Basic Features To Check In Order To Have A Proper Bike Fit

by Mohit J. White Hat Link Building Services

You feel the need to buy yourself a bike but you don’t know how to start ? Then this article is made for you. Bike fitting is really important when choosing a proper bike because it will help you not develop body pain after a long cycle time. You can check detailed information with online bike fit websites. However, for now, here are four features that you need to pay attention to if you want to ensure by yourself that your bike is fitting.

Size

The first step for a road bike fitting is to ensure that the bike you choose is the right size for you. Generally, when you go to a bike shop, they will help you make sure that the bike you choose is fitted for your size. If you’re aiming for a bike with sloping top tubes , it’s best to look for at least two inches of clearance between the tube and your crotch. On the opposite, if you’re more interested in traditional bike frames with horizontal top tubes, it’s better to look for one to two inches of clearance.

Seat height

A bad seat height will cause lower back fatigue and wobbly hips on the long run. As such, you need to be very careful about the height of your seat so that it will be not too low nor too high. If you are using clipless pedals, in order to get the right height, you will need to stand barefoot on a hard floor, witch a book between your legs and back to a wall. Then measure the distance from the floor to the top of the book spine and multiply the number that you read by 0,883 and subtract 1/8^th inch. Another method is to sit on the seat and put your heel on the pedal while positioning the crank arms so that they’re parallel to the seat tube.

Reach to handlebars

You need a proper reach to the handlebars in order to keep your upper body pain-free. The first step is to check your seat position first. A good seat position means that the clamp connecting the saddle to the seat post has to be centered in the saddle rails. Then, you need to ensure that, when you sit, you should easily reach the grips for a mountain bike and the tops as well as brake hoods for a road bike. Furthermore, your elbows should not be locked but rather slightly bent. Aditionnaly, you should not have the possibility to slide back or forward from your seat.

Set your Cleats

One important factor for your road bike fitting is to lightly, when it’s possible, grease the cleat bolts before installing them. The bolts have to be installed finger tight. After that, setting up a good position will depend on the type of cleat that you have. For cleat fore-aft, you have the position the cleat so that the pedal spindle will sit just behind the ball of your big toe in order to spread your weight evenly over the pedal body. For a lateral cleat angle, you will need to align the tip of the cleat to the apex of the toebox. Any other information can be found with online bike fit websites.