Bike Fit

[Biff600]

I am in a bit of a dilemma.

I really enjoy riding my road bike, but it is becoming an increasing pain.....literally

I get pains in my shoulders about 25 miles in, numbness in the nether region after about 10 miles and pins and needles in my hands about 8 miles of riding.

I have tried to slightly adjust the bike in respect to the saddle position fore and aft, and moved the handlebars up a tad. I don't ride on the 'drops' as I find it very uncomfortable, so I don't mind just being on the 'hoods'

Is it worth me contacting the LBS to get a bike fit specific for me, and what is the usual cost for such a procedure ?

 

[Grant Fondo]

yes worth getting a good LBS to have a look, maybe some cheap upgrades, stem , bars etc could fix, although worth confirming you are not either cramped or stretching with wrong size frame? No idea what they charge but they should give you some sensible free advice when they see you on bike...good luck with sorting it out!

 

[MistaDee]

A lot of noise seems to be made about bike fits & it does not have the same meaning for all people.
I personally would not pay money to have someone look at me on a bike no matter their experience.
I would desire a more calculated & scientific based approach such as that done by a retul trained fitter.
Having said that retul is only a tool as such is only as good as the person using it.. I would recommended doing some research on local fitters.
Just remember your body evolves and changes through your life so you may need to continue to tweak things, a bike fit should be considered a good start, not a fix everything solution.

 

[Drago]

You could try it. However, I never had any discomfort issues until after I'd had the bike fit...

Then you have to decide which, if any, of the various systems with their often somewhat contradictory elements is the 'correct' one.

A fit may well help, but don't be too surprised if it doesn't. To suggest any of them have any foundation in science is stretching things a bit.

 

[vickster]

I had a Retul fit, cost about £150, a highly regarded LBS in S London, didn't much enjoy the experience, the guy seemed to be focused on power and efficiency rather than my own needs and cycling style

I also had a bike assessment from a cycling physio I was seeing after knee surgery, around £90, and felt it was much more tailored to my ails and medical history
That said she didn't disagree with the Retul set up

Are you sure the bike frame is the right size for you? And the components (cranks, bars, stem, saddle)?

How is your general musculoskeletal state, core, muscle suppleness, weight etc...if any of those are sub optimal, you could get the discomfort you describe too (I do and all of those are crap for me )

 

[Kajjal]

Unless you have a known medical condition numbness in the hands normally means your weight is too much towards the front of the bike.

First thing to sort out it get the saddle in the right position. The height you want is with the pedal down and the crank arm in line with the seat post there should be a slight bend in your leg with your foot level. You should be able to lift yourself off the saddle slightly in line with the seat post. If you are unsure set it a little low as this has little negative effect. Signs your saddle is too high are rocking on the saddle as you over stretch down to the pedals / pointing your feet down at the bottom of the pedal stroke for the same reason or moving forward on the saddle rather than sitting on it properly. Next use KOPS to set your saddle fore / aft position roughly right. Then on a flat surface use a spirit level to set the saddle level. Once done you should feel like you are in the bike slightly leaning forwards rather than perched on top of it very stiffly and you should be stable in a constant positon on the saddle. The saddle position is just to get your legs in the right position , not to adjust reach to the bars.

Next set the bars so they are about an inch below the saddle. This is what most people use until they get more into cycling and tend to drop the bars a little more but it is purely down to personal preference. You can flip the stem into the upright position to increase height and reduce reach if needed.

It may take a few rides and minor adjustments to get it right. If your saddle is still sore measure your sit bones to make sure you have the correct width saddle and wear proper padded cycling shorts. I did a five hour ride yesterday with no seat pain at all. My bikes original saddle cut me in half after about an hour and was very painful due to being too narrow without a big enough cutaway on it.

Good Luck !!!!

 

[TheJDog]

I'm no bike fit expert, but numb groin, hands, and sore shoulders suggests to me you're leaning too far forward with too much weight on your hands.

 

[mjr]

As well as the comments above about saddle position throwing weight forwards onto the hands, this leapt out at me:

I don't ride on the 'drops' as I find it very uncomfortable, so I don't mind just being on the 'hoods'

They shouldn't be uncomfortable, so that probably means something is wrong anyway. Also, if you mean you're only using one hand position, then that's likely to cause discomfort after a time. A key benefit of bar shapes like drops or North Roads which offer multiple hand positions is that you can avoid being stuck in one position for hours. Vary it a bit.

 

[Biff600]

Thanks for the replies folks, the bike is the right size for me I'm a lofty 5'7" (!) and my Cannondale has a 51cm frame.

At the moment I am struggling to ride much more than 30 miles, which is damn annoying as it means I'm only out for a couple of hours on the bike each day

I believe that part of the problem lies in the saddle that I am using, there is too much pressure on the nerve that runs along the 'join', hence the numbness.

I have booked into my LBS for a fitting, the bloke said it'll take between 2-2 1/2 hours and they charge £200 for the privilege !

If it sorts out the problems, it'll be money well spent

 

[Biff600]

They shouldn't be uncomfortable, so that probably means something is wrong anyway.

It's just not something I enjoy, I feel too far bent over and not in control

 

[Sharky]

Try tipping the nose of the saddle down - just a bit at a time. As long as you are not sliding forward, it might relieve the pressure a bit.

 

[vickster]

What shifters do you have and how big are your hands (given your 'lofty' height)?

Have you tried flipping the stem if you feel too bent over, will bring your bars up a bit. Have you also tried tilting the brifters towards you a little so not reaching so far

The cost for the fit (Retul or similar) sounds about right. Is this the LBS that also sold you the bike? Be prepared to have to pay out for some components too if they suggest immediate changes

 

[Biff600]

What shifters do you have and how big are your hands (given your 'lofty' height)?

The bike is fitted with Shimano 105 shifters, which feel fine and seem to be within reach (please be aware I have only been riding since the end of July, and therefore a newbie and fairly clueless !)

I understand fully that I may have to pay out for any extras that they deem suitable and I'm willing to do so, as I really enjoy riding.

I have it booked in midway through the month as I'm off to Amsterdam tomorrow for 16 days (working), but I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

 

[Sharky]

Do I deduce that you have only been riding seriously for 4 weeks? Well if you are achieving 25 mile rides already, you have done well. I think all the pains you are experiencing will disappear after you have clocked up a few hundred miles or so.

 

[Biff600]

Do I deduce that you have only been riding seriously for 4 weeks? Well if you are achieving 25 mile rides already, you have done well. I think all the pains you are experiencing will disappear after you have clocked up a few hundred miles or so.

Apologies, I had my dates mixed up, I log each ride I do, and as you can see, I've clocked close to 600 miles in the past couple of months ( I got the bike on the 7th July, and the big gap in August is when I was away on holiday)