Bike Fit & Saddle Relief

I have become a true believer.

On Saturday, I went up to Cycling Concepts for my first bike fit. My sweet husband suggested this when I started to complain that my saddle was less than comfortable. At the time, it seemed excessive -- all I wanted was for someone to show me a different saddle that I could switch out for the one that came with Grace. After having this done, however, I believe that *everyone* should get their bike fit to their personal body proportions. You will risk great misery if you don't.

Keith used the Fit Kit to take lots of measurements, and he asked lots of questions regarding the type of riding I do and the plans that I have for this year (a century). Here are some photos showing Keith measuring my arms, shoulder width, inseam, etc.

Once the measurements were taken, Keith had me sit on my bike and pedal, and then he took more measurements:

We discovered that my saddle was too high, and the handlebar stem was too long. After lowering the saddle and switching out the stem, I was no longer reaching so far for the handlebars, which I'd assumed was just part of the process of switching to a road bike from a hybrid bike. All of the geometry changed, and now my knees, hips, and shoulders were in the proper alignment. But that saddle still hurt. So...

Hate.

Keith works his magic.

Love.

I am much more excited now about riding my bike, since I don't feel so unstable, like I'm teetering off the top of it. I'm more hopeful that I can achieve my long distance goals without getting mightily sore or messing up my knees in the process. So, if you are experiencing any discomfort whatsoever on your bike, race, do not spin, to Cycling Concepts if you are near central CT, or to any bike shop near you that offers a professional fitting service. And if I needed further proof that I was in the right place, I saw this on the wall:

Like I said, I am a true believer. :)

Comments

[Sarah]

I'm glad the fit went so well for you! Nice pics!

[Theresa]

Great post on the fit session!! Awesome isn't it, to feel comfortable! I like the pics,too!

When I went through my fit session, I didn't have a bike, so we had a sort-of "fit bike" for me to spin on, while the did all the measurements and set it up for ME! My bike is fit to me! No one else, and believe me, no one else will ever ride it!!!

[Daniel M]

Good fit makes all the difference in the world. Without it, riding is a real pain. Glad it went so well. I'm sure you're going to have many hours of enjoyment out on the open road.

- Rant