Bike Fit Philosophy
On the bike, your mind should be free to focus on the sweet pain of your effort, or the pleasure of your surroundings, the company of your mates, etc.
You should NOT be burdened by the discomfort of your bike fit - the bad kind of pain.
“Comfort is speed.”
If you suffer from saddle sores, neck and shoulder pain, numb hands, knee problems, etc, then It’s time to re-evaluate your fit. Better still, go and see a fitter. This will help prevent injury, improve your ride quality and optimise your performance.
Who wants the doubt of inefficiency on their mind? When you arrive at the start line of an event you’ve been targeting, you need to tell yourself:
“I have done everything in my power to prepare for this moment.”
Bike fit plays a part in this reassurance process.
Again, comfort is speed, especially over a long distance. I approach my fit with the mindset of comfort first, then performance, then personal-preference. You have to find the right balance of all three.
“Bike fit is an evolution, not a destination.”
Bike fitters have helped me get to the right ballpark, but you have to spend time in a position and make small adaptations as you go.
As a rider, you should know what is working and what isn’t. Experts can help us optimise, but if it doesn’t feel right then fix it. Bike fit is an evolution, listen to your body and adapt as necessary. Fix it, fix it and fix it again.
“Bikes that don’t fit are not a good look. That’s the number one thing I notice when I’m out riding. You should always have a bike that fits you properly and is measured up for your body. It doesn’t matter what you wear, if your riding position is wrong, it is never going to work - even if you wear the coolest clothing. If your position is wrong you look shit and there is nothing you can do. Always get a proper fitting before you buy a bike.”
For me, comfort is all about ‘contact points’- shoes and cleats, saddle and shorts, bars and hoods
Shoes and cleats
I’m very much in the same camp as James Thomas (a renowned bike fitter), ‘Send your cleats back as far as they will go.’ (A slight oversimplification as everyone is unique, but a good starting point).
Any guesses why I have been riding in Sidi Shoes, until now? Sidi makes some of the best shoes on the market, but I had been riding them out of habit and because my dad, nan and grandad made them look so cool.
The reason I have switched to the Le Col Pro Carbon road shoes is that they allow my cleats to go back a touch further than my Sidi’s. As a result, my pedal technique has improved (marginally):
• Le Col Pro Carbon: Torque Effectiveness 86%
• Sidi Shot: Torque Effectiveness 83%
Yes, it’s only 3%, but ‘marginal gains’ matter when you are working towards a goal. A better pedal technique means more power for the same cadence.
I am personally feeling the benefits of pulling my cleats back further. It’s is definitely worth experimenting with.
Saddle and Shorts
If you suffer from saddle sores, its usually your saddle height/position/rotation that is the problem, not your saddle or bib shorts. Again, another reason to go for a proper fit with a professional.
I think saddles are one of the most stylish things about a road bike, especially leather saddles covered in metalwork. My three favourite saddles are the San Marco Rolls, San Marco Regal and San Marco Concor (probably due to the era of road cycling that I am in love with, and my heroes who rode them).
I think everyone has experienced a ‘bad saddle’, you know what I’m talking about, right? No beating around the bush, I’ll give you an ‘overshare’. In 2015 I got bored with my San Marco Rolls and decided to give the Concor a try. After riding the 300km ‘Dragon Ride’ sportive in Wales, I pissed blood. I think this proves my point - finding the right saddle is important.
I put my trusty San Marco Rolls back on, immediately. I contradict myself with saddle choice, the Rolls is far too wide for my skinny arse. All of my used saddles have a ‘wear mark’ on the left-hand side of the nose, evidence of an imbalance and the source of all my uncomfortable chafing issues. However, I made the decision to sacrifice comfort for style, and that is the price.
Classic style of the Rolls.
To save a bit of weight, I have put the San Marco Regal Evo Carbon saddle on my Factor O2 VAM. It’s much narrower than the Rolls and fits me much better. No more wear marks or chaffing. It’s the perfect balance of comfort, performance and classic Italian style (AKA personal preference). After all these years, I have found ‘the one’.
My dad once told me:
“Buy the best shorts and wheels you can afford.”
This is great advice, good bib shorts keep you comfy and good wheels will keep you moving forwards.
Every brand is searching for the ‘Holy Grail’ - bib shorts that provide all-day comfort. Le Col shorts are pretty bib-lical (get it?). The chamois is excellent, performing 2hr indoor sessions without ‘numbness’ is proof of that; but the reason I love them is the yolk/strap, it’s extra stretchy and doesn’t tear at the seams when you pull down the front for a ‘comfort break’.
Bars and Hoods
Don’t be bullied into a poor bike fit to keep up with trendy hashtags like #SlamThatStem. Only slam your 14cm -17degree stem if you can reach the handlebars, comfortably. Can’t reach your brake levers? Ah well, Cipo didn’t need his, so neither do you, right?
“If you brake, you don’t win.”
Neck and shoulder pain or numb hands are a sign that your reach/drop is too long/low. On the flip-side, If you are too high and close you aren’t as aerodynamic as you could be. Lowering your position will also improve your centre of gravity, which is better for cornering and descending.
I like to ride with a ‘Merckx fit’, a taller front-end, less saddle/bar drop and deeper round drop bars. This creates three totally different riding positions, down low in the drops for sprinting, rolling on the hoods for sustainable efforts and sitting up high on the tops while climbing.
Your front-end should be optimised or adjusted for the type of riding you, for example, a 300km Audax would require a higher position than a full-gas 40min crit race. I find that I am constantly adjusting my stack and reach, based on my goal, event or current ‘flexibility status’ (maybe I should give yoga another try?).
A professional bike fit is the best investment for your cycling. I have had a good experience with James Thomas at Richmond Cycles, James Wakelin at Condor Cycles, James Walsgrove at Ride Harder & Factor Bikes UK.
Keep fettling, tinkering and improving.
Gareth.
