Bike Fitter's 10 More Most Loved Products

[@ryangolder705]

Can’t wait to get a bike fit from James when I get to the UK in 2024 and have him tell me that my bike is completely the wrong size

[@Knitterfest]

Not only the bike, but also the handlebars, seat, seatpost, crank arm length, pedal axle width, shoes, jersey, your watch and bottle cages

[@eminem386]

Not only that but u are also completely the wrong size.

[@sanjaynayyar]

Luckily I did the bike fit with them before buying my bike so I got the right size 😎

[@gustavofring-thechickenman]

@@eminem386 😂

[@HanOfGod13]

Make sure you book early, James' availability gets filled up quick and months in advanced.

[@leonschumann2361]

got the lake CX177 in wide. changed my life. thanks james ... together with literally everything else on bike fitting that helped me so much

[@alethearobinson8132]

Francis, thanks for bringing back Bike Fit Tuesdays. Always a pleasure.🤗🚴‍♀️

[@props651]

Easton EC70/90 ISA SL seatposts are great for adjustment too. Saddle tilt and fore & aft adjustments are isolated from eachother. They don't have the compliance that the Ergons have. But they cost, and weight a bit less as well.

[@Allen_ClubhouseVelo]

My favorite to work with!

[@rollingleo]

Mad respect to James and his crew! They have sorted out my fit and built me a lovely semi-custom gravel setup. Looking forward to my follow-up sessions in a few months.

[@mr.b_r_o_w_n_i_e]

Francisc, thank you from the bottom of my heart for these videos about bikefit....they changed my life on the bike and I finally understood that pedaling does not mean suffering..😘

[@mr.b_r_o_w_n_i_e]

James is the best🤌🫶🏻

[@kevinfeeney5309]

Regarding riser drop bars, Surly also makes them. They're called the truck stop and have 30mm rise. There's also the Soma Condors at 50mm rise. I think there's maybe a few more manufacturers that make them.

[@AntoineThisdale]

Been using the Lake CX238 (per Lake recommendation by measurement) is indeed a crazy game changer. I use the mtb version for mtb/gravel and its simply amazing. coupled with a G8performance inner sole kit. totally worth the investment.

[@grahambell9831]

Top video from James & Cade Media 👍. The lake cx238's were a game changer for me. So good I bought two pairs from James back in the summer of 2021, along with the G8 insoles. No more outside foot pain 🥳. Expensive but absolutely worth it.

[@rodcosta2345]

Ultegra also has the 8025 short levers.

[@petedannatt]

Agree on the Lake CX238! Went to Sigma sports in the UK and tried around 10 different "wide" shoes from Fizik, Shimano and Lake. None were really comfortable. At this point the assistant said "then you will need the CX238". He wasn't wrong! Great shoe and very well made. For reference my foot width is 2E.

[@timothydog76]

I have the Specialized short reach drop bars on my bike and it has helped a lot. I also went from a ridiculous 44cm that comes on the Giant Large to a 40cm. My shoulders measure 42.

[@catladyrai]

I was looking for a very wide cycle shoe and came across the Lake 238s. I bought a pair and I was so amazed by how well they fit, I immediately bought a second pair. Definitely do the measurements how Lake suggest and reference their sizing chart. Super helpful!

[@ktakashismith]

Love the geeky Ergon VCLS seat post. It freaked me out on my first ride, made me think I had a flat tire at multiple points throughout the ride, but such was the squich provided by that seatpost.

[@cherriagana]

Just changed from a 170 to 165 crank, was still insanely hard to find one for the mechanical 105 groupset tho. Ended up having to order it in Germany and get it shipped to Belgium.

[@br5380]

For a short reach gravel bar I can recommend the Ritchey Beacon, 65mm reach. Also has a very shallow drop so means easier to move hands on rough ground,

[@dakalla]

Also the Pro discover 12 handlebar has a short 65mm reach and 110mm small drop, light and you can get them really cheap!

[@The_Normalised_Cyclist]

About the seat post, cannondale C3 or C sth where you adjust tilt with a small sprocket scroll wheel (don’t know how to call it) is as well extremely convenient

[@peteracain]

As a fat-footer I can reaffirm that Lakes have totally changed my cycling foot comfort and power transfer. Never going back

[@matteo.ceriotti]

3:20 riser drop handlebars affect the handling exactly in the same way as a stem would do, if it put your hands in that same position. The handling depends on the position of the hands, not on the chain of rigid elements you use to get to that position.

[@JakeMay]

Such functional, useful information from an expert - cheers for making and sharing

[@domestique3954]

Thanks James for bringing to attention that it might be helpful to have different crank lengths due to the difference in leg length. My legs are 5 mm apart,so i mounted a 2,5 mm shorter crank for my shorter leg,and that actually helped! Less cleat movement and it feels so much “ rounder” now. Unfortunately it comes with pain in the shoulder because in decades my skeleton adjusted to this false position.

[@degolas2971]

Tiagra also has the short reach/small hand version of shifters!

[@chrisridesbicycles]

The Lake 238s are really a game changer. Only little downside is that the heel bit is not replaceable.

[@ktakashismith]

Also the heel isn't moldable. Love my 238's but wish I could take some of the slack out of the achilles region.

[@bugrutch]

I have the ergon vcls. It’s a genius piece of gear. Would recommend for sure

[@matttttttttttttttttttttttttttt]

I've learned a lot from you guys and finally found a saddle that feels good. Now for the handlebars.....

[@owensnicholas]

Always love a video with James. I’ve learned so much from them.

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

Yeah, me too. He explains things clearly and logically. Love his test set up too. I’ve used James’ tips to eliminate numbness in the heels of my hands (was affecting me in rides over 10k) and restore hip stability. Probably not 100% there yet but it’s a process with things to be discovered as my non stop sessions reach beyond 50k.

[@DaigoroToyama]

I've got the standard one (R8020), which came with my bike. They work reasonably well, but having small hands, I want to try the short-reach version to see how it works better. If only they were cheaper.

[@hankamania]

I'm running a Soma Condor riser bar on my Soma Fog Cutter gravel bike. It has 50mm of rise, and allowed me to have my bars level with the saddle and still have a safe stack of headset spacers on my carbon steerer. Love it!

[@CatManDoSocial]

James! I have to say that I don't recommend the Ergon seatpost for hardtail MTB on rocky, rooty, surfaces. I had constant slipping between the two pieces which resulted in dramatic saddle tilt, even with carbon paste. Even though Ergon said that MTB use was fine, maybe the conditions were just too much for it. Which was a bummer because it's a very cool post.

[@stevemullin1195]

I'm switching from riding a recumbent trike back to a 2 wheel touring bike at the age of 69. Since I've never had a touring bike and watched many videos of different bikes I'm looking for a bike fitter in los angeles who could help me analyze my body to determine the frame size and all the other metrics to make my touring more comfortable. I have carpal tunnel issues, lower back issues and feet numbness which I've fixed by wearing normal sneakers with large flat spiked pedals and power grip straps on my trike. Only spd shoes I have are Nashbar sandals that have the cleat position moved back to the arch position my a guy in Florida. Plus I have a size 50EU wide feet so makes finding any shoes my size difficult. Looking at putting redshift stem and seat post on the new bike for added comfort....plus using a flat bar like moloko or butterfly for added hand positions in a more upright seating.

[@RussNicholls]

Anyone doubting the Lake recommendation, I upgraded to them off the back of this video earlier this week, so much better than the Shimano shoes I had been wearing. Had been putting it off for a while due to cost, however they are a game changer.

[@r.somenumbers]

I’m a fairly novice bike fitter and these videos have been fantastic for demonstrating aspects of how a good bike fit should go, particularly how to communicate with the customer about what we’re doing and why. If you’re thinking of future Bike Fit Tuesdays, I know it would be a bit niche, but if James has advice on improving fitting abilities and ways to progress with training/in the field/etc, it would be awesome to hear his take on it.

[@Bikefitjames]

Just go and see Tony Corke - thanks for watching!

[@noamross]

Would love a video on James' considerations for gravel bikes, especially what he thinks of flared drop handlebars and how to fit flat bars.

[@Aubreykun]

I have some old handlebars off a 1970s department store bike - a Sears Free Spirit - and they have near-zero reach. No real bends position at all. They look goofy and judging from others' photos, most people ended up angling the bars upwards so the ends aren't parallel to the ground.

[@nbartlett6538]

So now we know how to get a product onto James' shortlist of faves: make it smaller!!

[@JanoschBoesche]

As usual: Lots of insight perfectly paired with entertainment. Kudos James! Short (pun intended) question: What's the shortest crank length you'd suggest and for what leg lengths (inseam) rangeswould they work?

[@corichesnutt3522]

I’m trying to even find who makes cranks shorter than 165mm besides super expensive niche shops like Appleman Bikes in the US.

[@Bikefitjames]

I hold cranks in stock as short as 150mm but have order 135s

[@theguzziman]

Often some good tips here. I'm not sure I buy the theory on setting the level on that seatpost though. I had mine in and out 8-10 times trying to get it right before fully tightening the retaining screw at the bottom. That being the problem, the retaining screw was inside the frame when you're setting up, to tighten the post has too be moved out. And if the post is at all tight in the frame, as it was in my steel framed bike, it's almost impossible not to have it move to a different position when taking it out to tighten. Seat level with fore and aft screws seems much easier in my experience tbh

[@seattlegrrlie]

I'm not a human, I'm a duck, and Lake in wide is a game changer! Worth the expense... if you are also a duck

[@ekrano]

Have the Lake MX238 (SPD) in wide fit. Fantastic shoe. No longer have problems with cramp in my feet when riding.

[@Freddy3792]

One correction: You can get the Shimano short reach lever in an ultegra variant (disc, mechanical shift) as well.

[@dakalla]

Another correction: the body lenght of the hoods is the same in all of the levers, long and short reach. Just the lever shape is different, so you can reach it easier with short fingers. Also all of the GRX levers have quite a similar shape to the short reach 105/ultegra and are easier to reach with smaller hands, espeacially with reach adjustment its for most hands good enough, even with tiny tiny hands.

[@cb6866]

Thank you Francis , James and the cade-ts

[@E.T_rode_bikes_As_well]

Protect James at all costs! ❤

[@oldmonkeybones]

Speed and Comfort cranks, by John Cobb, are the Shortest cranks. My fiancée is 4’10” and she uses 145mm John Cobb’s. Super friendly company, as well.

[@jopsjosef9414]

Thoughts on the fit of Bont shoes - Riot and Vaypor. They fit wide also, but not sure compared to Lake.

[@AzureBeatPony]

My experience of one bont is they are 'flat'/have low instep so if you don't have low instep it won't work with your foot. Lake has more volume.

[@matthewmartin197]

The Appleman 2XR crankset might be worth a look for shorter length crank arms. Completely modular and available in 10mm increments from 135 to 175.

[@corichesnutt3522]

But sooooooo expensive 😢 Especially to import to countries outside of US. I wish I could figure out what brands/model cranks that James is fitting to all his clients needing something less than 165mm

[@sbccbc7471]

​@@corichesnutt3522 If you haven't, take a look at Rotor ALDHU.

[@askmeaboutmattweiner]

They also do a short reach version of the Ultegra hydraulic shifters. R8025-R,L

[@74_Green]

They also (used to / still) make a tiagra SR version.

[@SayMcGillicuddy]

came here to say this. I have both. Extremely comfortable STI levers

[@XanderMunro]

I love my I love my Lake cx238s, what are the gravel equivalents called?

[@honzohaberle6640]

What if the CX-238 x-wide version is too narrow at the toes when the length is correct? Unfortunately there is no a bike shop around where I live that has a selection of shoes for people with square Donald Duck feet.

[@harryparkinson]

buy a size up and tighten up the boas to stop fore-aft movement

[@honzohaberle6640]

@@harryparkinson Thanks for the reply, but isn't that exactly what James normally discourages because it can lead to poor cleat placement?

[@harryparkinson]

There are two options. Either rubbing toes or shoes too long. I have 44 (rubbing) and 44.5 (too long) and would choose the too long for future purchases. Tightening the boas stops any movement. The rubbing toes can't be remedied. Just set up the cleats relative to ball of foot as per normal. Then take a hex key on a ride and tweak angle and position

[@johnnunn8688]

It wouldn’t take a lot to modify a crank, to any length you wanted. Drill suitably-sized hole in crank, cut correct thread.

[@ThePaulRobertDavis]

Best seatpost in terms of ease of adjustment has how many steps to adjust the angle???

[@dcltdw]

Huzzah, more BikeFitJames videos! I learn so much from these.

[@hallockstuart7899]

Had a fit from James recently. Two thumbs up.

[@AtibaQuildan]

I definitely can vouch for the Fouriers handlebars. 👌🏾

[@mymemeplex]

You mentioned a bike stand on a recent cheap bike, got any bike stand recommendations, also for fully loaded touring bikes?

[@adambarnes2405]

I am looking to narrow my handlebars, Whisky offers a bar (NO.7 6F Drop Bar) that would be narrower and also a shorter 67 mm reach, but it does have a 6 degree flare in the drops. Would the flare potentially negate the change made narrowing the bars? Wish I could book a fit with James, but unfortunately live in the states.

[@iamtotie]

As James mentioned, if my sitbone measured around 140mm, I have no issue in using 130mm width of selle slr boost? sorry late comment, but appreciate if you can answer it. thank you

[@paullinnitt5450]

Interesting to see Lake wide fitting shoes for both 3 and 2 bolt cleats. Is there any issues with using spd pedals on road bikes? I do and really like the convenience and ease of engagement.

[@simondillon]

Hi Paul, I currently use Look X-track race carbon SPD pedals on my road and gravel bikes, and used Shimano XTR SPD pedals in the past. I've been using SPD pedals for 20 odd years, first on my mountain bikes... I guess I'm used to them and much more comfortable with them than SPD SL (which I tried for a few months but didn't like at all). I have Sidi shoes with a good stiff sole, and Boa fasteners, and can still put a lot of power down in comfort, even on 100 mile rides. Also much easier to walk in, and cleat doesn't get damaged when walking. I guess only disadvantages are pedals are slightly heavier, and maybe if you were racing or put ridiculous power down, or want zero float or movement, then SPD might not be best. I've no complaints tho 👍 Hope that helps!

[@Cade_Media]

Nothing wrong with spds on a road bike 👍

[@sbccbc7471]

MTB pedals make complete sense on a bike that's not an MTB if you use it for urban commuting. Having the cleats sit in a recess means you'll be able to walk much better than those on road shoes and have little to no chance of slipping. Plus, you won't annoy anybody around you with the constant clip-clop sound between plastic and hard surfaces.

[@milanb.6022]

James is the Real RocknRolla🔥

[@DziamxD]

Like uncle Archie

[@EJGilb]

The face on that thumbnail 😂

[@HanOfGod13]

Lake CX238. Love this shoe! I have wide feet and tried every other brand in Sigma Sports and nothing fit until Lake came to the rescue. (And I had the MTB version beforehand) very comfortable shoe for my wide feet.

[@Avioto]

Maybe a dumb question, but how did you figure out that you have wide feet? I have no idea what's considered wide.

[@HanOfGod13]

@@Avioto I had my feet scanned once and I have short but wide feet. Size 7 (UK) in length, but a size 8 or 9 in width. I usually wear size 8 trainers but for road shoes, it's better not to size up from James' advice. I tried Fizik, Sidi, Specialized, Shimano, Bont, Bontrager and Giro, nothing fit. But Lake did. Some shops measure your feet and your arch height. James' shop does this, which is where I got my bike fit. I also have the same issue with football boots. Many of the higher tier boots are very narrow.

[@kiralymate3d]

I wish I can get a proper bike fit in a future, I tried 2 times: 1st time: she told me to raise my saddle to sky high, because they told her that method 532532 years ago (they are the official sellers of one of the biggest italian bike brand here) 2nd time: the fitter told me that he don't know, I look good on the saddle.

[@kevinlyon9501]

So there are specialized things that James like.

[@rafaduraj1056]

Any opinions on Coefficient RR or AR handlebars?

[@Marqjosh]

Can’t find those Ultra short reach specialized handlebars anywhere in the United States 🇺🇸 😩😩

[@ДмитрийЧапыгин-к9ч]

I like what James says, but he made a mistake about rise drop handlebars. The highest rise you can get on the market is 20 mm, not 25 or 40. I know the topic very well, because I have a neck issue. The best choice for people with such an issue is Control Tech CLS FL0 Road Riser RA-538. It has 20 mm rise and 70 mm reach. You can't find anything more than 20 mm in rise and less than 70 mm in reach (65 mm Specialized is out of the range, because it doesn't have any rise).

[@tony5269]

@cade media have you ever had a rider where the Ankle striking a Crank Arm?

[@sbccbc7471]

From my experience, that usually indicates too much toe-out set for the cleats. All of my toe-out cleat setups are minor because I want the heels to not rub the crankarms and chainstays.

[@LR6092]

I use the lakes gravel version (on my road bike as well) amazing shoes

[@alexanderh2715]

With all of the bikefitting in the back of my head, getting a Roadbike (with wide tire clearance for gravel wheelset) will be a pain in the ass as I have very short legs, long torso and slightly shorter arms...

[@TheGreatBlar]

Anyone have any thoughts on the lake cx 176, they're on a deep discount on lakes site

[@joeyshev]

Was that a Mary Spender cameo?

[@Casemedia121]

𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖊 𝖒𝖊 ✍️👋✅

[@stevemullin1195]

I would like to see bike shoe makers to come out with spd shoes where the cleats are positioned in the arch position for those who have foot numbness in the ball of the foot...plus if you have Achilles tendon issues the arch position is better to prevent reinjury.

[@duncanholman9034]

Dude have James fit me virtually lol...Height - 179cm | Inseam - 86cm |Ape Ratio - +1. Feel stretched out on a 56cm but worried I won't be able to raise the stem of the stack decrease in a 54cm to be comfy. What do I do?

[@robertreyes5036]

James how tall are you and what size bike do you ride? I’m just a shade under 5’10” and I’ve been riding a 54 for a long long time. Always wondered if it’s right. Been dealing with lots of pain in my neck and numbness in my arms last few years. Even got a shorter stem and raised handlebars. It’s helped but still feeling it and I’ve been fitted numerous times in the 10+ years I’ve been riding

[@alexcollins5150]

One vote for the Canyon VCSL seatpost. Dreamy

[@IvanTheMeh]

I just bought a wide set of the Lakes and they fit me better than any bike shoe I’ve ever worn 😂

[@LonghairAirsoft]

Been curious about this for awhile now. But is there any difference in how a fixed gear and road bike rider be fitted? Like crank lengths, bar and stem sizes, saddle height?

[@Rabbitx360]

Using the mx238-x wide cause the normal was to narrow those feet exist James :D using them with g8 insoles because I watch to much cade media. Using the white gravel version for road and gravelbike spd works way better for me in terms of comfort then spd sl

[@bombasticbissell]

Hey, I've got the wide Lakes! Are you saying my feet are as big as a salmon?😂 Really solved problems for me.

[@danloveuk]

Clearly it’s possible for a shoe to be too narrow; is it possible for it to be too wide? Presumably if you are able to use the boa dials to get a snug but not tight fit then things are good? Asking as I have CX237s (bought at bicycle after having feet measured - thanks James!), and like the updated features of the 238, but it sounds like they run wider. Thoughts?

[@3m1lw1k2]

Is it worth getting a bike fit on a mountain bike trail bike or does that don’t make the same difference due to the changes in riding positions?

[@hazembata]

Which Lake shoe do you recommend for normal feet??

[@Saladh_Olivier]

Love the thumbnail ❤

[@stanislavkindiakov6334]

Is there any disadvantage of short reach handlebars? For example is there a difference between 110 mm stem + 65 handlebar vs 100mm stem and 75mm hb?

[@ktakashismith]

Only thing that comes to mind is that you would have less room on the ramps leading to the shifters, and would also lose some real estate on the drop extensions (or otherwise the drops would be sticking further back towards your knees).

[@mathewrose2951]

Do shoe manufacturers tend to stick with the same last within the same model line of their shoes? As an example, my Sidi Ergo2 is the best fitting shoe my narrow feet have ever had; I'll get the Ergo5 from them in a second if the fit is going to be the same. Safe assumption or not?

[@Jarek.]

Really interesting, thank you for sharing 👍 Some of the items are very niche but the other might be useful one day 😀

[@levmatta]

Soul Cycles in Brazil has a 60 mm reach handle bar

[@TenSapphires]

Tiagra also has option for smaller hands.

[@johnnunn8688]

If one has a bike fit, how does one gauge whether the fit has done any good? (Apart from feeling more comfortable on the bike(which is a good thing but not necessarily a good thing, in performance terms))

[@alexanderscott2567]

Crank lengths that are optimized for the human body are an amazing 21st century innovation, that should have been done in the 19th century. Next... elliptical cranks and telescopic cranks, or other stuff. The marketting teams will innovate. Another 150 years of stuff, until something works.

[@dylanl9532]

My wife 158cm rides a 155mm rotor crank and Fourier 34cm handlebar.

[@hazembata]

Crank length appears to be a reoccurring theme. What’s a good starting point for riders of different heights? Meaning, 165 mm is good for people Xcm to Ycm tall. 170mm is good for Ycm to Zcm tall. And so on. Thanks.

[@sbccbc7471]

It's actually dependent on your inseam. Example: 77.8 cm (my inseam) x 0.2 = 15.56 cm = 155 mm crankarms (closest match)

[@hazembata]

@@sbccbc7471 Wow. My inseam is 32.5in (82.5cm) x 0.2 = 165mm exactly.

[@99nobilis99]

A crossover episode! Surprised to see Mary Spender here.

[@reznor_59]

James, please come to wisconsin so I can get a fit from you!

[@zach5050]

Summary of video: “ The cycling world finally recognizes that short people exist, and thus, designed products to accommodate”

[@mr_musette]

James, HUPcc have 32/34cm bars in the UK :)

[@PedaleDouce]

Hi there ! I'm a long time-ish viewer of Francis' videos, and firstly I just wanted to say thank you for all the informative (and other less informative) videos ! (even if I rarely comment) I'm also taking this opportunity to ask for a bit of help or guidance x) I'm seriously considering booking a fit with James or one of his employees when i'll be in London as it's on my biketouring route, because where i'm located I don't have any bikefitter (let alone a good one). But I'm not sure I'll be able to have the funds to stay multiple nights in london and for the fit itself lmao (also he might hate me because I don't wear cycling shoes) And I imagine the schedule is pretty full pretty quickly, and I don't think I can book in advance anyway because, well, I don't know for sure I'll be there at the right time 😂 Any advice on how I could proceed or like if there are possibilites to be flexible in the date and time for the fit ? (Knowing I'll obviously do my best to arrive on said time initially but yeah you never know)

[@GuybrushThreepwood79]

What's a reasonable estimate of how much you should budget in addition to a bike fit fee for changes to be made after the fit? I know this will depend on the fit, but just a ballpark?

[@tedwingate]

I'm interested in modern handlebars for a vintage bike with a quill stem. Is anybody making a decent bar, or is it best to use a quill adapter and a modern stem and bar?

[@sbccbc7471]

I'd say it's best to use a Quill stem adapter, this will open much more cockpit options.

[@SonnyDarvish]

0:30 ease of tilt adjustment? I can adjust any seat post's tilt much easier than my ergon seat post. I have to take the whole thing out and put it back in every time to check the angle. How's that the easiest? I can see it easy to replicate the tilt and it's transferable to other bikes if you know their seat post tube angle and some geometry conversion, but it's the worst one I've experienced to adjust on the fly! Given how much you get the carbon paste on your hand every time adjusting the tilt, I would actually call it a user experience design flaw. 3:40 Shimano's 105 short lever is only available for mechanical groupset. Does it come by default on smaller bikes? no. Just another component like shorter crank arms and narrower handlebar to replace with. 5:04 as of last year? I do own 105 mechanical 160mm crankset. it's not new.

[@matthewlewis2072]

I have a pair of Lake shoes, fitted at Sigma Sports. Not sure they're the right size 😢