I implemented some of your tips over a year ago, bought 40cm bar moved cleats all the way back and dropped the saddle, those three changes made a huge difference 👍🏴
I moved to London couple months ago. One of my priorities was to see James and get a bike fit from him. Sadly, unexpectedly out of a job for the minute. Can't wait to get life back in order and make that happen! :) Amazing video as always. Missed seeing bike fit content here!
Two things that are worth mentioning. When looking for handlebars as well as checking the reach. Check where the manufacturer measures the width of the bars. Some measure centre to centre and some measure end to end. Based on past videos I know James measures centre to centre. On the shoes not all wide shoes are the same. I bought Shimano RC7 wides and my fitter pointed out the soles are not actually wider but there is more material in the upper to allow the foot to fit. I saw my shoes compared to Lakes which are actually wide
I know Specialized are consistently narrow, my clipless shoes are Specialized 2FO cliplites, and even in a wide width they are about as narrow as I'm willing to go. Where my flat pedal shoes which are Five 10 Freerider pros are perfect in width, but it's specific to the Freerider pro, the regular freerider is too narrow.
Had a fit with James around 18 months ago prior to ordering a Fairlight Strael. Put me in a pair of Lakes and to be totally honest, transformed my riding experience. Ordered my strael with confidence that the bike would fit perfectly - fit first, buy second
Your bike fit tips have really helped me, thanks for putting them out for everyone. Certainly does not replace an in person fit, but the bar width, saddle height, saddle width, and cleat placements were really key for me. Plus the stance width issue, speaking as one of the bigger guys.
It's so important to actually get a fit! Tried lots of James' recommendations and some worked and some made things much worse. I'm only 5'9" but have a 6'2" wingspan and seeing a bike fitter was a great use of money and time. Realized I've been riding too small frames for years and am now much more comfortable!
Some very good points there - plenty of which align with many years of cycling experience :) My own observation is once you get your position dialled-in (or close to it), it is so much easier to REALLY put the power down. It just fells like the bike is an extension of your body!
James. My hero. Today I learned stance and slight incline on the controls. Past Tuesdays I put into action: Wide Lake shoes changed everything for me, knee problems went away. Saddle was too high, no more. Much less saddle issues. 38cm bars are great, more aero, less elbow pain. Oh yeah, I also went with a square frame (my buds call it my geezer bike) 53-53 (Pinarello Dogma K), 90mm stem, reach is perfect, ride is very smooth, eats bumps for breakfast. Lower tire inflation 90 lbs and a bit wider 25mm all together made a huge set of differences.
SORTED! That is, by far, the best discussion about bike fit I have ever watched. Well done James! Absolute mandatory viewing for anyone who is interested in tuning their fit! After a decade of fiddling, I’ve managed to incorporate most of these recommendation through my own trial and error, followed by copious amounts of Carmex! You guys are the best!
i have watched so many bike fit videos that i was able to give myself an almost exact fit on my peloton, to the point when i did my pro Peloton bike fit i barely had to change anything. I would love to see a channel like this do an indoor cycling fit video.
I really had problems with listening to James for a while, but after watching a ton of fitting videos, he's the bike fitter that I' put most trust in... Could you please do a tour through europe? I'd immediately book a fit if you'd be somewhere nearby...
Yeah, his presentation is fast and jumps from one point to another quick, which is how a lot of stupid people speak to overwhelm you with information to seem smart. If you stick with him for a couple of videos you realize he actually makes good points.
I finally lowered my seatpost by a significant amount last week and the increase in comfort is insane. Using the drops which I'd only use during sprints before is now much much comfortable. I can stay on them even on casual speeds for a long time. My groin area doesn't hurt anymore while riding because I'm now sitting on the middle area of the saddle and not just the tip. Thanks^_^
Thank you so much for the tips. The one about saddle fore-aft is a life-saver (this video and the one before specifically on this topic). Shifting the saddle 4 mm aft made a huge difference in alleviating numb hands. Thank you!
Loving your channel Francis, I've been watching your vids for a very long time! Fun vid idea that would satisfy my curiosity: James at one point mentioned having 6 bikes, it would be sick to have a video where he runs through the bikes he has, how often he's able to ride with his work schedule, what his favourite bike is, how he has his bikes set up to accommodate his needs and etc. Ik you're both insanely busy so if there's time ofc. Keep up the hard work, Aaron 💪
Thanks chaps, great advice as always. I’ve adapted my “fitted” position which was fine for rides up to about 2 hours, to shift my cleats back and drop my saddle by 8mm as a result of your advice and it’s been a revelation! One thing I’ve found is that it is also worth paying attention to saddle set back on different bikes. I bought a winter bike and as my saddle was fine in the centre of the seatpost on my summer bike, I thought that would be similar for my winter bike too. After 3 months of tingly hands I finally took some time to measure up (measure wall to BB and wall to saddle and deduct for set back measurement) and found that the saddle was 25mm further back, so even though the reach from saddle to bars was similar, it was a very different weight distribution. Shifting the saddle forwards and rotating the bars away / moving the shifters to match my summer bike measurements made it instantly comfortable again. Thanks for the great content 👍
This was super helpful. My bike is very well fit. All the lengths I have tweaked over the years. The one thing I could never figure out was soreness from the saddle. I have tried a few different styles. I always measured the seat bones the way the internet said to. You describing the issues with too wide saddles fit me to a T. I have always noticed I like to sit forwards on the saddle and bought long nose saddles. Can’t wait to try a more narrow saddle.
Thanks Francis for bringing James to your channel. Still making adjustments, but this has been a great help. James is very serious about what he does and it shows.
This video is so good that I wanted to like twice at least! Good info for people like me - that don't have a bike fitter near to my home town. Thank a million, guys!!!
There is so much information in bicycles that sometimes I feel that growing into a body that suits the bicycle would take less time than figuring it all out.
These videos are absolutely bloody brilliant Francis. I’ve never been happy with the fit on my bike. I bought it peak lockdown 1.0 and it was literally the only bike in stock ‘near’ my ‘size’ I’ve been experimenting with my fit ever since. I WILL get a bike fit James fit before buying my next bike.
I've been keeping an eye out for sales on the Selle Italia Boost S3, and found one for $87 today. I'm looking forward to trying it out. Back in 2016 I had the misfortune of being "fitted" at a local bike shop, and they told me I needed a 155mm saddle. I used it on a trip to the mountains around Lake Tahoe a week later, and it hurt like hell. I'm on a 143mm now, but with not enough pressure relief. For the price, it's worth trying the S3.
Moved the Look Keo cleats as far back as they could go... can't believe I didn't do it years ago... Also noticed that my Lake MTB shoes cleats are where you describe is best for the foot... Can't believe I hadn't made that observation before... Thank you for informing us ignorant folk :)
James is bloody brilliant... I highly recommend... But would be even better if he opened another shop just South of Cambridge! Some good riding round here.... 😜 Need to get booked in again and get some new shoes
You're preaching to the choir with the saddle issues. I came to my fitter at the beginning of the year with perineum numbness. He was trained and certified at a specialized facility. He measured my sit bones and I didn't have any luck until a couple of months later and 5 or 6 saddles later. It took quite some time just to try one with a cutout. it's good, but I still experience mild numbness and saddle sores from time to time.
Great watch as always, great tips having just tried clipless for the first time and seeing all the advice, now going to start again and move them to back and see how I feel. Top tip
Thank you. I have always had my MTB seat too high (dropper) and have lowered my road bike seat to insure a good pull stroke. Makes a big diff on longer rides. Only issue now is my triceps get sore at 1.5 - 2 hrs.
Great video as always. I guess I am the oddball when it comes to cleat position. If I move the cleats all the way back, my heel drops and my arch hurts (even with proper orthotics). I seem to prefer a forward position and feel like I can spring in and out of the saddle, maintain a higher cadence and roll my hips forward. I did martial arts for 15 years and you are on the balls of your foot quite often or striking with them, especially when sparring, so I guess my body just prefers this way.
Ideas for the next #bikefittuesday What is a good fit for cycling shoes? Do you need to leave wiggle room? Thickness/type of socks? Arc/heel support? Stretch on the upper material? How strong should you tie/dial the lace? On grips (handlebar/shifter)..what condition causes trigger finger(s)/thumb, thickness of bartape,
I drank the cool aid back in the 2000's when everyone was pushing wide bars for "more air in the lungs" big mistake. Went back to the 38-40cm range after multiple trips back to the shop. Yeah for free stem and handlebar swaps at high end custom swaps. Great vid.
AWESOME information! James absolutely ROCKS! James, i always learned that dropping a plumb line from the tip of the knee to the pedal at 3 o'clock. then adjusting the saddle so that the line intersect the pedal axle is a good start to saddle placement... but now i'm assuming that that routine is more or less rubbish. interested in yer thoughts about that... toss it in the bin like so many other bike fit myths? thanks for teachin this old man new stuff!
This was wonderful! Although I cracked up at, "there is no general rule," followed 20 seconds later by, "the general rule is..." Love James' bike fit vids. I dropped my saddle a few years back because of him and it's vastly improved my cycling experience. 🙏🏼
When talking about reach related issues and shoulder & neck pain: If pain persists on one shoulder (only on long rides, >90km) - moving up to the neck after a while. Do you observe these mostly as reach related problems or what other types of sources do you encounter causing these? Loving the explanations behind cause & symptoms! Would also find it great to see a video on your journey to learning all of this & becoming a bike fitter!
i've never had a professional bike fit, but i've tinkered with my cleats and saddle enough until I stopped having weird hip/knee pains. I could probably optimize my setup a bit more, but I assume the best course of action is to not mess with it if i'm not experiencing any glaring issues? great vid as always
I figured out the inboard cleat position on my own as a larger rider. Also gives me more room to unclip in combination with long spindle CB Mallet Es (it's on a MTB). Something I have noticed with saddle position that is probably specific to modern MTBs with really steep seat tube angles is that it's more comfortable to run the saddle tilted forward slightly. With my current MTB I went from a 73* STA to a 76* STA and trying to run level saddle at 76 I found I was on the nose constantly, but tilted forward slightly and pushed forward a bit in the rails I'm comfortably on the back of the saddle.
Thanks James, I've just had major surgery and was looking to change some items. Just Bought a Boost SLR S3 and gone to 40 cm bars down from 42 cm. Looking forward to seeing how the changes improve my riding. Cleats have been all the way back for years after having them too far forward for far too long.
FYI in that I almost clicked on Don't Recommend This Channel because of the aggressive thumbnail on RUclips for this video. I like your videos. Very calm, clear and informative. But I thought (because of the thumbnail) that this was going to have a host on Red Bull talking about bikes like a WWE event. Good job on your videos BTW.
Had a bike fit with a physio about 6 years ago, so thought it was right. Convinced I've been running seat way too high with way too much reach then had seat and cleats too far forward to compensate. Way more comfortable after following James' tips.
Interesting talk about saddle width. It makes sense. I have been looking at saddle that was wide, because sitbone width is 143. I haven't found the perfect saddle for me yet and now i don't ride much, so no its not the biggest problem
I learned a lot in this video, but how about people like me, who only like to ride with flat pedals? I personally ride flat pedals on MTB, city, gravel, road... you name it.
The advice I give most people is either put the ball of their feet over the axle of the pedal. But I think just like a lot of bikefit stuff, it all depends on the person.
I have two large framed (24") bikes from the 1970s - both have 38cm handlebars. I changed to 38cm on my best bike about 5 years ago and much prefer it.
While I could certainly benefit from a proper fitting, these tips have eliminated so many small issues I previously thought were just endemic to riding
Fantastic and informative. Can you add a bit about saddle set back please, and how this impacts and why this is also important. I seen Lee at your shop and know that my saddle is to set back to far on one of my bikes and achieving it will mean changing the frame at some point. Best thing I ever did was visit you guys.
Even with a zero set back seat post? The weight distribution on a bike should be about 60/40 on a road bike rear to front and more 50/50 on a tri/TT bike. Set back affects this. If you have knee pain you probably need more set back as well as shorter cranks
@@arlandmac no issues with knee pain. I'm to far behind the bottom bracket even with saddle right forwards. Lee( bike fitter)has already recommended shorter cranks anyway. Already have a zero set back seat post, which was a pain in the arse to get hold of because it is a Giant Defy and uses a d fuse post. Next frame size down would lessen the problem but a frame with different geometry is really what I need.
A great all-in-one overview vid and one wants more information on a specific portion, watching the other bike fit tuesday videos would be the way to go. Thanks James and Francis for the wonderful overview vid!
I didn't realize how much I missed BFT! Great vid. I would like to see the "Book of Bike Fit James" video read like the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. :) I know I'm broken.
Brilliant video, Selle Italia SLR Boost is a great saddle (for me at least), could you do a quick video with James on sizing differences between gravel and road frames? I (usually) know my size on a road bike (from TT, stack and reach) but I'm not sure how that translates to a gravel bike, should I have a shorter TT (for a slightly more upright position)? Or will the different geometry just take care of that? Thanks again.
What I like about the way James talks about bike fits is the 'general rules' that apply for most of us. If you fall outside of the rule that applies to like 80-90%, you should really think carefully about what your reasons are. Of course you can be outside those rules but it just isn't very likely.
You got to the most important bit right at the end, and then raced through it! Setback. Setback, setback, setback.... It's all about the balance and everything follows from this. [Oh, Ok then. Bar width is important (I have a 40 year 62cm Raleigh commuter bike which came with 38cm bars...) and obviously seat height. And cleat position. And pressure relief channels.] 😁
I'll never forget butterfly wing handlebars when I was a kid. They were so wide I looked like an eagle spreading its wings while riding I eventually lost control of the bike and ended up in a ditch.
James, James, James, focus. LOL So I used some of your tips on fitting myself on my bike. I have made and continue to make adjustments to my bike. I did get a saddle from one of the companies you suggested and it was great. I just wish there was something you could do that would really summarize the fitting for someone at home.
Always love your videos! Can you address the differences between a road fitting and a gravel/ drop bar mountain bike setup? I live in the US, got fitted on a Retul setup for my road bike. Bike is good but did end up dropping seat. I have salsa cutthroat I use for bike packing. Fitter setup this bike similar to road bike. Having issues with hand numbness and saddle issues. Keep up the good work!
Almost all retul fits wind up with saddles too high because they only look at knee angle and don’t check the ankle angle above the horizon. Does you gravel bike have wider handlebars? If so, the bars probably need to come up and back.
My dad used to give me a quick check for saddle height. If you put your heel on the pedal, your legg should be fully extended. This makes it when you clip in, your leg is just under full extension an so your not 'buttering' on the saddle the whole time
10:17 A good rule of thumb would be to remember to fit from the feet up. Cleat/shoes/pedals, handlebars (for reach you also need to tackle saddle fore/aft) and then saddle height? Is that the right order? I feel like it is.
I think you should do saddle before the front end. Not that I am any expert but I think the back end should more or less dictate how the front end ends up. Once the shoes/cleats and saddle position are set right the front end kinda just falls into place in my own experience.
I had reach issues on my last bike, I’m 6”4 so on all charts only I need a 60-62cm bike, a said bike shop which I went to also said I needed a 62cm frame and who was I to argue I didn’t know much different. And for quite a while it seemed ok, untill I got a tacx Neo bike and set that up I realised I was a lot more comfortable and producing more power on a smaller frame, got a new bike 56cm and it feels so much better. Lesson learned “most” bike shops just want your money and don’t care about the individual.
Great video as always. Question about fit for gravel and adventure style bikes, is fitting any different and with the advent of wider and flared bars what’s your take on them regarding fitting and sizing? Thanks EDIT I’ve just seen your video on gravel bike set up.. answered all my questions.
A lot to think about! Great Video! I am fairly comfortable on my bike. I experimented with lowering the seat but didn't like it I didn't think I was deriving maximum power from the pedal strokes. One goal is to not have the seat so high that your hips rock when pedaling while seated. The other goal is to have a slight bend at the knee when the pedal is fully extended. And yet another goal is to ride without your knees sticking out toward the sides. One thing I can't recommend highly enough is having a custom foot beds. The foot doctor makes a mold of your foot and some where someone takes that mold and makes a bed that matches the curvatures of your foot bottom to the sole of the shoe. The bed is made of some stiff material, plastic i guess and is covered with vinyl in certain areas. Remove the OEM bed from the bottom of the shoe so you have enough room for both footbed and foot. I paid $110 out of pocket for the footbeds and because I had metatarsel inflamation the health insurance covered the rest. My footpads have lasted about 6 years and they look kind of tired now so I will get new ones. Probably the price will be jacked.
I implemented some of your tips over a year ago, bought 40cm bar moved cleats all the way back and dropped the saddle, those three changes made a huge difference 👍🏴
James enthusiasm is infectious. He actually opened my eyes to handlebar width. This snowballed into making my bike fit so much more comfy
I moved to London couple months ago. One of my priorities was to see James and get a bike fit from him. Sadly, unexpectedly out of a job for the minute. Can't wait to get life back in order and make that happen! :) Amazing video as always. Missed seeing bike fit content here!
good luck mate, hope you get a job soon and that bike fit. Cheers
Please post when you get things sorted and get your bike fit done
These videos are invaluable. I attribute my current bikes' comfort to Bike Fit Tuesdays. Thanks Guys!
Two things that are worth mentioning.
When looking for handlebars as well as checking the reach. Check where the manufacturer measures the width of the bars.
Some measure centre to centre and some measure end to end. Based on past videos I know James measures centre to centre.
On the shoes not all wide shoes are the same. I bought Shimano RC7 wides and my fitter pointed out the soles are not actually wider but there is more material in the upper to allow the foot to fit. I saw my shoes compared to Lakes which are actually wide
Thanks for the tip about how to measure handlebar width. I was actually checking the comments to find that info 😀
I know Specialized are consistently narrow, my clipless shoes are Specialized 2FO cliplites, and even in a wide width they are about as narrow as I'm willing to go. Where my flat pedal shoes which are Five 10 Freerider pros are perfect in width, but it's specific to the Freerider pro, the regular freerider is too narrow.
Had a fit with James around 18 months ago prior to ordering a Fairlight Strael. Put me in a pair of Lakes and to be totally honest, transformed my riding experience. Ordered my strael with confidence that the bike would fit perfectly - fit first, buy second
Your bike fit tips have really helped me, thanks for putting them out for everyone. Certainly does not replace an in person fit, but the bar width, saddle height, saddle width, and cleat placements were really key for me. Plus the stance width issue, speaking as one of the bigger guys.
This is perhaps the best bike fitting video out there as it explains the reasons for making adjustments and the implications thereof. We’ll done.
It's so important to actually get a fit! Tried lots of James' recommendations and some worked and some made things much worse. I'm only 5'9" but have a 6'2" wingspan and seeing a bike fitter was a great use of money and time. Realized I've been riding too small frames for years and am now much more comfortable!
Some very good points there - plenty of which align with many years of cycling experience :)
My own observation is once you get your position dialled-in (or close to it), it is so much easier to REALLY put the power down. It just fells like the bike is an extension of your body!
James. My hero. Today I learned stance and slight incline on the controls. Past Tuesdays I put into action: Wide Lake shoes changed everything for me, knee problems went away. Saddle was too high, no more. Much less saddle issues. 38cm bars are great, more aero, less elbow pain. Oh yeah, I also went with a square frame (my buds call it my geezer bike) 53-53 (Pinarello Dogma K), 90mm stem, reach is perfect, ride is very smooth, eats bumps for breakfast. Lower tire inflation 90 lbs and a bit wider 25mm all together made a huge set of differences.
SORTED! That is, by far, the best discussion about bike fit I have ever watched. Well done James! Absolute mandatory viewing for anyone who is interested in tuning their fit! After a decade of fiddling, I’ve managed to incorporate most of these recommendation through my own trial and error, followed by copious amounts of Carmex! You guys are the best!
36 years after clipping in for my first race, I know a good fitter when I see one... this guy is smart. Listen to him.
i have watched so many bike fit videos that i was able to give myself an almost exact fit on my peloton, to the point when i did my pro Peloton bike fit i barely had to change anything. I would love to see a channel like this do an indoor cycling fit video.
I really had problems with listening to James for a while, but after watching a ton of fitting videos, he's the bike fitter that I' put most trust in... Could you please do a tour through europe? I'd immediately book a fit if you'd be somewhere nearby...
Include a tour of northeast US; Boston or New York City and I'll book an appointment
Via the Maldives and South Sandwich Islands.
Yeah, his presentation is fast and jumps from one point to another quick, which is how a lot of stupid people speak to overwhelm you with information to seem smart. If you stick with him for a couple of videos you realize he actually makes good points.
Or you can do the opposite and fly to London to get a fit with James. This is done on an adjustable bike so no need to bring your own bike.
Exactly, he has three sensors and cameras all hooked up to the adjustable rig. Best to fly in and visit him as people do
Fantastic information as usual, cleats position and saddle height adjustments completely changed my power transfer ability and comfort on the bike.
James in full flow, yes I remember the saddle measuring pad when I used to work in a bike shop some years ago. All ended up on 143 Toupe's,:)
I finally lowered my seatpost by a significant amount last week and the increase in comfort is insane.
Using the drops which I'd only use during sprints before is now much much comfortable. I can stay on them even on casual speeds for a long time.
My groin area doesn't hurt anymore while riding because I'm now sitting on the middle area of the saddle and not just the tip.
Thanks^_^
I love this guy! Super knowledgeable, super animated, and very well spoken
😮❤ here from the USA 🇺🇸 LETS Go! First time bike rider! Love you all
Thank you so much for the tips. The one about saddle fore-aft is a life-saver (this video and the one before specifically on this topic). Shifting the saddle 4 mm aft made a huge difference in alleviating numb hands. Thank you!
Amazing what a small difference can make. 4 mil! 😳
Loving your channel Francis, I've been watching your vids for a very long time!
Fun vid idea that would satisfy my curiosity: James at one point mentioned having 6 bikes, it would be sick to have a video where he runs through the bikes he has, how often he's able to ride with his work schedule, what his favourite bike is, how he has his bikes set up to accommodate his needs and etc. Ik you're both insanely busy so if there's time ofc.
Keep up the hard work, Aaron 💪
Thanks chaps, great advice as always. I’ve adapted my “fitted” position which was fine for rides up to about 2 hours, to shift my cleats back and drop my saddle by 8mm as a result of your advice and it’s been a revelation! One thing I’ve found is that it is also worth paying attention to saddle set back on different bikes. I bought a winter bike and as my saddle was fine in the centre of the seatpost on my summer bike, I thought that would be similar for my winter bike too. After 3 months of tingly hands I finally took some time to measure up (measure wall to BB and wall to saddle and deduct for set back measurement) and found that the saddle was 25mm further back, so even though the reach from saddle to bars was similar, it was a very different weight distribution. Shifting the saddle forwards and rotating the bars away / moving the shifters to match my summer bike measurements made it instantly comfortable again.
Thanks for the great content 👍
This was super helpful. My bike is very well fit. All the lengths I have tweaked over the years. The one thing I could never figure out was soreness from the saddle. I have tried a few different styles. I always measured the seat bones the way the internet said to. You describing the issues with too wide saddles fit me to a T. I have always noticed I like to sit forwards on the saddle and bought long nose saddles. Can’t wait to try a more narrow saddle.
Thanks Francis for bringing James to your channel. Still making adjustments, but this has been a great help. James is very serious about what he does and it shows.
all of ur bike fit vids have been incredible informative, i've learned so much about cyclying just thru this
James is fascinating to listen to. Wish I lived there to schedule a fit.
This video is so good that I wanted to like twice at least! Good info for people like me - that don't have a bike fitter near to my home town. Thank a million, guys!!!
great video. only slightly sad we didn't get to see James' No22 in the thumbnail!
Mr. Cade.. thank you! You've summarized, in short order, the essential adjustments to those critical areas most of us need for comfortable ride.
I opted for a smaller frame size than what used to be normal sizing and I agree with you James - much better for me
What a brilliant video to put together. I'll be trying to see how my bike fits me now. If I end up buying new shoes, seat and handlebars ...
There is so much information in bicycles that sometimes I feel that growing into a body that suits the bicycle would take less time than figuring it all out.
These videos are absolutely bloody brilliant Francis. I’ve never been happy with the fit on my bike. I bought it peak lockdown 1.0 and it was literally the only bike in stock ‘near’ my ‘size’ I’ve been experimenting with my fit ever since. I WILL get a bike fit James fit before buying my next bike.
Nice Andy Hampston poster!
I had a fit with Andy Fenn last year, definitely recommend. 👍 Great content again guys 👍
I've been keeping an eye out for sales on the Selle Italia Boost S3, and found one for $87 today. I'm looking forward to trying it out. Back in 2016 I had the misfortune of being "fitted" at a local bike shop, and they told me I needed a 155mm saddle. I used it on a trip to the mountains around Lake Tahoe a week later, and it hurt like hell. I'm on a 143mm now, but with not enough pressure relief. For the price, it's worth trying the S3.
One of the best bike fit videos of all time
I first saw this video months back but it’s great to go back to for reference. Absolutely epic useful vlog.
Moved the Look Keo cleats as far back as they could go... can't believe I didn't do it years ago... Also noticed that my Lake MTB shoes cleats are where you describe is best for the foot... Can't believe I hadn't made that observation before... Thank you for informing us ignorant folk :)
James is bloody brilliant... I highly recommend... But would be even better if he opened another shop just South of Cambridge! Some good riding round here.... 😜
Need to get booked in again and get some new shoes
I can't even describe how much i can relate too all of his points. Incredible work an argumentation!
Most mountain handlebars are way too wide. But people seem to like those. I always cut then down and they are still wide
You're preaching to the choir with the saddle issues. I came to my fitter at the beginning of the year with perineum numbness. He was trained and certified at a specialized facility. He measured my sit bones and I didn't have any luck until a couple of months later and 5 or 6 saddles later.
It took quite some time just to try one with a cutout. it's good, but I still experience mild numbness and saddle sores from time to time.
Great watch as always, great tips having just tried clipless for the first time and seeing all the advice, now going to start again and move them to back and see how I feel. Top tip
Thank you. I have always had my MTB seat too high (dropper) and have lowered my road bike seat to insure a good pull stroke. Makes a big diff on longer rides. Only issue now is my triceps get sore at 1.5 - 2 hrs.
Great video as always. I guess I am the oddball when it comes to cleat position. If I move the cleats all the way back, my heel drops and my arch hurts (even with proper orthotics). I seem to prefer a forward position and feel like I can spring in and out of the saddle, maintain a higher cadence and roll my hips forward. I did martial arts for 15 years and you are on the balls of your foot quite often or striking with them, especially when sparring, so I guess my body just prefers this way.
Ideas for the next #bikefittuesday
What is a good fit for cycling shoes? Do you need to leave wiggle room? Thickness/type of socks? Arc/heel support? Stretch on the upper material? How strong should you tie/dial the lace?
On grips (handlebar/shifter)..what condition causes trigger finger(s)/thumb, thickness of bartape,
I drank the cool aid back in the 2000's when everyone was pushing wide bars for "more air in the lungs" big mistake. Went back to the 38-40cm range after multiple trips back to the shop. Yeah for free stem and handlebar swaps at high end custom swaps. Great vid.
AWESOME information! James absolutely ROCKS! James, i always learned that dropping a plumb line from the tip of the knee to the pedal at 3 o'clock. then adjusting the saddle so that the line intersect the pedal axle is a good start to saddle placement... but now i'm assuming that that routine is more or less rubbish. interested in yer thoughts about that... toss it in the bin like so many other bike fit myths? thanks for teachin this old man new stuff!
I recently had great success in ordering the right size of Lakes online using their size guide. Ended up getting the CX238 in Wide and loving it!
James rules. Thank you for doing this.
James dropping bike fitting truth bombs as always 👌
This was wonderful! Although I cracked up at, "there is no general rule," followed 20 seconds later by, "the general rule is..."
Love James' bike fit vids. I dropped my saddle a few years back because of him and it's vastly improved my cycling experience. 🙏🏼
I laughed at that too 😂
When talking about reach related issues and shoulder & neck pain: If pain persists on one shoulder (only on long rides, >90km) - moving up to the neck after a while. Do you observe these mostly as reach related problems or what other types of sources do you encounter causing these? Loving the explanations behind cause & symptoms!
Would also find it great to see a video on your journey to learning all of this & becoming a bike fitter!
i've never had a professional bike fit, but i've tinkered with my cleats and saddle enough until I stopped having weird hip/knee pains. I could probably optimize my setup a bit more, but I assume the best course of action is to not mess with it if i'm not experiencing any glaring issues? great vid as always
Perfect timing! I just got my first set of cycling shoes and got some foot pain my first ride so at least now I know what to adjust
Damn, this video came out at the perfect time. I literally bought a gravel bike 2 days ago and am trying to make it fit me perfectly! Nice!
I believe it would make more sense to have a bike fit before purchasing a bike, that will prevent you from getting the wrong frame size.
I figured out the inboard cleat position on my own as a larger rider. Also gives me more room to unclip in combination with long spindle CB Mallet Es (it's on a MTB). Something I have noticed with saddle position that is probably specific to modern MTBs with really steep seat tube angles is that it's more comfortable to run the saddle tilted forward slightly. With my current MTB I went from a 73* STA to a 76* STA and trying to run level saddle at 76 I found I was on the nose constantly, but tilted forward slightly and pushed forward a bit in the rails I'm comfortably on the back of the saddle.
Great video
Thanks James, I've just had major surgery and was looking to change some items. Just Bought a Boost SLR S3 and gone to 40 cm bars down from 42 cm. Looking forward to seeing how the changes improve my riding. Cleats have been all the way back for years after having them too far forward for far too long.
FYI in that I almost clicked on Don't Recommend This Channel because of the aggressive thumbnail on RUclips for this video. I like your videos. Very calm, clear and informative. But I thought (because of the thumbnail) that this was going to have a host on Red Bull talking about bikes like a WWE event.
Good job on your videos BTW.
Had a bike fit with a physio about 6 years ago, so thought it was right. Convinced I've been running seat way too high with way too much reach then had seat and cleats too far forward to compensate. Way more comfortable after following James' tips.
Always an education with James… 😎🍻
Bike Doctor, I love this guy, when are you guys going on another biking holiday, I loved the Vietnam one. 😊👍🏼
Interesting talk about saddle width. It makes sense. I have been looking at saddle that was wide, because sitbone width is 143. I haven't found the perfect saddle for me yet and now i don't ride much, so no its not the biggest problem
Super helpful as always. Especially since I am a born again rider.
Just wish that I lived closer.
Dude is so hyped about bike fit that this video is filmed like a music video.
I learned a lot in this video, but how about people like me, who only like to ride with flat pedals? I personally ride flat pedals on MTB, city, gravel, road... you name it.
The advice I give most people is either put the ball of their feet over the axle of the pedal. But I think just like a lot of bikefit stuff, it all depends on the person.
@@dan_lazaro Yeah that's what feels right for me personally as well though, thanks
What a wealth of knowledge. S/o james and francis. 🤝
I have two large framed (24") bikes from the 1970s - both have 38cm handlebars. I changed to 38cm on my best bike about 5 years ago and much prefer it.
Was hoping to see more of that bike in the thumbnail 😜.
Very clear info, I need a bikefit I’m not sitting optimal on the bike.
this probably one the ultimate DIY bike position guide
While I could certainly benefit from a proper fitting, these tips have eliminated so many small issues I previously thought were just endemic to riding
Bikefit James 2 days in a row!!!! and its neither Tuesday nor Christmas
big thanks for this videos Francis and James, they improved my position on the bike a lot.
Fantastic and informative. Can you add a bit about saddle set back please, and how this impacts and why this is also important. I seen Lee at your shop and know that my saddle is to set back to far on one of my bikes and achieving it will mean changing the frame at some point.
Best thing I ever did was visit you guys.
Even with a zero set back seat post? The weight distribution on a bike should be about 60/40 on a road bike rear to front and more 50/50 on a tri/TT bike. Set back affects this. If you have knee pain you probably need more set back as well as shorter cranks
@@arlandmac no issues with knee pain. I'm to far behind the bottom bracket even with saddle right forwards. Lee( bike fitter)has already recommended shorter cranks anyway. Already have a zero set back seat post, which was a pain in the arse to get hold of because it is a Giant Defy and uses a d fuse post. Next frame size down would lessen the problem but a frame with different geometry is really what I need.
That’s crazy on the shoulder width. I measure to a 46 cm, but didn’t think I was way out of average.
A great all-in-one overview vid and one wants more information on a specific portion, watching the other bike fit tuesday videos would be the way to go.
Thanks James and Francis for the wonderful overview vid!
I didn't realize how much I missed BFT! Great vid. I would like to see the "Book of Bike Fit James" video read like the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. :) I know I'm broken.
Wow lots of questions but I’ll watch it again.
Brilliant video, Selle Italia SLR Boost is a great saddle (for me at least), could you do a quick video with James on sizing differences between gravel and road frames? I (usually) know my size on a road bike (from TT, stack and reach) but I'm not sure how that translates to a gravel bike, should I have a shorter TT (for a slightly more upright position)? Or will the different geometry just take care of that? Thanks again.
What I like about the way James talks about bike fits is the 'general rules' that apply for most of us. If you fall outside of the rule that applies to like 80-90%, you should really think carefully about what your reasons are. Of course you can be outside those rules but it just isn't very likely.
You got to the most important bit right at the end, and then raced through it! Setback. Setback, setback, setback.... It's all about the balance and everything follows from this. [Oh, Ok then. Bar width is important (I have a 40 year 62cm Raleigh commuter bike which came with 38cm bars...) and obviously seat height. And cleat position. And pressure relief channels.] 😁
I'll never forget butterfly wing handlebars when I was a kid.
They were so wide I looked like an eagle spreading its wings while riding
I eventually lost control of the bike and ended up in a ditch.
James, James, James, focus. LOL
So I used some of your tips on fitting myself on my bike. I have made and continue to make adjustments to my bike. I did get a saddle from one of the companies you suggested and it was great.
I just wish there was something you could do that would really summarize the fitting for someone at home.
Always love your videos!
Can you address the differences between a road fitting and a gravel/ drop bar mountain bike setup?
I live in the US, got fitted on a Retul setup for my road bike. Bike is good but did end up dropping seat.
I have salsa cutthroat I use for bike packing. Fitter setup this bike similar to road bike. Having issues with hand numbness and saddle issues.
Keep up the good work!
Almost all retul fits wind up with saddles too high because they only look at knee angle and don’t check the ankle angle above the horizon. Does you gravel bike have wider handlebars? If so, the bars probably need to come up and back.
massive props, this is a very good starter
Really informative. Can you use this for MTB set up aswell. Handle bar setup would be different. Would be gret to see a video like this for MTBs.
Very good and simple explanation for bikefit, thanks.
My dad used to give me a quick check for saddle height. If you put your heel on the pedal, your legg should be fully extended. This makes it when you clip in, your leg is just under full extension an so your not 'buttering' on the saddle the whole time
I imagine this was tricky to put together, thanks Francis!!
On a random assume I'd love to see you, James and Chris on a multi day cycle, love the interaction between you guys.
Check out their usa & vietnam trips!
@@jacklines2478 must have a look back, only been cycling for a year or so so anything before that is a mystery
10:17 A good rule of thumb would be to remember to fit from the feet up. Cleat/shoes/pedals, handlebars (for reach you also need to tackle saddle fore/aft) and then saddle height? Is that the right order? I feel like it is.
I think you should do saddle before the front end. Not that I am any expert but I think the back end should more or less dictate how the front end ends up. Once the shoes/cleats and saddle position are set right the front end kinda just falls into place in my own experience.
I had reach issues on my last bike, I’m 6”4 so on all charts only I need a 60-62cm bike, a said bike shop which I went to also said I needed a 62cm frame and who was I to argue I didn’t know much different. And for quite a while it seemed ok, untill I got a tacx Neo bike and set that up I realised I was a lot more comfortable and producing more power on a smaller frame, got a new bike 56cm and it feels so much better. Lesson learned “most” bike shops just want your money and don’t care about the individual.
Great video as always.
Question about fit for gravel and adventure style bikes, is fitting any different and with the advent of wider and flared bars what’s your take on them regarding fitting and sizing?
Thanks
EDIT I’ve just seen your video on gravel bike set up.. answered all my questions.
Dropped my saddle significantly after one of these videos and several years of knee pain gone. Thanks for the good work!
Great to see James back missed his knowledge
A lot to think about! Great Video! I am fairly comfortable on my bike. I experimented with lowering the seat but didn't like it I didn't think I was deriving maximum power from the pedal strokes. One goal is to not have the seat so high that your hips rock when pedaling while seated. The other goal is to have a slight bend at the knee when the pedal is fully extended. And yet another goal is to ride without your knees sticking out toward the sides. One thing I can't recommend highly enough is having a custom foot beds. The foot doctor makes a mold of your foot and some where someone takes that mold and makes a bed that matches the curvatures of your foot bottom to the sole of the shoe. The bed is made of some stiff material, plastic i guess and is covered with vinyl in certain areas. Remove the OEM bed from the bottom of the shoe so you have enough room for both footbed and foot. I paid $110 out of pocket for the footbeds and because I had metatarsel inflamation the health insurance covered the rest. My footpads have lasted about 6 years and they look kind of tired now so I will get new ones. Probably the price will be jacked.