Bike fit sessions are a must for any keen rider who’s looking to maximise the way that they flow with their machine. You might be feeling apprehensive or unsure of what to expect when you first book in for your bike fit, or maybe you’re simply curious as to just what it is. Keep reading for a full debrief of what you can expect to experience when you head to your physiotherapist for a professional bike fit…
What Does the Session Involve?
You should head into your bike fit session with your bike, the shoes that you use for cycling and any spare cleats that you reach for regularly. You should also bring or wear your cycling clothing as well as any spare parts such as saddles or stems. Your session will begin with an in-depth off bike interview to give your physio an idea of your cycling history, overall lifestyle and details regarding any injuries past and present. Your goals and objectives both in terms of the results of your fit and for your cycling future in general will all be cohesively covered. Before your appointment, you should take the time to take stock of any past or present medical conditions, your riding routine, any areas of pain or discomfort and results or information from preview fit sessions.
Once the interview is complete, you’ll then move onto a thorough musculoskeletal screen. This is done to assess your unique body composition, biomechanical measurements and specific body elements that might be contributing to a mismatch between yourself and your machine. This screening also takes a dive into your joint range, muscle flexibility, strength and overall bodily condition.
Once your body screening and in-depth interview are completed, you’ll then participate in a cycling video analysis, which is done to take a look at how you and your bike are co-existing before any kind of intervention. After analysing this video, your physio will combine all the information they gathered from the footage, screening and interview to make informed adjustments and create the optimum bike fit for your riding position.
You will also receive a tailored exercise program if you are looking to refine your fitness or performance level following your bike fit. This is particularly valuable for professional athletes or for those who are cycling on a very regular basis. You’ll improve your joint mobility, flexibility and strength.
What are the Benefits of Bike Fit?
Bike fit has many benefits, some of which include…
Improved Performance: Of course, one of the most obvious and evident benefits of an improved bike fit is that it has a direct impact on how well you are going to be able to perform on the machine. Improved performance might be integral to your training or career, or you might just want to see better results in your everyday fitness – either way, a bike fit is a great and pretty much guaranteed means of getting it.
Healing Persistent Pain: Ongoing pain issues are never welcome, and if they go ignore these can use serious long term damage. A proper bicycle fit will mean that you are able to target the perpetrators of any pain whilst you’re riding, helping you to heal.
Better Posture On and Off the Bike: Your bike fit is going to perfect your posture whilst you are riding, but you will also notice better posture and comfort whilst you go about your day to day life, too.
Decreasing the Likelihood of Future Injuries: Minimise the risk of future injury with a properly fitting bike.
Book in with your physio to start your bike fit session process today.