User Guide

8
9
BIKE FIT
Good fit defined
When pedaling a bicycle, you touch the
bike in three places; pedals, saddle, and han-
dlebars. For the bike to fit you properly, these
three points must interface with your body
in a comfortable and functional way. In other
words: if the saddle, pedals (and shoes), and
handlebars (plus grips and controls) do not
fit your feet, hands and seat, the bike won’t
work its best for you.
The three points of contact must be orient-
ed correctly for you to benefit. Properly ori-
ented, your muscles will work at their opti-
mum. No muscles, ligaments, or tendons will
be strained. Aerodynamic drag will be at a
minimum. With a well fitted bike, you do
not need to squirm around, nor do you have
excess tension in your shoulders, arms, or
anywhere else. Basically, you are comfortable,
first and foremost.
In addition to the relatively simple task of
accommodating your body for comfort, prop-
er position makes a bike ride better. Your
center of mass should be positioned over the
bike to accentuate your pedaling power while
also balancing you over the wheels for the
best bike handling.
Using the fit info in this manual
On the specifications page for each bike
model, we have listed the fit items for that
model, including the lengths, angles, or widths
of the handlebar, stem, crank, and seatpost.
Selecting your size
In addition to the measurements of the
hard parts, we list Rider Height. This dimen-
sion is the height of the average rider who
might fit this bike in an average way, with its
handlebars at their highest position. That’s a
lot of qualifiers, but the information can still
be valuable in helping you quickly fit a given
model. Some models do not include Rider
Height, either because that model offers too
much fit adjustment to be defined, or simply
because it’s a one-size-fits-all.
When using the Rider Height, bear in mind
this is the average tallest rider. Since it’s an
average, a bike with a Rider Height listed
as 70 inches, without moving the handlebars,
will likely fit people within a range of 68 to
72 inches. Moving the handlebars changes
the fit. As the handlebars get closer to the
pedals, the bike will fit a shorter person.
The actual range offered by each model
varies. The more bent-over the position, the
smaller the range of fit. In other words, a
road bike designed for a serious racer has a
narrower fit range than a mountain bike with
a more upright position. An upright position,
like a comfort bike or hybrid, offers an even
wider fit range.
Highest handlebar position
We made each fit estimation with the han-
dlebar at its highest point. With an Ahead
stem, that means all the spacers were under
the stem, and the stem was angled up. With
quill stems, the handlebar reaches its maxi-
mum height with the stem pulled up to the
minimum insertion line. With a stem having
an adjustable angle, the handlebar position
is calculated with the stem at a 35 degree
angle. Lowering the bars, or changing the
parts, changes the fit of the bike, as well as
the Rider Height of that bike.
Average riding style
When we design or spec a bike, we have
a certain style of riding in mind. As an
example, when we spec a Supercaliber, we’re
expecting that the bike will be either ridden
by a racer, or someone who likes to ride like
a racer. That doesn’t mean you can’t ride a
Supercaliber on the bike path, but someone
buying a Supercaliber exclusively for bike
path riding isn’t riding in an average way for
that model, and will likely want to tune the
fit to their purposes.
Average fit
We’ve studied a lot of riders over the years,
and we have drawn some conclusions about
the way a bike fits the average person. But
some folks aren’t average. Those with spe-
cific preferences, injury, or other abnormali-
ties may require or prefer a non-average fit.
As examples, consider two people of the same
height but different weight. At 6’ tall, a 130
pound person will sit on a bike differently
than someone also 6’ tall who weighs 260.
Incidentally, neither of these folks would fit
our definition of average.