Proper fit of a bicycle

1. Stand straddling the bike. Both feet should be flat on the ground

  • If you are fitting for a road bike there should be one inch of space between the top tube and your crotch
  • If you are fitting for a mountain bike there should be around three inches of space between the top tube and your crotch

2. Lift the front of the bike off the ground until it touches you. The space between the tire and the ground should be the same.

  • One inch of space for a road bike
  • Three inches of clearance for a mountain bike

3. Make sure that saddle is level with the ground

4 Position crankarms so they are in the 6:00 and 12:00 positions

5. You will need at least two partners for this exercise. Sit on the saddle, place your feet on the pedals and have your partners support you from the side to keep you from toppling over, Place your heels on the pedals

  • If your leg that is on the pedal at the 6:00 position is bent, then you need to raise the saddle
  • If you can’t reach the pedal with your heel without rocking yourself on the saddle, then the saddle must be lowered

6. Loosen seatpost clamp by flipping quick release lever on seatpost binder bolt.

  • Raise or lower seatpost in small increments until you have it positioned correctly
  • Tighten the binder bolt and make sure that the saddle points straight ahead.

7. While seated on saddle, lean over and grab the grips on the handlebars

  • Your waist should be bent forward at about a 45 degree angle
  • If you feel that you are “reaching” then you will need a bike with a shorter stem: Try to find a bike with the same frame size with a shorter stem
  • If you feel that you are crowded then you will need a bike with a longer stem: Try to find a bike with the same size frame but with a longer stem

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