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Kim's Sports Klinic

Stay injury-free on a bike that fits!

So, you want to start cycling?  Well, the first thing you need to do, if you have not done so already, is buy a bicycle - simple right?  Guess again! 

 

Purchasing a road bike can be quite overwhelming for someone just getting into the sport. There are so many things you need to consider so you don’t end up injuring yourself and cutting your biking pursuits short before you even start.

 

I just recently bought a road bike, and it ended up being a much more involved task than I had expected.  I wanted to get a mid-priced bicycle that I could use in my first attempt at a triathlon season.  Even more importantly, I wanted a bike that fit my body properly so that I wouldn’t end up injuring myself. Since this was going to be such a substantial purchase, I wanted to make an informed decision, so I went through the entire process of being fitted for a bike by a professional.

 

Buying a bike that fits you properly is extremely important because of the following reasons:

 

Performance - Firstly, riding a bike that doesn’t fit your body properly will take away from your overall performance. You won’t be in the position to make the most of your optimal power output, and you won’t feel steady on the bike leaving you open to falls.

 

Aches & Pains - an improper fit could cause pain in your knees, back, neck and shoulders, and repetitive stress on your muscles and joints can cause various aches and pains, making biking downright unpleasant.

 

Injury – putting in a ton of hours on an ill-fitting bike could lead to a variety of repetitive stress injuries, including those to the back and knees.  An effort should definitely be made to avoid this, as any sort of injury would hinder your training and your season.

In sum, don’t take your bike home until the salesperson has observed you on the bike and fit it for you properly.  Keep in mind, as I mentioned earlier, a bike fitting should take a bit of time to do correctly.  Once the bike is fit, and before you make your final purchase, make sure you get a chance to try it outside on the road to make your final assessment. If the bike shop won’t let you take it out for a spin – go elsewhere!

 

When you visit a bike store you should have a price range in mind. You can do this by performing a bit of online research first. Decide on the features you want (keeping their prices in mind) and then decide on a price range in which you’re willing to spend before actually talking to a salesperson.

 

When you visit the store you should be prepared to talk about the size of the bike frame.  This should be discussed with the people at the bike store, who will likely have some sort of chart they can use to match your height and inseam to the size of frame.  You might have to try out a couple of different sizes to find the right fit.  Finding the proper size of frame is extremely important, as it is a main determinant in your safety, comfort and stability on the bike.

 

Ok, so now you have chosen your bike.  The next step is getting the bike fitted to you.  This is quite an intricate process and should be done by a professional.  When I bought my bike, the store owner spent almost an hour with me on the bike (on a trainer), and made adjustments to the seat height, stem length and handle bar height until he found the perfect fit.  He then let me take it out for a spin on the roads, which gave me a chance to see how the bike really felt – and trust me a proper fitting bike feels great!

 

Now, your purchase is complete – congratulations!  Get out on the bike and have some fun!  It would be advisable to take the bike back into the shop after a few rides, just to do some required minor adjustments, which might not have been apparent during the initial fitting.

Enjoy a safe and injury-free biking season! 

Published Wednesday, May 17, 2006 10:20 AM by Kim

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Jen said:

Great advice Kim!

I have problems with wrist pain and getting my hands around the breaks properly- do you have any suggestions for this?

May 17, 2006 11:20 AM
 

Liz said:

I already own a road bike that I have had for many years, and that I bought for a very inexpensive price from a friend. Unfortunately the bike doesn't fit me perfectly, and I do suffer from a sore neck and shoulders after a long ride, and therefore limit my long rides to just every once and a while.

While I am not financially ready (or able ) to make a purchase of a new road bike that fits properly (I wish!), but I was wondering if there is usually a cost attached to getting a current bike fitted/adjusted to what will work best for me with what I do have? Do bike store owners and professionals do this for free, or is it only a free service available to someone who has purchased a bike from their store recently?

Thanks:) Happy riding!

May 17, 2006 12:30 PM
 

uphillskiing said:

Great article, but I don't have the cash for a new bike so I've been looking around on the internet (www.ebay.com, www.outdoorgearswap.com) for used road bikes. Sometimes the bikes are listed in small/medium/large, sometimes they have metric or imperial units, but it's all very confusing. Are there any guidelines that you can give for what size might fit a certain subpopulation - ie. medium-sized woman vs. large man?
May 17, 2006 1:34 PM
 

Tyler said:

I've been riding about 4 times a week lately, but my neck has been getting sore. It sounds like it could be caused from a bike that is the incorrect size for me. I don't want to buy a new bike, is there anything else I can do to retrofit my existing bike?
May 17, 2006 4:04 PM
 

Kim said:

Jen,

You might not be able to get your hands around the brakes properly because you are seated a little too far back.  Taking your bike into a shop and getting someone to assess your seat position would likely prove beneficial.

Wrist pain while biking is likely caused by one (or both) of the following:
- shock and vibration of the bike on the road
- weakness in the forearm muscles (grip strength)

A bike with carbon in it's forks would definitely absorb some of the vibration of the road, which would result in less wrist pain.  If your bike already has carbon forks or if you're not wanting to upgrade your frame, you can try wearing cycling gloves.  I have found gloves to make a significant difference, as they are padded and will absorb a great deal of shock, making a long ride much more comfortable.

Weakness in the forearms is quite common and can be corrected by doing some simple strengthening exercises....
1) wrist curls
- rest forearm on bench or on knee with hand hanging off the edge
- perform curls with dumbbell in hand, doing flexion (palm facing up) and extension (palm facing down)

2) reverse bicep curls
- performed the same as bicep curls, except the palms are facing down instead of up

3) hand grips
- can be purchased at any fitness gear store or site
- squeeze and release grips repeatedly (can even be done while watching tv or riding on a stationary bike)

These exercises will take very little time and should be done 3 times a week.  It would probably be easiest to incorporate them into your workout by doing them after each ride.

Hope this works, Jen!  Good luck and happy cycling!
May 19, 2006 10:45 AM
 

Kim said:

In response to Liz and Tyler's posts, taking your bikes into the bike shop for a proper fitting would be your best bet.  As mentioned in my article, riding a bike that fits you properly will make a huge difference in your riding experience.

A sore neck and shoulders, the symptoms both of you are experiencing, are likely caused by having to reach too far to the handle bars.  The bike shop would likely move your seat forward a little bit or slightly raise your handle bars.  I would not suggest making these adjustments yourself - leave it to someone who has the experience!

Bike shops are usually quite reasonable with this service and if you go to a place that you frequent as a customer, you'll likely get some sort of deal.  Also, when you pay for a fitting, you usually get a 30 or 60 day guarantee, so you can return within that time for any further adjustments (for free!).  It is common practice for a shop to give one year of free fittings to those who bought their bike from them.

It should be noted that neck and shoulder pain also comes along with getting used to cycling.  Those who have just taken up cycling as an activity or those who have significantly increased their mileage will likely experience neck and shoulder pain, whether the bike fits or not.  I would still suggest taking your bike in for a fitting (if you haven't already done so) and then just be patient while your body adjusts.

Good luck and keep spinning!
May 19, 2006 11:13 AM
 

Kim said:

Uphillskiing,

Good question!  And yes, it is all very confusing.  I'll just start with what size I ended up with and go from there.

I am 5'7", which is considered medium height for a woman.  I ended up fitting right into the middle of the medium-sized category and my bike frame is 54cm.  I was told that I could have gone with a small frame (52cm I think), which would have been a bit lighter in weight but also more "twitchy" (less stable).  Since I decided I'd feel more comfortable on a less "twitchy" bike, I opted for the medium frame.  Some bike companies also offer the option of going with a woman's bike, which would come in smaller sizes.  This option is ideal for shorter females.

Since I can't really make any recommendation for you, my best solution would be for you to visit a bike shop, pretend you're planning on buying one of their bikes and get them to recommend a frame size for you.  Even try out a couple of bikes to get a feel for the different makes and sizes.  

Buying a used bike often works out well, since you can usually find something in good condition for a lot cheaper, but it is important that you know exactly what you're buying before you shake on it!  That's why visiting a bike shop before buying secondhand would be a good idea.  Also, if you do end up getting a used bike, definitely take it into a shop for a proper fitting before you start riding!

May 19, 2006 11:47 AM
 

Adriano said:

My biggest problem on the bike a sore butt. How do you suppose I remedy this?

I've found the best for fitting a new bike is to get put on the wind trainer immediately. That way you can ride for five minutes, see how it feels, and then adjust a seat, or a stem, or whatever. Once the bike is fitted, man, you never want to get off it!

Ps. You can find some amazing deals on EBay. But like you said, go try some stuff at a bikeshop first so you know what size/features you want.
May 21, 2006 6:38 AM
 

Kim said:

Thanks, Adrian!

You're right, once you're on a bike that fits, you just won't want to get off!

About the sore butt.  I'm guessing you already wear cycling shorts, with the padding in the butt.  For those of you who don't own cycling shorts and plan on doing some cycling, cycling shorts are highly recommended.  The little bit of extra padding makes a HUGE difference.

If cycling shorts don't seem to remedy the problem, you should look into getting a different seat.  Racing seats are very narrow and quite hard.  You could try out a slightly wider and softer seat and I'm sure it would make a big difference.  There are also gel covers available, which can just fit over the seat to make the ride more comfortable.

One extra note for the female cyclists out there.  There is a difference between male and female seats, and believe me, you will notice a difference.  Females typically have a wider pelvis, which means that our ischial tuberosities (the bones we sit on) are spaced further apart.  Often the male seats are too narrow and fail to support our ischial tuberosities, making the ride quite uncomfortable.  If you are a female using a male seat and find you have a sore butt, try switching to a female seat, which is slightly wider.  I bet it will increase your comfort significantly!

It should also be noted that if you're just starting out cycling, your butt will be sore no matter what.  As you adjust to the activity, the soreness will diminish.  If not, then try the suggestions I mentioned above!

If anyone else has any other suggestions, be sure to add them!

Happy cycling!
May 29, 2006 1:03 PM

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About Kim

Kim is a professional Fitness Consultant and Manager at a corporate fitness centre in Guelph, Ontario, where she’s responsible for whipping members into shape with her super-effective personalized fitness programs. Kim graduated from the University of Guelph, Ontario with a Bachelor of Honors in Science, in the field of Human Kinetics. Kim’s expert health and fitness know how stems from her extensive background in endurance sports. In fact she has run competitively in cross country and track for the past 9-years, and is now beginning to take up an interest in triathlons. Pop in and pay Kim a visit for helpful advice on how to prevent and patch-up your sports and fitness-related sprains and strains.