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Bike Fit Basics

Cycling / Popular

Set saddle height and reach for comfort and power.

What coaches agree on

  • Set your saddle height so your leg has a slight, soft bend at the bottom of the pedal stroke rather than locking straight. A simple starting point is to put your heel on the pedal and raise the saddle until that leg is straight, then clip in normally.
  • Set your bike up on a trainer or against a wall and get a friend to film you pedalling from the side and behind, since it's very hard to judge your own riding position accurately just by feel.
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  • Make position changes in small increments - a few millimetres at a time - and test-ride each change before adjusting further.

Common mistakes

  • Riding with too much reach to the handlebars is a very common problem: it causes numb hands, neck and shoulder pain, and rounded shoulders, and most riders need a shorter stem rather than a longer one.