Bike fitting | SpokeCyclesCC

It's all in the

fit.

"If a cyclist can do only one thing to improve his or her riding experience it is adjusting the bike to fit better"

Mike Sinyard

Founder of Specialized

Marrying bike to rider

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A proper bike fit is the most important factor in successful riding, whether you ride a £500 or a £5,000 bike. A professional fit will ensure the most efficient position and prevent potential pain common in the knee, hip, lower back and shoulder. A good fit is key for recreational or sportive riders, road racers or triathletes.

There are a number of fit systems out there at the moment, mainly carried out by bike mechanics and involving putting a rider's physical details into a computer programme and setting the bike up based on the results.

However such techniques often fail to take into account the uniqueness of the individual and in many cases prohibit riders from getting the best out of themselves and their bikes. Modern bike fitting is better suited to the skills of the sports therapist rather than the mechanic: just because computer says yes to the position doesn’t mean your body will and the fitter needs to know the difference. The simple fact is that Toyota do not have the contract for making human bodies. In other words they vary. A lot. Think of it this way: while some of us may be the same height, how likely are we to be the same proportions and, in the - unlikely - event that we are, do we have the same biomechanics (not to get too technical here but how someone bends their back can effect reach on the bike)?

Jonathan O’Neil is a qualified sport and remedial masseur and a bike fitting technician trained at the renowned Cyclefit studios in Covent Garden. He is also a trained bike mechanic and the combination of these skills means Jonathan has a full understanding of every element of the fit. He has a long association with cycling, having worked with many pro riders and teams including the Great Britain Cycling Team. He has worked on UCI stage races and the Olympics as well as domestic events like the Tour Series.

SpokeFits last approximately two hours and include a biomechanical assessment. We use your own bike instead of a jig so that nothing is lost in translation while our 4D camera system also ensures that riders can fully see their position on the bike. Full records of the fit are kept allowing the rider to review their position over time as their fitness and/or bike changes.

SpokeFit costs £150.