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How to take a bike fit critique video
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The quality of bike fit critique video has fallen badly. I'm surprised James Haycraft hasn't been more vocal about it.

Suggest we use this post (unless anybody has a better one) as a reference guide for taking your bike fit videos. If the more experienced fitters and critiquers can reply with any extra points or corrections I will adjust the OP. Perhaps we can get Dan to make it is a sticky.

1. Take the video in Landscape. This isn't instagram and you are not one of the Kardashians taking a mirror selfie.
2. Level your bike with the floor, and your camera with the bike. Easy way to do this is check the vertical height of the dropouts/qr skewer nuts - should be the same height above the floor.
3. Position the camera directly to the side and at a height roughly equivalent to your top tube. Hold the camera/phone parallel to the bike and roughly level with the centre of mass. We don't want a cockroach-eye-view.
4. Step back and frame the video to capture the whole of the rider + bike. We need to see, as a minimum, from your hands to your arse and the top of your head/back to the bottom of your pedal stroke. We need to be able to see your toes at bottom-dead-centre.
5. Wear race kit if you can, or no shirt if you are a nipple violation kind of a guy (or girl I guess). No baggy t-shirts or cargo shorts.
6. Wear your race helmet. We cannot judge how well you are holding your head without seeing how your helmet meets your back, or whether the tail of it is parting the clouds.
7. Pedal at a cadence you will ride at outside, and at an effort level or power that you are interested in racing at. Best to warm up for 10 minutes.
8. Try and hold your head in a position that at least resembles how you will ride outside. If you don't stare at your bottom bracket when you are racing, don't hold your head that way in this video. Imagine there is a road and look at it.
9. Think about the lighting. If it is too dark, or you are pedalling directly in front of a supernova, we will not be able to discern your position.
10. Give us enough footage to see what is going on. Two pedal strokes isn't enough, around 20 seconds is good.
11. If you are posting photos, show top and bottom of the pedal stroke. Videos are better, but if you need to post photos at least include the very top and bottom of your pedal stroke so that we can judge hip angle and leg extension.
12. Smile. In fact, don't smile. This isn't a game, this is aerodynamics.

Eric, Trent, James H, Jim, Dave Luscan, rruff etc anything to add?

No marks for the person who finds the photo I posted off angle, through a door frame, with flip flops and board shorts. I'd had a few craft ales.

Cheers, Rich.
Last edited by: knighty76: May 9, 19 1:55
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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yeah the phone needs to be center of mass and parallel to the bike

Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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Good post.
Might I suggest:
* Make sure the bike is level to the ground, and the camera is level to the bike
* warm up first, don't just jump on and film the first 10 seconds of your ride while you're fresh. Get footage from at least a few minutes in.
* Video duration, minimum 20 seconds.
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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sums it up nicely
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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All good suggestions... I would keep it at 20s max because that's enough time to figure out what's going on.
MattyK wrote:
Good post.
* Video duration, minimum 20 seconds.

What's your CdA?
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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Cheers all, will update OP with suggestions.
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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honestly, I would change this to just a "How to" on starting a Critique My Fit thread. I think we definitely need one stickied to the top of the forum.
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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OP you are doing the Lord's work.

Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [trailerhouse] [ In reply to ]
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trailerhouse wrote:
All good suggestions... I would keep it at 20s max because that's enough time to figure out what's going on.
MattyK wrote:
Good post.
* Video duration, minimum 20 seconds.

You can also slow down YouTube videos to get "more" out of a 20s video too.
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [trailerhouse] [ In reply to ]
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trailerhouse wrote:
All good suggestions... I would keep it at 20s max because that's enough time to figure out what's going on.
MattyK wrote:
Good post.
* Video duration, minimum 20 seconds.
But no less than 10 seconds. Some have been about 5 seconds lately. Barely enough time to blink.
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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Looks great!

Regarding head position I think most people have more than one. Looking up the road occasionally, but not so far ahead the rest of the time. It's good to get both... whatever is realistic.
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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Maybe post links to some "good" and "bad" examples.
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [trialex] [ In reply to ]
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Pretty good (insofar as angle, lighting, and setup are concerned)




Plenty of bad ones available. At least 75% of the "critique my fit" threads have either bad pics or photos embedded for use.


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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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This should be stickied and just become the "bike fit critique" thread. We don't need 1000 different threads. Just 1.

Just like the other sticky threads it should be a disclaimer such as "Before you post, read the first 15 posts in this thread (or however many are useful) and THEN and only then can you post for critique."
Last edited by: jkhayc: May 10, 19 5:38
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [jkhayc] [ In reply to ]
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Great demonstration, cool concept for a sticky thread.

Does position B require more reach?

Scott
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [GreatScott] [ In reply to ]
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Not in and of itself. One of the points of making that video was to demonstrate (or try to) that "fit" means a few different things. Some "fitters" think it's just setting contact points. Others understand that it's both those points in space and postural ... coaching.

So the contact points are the exact same in both A and B but the posture is different. So there is no extra reach between the two (in the video).

Usually when people are new to a good position and new to good posture they need more reach every few months as they sort of further adapt. So eventually, position B will need more reach. Probably.
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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Great post and I'm honored you mentioned my name. I do a lot of online fits and this is the information I request before making any recommendations.

I would like to receive two videos, 2 still photos, and one informational email before making initial recommendations.

Video 1 should be a direct (90 degree) side view shot from a tripod or a steady hand. Good smart phone video is more than sufficient. Center the view on the hips but be sure to capture the entire body including the bottom of the pedal stroke. Rider should be in motion, warmed up, settled into their typical position and riding close to threshold or one hour effort level.

Video 2 is should be shot from the front of the bike with the camera aimed right at the headtube. Center the view on the head tube but be sure to capture the entire body including the bottom of the pedal stroke. Rider should be in motion, warmed up, settled into their typical position and riding close to threshold or 1 hour effort level.

- If the rider uses an aero helmet, it should be worn for both videos
- A ten second clip is more than sufficient
- Video can be emailed, file shared or uploaded to Youtube or Vimeo with a shared link.

Photo 1 should be a shot of the complete aerobar, a level picture from the side/top angled down, and including the stem and steerer tube area. Elbow pads removed.

Photo 2 should be of the saddle, a level picture from the side/top angled down, and including the rails and clamp.

Email should include rider height, weight, time in the sport, weekly bike training hours, longest anticipated race distance, saddle type and satisfaction level with it, crank length, air pressure, tire brand and type, any injuries, biggest complaint on the bike, budget to make changes, and anything else you think I need to know.
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Re: How to take a bike fit critique video [jkhayc] [ In reply to ]
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jkhayc wrote:
This should be stickied and just become the "bike fit critique" thread. We don't need 1000 different threads. Just 1.
Disagree, I like being able to watch my own thread and refer back to it when necessary. And it means the replies stay focussed, rather than reviewing multiple people at once. If anything, maybe there should be a sub-forum for critique threads (bike fit, swim stroke, equipment setup)
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