Bike Fittin'

5-4-10
Today I met with my physical therapist, Jay, to do a little 'bike fittin.' He spent an hour and a half measuring, tweaking, and finessing my ride. He pulled out his special tool kit which included such items as a plumb bob, a level/ruler, and a nifty plastic card that measures angles.

He began with measuring all the angles on my bike such as the seat height, the distance from the seat to the handlebars, my shoulder width, etc. He then watched as I pedaled away (on the trainer), noting my alignment. A couple of my coworkers were scoffing at this "bike fit" thing as if were a bit ridiculous. (I had to remind myself that they probably hadn't seen a bike in years, let alone remember how to ride one.)

I also had to remind myself that not everyone is riding two hundred miles in two days. Being comfortable in the saddle can determine whether one's riding enjoyment is optimized or not. Personally, I don't think it should feel like scraping your fingernails down a chalkboard. It should be fun!

After all the measuring, perfecting, and spinning there were some pretty significant changes. Thankfully none of the tweaks will put me in the poor house. The first and most important change was the raising of my seat by 2 inches! This could make a world of difference with my IT Band issues! (Can we say stoked?)

Also, the stem that holds my handlebars will need to be modified to one that is a few millimeters shorter—this will keep me from reaching as far. I think this will enable me to feel even more "at one" with the bike, too. Jay also adjusted my brake levers; they weren't evenly spaced. (In laymen's terms, one was cockeyed.)  Hmm . . . bike builder oversight? 

The last change was the repositioning of my cleats (in my cycling shoes). I had placed them a bit too far toward my heel. He moved them parallel with the 'kuckle' or ball of my foot. Rock on soon-to-be-powerful calves! 

All these changes will help optimize my physical mechanics and engage all the necessary muscles for efficient pedaling, not putting undue strain on any one muscle. I'm excited to test out my new bike (and lord knows it is going to be a long weekend ahead).

So, if you're toying with the idea of whether or not to go to a specialist for a bike fit I highly recommend it. It is like insurance for your cycling comfort/well-being.


One last thing . . .
A big thanks goes out to Jay. He not only got me set up to ride better, but he was a wealth of great tips.
You see, Jay himself is an avid cyclist. He is also an STP alumnus! He wasn't shy about sharing his STP experience or giving me some handy pointers. Thanks, Jay! I feel better prepared for the big weekend already.

Now, off to my training wheels . . .