Bicycling is a popular form of physical activity for people of all ages and offers many health benefits. As the weather gets warmer many people will decide to start cycling for recreation, health benefits, or to train for a bike ride, race or triathlon. Riding a bicycle is an excellent way to improve cardiovascular fitness and strength and is also easy on joints. There are many types of cycling including commuting, road biking, mountain biking, BMX riding and more.

In order to safely enjoy the benefits of bike riding some basic equipment is necessary. The most important are a bicycle and a helmet. Bicycles vary greatly in terms of cost, performance, and materials, however, the most important thing to consider when purchasing a bicycle is proper bike fit. An improperly fitted bicycle can result in poor performance, overuse injuries, discomfort, sores or even injuries from crashing. When cycling at 90 rpm, cyclist’s legs make 5,400 revolutions an hour. Especially on a road bicycle where the strokes are nearly identical, a minor misfit can lead to pain or an overuse injury. Common complaints that can be attributed to poor bike fit include knee pain, lower leg pain, wrist pain, back pain, neck pain, perineal pain, hand pain and numbness.

Factors that come into play when deciding on a bike include the type of riding, budget, environment/ terrain, volume of riding and level of competition. An appropriately fitted bicycle is critical for all types of cycling. When purchasing a bicycle, it is important to buy an appropriate frame size and make the bicycle fit the rider and not the rider fit the purchased bicycle.

A bicycle fit appraises the rider’s interaction with the bicycle. There are several goals of a bicycle fit including comfort, maximizing efficiency, prevention of discomfort or injury and accommodating physical or medical impairments. These goals will vary among individual riders. More competitive riders may place emphasis on performance or efficiency while recreational riders may be more concerned with comfort.

There are many different types of bicycle fits. The most basic type of bike fit involves measuring the cyclist and the bicycle at rest. More advanced fits may include measurements of power while riding, pressure mapping or even video analysis. Basic fitting can be done by any professional who has knowledge of bicycles or bicycle medicine however many of the more advanced techniques take more training or certification. Basic bike fits can be done in bicycle shops as well as physical therapy or physician offices that offer these services. Advanced services may be more difficult to find, so it is important to ensure that the cyclist’s goals match what the professional offers.

While bicycle fit can be quite complex and beyond the scope of this article, there are basics that a rider should know. There are five contact points between the cyclist and the bike. The goal of the bike fit is to get these contact points in an acceptable position. The five contact points are between the hands/ handlebars; shoe, cleats, pedals; and pelvis/ saddle.

Below are some of the key components of a bike fit.

Frame Size: Frame size is mainly dictated by a person’s inseam/height. The rider needs to have enough room to stand over the top tube so that no injury occurs during a rapid dismount. There are many measurement formulas and methods to optimally determine frame size.

Saddle Choice: Many components go into saddle choice including shape, materials and amount of padding. Most importantly, the saddle needs to be wide enough to support the rider’s pelvis.

Saddle Height: Saddle height is determined by rider’s inseam. The rider should have between 25-30 degrees of flexion at the knee when it reaches the 6 o’clock position (bottom of the pedal stroke) to maximize power output. Inappropriate saddle height is a common cause of iliotibial band or knee pain.

Saddle Tilt: For most riders a level tilt is best.

Saddle Fore/Aft: The saddle should be moved forward or backward so the center of the knee is over the center of the pedal at the three o’clock position.

Handle Bar Width: Handle bar width is determined by shoulder width.

Handlebar Reach/Drop: This is the most individualized part of the bike fit. Many components go into the reach/ drop measurement including the top tube length, stem length, stem angle, and handle bar height. In general for road cycling the back should make a 45 degree angle with the top tube while the hands are on the brake hoods. There should be a slight bend in the elbows. A recreational rider may be comfortable in a more upright position.

Position of Cleat on Shoe: Generally the ball of the foot should lie directly over the axle of the pedal. Cleats can move in multiple directions to personalize the fit. Specialized orthotics and shoe wear can be used to help with anatomical variances of the lower extremity.

Cycling provides numerous health benefits, however; the repetitive motion puts stress on multiple body parts and is associated with overuse injuries. The basic goals of all bike fits is to decrease the risk and have a comfortable safe and efficient ride.

AMSSM Member Authors
Caitlyn Mooney, MD