Medically Based Bike Fitting

Why should anyone get fit?

Fit is for everybody, not just the racers. Riding a bike should be fun and pain free, if you only ride a certain distance or you have saddle discomfort or any other discomfort you would benefit from a bike fit.

So you practice fit at Orange Cycle, where they use the Body Geometry Fit method. What is a Body Geometry Fit?

Body Geometry Bike Fit is a medically based process, we spend the first hour of your fit learning about your biking and injury history and  assessing your goals, then we perform a 22 point inspection of your body to get detailed information of your personal flexibility, skeletal angles and any limitations. With this information we do not have to use averages.  Everyone is slightly different.  Using your specific information will always be the most detailed and accurate process. After the pre fit assessment, we move through a 15 step process using your body information to fit your bike to you.

What kind of training have you had?

I have been through all 3 levels of Specialized Bicycles Components University. Each is a hands-on, week-long class in Morgan Hill, California. After completing the 3 levels of education, I was then qualified for the 2-day Certification testing. The testing is designed to be incredibly taxing and a true test of knowledge and practice. I am one of only two Certified Body Geometry Fit Technicians in the state of Florida, and less than 100 nationally. 

All the educational material is a collaboration between Specialized and the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. Each of my classroom experiences were led by Andy Pruitt, PA-C, EdD from the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. Andy Pruitt, PA-C, EdD and Aaron Post were the Proctors for my Certification Testing.

What sets the body geometry fit apart from other experiences?

Because of the medical background of Body Geometry Fit we have more information to work with, we are sometimes making adjustments in 1 or 2 millimeters to get to a pain free position, whereas other computer based systems base their adjustments on averages of maybe 5000 athletes.

The Orange Cycle Fit Studio feels more like a doctor's office than
a part of a bike shop

A good example of this is if you had identical twins same height and weight but one had tight hamstrings limiting forward flexion, they would be unable to ride the same height on their handlebars but a system based on averages would have them in the same position. We are all individuals and our bike fits should be also. 

Can a Body Geometry Fit make a rider faster?

Yes. We make all the adjustments on the bike based on your pre fit assessment. We are looking to place you in a comfortable, neutral position but, most times the benefit is being stronger on your bike.

What is the role of technology in the fit studio?


People fit people not computers, you cannot tell a computer the position it has created for you is uncomfortable. 
We must use technology as a tool paired with the use of our knowledge and experience. 

Anyone using a computer-based system can position the rider using the numbers on the monitor, but the rider can still feel uncomfortable. Biomechanics and knowledge of human kinesiology are essential. For example, if you don't know that the person your working with has one leg longer than the other, or a hip impingement,  or a hip rotation, we cannot help with any discomfort they are feeling on the bike due to the lack of knowledge about the causes. 

I Heard you recently got another accolade to improve your services...

I am always looking for ways to improve my knowledge, so I recently became a certified personal trainer, this has helped improve my kinesiology and increase my depth of knowledge of the muscle skeletal system.

Confessions: Christine's Body Geometry Fit

I have discussed the importance of having your bicycle fit to your body. I have touched on what it means to be a fitter but there's one important perspective that has not been expressed: What is it like to go through a Body Geometry Fit?

Our newest employee, Christine, recently had her bike fitted to her and I asked her to say a few words about the process:

I have a confession. Years after purchasing my first bike-store quality bike, I still hadn't made the important investment in a proper fitting.

Some History

I'm a Bike enthusiast who enjoys a bike ride because it's the closest I can be to acting like a 10-year-old. I'm also a middle of the pack, age group, triathlete. I own many bells and whistles - fancy, carbon fiber frames, carbon Zipp wheels, power meter, Di2 Electronic shifting, all top of the line stuff, yet 

here I was, the start of my 7th year without a proper bike fit.

Recently, I realized I wasn't as comfortable riding. My bike was dictating how long my ride would be, instead of the other way around. It was time to take action.

I was skeptical about the true benefit of the fit process. Could a couple of centimeter adjustments here and there really make me more comfortable?

How It Went Down

The process itself is so simple and enjoyable I felt as though my bike and I spent some time together at a spa. Initially, I spoke to the fitter, I'll call him John Hollingsworth (because that's his name) about my riding style and what I wanted to accomplish. I explained that I wanted to go further and stay comfortable. He then conducted some range of motion assessments and took some relative measurements.

I quickly noticed that attention to detail is key to the Body Geometry fit process. Everything was taken into account, down to the length of my leg bones.


Some of the major factors that were addressed were my knee angle going from an under-utilized 22 degrees to a perfect 30 degree extension. My reach was shortened to increase control and weight distribution. Both adjustments made a serious impact on my level of comfort.  Shoes are also a part of the equation. My cleats have been adjusted and John recommended an impressive Body Geometry insole which adds some much needed arch support to straighten knee rotation. All the information is compiled and used to adjust the bike to me.

A bike is a wonderful invention, offering something for, quite literally, everyone. As a young child, it's a right of passage to learn to ride all by yourself. Later, we use bikes to get to friends or school. Bikes to commute, get exercise, challenge ourselves against ourselves, or even against our friends. Young and old, fit and those who aim to be, commuters and enthusiasts all have a bike. If you've made the investment in a great bike, you also deserve the bike to fit you the way it was intended.




As if the fit process weren't enough, the very best part is the result!I feel so in tune with my bike, it's like a whole new experience. Better yet, a new bike which was made just for me. I'm pushing the mileage and remaining comfortable. You truly don't know how much fun you are missing by riding a bike and not having it fitted properly to your body.

Being One with Your Bike: The Bike Fit

Many people spend thousands of dollars in the world of cycling. Everything from $150 bottle cages to $18,000 bikes. If you've got money to burn, cycling is a great fire. However, many riders, both serious and casual, miss a crucial step while they continually advance their cycling experience, the bike fit.

It is a challenge for people to see the importance of a good bike fit. After all, it doesn't make the bike lighter, it's not made of carbon and it cuts into your time during the day. Although understated, how the bike holds your body and allows you to communicate your force to the road are the most important aspects of cycling. 

Like a couple, if there is poor communication between the rider and the bike, the relationship will not work. Not only will the rider be uncomfortable and lose available power but staying in the wrong position for extended periods of time can cause serious damage to the human body. Much like running, if you feel certain pains while riding, you should not stop then, you should have stopped weeks before hand. Any aerobic-based sport is based on repetition. While the rider may be causing pain to a joint, it is too little to notice each pedal rotation until it gets so bad the body cannot compensate for it. The only way to make sure you are not creating these possible lifetime problems is to get a bike fit that takes into consideration your strength and flexibility.

Barry Bonds knows how important a fit
can be

Comfort is Key

Everything I've been saying up to this point can be seen written by many other people. This is where I diverge:

The right position for you will be comfortable.

I know, it seems so simple but for many people this is a mind-blowing concept! Your body tells you how it is doing by your level of comfort and pain. Everybody's anatomy and muscle movement is different and you have to adapt the bike to flow in a comfortable position based on those movements. If you are forcing your
body into a position it does not want to be, entire sections of muscle are being taken away from pedaling and redirected to hold your body down to the "desired" position. Find a place your body is happy and there is just one thing it wants to do, move the pedals.

Body Geometry Fit

Our entire shop is a very big proponent of the Body Geometry Fit method. Within this system, there are three parts, the pre-fit assessment, the actual fit and a follow up appointment. All three points are directed towards understanding your body and changing components to match it. The fit technicians must be taught the process from the Specialized Bicycle Component University (SBCU), an educational program teaching fit techs about the functional anatomy of riding a bike and how to adapt to it.
I could keep talking about it but I would much rather watch Specialized-Lululemon cycling phenomenon, Evelyn Stevens get a Body Geometry Fit.

If you have more questions about what is going on when you ride your bike. Or think you could be more comfortable (and effective), give one of our fit technicians a call here at the shop! (407) 422-5552