The Bicycle Entrepreneur

BIKE FIT – The Professional Bike Fitting System

Man has cycled for over 100 years. At first the bicycle was seen only as a practical and cheap means of transport. Gradually, bikes have become increasingly popular for sport, fitness or simply leisure.

New bikes have been developed to reflect customer requirements. Examples are hi-tech road bikes, hybrids, touring bikes, commuters and of course mountain bikes.

There’s a lot more to a modern bike than technical factors like gears and shifters. The shape (or "geometry") is vital in order for your bike to fit to perfection to get the best from your sport or leisure. And we’re not just talking about the frame, the adjustment of the handlebars and saddle are just as important. Simply put, proper adjustment determines to a high degree a cyclist's comfort and performance.

Every cyclist looks for the optimal position on their bike which, until now, has been determined by a number of "rules of thumb" and instinct. While all very nice, these do not respond to the demands of a highly technical modern bike.

Now, TBE offers the precision tools and sophisticated computer software at their disposal for the perfect determination and adjustment of the handlebars and saddle, namely the Professional Bikefitting.com Analysis System.

If you want to boost your performance and efficiency of your cycling, optimising the position on the bike is an absolute prerequisite. The ultimate aim is to achieve a position on the bike which is as efficient and aerodynamic as possible.

Scientific and empirical research has shown that a correct position on the bicycle is determined by several factors. The matrix that illustrates the correlation between these factors consists of the following elements: friction, efficiency, power maximization and comfort.

Resistance.

Because of the ever-increasing speed, both in an absolute sense (one-hour records and time trials) and average speed (stages in the Tour de France with average speeds of well over 50 km an hour), the necessity to adopt an aerodynamic position on the bicycle is getting more and more important.

Efficiency.

Longer distances, combined with a higher (average) speed lead to excessive use of energy. That explains why a cyclist should use his energy as efficiently as possible. For example, in a physically demanding mountain stage the use of energy runs up to nearly 10,000 kcal a day. This is five times the normal demand, or the energy-equivalent of 2.5 kilograms of rice.

Power maximization.

The cycling sport is evolving more and more from an endurance-sport into a power-endurance sport. Compare the use of gears in the cycling sport: in the 1950s the average gear was 47 x 17 (i.e. 5.8 meters for every pedal rotation), today this is significantly higher. In the time trials, the Spanish cyclist Olano uses 55 x 11 (i.e. 10.1 meters for every pedal rotation). This is an increase of 75% for every rotation.

Comfort.

In relation to the bicycle this is the factor that has been looked into the least systematically, and it is largely based on empirical data. It is obvious, however, that in the long run comfort is a factor that should not be underestimated. Already, in the 1980s, the former physician of the Belgian Cycling Association Dr Daniels warned that as a result of an increasing rigidity of the bicycles (think of oval frames and high rims) the possibility of complaints of the lower back and wrists would not be imaginary.

The bikefitting.com Professional Analysis System offered by TBE is the most extensive bikefitting.com service available. It is specifically designed for athletes who strive for absolute optimization of physical performance or those with particular physical problems, especially related to hip, knee and ankle functions. It calculates the ideal bicycle size and position of the cyclist. With the help of a computer drawing, each client can make an educated choice of which new bicycle fits.

It can also be used to perfectly adjust an existing bicycle.

The Standard Measurement Jig is used to precisely determine eight body dimensions.

• Height
• Foot length (left and right)
• Inseam
• Torso length
• Arm length (left and right)
• Shoulder width

The model of shoe (sole thickness), pedal (height) and type of saddle are also taken into account.

Building on the results of a Standard Analysis, the skilled operator employs the bikefitting.com Position Simulator to adjust for the cyclist's ideal position.

The Position Simulator has three functions:

• To determine the exact seat angle of the frame, which is a direct result of the ratio of upper and lower leg length. This also calculates the correct fore-and-aft adjustment of the saddle which assists optimal power transfer and a stable position on the saddle.
• To determine an asymmetric seat position to compensate, for example, for differences in leg length which often leads to pain in the lower back area.
• To simulate the position that the bikefitting.com computer program has calculated and to enable the client to immediately experience this improvement.

Shoe Cleat Adjustment

The correct relationship between the cyclist's contact points and the bicycle (saddle/handlebars/pedals) is essential for the optimal bio-mechanical position. This is mostly achieved with the Standard and Professional Analyses. What is still lacking is the adjustment of the shoe cleats, which form a vital part of model pedal/shoe systems. This is perfected with the bikefitting.com Shoe Cleat Adjuster, which factors in the cyclist's gait and results in several vital performance improvements, as well as removes the risk of inevitable damage when cleats are inexpertly adjusted. The knee stays in one line with the foot through which no rotation takes place, and the shoe cleat is positioned such that the ball of the foot rests at the centre-line of the pedal axle which guarantees optimal power transfer.

In summary, the Shoe Cleat Adjuster has the following functions:

• To position the shoe cleat in such a way that the ball of the foot rests exactly above the centre-line of the pedal axle, realizing optimal power transmission.
• Through the shoe cleats, the position of the foot on the pedal is adjusted in such a way that potential twisting of the lower leg is avoided.
• Because the ball of the foot rests exactly above the pedal axle, "ankling" is assisted which leads to a more fluid and natural pedaling action..
• Burning-feet-syndrome will sharply diminish and in some cases disappear completely.

To book your individual Professional Bikefit, talk to your local TBE staff.