and lock your knee (straighten your leg... out at bottom dead center...) for a couple seconds before you get off...

and also make your aero bars flat...not tilted up a little...

which one of these felt better? With respect to power and Comfort? Which one did you feel more relaxed at the given effort?

After this we can wrap up final touches...

Big

May 10, 12 9:48

Post #33 of 41 (894 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Just in case you don't get a chance to get more videos back up...or you have found your spot and don't feel like posting, I wanted to summarize process for those that followed...

Bike fit 3 - Where you body self selected optimal power/comfort (it is where you pelvis is stable, and you have muscle balance from front and back of your legs...You can get good tourque/force for hips from your leveage behind the bottom bracket and you are steep enough to spin higher cadences efficiently)...iit is a really good powerful fit...(again I was knit picking a little after that to play around with some things)

This is your threshold for optimal power/comfort and the aerodynamics that go along with it...Your body will not lie to you when you fit yourself under load...From here is where the tradeoff's begin...Could you go higher and steeper to get lower in the front? Yes? But power and/or comfort gets comprimised...The comfort doesn't have to be pain in your junk, but more so a stablity issue...which effects power...

If you spend some time in the Bike fit 3 (and you might be able to move your saddle and foward and up just a touch from there which will give you a litlte better areo profile and roll your hips/pelvis a touch more)...your body will actually adapt to this postion and you will start to relax more into the postion anyways...which will allow you to shrug your shoulders and get your head down..

Being in a good powerful/comfortable postion allows your body to relax so you can be an athlete...

From a training and development perspective...you can spend a lot of time and do some really strong workouts in this postion and become a real strong biker and have the confidence (trust your fit) that you are building the big cycling muscles you are suppossed to...

Spend a year here becoming a strong rider and become in tune with your most powerful cycling muscles...Then it will be much easier to feel where and how you want to gain more of an aero profile......

Again over the course of a year in a good fit as your pelvis relaxes you might be able to come down a touch in front without jeopardizing any power, but don't try to ride through a tight hip angle now, because it will just create tension kill your power...

Anyways...trust your body and spend a lot of time here and you will notice a significant change in your cycling!

grubba

May 10, 12 15:37

Post #34 of 41 (873 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] (Deleted by grubba) [In reply to]

grubba

May 10, 12 15:44

Post #35 of 41 (869 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oKkNhsud6uM

All done sorry for delay

grubba

May 10, 12 16:39

Post #36 of 41 (851 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

http://youtu.be/oKkNhsud6uM

in case the other link don't work

grubba

May 10, 12 18:55

Post #37 of 41 (829 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Big, with regards to which one felt better - Moving the seat up and forward .5cm has helped. But i think it may be just a mental thing. On my ride home last night and before the changes I did feel comfortable and powerful but it felt like I was sitting in my chair at work and pedaling - lots of power but I felt too cramped?? Almost like I was riding a bike set up for someone shorter than me. I pushed 200 watt and it felt very easy so maybe that's how I should feel?. When I got home and made the changes as you requested I felt like there was more room from my knees to my elboes and it also felt like I was getting more power throughout the entire pedal stroke. Less sliding off too! Maybe this is my sweetspot as you call it. I do feel very relaxed up front also. When I dropped the bars to a 8 degree angle I still felt relaxed but I did feel my hip angle change slightly but no negative effects. Maybe a could go even lower at the front? or as you suggested, leave it now and let my body settle into the position.

Thanks again.

Big

May 10, 12 20:22

Post #38 of 41 (814 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Hey...I like the fit...you look good and relaxed...I had you drop the seat on purpose so you could feel that slack postion which provides a fair amount of tourque/force in the form of levereage from behing the bottom bracket...but your right it doesn't give you the allow you that feeling of racing and and picking up your cadence...getting over the top (and rotating around the bottom bracket) feeling that your body will like...it isn't mental...I wanted you to feel different positions around the bottom bracket...this is why I had you spin a low and high cadence under load...You are more neutral/stable/balanced in the sweet spot....Stay there! and spend a lot of time training there...your body will settle into it...I didn't think the last (4.3 was bad at all) but I think if you wait you can get there even more naturally as you body relaxes in the postion...Your areo profile is great...

Remember you true areo postion is what you can maintain when you are fatigued not fresh...so that sweet spot is key...after a couple of weeks leave your front end alone and see if .25cm increase in saddle height gives you an increase in power...without in issues with your hips or feeling like you are having to reach for the pedal stroke...You will know!

Sometimes a a higher stack will actually give you a flatter back and a better aero profile...not to mention it is all about COMFORT and POWER...Wait until next year to mess around with the areo profile if you even feel like you need to...

I just watched a friend of mine average 27mph in a 20k TT..and he looks about like you with the 14 degree stem...(just a touch higher in front)...Big changes on the bike or anything else happen over long periods of time....

You look good in the sweet Spot!

Good Training....

grubba

May 10, 12 20:44

Post #39 of 41 (809 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Cheers, you've been a fantastic help. I'm going to lock the fit in and move the stem back to 14 degrees and work on settling into the fit.

I have another HIM on Oct 21 so I'll see how the fit equates to results as the course is identical to the one on the weekend where I posted a 2:20 bike split @ 214 watt. Will update this post then.

Question - is there a way of using this fit to set up my Road Bike as well?

PS. Wife has been thinking i'm a little weird posting videos of myself on the bike but she would never understand.

Big

May 11, 12 8:07

Post #40 of 41 (757 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [grubba] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Your welcome...

By the way...your could use your measurements to get you started on your road bike, but I always use the more dynamic approach...

Start with your saddle postion...on a little bit of the conservative side...go do some cycling under load...low cadence with some good torque and then high cadence...95 to 100rpms...feel where your body is trying to go to set your for/aft postion...get your seat underneath you for optimal comfort and pelvis stability...

Then you can raise your saddle height in very small increments (.25cm at a time)...Keep doing this if you feel like your are gaining power (and you bike is feeling lighter so to speak)...make sure to do it under load though..

Once your get to where the seat is really jamming up into your junk...bringing it back down to the last spot it felt good...

Then set your bars for comfort...With a road bike...depending on the seat you ride you really do get a little more versitility with the different hand positions...and being able to move to different parts of your seat...

But the fitting process is not all that complicated....Your body is very good at self selecting stable and powerful postions...Using these positions when training on the bike take your cycling to a whole other level...

Because you spend day after day repeating good movements patterns...and it makes it so much easier to build power and speed from here....

Just remember to listen to your body...numbers are just that...and they have limitations...They give us a range, but they won't really tell us what is happening from a functional perspective inside our body...

and by the way...If you were to get set up on a Retul System you would find out that your TT bike fit falls right in the middle (optimal) range for every measurement...or pretty dang close...

grubba

May 11, 12 17:20

Post #41 of 41 (725 views)

Re: Help with Bike Fit [Big] [In reply to]	Quote \| Reply

Thanks again Big much appreciated!!

Time to start training again.....