Friends For Life Bike Rally - A Benefit for the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation

A properly fitting bike can make the difference between powerful riding and discouraging discomfort. We've compiled some basic tips on cyling fit here, but the best way to ensure that your bike is correctly set up for you is to pay for a professional fitting at a bicycle store. This is especially important for those who ride a road bike, as your bike set-up will have a greater impact on your cycling form.

Try to book any professional fitting at least a 4-6 weeks before the big ride to allow your body time to adjust to cycling in a new positon. If you are making your own adjustments, don't move anything more than a few millimetres at a time and give each alteration a few rides to discern whether the new position is working for you. Check out www.caree.org/bike101bikefit.htm for more advice on each variable of bike fit and how to make the proper adjustments, as well as a handy chart for troubleshooting bike fit problems.

Saddle height

• With the pedal at its farthest point from the saddle, there should be a slight bend (25-35�) in the knee    
• With your shoes on, your heel should just be able to touch the pedal at full extension    
• Your hips should be steady while you are riding - not rocking side to side, which means your saddle is too high. To test this, put some spare change or keys in your jersey back pocket. If you hear it clinking while you ride, lower your saddle.

Saddle fore/aft position

• With pedals horizonontal, a plumb line from the bony point just below your kneecap should bisect the pedal axle. Tie a weighted object to the end of a peice of string to test this.

Saddle angle

• Top of seat should be level to start with    
• If you are experiencing numbness in the crotch, tilt the saddle 1-2 degress downward    
• If you are experiencing shoulder and/or wrist pain from pushing on the handlebars, tilt it 1-2 degrees up

Stem height and length

• With hands on handlebars (mountain/hybrid) or brake hoods (road bike), the handlebar should obscure your view of front hub. If you can't achive this with a, 8-12cm stem, the bicycle frame may be the wrong size for you
• When in the riding positon, your back should be flat, with slightly bent arms
• On a road bike, your upper arms should be at a 90� angle to your torso when gripping the brake hoods    
• Top of stem should be 0-5cm below top of seat for casual riding, 5-10cm below for performance (and more flexible cyclists)

Handlebar width and tilt

• Width of handlebars should match the width of the boney points on top of your shoulders    
• On a road bike, the lower flat part of the handlebars (the "drops") should be level or slightly angled down    
• Brake hoods should be level or slightly pointed up

Shoe cleat position

• The ball of your foot should be directly over the centre of the pedal axle
• The cleat angle should allow your ankle to sit at a natural position. To find this position, kneel on a chair or bed so that your feet dangle off the edge. Look in a mirror or have a friend note the angle at which your feet hang, then adjust the cleat to ensure that your feet maintain the same angle when clipped into the pedal