Bike Fit Issues That Cost You Speed

[@BulletproofCycling]

Don't forget to vote for the next video😉 www.bulletproofcycling.com/?el=v56&htrafficsource=yt

[@john-draftanimal]

On saddle height, I think it is important to focus on the peddling stroke control as well as hip movement. Best advice ive seen and used so far is to start with saddle very low and gradually increase the height until one starts to lose a smooth control at the bottom of the circle as one pulls back through. Should have smooth authority and control at the bottom and no odd choppy movements at the knee etc. As I get close, just a few mm can make a difference and start that choppy feeling one one leg first usually. At that point, its too high. Take it down a few mm until that nice smooth control comes back through the bottom of the stroke. Fore-aft x stem length x bar height I find more difficult. I found after getting back on as a heavier person (hope temporary) I had far too much hand and crotch pain. So to un-weight, I've had to bring the seat further back and use a much shorter stem whilst lowering the bars a tad and rechecking seat height. I liked your comment about having to get used to the new position. Took me a bit. I felt I had too much quad involvement and felt a bit 'small' at first but now I'm riding much further and harder without the pain described above and regaining power. Still keeping a couple of alan's tools with me though as I optimize.

[@Louisa_lvr]

Nice one 👍 I think 99% rider is too high because they ride their bike with high power / high speed with low distance (

[@dries365]

For the fore-aft, I also struggled quite a lot, but have found a method where I could get my saddle position relatively right (without taking reach to the handlebars into consideration, that should be handled separately). I prefer using the term saddle position rather than saddle height because even if the saddle is at the correct 'height', the fore-aft still has a massive influence on the usage of your muscles and distance to the bottom bracket. To determine the saddle fore-aft, I start off with a solid training session of about an hour to get my legs warm and close to sore. After this, I adjust my saddle fore-aft by moving it all the way back to the saddle rails and in term, keeping the saddle height into consideration as moving the saddle rearwards also virtually increases the saddle height. I get back on the bike and do about a 5 minute all out effort and just feel how my muscles are reacting. The goal of a correct saddle position is to achieve smoothness and control through the bottom of the stroke as well as balanced usage of your quad and glute muscles. Bringing the saddle rearwards induces more glute muscles while bringing it forwards induces more quad muscles. With these short all out efforts after a training ride, you will veeery quicky start to feel which muscles in your legs get sore first. After each effort, I move my saddle a few millimeters forward and start again (again, keeping the overall saddle height into consideration). I Keep doing this until I feel a balanced usage of both my quads and my glutes. If I notice that one muscle group doesn't get noticeably more sore than the other, that indicates that the saddle is around the correct position. Like I said, balance is key and you will start to notice very quickly if you use your glutes or quads more during an all out effort. At first, I thought moving my saddle more rearwards was just going to make the reach ridiculously long, but moving your saddle rearwards must be combined with moving it down as well to keep the distance between the saddle and bottom bracket the same. All in all, I moved my saddle just behind the middle of the rails (I have a 12 mm offset on my seatpost) and with the correct reduction in saddle height, the reach is more than manageable. In fact, looking at myself from the side I now look more relaxed and less like I'm doing a plank on the bike. Getting a proper bikefit is still the best solution of course, but for me, this method works pretty well and since the last bikefit I recieved, which wasn't a very good one tbh, I lowered my saddle over 5 cm compared to what my bikefitter was suggesting, though I have also changed my shoes, pedals, cleat location and seatpost since than but still, that's a huge amount.

[@olivert.7192]

this opened my eyes so much, i need to go and get a real bike fit. I'm sure I'm all over the place. I lowered my seatpost a lot this summer, based on the "inseam" x 0.885 calculation. It felt much better towards the end of the season, but I never really felt great. On my indoor bike im getting numb all the time (my old road bike stuffed on an indoor trainer). It's time to get this looked at. Next year is a big year for me and I want it looked at. Sadly I don't live in Scotland anymore to come by!

[@leedorney]

Dearly love to meet this guy 👍 - coaching cycle or a ride in general

[@farith911]

1. Difine the point of 8 cm wide on de saddle. 2. Messure crotch and multiple by 0,88. 3. Adjust de saddle angle of -1-2°. 4. Adjust de distance calculated in 2. between center of botton braket and the 8 cm wide mark in de saddle. 5. Adjust de angle between the horizontal and de 8 cm mark to reach 75°.

[@andrewluoma5573]

@farith911 explain step 5 please. The horizontal where?

[@billeterk]

Hmm.. applying average measurements individually feels unhelpful. I guess it could serve as a starting point but presumably we already have one of those if we’re already riding

[@sklegg]

“Numb 😗 😙 bits” I’ve been lucky that I haven’t had to deal with this. It’s a serious thing.

[@MercyKillingsRides]

Ohhh, it's the worst, I'm not even joking 😵

[@velovibeuk]

Great video thanks for sharing. How would would measure reach for mountain bike (hand position wise to grips rather than the huds). Also bar width on flat bars do the need to be shoulder width too or is it more important where hands and brakes are placed?

[@James_Mann]

I’ve noticed you’ve got a wattbike comfort saddle on one of your bikes do you use that for long indoor sessions or do you use the traditional one that you have on the atom or if you use both what do you prefer for indoor on the wattbike? Cheers

[@EkremHamiyet]

When I torque my knee caps hurt esp the top front just above the knee cap

[@MercyKillingsRides]

I very much appreciate the advice you share. You've helped me become a stronger and more efficient rider!

[@scotthayes-nylonstringguit8592]

You seem to have a straight leg at bottom of pedal stroke! I always thought there should be some bend. Saddle seems high to me as well.

[@leedorney]

It's quite a major situ. height - reach... 'could discuss it for hours

[@dinoaustralia7752]

That was the silliest way to determine saddle height I’ve ever seen 😂 shoes off as well? So it’s totally wrong from the start. Really vague and confusing

[@nizamlope9895]

Done subscribed 😁

[@gerlachsieders4578]

Why would I care about speed? Comfort is king...

[@keessonnema]

My 100mm stem is sliiiightly too long. My hands fall right in between the middle of my palm and the edge by my wrist. A 90 would solve that. Other than that I think my cranks are too long, but that's another video :)

[@michaelsteven1090]

Leg discrepancy here..nothing works.

[@mrthecarlosmelo]

@@michaelsteven1090 not alone. Try shiming slightly. 3-5mm maximum

[@karelvandervelden8819]

Hello my friend. You have too much saddle height.

[@carlhalpin9051]

Bullshit with socks on ! You end up with a saddle to low !!

[@Nonkel_Jef]

You’re the youngest 54 years old I’ve ever seen

[@royalferal]

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