Bike Seat fitting vs. Bike fitting – Safety fittings for Chicago Bicyclists!
Last updated Friday, August 19th, 2022
Today we explore Bike Seat fitting vs Bike fitting, and a look at how they impact braking- Marc in the community is all about Safety fittings for Bicyclists today!
Here at Shuman Legal®, we like to get engaged in the community and support safe practices. We are here for you when accidents or personal injuries happen; we are also here for you to help you stay safe!
We have partnered with West Town Bikes here in Chicago to create a series on Bicycle safety, this video interview session covers bike fittings, and to accompany the video we are also providing the transcription from Marc’s interview with Eli Faber:
Below is the transcription from Marc’s interview with Eli Faber, West Town Bikes’ head technician:
00:10 MS: So today, we’re talking about bicycle fittings. Where can I find a comfortable bike seat?
00:16 EF: Well, you should be able to find a bike seat in your local bike shop. A comfortable seat may take a little while to find. There is no universal seat that works for everyone since everyone has a different body. But one good measurement to get is the width between your sit bones. Seats vary a lot on this measurement right here. From here to here, on a hybrid saddle, and that same measurement from here to here on a road saddle is very different.
00:45 MS: So what is the difference between these two bikes’ seats?
00:49 EF: Well, this is a seat designed for performance, and this is a seat designed for comfort.
00:55 MS: And what is the difference between a bike fitting and a seat fitting?
01:01 EF: A seat fitting is where you go to a place that will do a pressure mapping of you riding your saddle. They’ll tell you where your sit bones are, and where the pressure is being applied, and they’ll be able to recommend or custom-build a seat for you. A bike fitting is where you go to a place, and they will take some measurements like your inseam, your height, your wingspan, and they’ll use that to adjust your stem, find the right frame size for you, certain things like that to adjust the bike.
01:33 MS: So I see we’ve got a bike here, how do you adjust a bike seat?
01:36 EF: Well, most bike saddles can be adjusted with a five or six-millimeter Allen key, on a bolt on the bottom. So you can loosen this bolt down here, and you’ll be able to tilt the seat backward or forwards, slide it backward or forwards, or rotate it, too, if you loosen this bolt here.
01:58 MS: In terms of the height of the seat in relation to the pedal, should your leg be fully straight or a little bit bent?
02:02 EF: So a rule of thumb is that when your leg is at the bottom of the pedal rotation, that knee should be 90% extended.
02:12 MS: What about the handlebars, how do you adjust the handlebars?
02:15 EF: So most handlebars can be easily adjusted with a five or six-millimeter wrench also. You can loosen these bolts right here. And that will allow you to turn the handlebars.
02:30 MS: Is there a recommended height on the handlebars in terms of your shoulders or your arm length?
02:38 EF: Really, a personal preference and personal comfort thing, it varies a lot depending on what you’re trying to do on your bicycle also. If you’re trying to go faster, if you’re looking for performance, putting your stem lower so that you have a more aerodynamic position, makes more sense. If you’re looking for comfort, you can put it up higher. More of your chest will be against the wind, so it’ll slow you down a little bit more, but it’s more comfortable.
03:06 MS: And what about the brakes? How would I adjust the brakes, or do you recommend that?
03:11 EF: Well, I personally don’t really recommend people adjust brakes by themselves unless they have some mechanical experience. If you do adjust the brakes improperly, it can compromise safety.
03:23 MS: So you’d recommend doing it somewhere like a bike shop?
03:26 EF: Yeah. It’s a quick fix. If you wanna come in, it usually takes about 15 minutes.
03:32 MS: Great. Well, thank you as always.
There you have it! Some great advice and information that we hope will lead to you having a more enjoyable and safer experience on your bike!
If you find yourself in a bicycle accident, we are here for you. As experienced personal injury attorneys well acquainted with Illinois Bicycle laws, our attorneys can help you evaluate the facts, assess your options, navigate the legal challenges, and advocate on your behalf.
Call 800.722.9744 Today to receive FREE Legal Advice from the Shuman Legal® Team.
