Where to go to be professionally measured for a bicycle?

[PH]

This may have been in Cycle mag a couple of years ago. They got different 'professionals' to do the set ups and got very different answers.

Could it be possible that there's more than one answer? I'd have been interested in the article, I don't recall it being in Cycle.

[gaz]

I'd have been interested in the article, I don't recall it being in Cycle.

https://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default ... 3038_0.pdf

[PH]

I had a fit done by Paul Hewitt about 15 years ago, I didn't think I needed it, I was already comfortable and had just done my highest mileage year without complaint. But it came included in the price of the bike so I though I might as well. Spent about an hour on the jig, lots of adjustment, some questions, didn't really understand all of it. Got the bike a month later and though there was some mistake, didn't like it at all. Was persuaded to persevere for a bit and within a couple of hundred miles had changed my other bikes to match it. The improvements are minor and if I hadn't bought that bike I'd still probably be happily riding on the old fit.
In the case of the OP they have some problems which need to be sorted. Consulting someone with the expertise seems like a good idea to me.

[PH]

I'd have been interested in the article, I don't recall it being in Cycle.

https://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default ... 3038_0.pdf

Cheers Gaz, don't know how I missed it, I'll have a read.

[simonhill]

As ever, very incomplete info from the OP.

Upcoming is longest tour - what have previous ones been? Problems start after 20 miles - how far does he usually cycle? Bike type, tour type, etc, etc?

I wonder if he ever gets his problems when doing anything else than cycling. Maybe a good physiotherapist could also be a useful person to consult.

[kd.1990@outlook.com]

Wow hey guys I wasnt expecting so many replies! I am in Bedfordshire, and I need to be measured and need to be set up for touring, however il be honest and say my bike is a mountain bike that I'm using for touring. But with the right stem and handle bar adjustments even if that means buying alternatives, I'm hoping to get me sitting right on it!

I don't mind paying to be fitted to a bike aslong as the service is good!

[kd.1990@outlook.com]

I have been to the doctors about my knees and had mri scans and xrays but to no avail. Il be going back to enquire about having my posture looked at as I had a pretty bad ankle break à few years ago and it's changed the geometry of my foot. My knees also crunch when I squat down and sometimes even when applying the clutch in my car! Which makes working out at the gym uncomfortable even if I don't lift heavy weights. But I think being set up for a bike will help with the cycling regardless!

[Paulatic]

I have been to the doctors about my knees and had mri scans and xrays but to no avail. Il be going back to enquire about having my posture looked at as I had a pretty bad ankle break à few years ago and it's changed the geometry of my foot. My knees also crunch when I squat down and sometimes even when applying the clutch in my car! Which makes working out at the gym uncomfortable even if I don't lift heavy weights. But I think being set up for a bike will help with the cycling regardless!

My right knee clunks when squatting. Has done for years and I’d find ways to avoid and whilst not really painful it’s always uncomfortable. I’ve been doing Pilates for 12 months now and my knee occasionally clunks. Nowhere near as often though gone from every time to maybe one in ten times.
If you are using clipless pedals I’d seriously look at your cleat position. When I switched from Time to Shimano pedals there’s not as much float and discovered knee pain at around 20ml was due to float. I tweeked the angle of the cleat by a tiny amount and all was well.

[531colin]

MRI scans, X rays, "Professional" bike set-ups...next an evaluation of your posture/gait?....I guess its the modern way.
I reckon all you need is knee rehabilitation/mobilising/strengthening exercises. .....I bet you did next to no rehabilitation/physiotherapy following your broken ankle, when a period of enforced immobility will have weakened both legs. Buy a book called "Sports injuries, a self-help guide" by a woman called Vivian Grisogono....she goes from rehabilitation of severe injuries all the way to exercises I can't imagine ordinary people being able to do. (She also has a book solely about knees, but I find the general book layout suits me better.)
I find it interesting that cycling is often recommended for knee rehabilitation, but cyclists commonly report knee injuries......however, cyclists' knee injuries are "overuse" injuries.....the exact same movement is repeated thousands of times, often with no other form of exercise. Your knee only works properly if all the muscles, tendons and ligaments are balanced for strength and flexibility.
If you must have a professional bike fit, avoid the people who push you into a pre-conceived set of numbers.....seat height must be this body dimension times that magic number......all they are doing is fitting you into some sort of "average" position, or even worse into an "average" position based on world-class professional racing cyclists. Your position should take account of your own flexibility and functionality. If you read my DIY bike fitting guide, you will find I describe how it should feel when you ride, and why I make recommendations.
I don't think its your cycling that makes your knees clunk when you do "ordinary" things.

[landsurfer]

I have had a couple of posts of my own on here and also taken part in other conversations about MY knees.
The final result of lots of advice, trials and experiments is as follows;

Set your position up with reference to colin531's excellent document ...

Then drop your saddle 10mm !

I have done this with total success ... no more clicking knee, no more knee pain at all.

At the Wimps LeJog event last Saturday, in Rotherham, I had a fun, pain free, ride around the 50 mile course.
Despite the -2 air temp.
3 turbo trainer sessions during the week since ... pain free....

[ANTONISH]

I have had a couple of posts of my own on here and also taken part in other conversations about MY knees.
The final result of lots of advice, trials and experiments is as follows;

Set your position up with reference to colin531's excellent document ...

Then drop your saddle 10mm !

I have done this with total success ... no more clicking knee, no more knee pain at all.

At the Wimps LeJog event last Saturday, in Rotherham, I had a fun, pain free, ride around the 50 mile course.
Despite the -2 air temp.
3 turbo trainer sessions during the week since ... pain free....

+1 for Colin's advice.
Dropping the saddle 10mm may work for you but won't necessarily work for all of us - although too low a saddle is probably less likely to lead to knee damage than too high.
Bernard Hinault's book on cycle racing gives a lot of information on the why's and wherefores of setting up a personalised position.
I think it derives from the Loughborough studies from the 1970's.
Obviously it's racing based so it would have to be modified to suit but I would say the saddle set up is spot on - which means it's close to Colin's methods anyway.

[kd.1990@outlook.com]

once again i thank you for the advice guys! i wont quote everyones replies but i will say the ankle break was over 10 years ago now and i was supposed to receive physiotherapy. but seeing different doctors upon every visit ment it was over looked... and being the ripe age of 16 and able to walk again i didnt care much to follow it up. but hey, i knew everything at that age huh...

i will follow Colins post and measure my bike up according to that and get out for some rides and get back to you.

FYI my previous tours have been 1150miles to Munich and 2300miles to Lisbon! next year i plan to cycle lord knows how many miles to Athens!

i just use normal standard pedals, no clips or cleats or anything like that! but the overuse statement does make sense. perhaps i should just take more rest days when touring too!

[JohnW]

...............Dropping the saddle 10mm may work for you but won't necessarily work for all of us..................

I definitely think you're right about that...........10mm seems a long, long way in that situation.

................too low a saddle is probably less likely to lead to knee damage than too high..................

From what I've seen from cycling colleagues' experiences down the years, I'm not too sure that damage would be less likely, but the damage seems to be different. In my own experience, too low did lead to pains that lasted until I got advice from 'the old guys', and it sorted itself out after a while. When I was a youngster, the 'old guys' knew a thing or two.

[landsurfer]

I am an "old guy" ... lol

[Chat Noir]

I went to York Cycleworks the other year, after reading the article in the mag. The fitting was a present from my partner’s business partner. A (sceptical) friend came with me to observe the whole process. He was so impressed that eventually he paid for a bike fit himself, having also persuaded his partner that to take full advantage of the fitting he had to buy a new bike at the same time.

I wanted a bike fit because I was reaching my 60s, wanted to be able to carry on cycling and wanted to ease niggles and aches where I could. I’m still fit, not too many injuries over the years but carry a dislocated collar bone from a MTB accident. I was impressed with the thoroughness of the history taking, injuries, niggles, type of riding, etc, and with how flexibility was tested and various dimensions measured and quantified. This didn’t involve computers and cameras, not sure whether they now use such technology. Provided a helpful MOT of how my body was working when cycling and recommended some adjustments that could be made, although these were pretty minor. I appreciated the information and will go back again. A lot of getting older is about making adjustments, hopefully minor ones, and being receptive to helpful feedback.

I read that some people think a waste of money or they can do it better themselves. That’s fine for them. For me, I wanted someone who knew what they’re doing to have a good look at me and advise and make sure I’m not missing an easy adjustment – the review in the mag was positive. I’m fortunate in that my dimensions seem to be fairly even for someone 6’ tall, so easy to set up. I’ve looked at 531Colin’s bike fitting advice and this seems an excellent and reliable guide, one that would work for me if I was starting out.

Owning a turbo makes setting up more straightforward (I use a turbo a lot in the winter months anyway). Heel on pedal is a good way of getting saddle height pretty close, without stretching or wobbling side to side and with a straight leg at the bottom. Elbow to finger tip + three fingers from nose of saddle to centre of handlebars provides my ideal distance (tend to use 130 mm stems), linked to knee over pedal (KOPS) in terms of fore / aft set up. Again, having a turbo makes this so much easier to sort out. These days I use the same set up whether I’m doing fairly long distance riding without luggage or touring, both lightweight and with full camping gear. Usually ride with SPD cleats although a summer tour in France with my partner was made pleasanter by using toe straps and normal outdoor trainers (did take me a while to get used to using these again but I haven’t changed the pedals back on my heavier tourer / everyday bike, so obviously am enjoying not ‘clacking’ when I walk round town).

Roughly speaking, over the years, if my knee hurt, the saddle was too high and if discomfort in the ankle, then too low. The worst I ever had was doing a long MTB ride using cleats when the saddle was too high – I pushed on, rather than stop and adjust. One knee was so bad, from this one ride, that 3 months later I was beginning to think I’d done permanent damage. Riding a properly set up road bike over the following months sorted it out and underlined that correct set-up really does matter.

Good luck