How do I select the right frame size before I have it fitted by you? Thank you, Richard

Great to hear from you. You are correct about the right size frame. There are two ways to go about this process.

The first option is to head to the local bike shop selling the brand and kind of bike you like, then have them size you up. Most brands have a sizing system that will get you close. Then I can take care of the details later. Just make sure the type of bike suits what you want and what you need. I.e. race, recreation, gravel, touring, MTB or so forth. If you end up on the wrong type of bike, that is not helpful and makes my job harder. Please note the colour and specifications of the bike also are important. Try to buy what you really love, this will help you want to ride even on the darkest, coldest mornings.

The second option is to come in for a frame fitting service with me. This includes all the details of a full bike fitting without the final setup of the bike. Instead we use the Size Cycle to determine a solid position that reflects your ability and your expectations. While using the Size Cycle we can mimic the geometry offered by the bikes your are thinking about buying to triple check your position will suit the setup and vice versa. Then you can buy the bike and bring it back in for a tweak. Often the bike shop can get it close, but I will look after the details.

Bike Fit Information

Disclaimer: 

Your Fusion Peak Bicycle Fit needs to be followed by three weeks of easy riding. No racing or heavy loads during this (three week) time. This is so your body can adapt to your new position safely and comfortably. If you have an event coming up it may be a good idea to wait for your fitting until after it is over.

Cost:

$480.00  – allow for a 2 to 3 hour session to begin, and an hour to hour and a half for the second

I charge my standard fit rate for the two sessions

Session One:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Coffee:

Don’t panic, it’s organic, please let me know if you are a tea person and I will boil the billy.

Interview:

We will discuss your past, current and future cycling goals and ambitions, state of fitness and any relevant injuries or sports history.

Pelvic Tilt Assessment & Adjustment:

To help begin the bike fit with the best symmetry as possible.

Spinal Mobilization, Nervous System Check and Re-Boot:

To help your body have the greatest possible proprioception and muscular coordination.

Flexibility testing:

To determine your bodies current and natural range of motion.

Stability testing:

To determine your bodies stability and ability.

Foot analysis:

To determine cleat placement and any shim, shoe or insole requirements.

Size Cycle Position Creation:

Measuring each aspect of your body’s position relative to the contact points (pedals, saddle and bars) to ensure a smooth, balanced, comfortable and powerful cycling position.

Size Cycle + New Bike CAD Files:

A PDF file of your new position and a CAD file to help determine the best new bike for you.

What to Bring:

  • Cycling knicks, jersey, shoes, helmet, sunglasses and gloves; what you would typically wear on a ride
  • Cycling Shoes/pedals and cleats (if you have them)
  • Orthotics if you have them for any of your shoes
  • Food; eat ahead or bring along a snack, you will be riding and will need energy
  • Water bottle, please ensure you are well hydrated when you arrive
  • Jumper or something warm to wear when you cool down

Session Two:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Bike Fit:

Fitting up your new bike; from rough speck to polishing the fine details of all your contact points, shoes and cleats, handlebars and hoods, and saddle. Making sure you are as comfortable, efficient and smooth on your new ride.

New Bike CAD File:

A PDF file of your position on your new bike.

What to Bring:

  • New Bike and any parts we have specified
  • Cycling knicks, jersey, shoes, helmet, sunglasses and gloves; what you would typically wear on a ride
  • New Cycling shoes if you bought some
  • Orthotics if you have them for any of your shoes
  • Food; eat ahead or bring along a snack, you will be riding and will need energy
  • Water bottle, please ensure you are well hydrated when you arrive
  • Jumper or something warm to wear when you cool down

 

How do I know when my saddle is too high? Cheers, Adam

Saddle height is a balance between leg extension and stability. Here are some feelings or signs that your saddle is too high.

  1. You are rocking from side to side on the saddle. This is a case where you could be reaching for power at the bottom of the pedal stroke on both sides. If you rock from side to side, it can lead to lower back fatigue and discomfort. Once the lumbar spine stops supporting the torso due to pain and or fatigue the entire core will suffer and loose support as well.
  2. You are dropping one hip. This can happen when you have a difference in leg length. The leg length may be mechanical (bones) or functional (muscles and connective tissue). Either way if you are dropping a hip out could be the the saddle is too high for the challenged side. This type of fit issue can be helped with saddle height and sometimes a shim under the cleat.
  3. You are riding like a ballerina with toes pointed down too far. Toe down pedalling is normal and should not be looked at as an issue unless it is caused by the saddle being too high. You may feel a sense that the pedals are just slightly too far away, this is made more obvious by effort. The higher the effort the harder it can be to make power through the entire stroke.
  4. You are not able to corner safely or effectively. When riding the bike there are times when we are not pedalling. This can be when cornering. If you are not able to effectively lift your body’s weight off the saddle to center your gravity through the outside pedal, you may be too high. In this case the analysis is static and not dynamic, meaning there is some balance needed with the leg extension while pedalling as well as posturing. I feel a dropper seat post can help here.
  5. Your hamstrings feel like they are being stretched at the bottom of the stroke. As the hamstring extends it eventually looses eccentric control and allows the knee to accelerate. Its’ job at this point to act eccentrically to the quads. Once the force ends, the quads pull through uninhibited until the bottom of the stroke is reached and the direction of the leg extension is reversed.
  6. You are feeling sore behind the knee. If the calf muscles could be extending past their ability to lengthen and create force and they may be passing on the forces into the attachment point behind the knee. This is linked to toe pointing and the natural point of your toe needs to be including in assessing this.

At the end of the ride, you need to feel solid. Super solid. If there is any doubt that under load your body starts to feel anything above, then there is a good chance a drop in saddle height can help. Tiny changes are best and record your thoughts and feelings to learn what is best and why.

Mark it with a white-out pen and forget it. Just enjoy the ride.

 

How to swap an SMP saddle to SQlab? McGrath

I was wondering if you could give me some rough advise on saddle position changing if I’m switching from my SMP Lite 209 to a SQlab Ergowave 611 Active on my Karate Monkey. 

I’ve read that I probably need to drop the seat post 5-10mm, but was wondering if I should have the middle of the saddle (fore/aft) forward, backward or the same compare to where the middle of the SMP is at the moment. 

 

With regards to your saddles, I would leave the height for now.

What you will need to do is come forward with the SQ. If you keep the saddle nose to bar center measurement the same you will be reaching for the bars. This is because you will sit further back on an SQ. So go forward until there is only 8 mm to the end of the saddle adjustment, so almost all the way forward.

This way if you need to go forward more, you can.

See if you feel like you are sliding back to get your butt on the wide stable part of the saddle, if so slide seat forward.

You will almost always favour a more comfy, shorter reach and drag your body forward on the seat than to sit on the back of the saddle and over reach for the bars.

Then adjust the angle of the nose to suit your drop bar position (pelvis rolled forward) as well as your top hand position (pelvis upright). Or in the case of the Jones Bar, move about as you would on a ride to get the sense of what feels great.

Once the fore aft is balanced, no sliding back or forward, and you have good angle on the saddle; you can see how leg extension feels. Think of it as an extension, not a saddle hight. As coming forward will have effectively dropped the over all height of the seat it may bang on.

After you feel you have a similar leg extension to what you had and you feel stable and comfortable, mark the new setup. Then you can make changes and follow your progression over time.

Any issues, please let me know and I will do what I can to help.

Do I need to use arch support in my other shoes like my cycling shoes? Thanks, Mark

With regards to your feet.
  In cycling shoes you have a lack of proprioception due to the very limited movement of the foot (on the stiff sole) including bones, ligaments, muscles and tendons. This limits the amount of clear, proprioceptive information being sent to the brain by the foot.
  In walking, running, or casual types of shoes with soft soles or in bare feet, the foot is super active with each step and will be naturally sending loads of high quality proprioceptive information about foot shape and load. This can be hindered by old injuries and proprioceptive deficits either in the foot or up the kinetic chain, but that is another topic.
  The idea is simply your brain gets much more information from the foot while pedaling with arch support, this may not be true for all your activities and footwear but is likely with hard soles and shanks. Examples are ski boots, stiff work boots, ice skates or cycling shoes.
  The idea of needing arch support due to an arch that collapses is common and is thought to help with movement up the kinetic chain caused by the collapse. Increasing comfort for the wearer as the knees and hips can straighten out and not fall or twist with the foot and arch collapse. The down side is arch support will not help strengthen the foot or address the poor mechanics of the foot in the first place.
  The G8 2620 is one insole that offers the best of both worlds for any shoe or hard sole and any foot. It provides a strong  proprioceptive connection to the brain with an arch that can be changed in height and position to suit the foot. Then the arch itself collapses under load to allow the foot to move and strengthen.
  If you feel a pair of insoles in your running or work shoes is a good idea, let me know and I will set you up in some G8s.
  Here is a link to their site:
https://www.g8performance.com/insoles/pro-series-2620-custom-orthotics/