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Making the Bike an Extension of Your Body

Proper bike fit will make you comfortable and efficient so you can ride longer and faster. meINNOVATIONS will help you select the right type and size of bike and equipment and then use tools such as the CompuTrainer and video analysis to help you fine tune your position for optimum pedal stroke, power output, and comfort.

Riding your bike should be comfortable. Many cyclists, from weekend warriors to seasoned racers, ride in pain or discomfort because they think that's just the way it is. While riding your bike almost always requires a period of adjustment, your bike should feel like an appendage after about 10 rides. Here are some of the benefits of a proper fit:

• Proper bike size (seat tube, top tube, stem, crank arm, etc) lays the groundwork for maximizing comfort, efficiency, and handling.
• Proper cleat adjustment, saddle height, and equipment selection alleviates knee pain and optimizes pedal stroke efficiency and power output (indeed, cycling is often prescribed for knee injuries).
• Proper saddle adjustment, equipment selection, and lubrication alleviates arm, neck, and shoulder pain and pudendal nerve damage (your "private parts").
• Adjustments for leg length discrepancies and pronation or supination prevent injury and optimize pedal stroke efficiency and power output.
• Proper stem length and handlebar height alleviates back pain and optimizes handling and aerodynamic efficiency.

With the full fit you will be interviewed to determine your goals (road riding, time trials, triathlon, pursuit, mt. biking, STP, commuting, etc.), riding history, injury history, and any known issues that may affect your riding. From there we will take some body measurements to determine theoretical bike size and adjustments. After documenting your current measurements we can do some optional power and SpinScan tests and video analyses on the CompuTrainer to establish baseline fitness levels. From here we can apply the theoretical measurements and do more testing and analysis to optimize your position based on pedal stroke efficiency, power output, and comfort. Finally, we develop a plan to incrementally move from the current position to the optimal position. All existing and proposed changes are documented.

Contact me today to discuss how to make your bike an extension of your body for optimal comfort and efficiency.

Links

• Ivan Basso on a Cervelo is the subject of aerodynamics in the MIT wind tunnel
• Summary of studies John Cobb did on aerodynamics at AnalyticCycling
• Slowtwitch.com TT positioning
• Bike component weight by Weight Weenies

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Copyright © 2000-2004 meINNOVATIONS Coaching and Consulting
Last modified: May 16, 2005