MrCjolsen

I bought a Trek 1000c about 2 weeks ago. I spent about an hour with the guy fitting it to me, adjusting it ect. Since then, I've lowered my handlebars, moved the seat up and forward and seem to get much more power and comfort.

Most interestingly was his suggestion that the seat be back, but now I have it kicked almost all the way forward. Any thoughts on this?

So is the best bike fit the one you get from taking your multi-tool with you on a ride and tweaking the adjustment as you go along?

53-11 alltheway

The fitting is based on what the average person of roughly your physical dimesnsions would want....It isn't very accurate. Everybody has a different preferences in rising position.....LOL...Mine would be an illegal configuration by the rules of the TDF though (because of forward seat rule.)

I move my seat all the forward too, but I need a different seatpost because the higher I raise my seat the more rearward it becomes in relation to the bottom bracket. So raising the seatpost high the way I like it is a catch-22 for me.

catatonic

Sounds like a guesstimation measurement. The better fitting places have special "bikes" meant for this, that are pretty much adjustable in every way imaginable. Using that, the exact fit is dialed in, and then the bike parts and adjustments are figured out.

Berodesign

It took me four months to tweak my bike exactly as I wanted it. 1000 km until I was satisfied, alot of wrenching at the side of the road.

Crispin

I think (read: hope) the fitting i got is decent. It's called Bioracer (www.bioracer.com and www.bikefitting.com) , he measured inseam, arm lenght, height, trunklenght and foot size. They also ask your pedal system and shoes. It goes in a central computer and a print rolls out.

Phatman

the fitting I got at my shop was pretty decent, and it was done before and after the test ride, sort of like, "oh...the seat felt too high? I'll move that" I'd ride around a bit, then if I looked awkward, he'd adjust things more. I ended up with the seat a littel back on the rails, seat fairly high, reach prefect.

however, then I started upgrading things...and now my position is messed up sort of. I put on a new seat, new pedals, new shoes...It feels ok, but I'm a little worried about getting injured. so I'm getting fitted tomorrow by our team's coach.

RiPHRaPH

fitting is a give and take. early in my cycling career, i wouldn't have known how easy it is to affect fit with a switch of a stem from a 110mm to a 120mm or a +/-6 vs. a flat stem, etc.
seatposts that are setback or straight drawn
positioning on the seat is such an individual thing.

Yes, you can go by the book and fit based on body measurements, but that would be thinking in only 2 dimensions. One has to take into account flexibility, lower back problems. Two people of same stature might have 2 very different abilities to flex. And many people are at varying degrees of riding properly. some have their center of gravity out in front of them too much, have too much pressure on their hands, arc their backs or ride with a straight back.

I like my saddle up rather than set back. but that is for my bike and the angles of my bike. on another bike, i don't know.

Bottom line, once you get the right size frame (you'd be suprised how many find a good deal on a bike and try to fit it to them) you can affect ride and comfort by doing the little things.
Having a good relationship with a LBS is vital. Most will let you try different stem lengths or rises or seatpost angles before you buy. THAT is considered fit to me, not just a measurement.

Dave Moulton

I recently added this piece on saddle height to my website www.ProdigalChild.net. Go to Bicycles Page 6 Bike Tech. I intend to post more on the rest of position setup when time permits.

Setting saddle height can be a mystery to new bike riders but it need not be if you think about what you are trying to achieve; in order to pedal at maximum efficiency it is necessary for your legs to move straight up and down like two pistons. Your hip joint like all joints has a restriction as to how far you can raise your knee. To demonstrate this to yourself; while standing up straight bring one knee forward and upward as high as it will go. Hold it in this position with one hand while supporting yourself with the other. This is the limit of your hip joint and the only way you can make your knee reach further is to move the knee outwards and you can then go another inch or so higher.

When pedaling you do not want your knees splaying outwards at the top of the pedal stroke; this is not the most efficient way to pedal. If you lean your upper body forward as you will be on your bike this restricts the height you can raise your knee even more. So if at the top of the pedal stroke you are going beyond the limit of you hip joint and your knees splay outwards; your saddle is either too low, or too far back, or a combination of the two.

A rough place to start is to place your heel on the pedal with the crank at the bottom of the stroke. I have found for most people unless they have exceptionally small feet for their leg length the saddle will need to go higher than this. A ¼ inch higher is a good place to start, in some cases as much as an inch higher. It is easier to tell if you saddle is too high rather than to tell if it is too low. If it is too high you will feel like you are stretching and reaching at the bottom of each pedal stroke, and in extreme cases you will be rocking from side to side on the saddle. You will know after riding only a few yards if your saddle is too high; if it is lower it the quarter inch and try again.

Next check the top of your pedal stroke; support yourself by leaning against a wall or a vehicle and in your lowest riding position with your back horizontal bring each leg to the top and see if you can lift your foot slightly above the pedal. In other words you are checking to see if you are reaching the limit of your hip joint at the top of each pedal stroke. Ideally you do not want to be right at this limit of movement. Check both legs because there may be slight variations in your hip movement on either side. Moving the saddle forward just an eighth of an inch will increase the angle of the body/leg and also has the effect of shortening the distance from the saddle to the pedal so if you move the seat forward; move it up also. Make small adjustments and try it by riding to see how it feels.

The position of the knee over the pedal is generally accepted as center of knee directly above the pedal spindle with the cranks in a horizontal position. However this is not written in stone and can vary from one person to another. Someone with long legs for example will sit back and push forward, whereas a shorter person will sit more forward with their legs acting straight up and down. Once you have found a position that feels right ride it for at least a week to get used to it before making small adjustments. Each time you adjust ask yourself if it feels better or not. As you gain fitness, muscles stretch and your saddle can be adjusted slightly higher. Just remember that your legs have an upper and lower limit of movement and an ideal saddle height is one that puts you within those limits so the leg muscles can work with maximum efficiency. As simple as that; there is no big mystery and no magic formula.

Naveed74

My first store was brutal, they sold me a bike that was completly the wrong size - too big so its useless to me.

The new shop I go to is owned and run by a Polish road racer and he is doing an amazing job of getting me great parts and proper fitting bikes.

That being said, even when he got me my new road rig, I went through a month of fitment. I brought it back in after a few rides (as he told me to) and gave him my list of complaints. He then made the necessary adjustments and told me to go and ride more. After paying attention to what he was doing (adjusting stem position - I left some space on my fork for this, seat position and seat hight) I am making some of my own adjustments to see what works for me.

One of the big things is any adjustment may feel right for an hour, and really really wrong for a three hour ride. When these issues come up, pay close attention to what your body is telling you - you lower back hurts, hands are sore, knee hurts in back - that kind of thing. Then run that past a trusted person and you will get a very informed opinion on how to fix the problem.