Should you get a bike fitting?
If you're considering a bike fitting, but aren't sure if it's worth it, this is for you. One of our members, Ernest Chao, is a physiotherapist and bike fitter. By bringing his love of cycling to his work, he helps clients become more comfortable on their bikes, enabling them to enjoy the sport more, perform better, and deal with any pain or discomfort. He has valuable insight into the bike fitting process and why it is worth doing.
Why get a bike fitting?
"Bike fitting is well known as the "best bang for your buck" spend to help improve as a cyclist. However new cyclists and the general public often don’t know this sort of thing even exists.
To the lay person, think of buying a bike like buying a suit or dress. Then, to get that article of clothing tailored to fit your body is a good analogy for what bike fitting is.
Cycling is an activity where there's a high degree of repetitive motion. Our proprioception, or sense of where our body is in space, isn't always accurate. Suboptimal body mechanics may contribute to pain, injury, or loss in performance.
Whether someone is new to the sport or is a seasoned vet, it's still worthwhile having someone look at the fit. Getting a proper fit will likely decrease the risk of injury, while improving comfort and biomechanical efficiency on the bike."
What does bike fitting involve?
"Fitting a cyclist to their bike involves careful and detailed assessment of a cyclist, and then using that information to make adjustments to their bike for an optimized position.
A good bike fitter who understands both body mechanics and the demands of the sport, is able to adjust the 3 contact points being: the cleats/pedals, saddle and handlebars, to maximize their comfort, safety and performance.
At my clinic, every visit is individualized and starts with some information gathering about your history. Next, a physiotherapy assessment will show any physical issues that may be affecting your posture on the bike (spine and limb alignment, leg length, posture and flexibility).
During the fitting, we may decide to make changes to your shoe/pedal interface, saddle position, handlebars and stem, and some parts may be recommended to be replaced.
Finally, you will receive an individualized exercise program to address any issues found in your assessment, to improve your comfort and efficiency on the bike."
Find more on Ernest or book one of his services at www.ernestchaophysio.com
P.S. Nitro members get exclusive discounts at TLD partners like Ernest. Learn more about Nitro membership here.
"Shoutout to @Ernest Chao for the bike fitting today. I wouldn’t have anyone else get me dialed in! Ur passion for cycling, knowledge and attention to detail always amazes me. If u haven’t had ur bike fitted before, I highly recommend it. It’s like get ur favourite suit tailored. U look and feel like a million bucks!" - Dustin Corpuz
