Do you need to do bike rides at all?
Bike fit is a scientific approach to how to sit on a bicycle. Of course, you can get used to everything, and if you rarely go on a bike ride, you may not feel much discomfort. But if the bike is for you a tool for playing sports or keeping yourself in good shape, then it makes sense to worry about how you sit on it.
The point is this: a bicycle (any bicycle - sports, mountain, city, etc.) is inherently a very convenient thing. It adjusts almost every parameter, from the width of the steering wheel to the length of the connecting rods (the things that you twist, pedals are still attached to them). Thus, each great can be adjusted for yourself: for your height, the characteristics of your physique. If on a bike your neck hurts or your lower back hurts, or you experience discomfort in your knees, this indicates that you are sitting incorrectly. Turning on the strongman mode and trying to endure the discomfort, blaming everything on the body's unpreparedness for physical activity, is a bad idea, just monstrous. Then it's better to stop traveling altogether.
To endure pain means consciously risking health, as you can earn chronic joint disease and other horrors in the same spirit.
For this reason, adjusting your fit can and should be done. Someone is trying to experiment on their own, at least with the saddle height, stem length, handlebar width. It does not cost much and even based on your feelings alone, you can sit down relatively comfortably. From personal experience, I can say that attempts to improve the fit (if you have already started doing this) do not stop then from season to season. But the result is there. The body somehow makes it clear what is best for it.
A professional, relying on the extensive experience of global companies and specialists in sports medicine, with the help of special devices and software, will set you the correct (from a theoretical point of view) landing in three hours. But will the fit become more comfortable in the bike saddle? What dividends will this procedure bring?
How it works
It is Retul that is Specialized's technology for customizing the fit of cyclists. It is used when working with both professional athletes and amateurs. "Haste" succeeded in this direction, although they have enough competitors: Trek, Giant, Apex, Guru, etc.
It doesn't matter what bike you use: a special machine imitates your bike (a straight handlebar or a road "ram" will be screwed to it, they will pick up a comfortable saddle), and a system of special adjusters allows you to change the fit while you pedal - no need to make extra manipulations. By the way, the adjustment of the fit on a road bike and on an MTB ("mountain bike", which is so popular in our country) is very similar in nature.
But first of all, the fit-technician will conduct a survey, during which he will definitely ask if you have had any injuries if you feel any discomfort while riding a bike, what exactly is bothering you. You need to answer honestly: after that, they will not be taken into the army, it will just be clearer for the specialist, which needs to be paid more attention. Then there will be a physical examination: flat feet, flexibility, joint flexion. Nothing is required from the cyclist at this time: "bend-unbend", plus relaxation on the massage table.
After that, they will sit on the same unit that imitates a bicycle. They will connect a system that will track and analyze your movements. A fit-technician, based on the data obtained and personal observations, will correct the fit: change the height and position of the saddle, rudder, etc.
Get ready for questions about your own feelings - this is teamwork, you need to listen to yourself and talk about everything.
After three hours (ideally), the specialist will bring your landing to a position where the knees are bent at the right angle, and the load between the legs, arms and back is distributed correctly. A report with all the data will be sent by e-mail, looking at which and armed with a tape measure, you can transfer the desired proportions to your own bike.
Conclusions and impressions
Whether you are changing bikes or just discovering this activity, then bike fit is a good way to avoid doubts. A professional will give you a fit, and you will get used to it very quickly.
The situation is more complicated if you are already accustomed to how you sit on your bike. Then, most likely, there will be a feeling of discomfort: it was convenient for you all this time, and then someone says that you need to sit differently. Yes, "fit" is new data (authoritative enough) that you can use.
But do not stop thinking about your hobby, listen to yourself.
For example, with my strong flat feet, it seemed to me extremely useful manipulations with the technique of planting cycling shoes and the position of the spike on it: they replaced the insoles with orthopedic ones, added special wedges - the foot began to feel better, and unnecessary mobility disappeared. side) in the knee joint during pedaling.
At the same time, the saddle height, which the master considers to be optimal, turned out to be insufficient. Riding a bike is just unusual, and unusual - uncomfortable. So the information was taken into account, but I am not yet ready for such radical changes.
"Fit" is also an opportunity to experiment, try several types of saddles, several options with the removal of dimensions. Nobody forces you to make purchases, but in the future, such information may come in handy.
So does a cycling enthusiast need a cyclist? We thought it would be useful if you enjoy cycling and if you want to develop in this direction. Is it possible to do without "fit"? You can if you have no health problems.