BG-Fit (Body Geometry)

I've had a new bike for a few weeks and I'm getting back into the cycling lark very heavily. As a result I decided to lash out and spend some money on a BG-Fit - the one designed by Specalized.

Near to my home is the Specialized Concept store at Stafford. Run by Gary Ford of MTB fame it boasts one of the only fully trained female Bike Fit experts in the UK, the other being down in Cornwall somewhere. I've heard  good things about the lady at the Stafford Concept store, she does sports injury therapy and she rides and races bikes. She knows what she's talking about.

The whole Bike Fit process takes about 2 hours and before you even get on the bike your flexibility, body make-up, leg length and foot angle (of dangle) are amongst some of the things checked and measured. Properly measured too, not guessed at.

So, I arrived at the store all ready for my pre-booked Bike Fit, in full cycling regalia with my shoes and Scott Addict R3. The first thing checked was the above - I now know that my right femur is longer than my left and that I have a slight hip rotation to compensate - but no huge difference so no need for it to be corrected. I also have a slight weakness in the muscles in my upper back but stronger chest muscles.......I always knew I was a weird shape!

Then, once all that was done it was onto the bike in a turbo trainer. Measurements were taken of seat height, the drop from the saddle to the stem, bar width stem length and shoe cleat position. Then I got peddling and various measurements were taken. I'd got a very good seating position on the bike.

I'm of the old school where cleat position is concerned - I was always told to position the cleat so that the pedal spindle is under the ball of the foot. There is new thinking now, the spindle should intersect the point between the big toe and little toe joints. This in effect moves the cleat back by about 5 or 6mm on my shoe. This was done and then the leg angle was again measured and it was decided that I needed to move the seat forward by the same amount to compensate - that was also done by Niki. She checked the angle of my reach (the angle created by my arms extending from my body) and this was over 100degrees, it should be about 95 according to the new thinking. So, I've been advised to reduce my stem length from 110mm to 100mm. Niki says this should stop any pain between my shoulder blades on long rides and also should put my hands right on the hoods which will in turn stop me from getting numb hands!

2 hours and 15 mins later I was done. Not a huge change in the position but I think I might make a big difference. All I need to do now is to get a new stem at 100mm length and then I'll be able to stress test the position over some long distance rides.

Once I've done that I'll report back here - but from the initial fit I think it's been £120.00 well spent.