No matter what your level of participation or level of ability as a cyclist a well fitting bike is essential to reduce your chance of injury, improve your efficiency and ultimately increase your riding enjoyment. Mark Newton talks us through the bike fitting service they offer at Jet Cycles. Mark has a huge amount of experience in fitting bikes to athletes of all levels. If you are a cyclist or triathlete and have not had a bike fit done then we’d strongly suggest you contact Mark. If you are a patient of SquareOne and want us to have some input to your bike fit then please contact your SquareOne Physio so they can talk directly to Mark.
Balance, Function and Form – How is your bike fit?
Most riders who have had a bike fit have had their joint angles measured and the bike seat and bars adjusted to attain the perfect angle yet the bike still doesn’t fit well. Most riders that we see have had a bike fit before yet they still either experience discomfort or suffer from small niggles that can potentially turn into an injury.
Our Forward Motion approach to attaining the perfect bike fit centres on breaking the entire process down into three easy components of Balance, Function and Form.
1. Balance
A well balanced bike gives you more confidence and ability to ride it faster. If you have tried to ride no hands and find the bike wobbles or leans to one-side the chances are you have an uneven weight distribution on the saddle and sit with one side of the pelvis over-loaded or forward from the other.
2. Function
The challenge with cycling is a symmetrical bike and often an asymmetrical rider with a window of movements which may be limited or asymmetrical in reference to the bike. Knowing a riders physical make up and functional movement patterns eliminates the positions and movements that are likely to cause problems.
3. Form
Your form relates to how you ride or would like to ride the bike. By teaching a rider how to sit on a bike correctly they can work towards improving their on bike posture and a more effective pedaling technique.
Maximizing your outcomes – joint angles vs pressure.
Our 15 years of bike fitting has shown that pressure at the contact points determines the stability, function and comfort on a bicycle more so than chasing a specific set of joint angles which vary with changes in power and cadence.
Our bike fitting has developed into a cycling analysis service, utilizing pressure-mapping to evaluate the contact points of the bike and video analysis to educate the rider on improved posture, breathing and technique. This approach enables us to improve the core principles of our Forward Motion philosophy centering on Balance, Function and Form.
The Forward Motion Cycling Analysis consists of:
1. Physical Assessment
A detailed screening that assesses a riders injury history, flexibility, available joint ranges, any asymmetries and limitations that impact how a rider may function.
2. The On Bike Assessment.
We provide pressure mapping of the saddle, handlebars or aero bars and inside the shoes (contact points) to assess any asymmetrical force distributions that may result from findings on the physical assessment and unequal force applications while riding.
3. Riding Position, Technique and Breathing.
Using video analysis we take the rider through an educational process to teach them a correct sitting position on the bike, correct posture and proper pedaling technique. This aims to provide the rider with the knowledge that will see them continue to improve long after the bike fit session.
4. Effective Solutions.
An effective set of solutions provides support to the rider’s natural movement patterns and optimizes their symmetry resulting in equal pressure forces applied at the hands, feet and pelvis. Enhanced stability and improved comfort are the result. We offer riders a wide range of options that we can evaluate to achieve a more effective position – fewer options means limited solutions.
5. Follow Up
We invite riders back to our fit studio after 3-4 weeks for a follow up to fine tune the position and to reflect on how the new posture and technique has played out once they have done a few miles on the road.
To book your Bike Fit and cycling analysis contact Jet Cycles on 9279 4200 or visit www.jetcycles.com.au
About Mark Newton
Mark has a Degree in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Sydney and has 15 years experience in triathlon and cycling having worked with numerous World Champions including Peter Robertson, Chris McCormack and Graeme Brown.
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