How important is a bike fitting?

A proper fit can: Improve overall rider comfort. Help prevent cycling-induced repetitive stress injuries. Reduce or eliminate back, knee, neck and wrist pain.

How important is road bike size?

Riding a frame that is the wrong size will eventually lead to pain in your lower back, especially if you’re on a road bike. Adjusting a seatpost or handlebar won’t compensate for the frame. Ride a bike that’s too big, and you’ll be sacrificing a large amount of control, which significantly ups the risk of a crash.

Should I size up or down for road bike?

If your arm span is longer than your height, go for a bigger frame. If it’s shorter, get the smaller one. On a bigger bike, the reach to the handlebars will be longer. If you have proportionally longer arms, you are likely to feel more comfortable on a bigger frame.

How much does a road bike fitting cost?

Though they range in cost, a quality bike fitting generally comes in around $200 and usually takes no less than two hours.

Will a bike fit make me faster?

Getting a bike fit can feel like an expensive indulgence reserved for pro cyclists. But it isn’t really—good bike fit is just as important an investment as the bike itself, and can not only increase your comfort on the bike, but make you faster and stronger without a single interval or endurance ride.

Does frame size really matter on bikes?

Absolutely. Seat posts, stems, crank lengths, etc, all give you a degree of adjustment, but only within a range. The size of the bike frame is the foundation of a good bike fit, and good bike fit is essential to comfort and efficiency on the bike. A bike that doesn’t fit you isn’t going to be comfortable to ride.

Is it bad to ride a smaller road bike?

With a smaller frame, you will need an appropriately longer handlebar stem in order to retain the cockpit length. This will affect handling of the bike: it will feel more “lively”, which can be good in some cases (tight turns, difficult terrain) or bad (less stable) – in most cases.

Why do pros ride smaller frames?

Pro cyclists choose smaller frames to acquire a more aerodynamic position thanks to the lower head tube. Also, compact frames are more agile, easier to manipulate, and have a shorter wheelbase resulting in more stability when cornering.

Is it okay to ride a smaller road bike?

A smaller frame will be marginally less reliable, and more prone to break, due to bigger stresses in its structure; longer stem and seat post mean bigger levers to exert force on the frame. But this should not be a significant effect.

Should you be able to touch the ground when sitting on your bike?

When you are sitting on the saddle, you should be able to touch the ground with your tiptoes, but you shouldn’t be able to put your feet flat on the ground. If your toes are barely touching the ground, then the saddle could be slightly too high, and you will benefit from moving it down just a touch.

How do I fit myself for a road bike?

Place your bike on a level surface next to a wall or post so you can hold yourself upright (or put it on a trainer, but be sure to level the bike). Put on your biking shorts and shoes, get on and pedal backwards until you’re sitting in the “sweet spot” on the seat. Move your feet into the position shown in the photo.

Why is it important to get your road bike fit right?

Bike fit is one of the key things to get right when choosing a new bike. You’ll be much more comfortable and lessen the risk of injury if you’ve got your road bike size right and have your bike set up to fit your own requirements. We’ve loads of experience of bike fitting here atCycling Weekly, with a hub linking to all ourbike fitting advice.

How to choose a bike that fits you?

So here’s a summary of our best advice on how to choose a bike that fits you. If you’re buying a new bike, you need to make sure you’ve got the right size frame. Bike makers will make a bike in several sizes; at the minimum there may be five or six, usually labelled either in cm or from small to large.

Why choose an adjustable bike?

In addition to our bodies being the way they are, injuries or personal goals can affect how your bike should be set up to maximize comfort, efficiency, and power. Luckily, bicycles are machines with many adjustable parts. In fact, every touch point on the bike can be changed out, altered or moved to fit you better.

How often should I get a new bike fit?

Over time, your bike fit will change due to injuries, changes in skill level, new goals, weight loss and increase/decrease in flexibility. If anything changes with your body, or if it has just been a few years, it is a good idea to go get an updated bike fit.