DIY Bike Fitting?

Bike fit encompasses many parts of both bike and rider. One of the great things about bike fitting from a cost standpoint is that we are usually dealing with a rider’s injury, so your health insurance will cover the cost. If you don’t have health insurance, or you just want to get a better fit to prevent repetitive strain injuries, you may have to try the do-it-yourself approach to bike fit, at least to start.

Bike fitting really is a science. It’s not just wild guesses and luck. Each rider has unique body measurements, which can vary from side to side. Throw past and present injuries into the mix, and it’s easy to see that there can be no ‘one size fits all’ approach to bike fitting. That said, there are some effective ways to hone your position for better performance and injury prevention. That’s exactly what we’ll be offering on this part of BikePT.

It’s good to keep in mind that professional bike fit is a comprehensive process, incorporating your body, bike frame size, measurements, angles, biomechanical issues, injuries, componentry, and other factors. It’s nearly impossible to address all areas of bike fit by yourself, and to do so objectively is even more difficult. You can give it a good try though.

If you have biomechanical issues, relevant medical problems, or you are trying to recover from injury without stopping your riding, a professional bike fit is generally recommended. If you’re just trying to tune your fit, the articles and tips here can help.

Check back soon for a series of do-it-yourself bike fit posts.