I don’t know. So many different competing theories on bike fit. All dependant on how experienced your fitter is in the riding style you’re looking for.
I had one done to get baseline measurements for a custom frame build. Guy was extremely well respected in road circles (did Cancellara’s and most of the Trek team) but I don’t think he understood what an average mtber was after. Had no MTB riser bars wider than 680mm. Didn’t ask me to stand up on pedals either.
Been interested in noseless saddles for years and other seating options. I have a boney posterior, hard saddles kill me but soft ones tend to deform the padding into pushing against nerves, blood vessels etc. Never found a perfect seat, might never find one but I will not dismiss a new idea without trying it.
Shorter cranks have been proven good for spinny high cadence riding, using your gears. I have become a high cadence rider due to my poor muscle mass. Grinding along in high gear with long cranks does not work for me anymore.
I know I will become a slower rider but this does not bother me as slow mixed surface riding is what I enjoy these days.
Well on the topic of riser bars they were more an effort to make bikes as they were a more progressive geometry whilst being fashionable and keeping a zero stem!
Also a bike fit shouldn't ever ask you to stand up on a bike because that defeats the point.
I had three bike fits (mtb,road,tri) from the experience of the guy's at specialized, I should probably have it updated as its been a few years and I have had a few injuries since then but the main core of hip width, chest width arm reach remain the same...for instance it did prove that my ischial lobes were just about perfect for the Flite, Spoon and Scoop fabric variants but also that on my Tri bike i preferred a different saddle position and I've now changed all my road bikes to the snub nose design and its a revelation!
Again all my fits were aimed at XC racing and road riding, but even just measuring your bum and hip width properly will sort you out? A simple point will be the more vertical your position the wider your ischial bobes (bum bones) will become therefore the higher you sit the bigger the saddle
You can also get a cheapo adjustable stem which you can use to adopt a position and experiment, then when you're happy you can get the bars and stem to fit.
Hey Simdagger, I know what I'm doing, been adapting bikes for decades. When your 2m tall you need to work on bike fit as pretty much nothing within a limited budget fits straight out the box. Further I love to experiment, I want to know what works for me not have someone else decide what I need
Well on the topic of riser bars they were more an effort to make bikes as they were a more progressive geometry whilst being fashionable and keeping a zero stem!
Also a bike fit shouldn't ever ask you to stand up on a bike because that defeats the point.
No, my original mustang had risers in 1986. Going back to that shape was just admitting that the fad for narrow straight bars was a mistake. Riser shape gives more options for bar rise, rise angle and sweep.
Good to hear your fits were successful for you, but they do reinforce my point about value for an average mtber. Road and especially tri, I get. Very fixed body position for a long time with emphasis on comfortably holding an efficient position. XC racing is the same to a certain extent.
For normal MTB though, you spend a lot of time out of the saddle and need to ensure that bar position and width works in that body position. With a dropper post I’m frequently changing saddle height depending on the type of section I’m riding. In those situations, a lot of the bike fit stuff is irrelevant.
A sign of the times that I have different masks for different tasks
While I have had to adhere to a pretty rigid protocol due to still being able to work throughout and at the same time protect my family, who are high risk and hence shielded, face masks have become an accepted part of life. While I have masks, shields and powered respirators at work, these are the short term wearing, shopping and essential stuff masks.
The cool VW one was made for me by my best lady Fiona, who has been making them for an NHS trust, and knew I needed a non disposable for out of work. very cool
The other one is from Playmobile who have been making them for the last few months and works on an effective but simple tissue type short term filter. They are a couple of pounds which most is donated I think to UK Covid charities.
They have the usual cartoon instructions for kids which also show them how to wash their hands the right way. The kids will wear them more easily as being playmobile they are cool. This one will live in my van for when it's needed when out and about.
Just thought I would share and if anyone thinks it's not the place then just say and I will remove, not intended to start a debate on anything.
Stay safe macretro clan and hopefully we ride together again soon.
Perfectly valid Jamie.
My mother makes masks for any organisation that requests them, I have several that I wear in supermarkets etc.
My mother and numerous contacts have also supplied scrubs to hospitals and health centres.
It's good to see the community working together to help out.
Good wishes and health to all
Hi Velo
That's a great thing for your mum to do. Boonie who rode with us at Forth Fat and Baltic Bawbags has been busy making scrubs for the Elgin area NHS Trust too.
Hopefully this good community spirit will continue long after Covid 19 recedes away.
Stay safe mate.
Had to get up much earlier than usual for a Saturday morning today, but after getting the necessary chores out of the way it meant I was free for a couple of hours on the bike before lunch... what a nice morning it was too! The wind did pick up a bit from nothing on the way out to a fairly steady headwind home (confirmed by the nearest wind turbine on the route which was stationary when I left and birling merrily when next spotted), but at least it provided a bit of cooling.
Hi mate
yeah really windy up here but a short ride out into the headwind so I had an easier run home.
Just put the little man to bed after watching the SpaceX launch. Hopefully be able to see it pass around 11.20 tonight.
