Bike Fit

74 Main Street Middlebury Vermont (802) 388-6666

Bike Fit 101

For a bicycle to fit you properly, consider these two parts of your physiology:

Your own geometry: Are you long-limbed or short-limbed? Do you have a long torso or short torso? Your personal anatomy plays a key role in how a bike fits you, but it's not the only factor.

Your body flexibility: Go out for a bike ride, a run, or a walk, and when you get back, stand barefoot on a flat surface and touch the floor. Can you touch with your palms? Your finger tips? Or not at all? This is only the beginning of understanding your body flexibility, but you've probably already figured out, a person who can't touch the floor won't have the same fit as someone who can touch the floor with their palms, even if the body measurements of these two people are identical.

Fit affects both comfort and your ability to move the bike. If a bike doesn't fit you properly, you will not just be uncomfortable; you will also not be able to generate as much power as you can on a bike that does fit properly. Don't care about going fast? A position that generates more power means an even easier ride when you prefer a casual pace, especially when the road turns up.

A basic fit is part of every bike purchase at The Bike Center. We want to send you out the door with a bike that fits you properly, because you will enjoy much more than a bike that doesn't fit.

Advanced Bike Fit

There's no substitute for a trained eye when evaluating the factors involved in an advanced bike fit. Our fitter, Justin Crocker, has over thirty years of experience:

	Ten years and counting as bike fitter The Bike Center.
	Six years as bike fitter at Ski Rack, in Burlington, Vermont (1976-81).
	Fifteen years as fit advisor for Digital Equipment Corporation bicycle forum.
	Three years as a USA Cycling licensed expert coach.
	28 years with a category II (expert) racing license.
	First-hand experience with aging (born 1950) and injuries (three broken hips), and how these affect fit.
	Completed Serotta's personal fit course and Trek's level one fit course.
	Contributing member of weightweenies.com (member name is Stoweaway, in honor of Justin's 20 years on the Stowe Cycling Team)

An advanced fit is part of every in-house Lynskey and Project One purchase. Contact us for details.

A Consideration for Road Bikers: The Taller Head Tube

The head tube is an often-overlooked part of the frame in bike fit, but it is one of the keys to providing a comfortable and efficient ride.

For riders who have low or medium flexibility, a higher position reduces strain on the gluteal muscles and the hamstrings, and consequently on the lower back. It also allows for easier breathing. Trek, Cannondale, and Lynskey all offer excellent alternatives for riders who lack the flexibility of a pro athlete.