Specialized BG Fit

T-Town Bicycles BG Fit Program
Developed by Andy Pruitt of Boulder Sports Medicine.

 

BG Fit Utilizing Dual Angle Video Data Capture

 

 

Pre –fit interview:     

Every fit whether it’s for a novice or experienced cyclist starts with an interview. The pre-fit interview is intended to be a scan to sharpen the focus of the flexibility assessment. By asking structured questions relating to injury history of specific body parts and/or joints, we can anticipate problems with flexibility that will affect the rider’s saddle position, handlebar drop and stance width  

Physical assessment:     

This assessment identifies the rider’s limiting physical factors and allows us to determine what positions are possible and what major modifications will need to be made.  During this twenty-three step process we test things such as the athlete’s flexibility, range of motion, limitations, general anatomy and strength.   All of these allow us to get a more accurate picture of how the bike should fit the rider.  

Side view fit:     

The goal is to fit the bike so the athlete is comfortable with his/her hands on the hoods, can climb and relax using the tops, and descend and sprint from the drops. To do this, all three bar positions must be comfortable and useable. Finding a good “neutral” position for the athlete allows them to adapt to changes in terrain, cadence and effort. By examining and adjusting factors like weight distribution, saddle fore/aft, leg extension, torso angle, shoulder/elbow/hand alignment and cleat position, you can greatly improve a rider’s comfort and power on the bike.  

Front view fit:     

Focused on the finer points of an athlete’s alignment, pedal stroke and biomechanics, this step makes specific adjustments to position in order to optimize performance and comfort. We look at the specifics of arch support and knee/leg inequalities, addressing these challenges through shimming (with the use of wedges, footbeds and shoes), stance width adjustments and cleat shifting. Adjustments are made to align the athlete squarely on the saddle so that they can achieve balanced power delivery from the whole body  

Post fit:     

After giving the athlete a written record of their measurements and before/after images. We also like to stay in touch with the rider to head-off any issues the rider might have, but also learn of any benefits the adjustments have made and build a long-term relationship with our customer. We are also prepared to double check our work when requested, which often happens once an athlete has settled into their new setup.            

How BG Fit Compares To Others       

There are a lot of different companies and products that claim to provide an expert fit, but not all systems are created equal. A look at two of the better known static systems reveals the key benefits of the BG FIT process. Just like Dr. Andy Pruitt explains when discussing the BG FIT philosophy, “There is nothing wrong with static bike fit formulas as a starting place. But for a proper fit, it is critical to observe the rider while pedaling. It is also imperative that you learn when a particular subject’s bike fit issues are beyond correction in anything other than a full medical setting.”  

Though the static systems we reviewed brag of being “non-invasive” for the client, their hands-off approach largely leaves human to human interaction out of the picture, instead focusing on mathematical formulas and even lasers to do the work of a trained technician. Without assessing the rider while pedaling (the definition of a dynamic fit) at various cadences, these systems tend to belittle the importance of fine adjustments to things like saddle height and cleat positioning, which play a major role in the rider’s comfort and efficiency on the bike. Another compromise with these “plug and play” systems is the lack of emphasis put on determining the individual’s flexibility, physical variations and injury areas. The Body Scanning system doesn’t even address this issue and BikeFitting.com discusses it as an after thought, failing to factor such variations into their normal calculations. This means that unless you’re a perfectly average rider with perfectly average body measurements and no physical impairments, then you won’t have the tools you need for a perfect fit. BG FIT, on the other hand, caters to the individual’s biomechanics and medical conditions during the 3D process, where detailed adjustments to hip, knee and foot alignment are made. Finally, consider the priceless relationship between a cyclist and their local bike dealer. If you really want to get to know your dealer and benefit from their wealth of mechanical experience, product suggestions and general advice and concern, there’s no better to get together than with a completely personalized fit. It’s a relationship that goes far beyond computerized solutions.

 

 

If you would like to schedule a Body Geometry fit or have questions please contact our Master Fit Technicians
Jake or Bryan at (918)492-8696 or info@t-townbicycles.com.