Bike Fit Changing?
 

I've been commuting on my Kilo TT since March. Really digging the SS thing. Anyway, two months ago I changed my diet (as I was over weight) and started loosing pounds. It seems like twice I've raised my seat post a bit, and I am ready to again. I also feel like I should be dropping my stem (haven't cut the tube yet, got like four spacers in there).

Has anyone gone through this, where your fit changes over time?

Congrats on the weight loss. You must have lost quite a bit padding to have to keep raising the stem. ;)

Yep, this is normal. Pay attention to your body and things should be good.




-How much have you been raising your saddle?

I actually never thought of that. Thanks!

Not a lot. A few mm here and there. Nothing huge. I just start to feel like my legs are not straightening out like they used to.

They aren't! I definitely have to have my seat higher post-weightloss.

Bike fit will change as your body, fitness and use changes. This is why fit calculators, formulas and methods involving rulers and plumbobs are bulldust.

So how should my legs be completely straightened out at he bottom of the stroke? Or should there be some bend in the knee? Feel like I need to do something. Maybe move my saddle front?

Your legs should be as extended as possible without causing you to "reach" for the pedals. You DON"T want your hips to rock from side to side while pedaling.

LOL. Your butt is getting smaller, so the pedals are getting closer every week. Congrats!

Ten years ago, the thinking was you want a small bend in your knee at the bottom of the stroke.
Last year, watching that daft silly bike race around France, I noticed that riders had quite large bends in their knees ... so I mentioned this to my bike shop bloke who used to be a professional bike racer in the UK. His response was a simple "Fashions vary".

Look, my son is studying to be a professional coach and, as you'd expect, physiology is a huge part of his studies. One thing they're finding is that they keep finding new stuff about the human body and what was right last season may not be quite as right this season and what the top line sports people (think professional sportsmen) were thinking ten years ago has sometimes proven to be downright wrong.

Keep it simple. If it's hurting, change something because it shouldn't. Saddle height? If it's too high, you'll get lower back pain so lower it as for 'how high is too high', a couple of years back, I was watching footage of Cancellara win a time trial ... with his hips rocking.

Like night and day. From where I started to now I think my seats have gone up some 2 inches or so, stem in opposite direction. .

Thanks for the replies. I'll raise it a bit and see how it feels. I am also ready to lower the stem some. Got like 5 spacers, but I am waiting until I am done losing weight to cut the tube.

congrats on losing the weight. along with the health benefits and the smaller load to carry on climbs you are no doubt getting more flexible. having a bike fit by a professional is worth it. the optimization of efficiency and comfort will have you riding more, compounding your previous efforts.

A bike fit by a professional is only worth it if the professional looks at you the person, fits the bike to your needs and physical abilities AND, most importantly, needs. Few 'professionals' do that. What most do is apply a 'system' that fits YOU to a predetermined 'ideal', usually aimed at racing. The result is a bike fit that is irrelevant to the user and usually the user's needs, even if they race or like to ride like a racer. Yes, some do get it right, but it's a client by client lottery. I learned this lesson after getting a professional bike fit myself and, at the same time, for my son. It suited my son well. Mine was a disaster and even included selling me the wrong sized bike. Yes, the fitter and his system is highly respected ... among racers.

So please don't glibly say 'a professional bike fit is worth it', because usually, it isn't.

nothing thoughtless about my comment. you put 'professional' in sarcastic quotes, i didn't. I am talking about an actual professional.

so please don't glibly type a paragraph to demean my comment, just because you had a bad experience. the OP is asking about bike fit on the internet and if the only two answers are either:

A) 'have a professional bike fit'

or

B) 'I had a bad experience one time even though my sons fit was great and based on this model alone bike fitting only works 50% of the time therefore I suggest keep randomly making adjustments until you think you get it, regardless of its quality, and meanwhile I will type up paragraphs that attempt to re-enforce my ridiculous views that literally go against everything that we know about the human body and its mechanics.'

which one would you choose?

So, I take it you didn't bother to read what I wrote. How about you advise something like: A professional bike fit is a good idea but only if the fitter understands what you want to use the bike for rather than just assuming you want a race fit.

Your advice was glib because it assumed that all professional fits give what the cyclist needs. They do not and only cursory inquiries to most fitters should convince you of that. But hey, the bike industry has a long and honourable track record of forcing people onto racing bikes because 'that's what everyone needs'.

So I think what above few posts are trying to say is, have a bike fitted by someone that knows how to fit a bike, not just the salesman at the bike shop!!

i read everything you wrote. choosing to comment on the internet does not place me in full responsibility of OPs choices. im not required to explain everything in excruciating detail to ensure he makes good ones. a screen name merely gives me licence to share my opinions online to an internet community with no assumptions that they will be taken as gospel - just like you. you implied bike fit is not necessary while i clearly disagree. you also implied that the OP should be wary of bike fit because you had a single bad experience and while that is fair warning, your son had a great fit. im suggesting a proper fit from an actual professional is money well spent. is that hard to follow? your comment is glib because you assumed i meant anything else other than an actual professional. that assumption is entirely your problem, not mine. im not into arguing on the internet so much but i think you need to see how ridiculous the use of your experience which included a terrible bike fit and a great one as an example to not go for a fit and to just figure it out at home.

im done, so if you feel the need to condescend my statement feel free to do so but i wont respond.


to the OP: if i wasnt clear previously, i suggest a proper fit by a real professional. europa suggests bike fit is a lottery with 50/50 odds based on his experience. i wish you good luck sir. apparently you will need it when dealing with such a dishonourable bike industry.

You both have good points, thanks for the replies. Gonna listen to what my body tells me.

Actually Steve, that's what a GOOD bike fitter does, he listens to your body. He doesn't use plumb bobs or spirit levels or tape measures or other funny gadgets. He listens to you tell him about your body and watches you on the bike. The others who've talked about 'coaches' are on the right track here although there are also fitters who work the same way. Basically, you want to be balanced on your bike with no unnatural pressures or pain. It gets more complicated than that of course, but one of the secrets is to carry the tools to make all the changes you may wish to when you ride. That way, you can change things as you go, but always give your body a good chance to get used to a change before making another and always one thing at a time. You'll get there. Teaching yourself bike fitting is one of the more satisfying aspects of the sport.