For a better connection with your bike to help increase performance, plus prevent foot pain, numbness, saddle sores and other aches and pains
Why should you get a bike fit?
“If YOUR BIKE ISN’T set up correctly there’s a good chance you’ll feel ‘disconnected’ from it…” That’s the considered opinion of Mark ‘Murph’ Murphy, Specialized UK’s Retül Fit Training Instructor, as we chat before I undertake a full Retül bike fit at Specialized UK HQ in Surrey. “As well as that disconnection, symptoms of a bad setup often include foot pain, numbness, saddle sores, hand numbness, knee pain, lower back pain and neck strain.”
These are things I can relate to. I’m lucky and get to ride a lot of bikes but, even though I’ve had a couple of bike fits in the past, I’m pretty lazy when it comes to setting up my rides. Usually I set the saddle to roughly the right height and hop on, so I don’t always feel as if I’m ‘as one’ with the bike underneath me… Then there’s the burning pain between my shoulders!
“The biggest improvement you’ll get from a good fit is the sense of connection with your bike, and the associated comfort,” says Murph. “If you’re comfortable, then you’ll be able to ride longer and further, you might see improvements in power, and you’ll nearly always see improved efficiency.”
This all sounds promising and long-time readers know we’re advocates of getting a good bike fit. That’s why I’ve come to Specialized and Retül to, finally, listen to our own advice, get myself fitted up and actually use the findings.
While here I discover that a Retül Fit is a pretty comprehensive session – you’ll need to spare around three hours if you go for the full works – that includes a lot more riding than I expected, being wired up for motion capture in a manner similar to Andy Serkis during his Gollum period, and a massage table…
First up, Murph asks me questions about my riding, current bike setup, injury history, cycling goals, my favourite bands (okay, not the last one…). This is where I admit to my laissez-faire attitude to bike setup, reveal that I frequently suffer neck pain on long rides and have damaged Achilles tendons and a dodgy ankle. Murph takes all that info on board.
After our chat, I’m ready to jump on the Retül Muve adjustable bike, but there’s a way to go before I saddle up. First Murph ‘Zins’ my 2017 Specialized Roubaix Elite. He uses a handheld device that looks a bit like Doctor Who’s sonic screwdriver to take key measurements to reveal the truth about my current setup. The Zin tool sends data including saddle height, handlebar reach,
”Usually I set the saddle height to roughly the right height and hop on”
saddle angle and handlebar stack to Murph’s computer. Later, he’ll use the same device to match my Roubaix’s measurement to the Retül Muve.
Before then, I get a nice sit down and warm my feet up… I place my backside on a pressure pad that measures my sit bones to ensure I’ve got the correct saddle. Then I have some Body Geometry footbeds made for me (RRP £105). I place my feet in a device filled with tiny glass beads that vibrate, before being vacuummoulded to the shape of my feet. Once Murph is happy that my feet have been captured, he heats up the Body Geometry footbeds to make them malleable, places them in the impression left by my foot, I put my foot on top and the footbeds mould to my, as it turns out, low arched feet.
Murph also examines the cleats on my shoes, and I, again, admit that I just take a rough stab at how they should be positioned. I’m not far off, but Murph sets them at neutral – pointing straight up, so that the ball of my foot is around 5mm ahead of the pedal axle.
I hate flexibility and strength tests as I reckon I’m about as pliable as Blu-Tac that’s been kept in the freezer and as weak as a kitten, but they’re an important part of this fit. As Murph watches I do some bending, rotating and balancing, then the massage table comes out. No scented oil exchanges hands, instead Murph tests the range of motion of my hips, knees and ankles and measures angles using a goniometer. In all, Murph takes me through 18 different steps to capture data that’ll prove invaluable later.
At last I get on the Retül Muve. This is where the wires come in – using Velcro pads Murph attaches motion capture sensors to 14 points on both sides of my body from my feet, to my knees, hips, arms and shoulders. The Retül Vantage Motion Capture system then uses real-time data from these sensors as I ride. That data is displayed as numbers, as well as a tracking image of my knee path relative to the top-tube, on a big screen. The Muve is set on a plinth which Murph can spin around to capture left and right data.
I start riding with the Retül Muve set up like my Roubaix and it’s not long before Murph has me off the
”I hate flexibility and strength tests as I reckon I’m about as pliable as Blu-Tac that’s been kept in the freezer”
bike and my right shoe off. The data is showing that my right leg is less stable than my left under load – my right knee’s range of side-to-side movement is noticeably wider as I pedal. He places a 1.5-degree varus wedge under the new footbed in my right shoe to reduce the overpronation, or inward roll.
As I start pedalling again I study the numbers like a pro looking at his power output – green is good, yellow less good. I’m still not perfect, especially on that right side, so Murph steps in and spins some dials under the saddle and the bar, which adjusts height, reach and setback. As he tweaks, I see more green appearing in my data set. Maybe I’m just trying harder to pedal smoothly, but it could be that the tweaks are having a positive effect.
More by luck than judgement I had dialled the fit of the Roubaix in pretty well and the bike itself needed the saddle dropped by 3mm, and setback by 4mm. By removing spacers and adding a lower top cap underneath the Roubaix’s Future Shock Murph also dropped the bar by 25mm – I knew I should ride slammed!
On the Retül Muve, the biggest difference appeared to come from the custom footbeds and the wedge. It was fascinating to see how these positively affected the way my knees moved. It’s still early days since the fit so I can’t really make any definitive judgements – that said I’ve put a few miles in on the Roubaix and been wearing the shoes and so far, so good! It’ll be interesting to see how taking the measurements I’ve been provided with – Specialized emails you a comprehensive report afterwards – and applying them to other bikes works. I’ll also have to return to Specialized for a follow-up session.
As Murph explains, your bike fit evolves as you change as a rider. “I compare bike fits to a car’s MoT, or annual service. Your fit requirements can change as your level of fitness, flexibility, injury history and ride frequency change. Paying attention to your own body, and how it performs, is an ongoing process. As you age, get injured, ride more often, ride less often, gain or lose weight and buy new gear, you should regularly service the most important part of the cycling equation… you!” A Retülf it costs around £200.( This cost can vary according to the fitter’ s level of qualification, and tools used .) See re tul.com for more information.
”Paying attention to your own body, and how it performs, is an ongoing process“