Fitting for a Younger Rider- my experience

For 10 days last August, Cyclefit was visited by Spanish Bike Fitter, Jon Irriberri. Jon is based in Pamplona and owns his own fitting company, custom4us. He has taken a different route to Cyclefit and has been a pro bike fitter for Caisse D'Epagne and Euskatel, before doing fits for amateur riders.

My experience with Jon in achieving my optimum fit is interesting as I am sure it is applicable to many younger riders. A little background info- I have had a successful youth and junior career representing GB for several years and specializing in hard hilly races. I have always felt very uncomfortable on the bike- twisted and lacking power on the flats. I am also amazingly slow in a TT position, especially in the pursuit, which is strange as I am always one of the strongest riders when I have done power tests.

I have been brainwashed since I have started road cycling that the longer and lower you go on the bike, the faster you will be. After all how can all the 1000's of professional cyclists be wrong? Surely you just put on a 140mm stem and put it on the top of the head tube?

It wasn't until the end of last season that I picked up a serious injury. I now know that it was was an inflamed plica due to poor knee tracking. It wasn't painful, just a popping sensation in the knee and a sensation of weakness. My shoe, cleat, and saddle set up was perfect, courtesy of Jules and Phil, so I assumed I just needed to do knee stabilising exercises (confirmed by a world renowned knee surgeon) . So I set about doing hours and hours of exercises and stretching under guidance of a physio; improving my core and strengthening my muscles and I got pretty good. But when I came into the first race of the season in March, I soon realized that my knee situation was not improved since September. Despite all my exercises I didn't feel amazing on the bike either. So what was wrong?

It took me until meeting Jon in August to realize that I was fighting an uphill battle. I essentially had the correct idea that poor knee control was the cause. The major problem was that I could not possibly control my knee in my current bike position, regardless of how many exercises I did. My hamstring flexibility was not matched to my handlebar drop and extension. By lifting and shortening the handlebars 7 cm into my range of motion, I was able to release the tension on the hamstrings, and in turn activate the long neglected muscles on the inside of my knee (VMOs)(also combined with wedges to promote knee tracking). The balance between the inner and outer muscles of the quadricep is the key factor in knee control (along with the Gluteus Medius). I also noticed a dramatic increase in comfort and felt more powerful on the bike- especially climbing. My inner thighs were in overload for several weeks of cycling however now my knee tracking is far better, despite a marked decrease in off the bike exercises. I even use my core muscles far more in the more upright position. Jon Irriberri calls this theory the 'Lumbar Paradox'.

My plica is still inflamed, but this is no surprise as I have been aggravating it for about a year. The key ideas learnt from my fit though were-

1. Match the handlebar height to the range of motion. ESPECIALLY for younger riders, otherwise the stabilising muscles in the knee and back will not be able to develop and bad patterns will be learnt which could lead to injury. The rider should be able to maintain a neutral spine while riding on the hoods and there should be minimal tension in the hamstrings.

2. Younger riders are not more flexible than older ones (in my experience), just more resilient to injury- don't be tempted to go too low or long. My friend Joe Perrett, Junior European Time Trial Champ, had the worst hamstring flexibilty I have seen since working at Cyclefit.

3. In general, standard bike frames are too aggressive for the vast majority of people, even racers. We have not had one client in the last 12 months who we think is capable of riding a standard frame with no spacers underneath the stem.

4. You can develop more power if you are pedalling inside your range of motion, and its more comfortable (obvious point but I was guilty of ignoring it). I am convinced that one reason I was terrible at the pursuit was because I was completely out of my range of motion.

5. Focus your stretching on the hamstrings

Making these mistakes have destroyed my whole season, so be careful! See http://sandykingcycling.blogspot.com/2010/10/medial-plica-removal.html

for the aftermath of my surgery