Are bike fits worthless for mountain biking?

[Konaman]

i saw this article link on twitter and found it quite interesting. What do you think of it?

http://www.bikejames.com/technical-skills-training/are-bike-fits-worthless-for-mountain-biking/

A bike fit is extremely overrated for mountain biking.

So I’m going to piss some people off with this statement but I feel it needs to be said -

 

I know that they have a place in some cases but for your average trail rider I think that they are close to worthless. First, bike fits usually just help you maximize your dysfunctions, which may result in a short term performance gain but does not really make you a better rider. Second, I strongly believe that seated pedaling is simply bad for the body in the first place and should be minimized, not fortified. Lastly, bike fits rarely take the technical skill side of trail riding into account.

 

Maximizing Your Dysfunctions

 

If you are performing a bike fit on a rider who does not have a clean Functional Movement Screen (2s on everything with no asymmetries) then you are no better than the doctor who prescribes pills before trying to get the patient to make the lifestyle changes needed to fix the real problem. How can you “fit” anything when someone can’t even touch their toes or perform a half-ass bodyweight squat without falling apart?

 

The only thing you are fitting is their dysfunctions to the bike. Allowing someone to lean even harder on bad movement so they can go further and faster is not really helping the situation. The fact that no one ever gets a fit that lasts forever should tell your something – since the fit did not fix the underlying problem of bad movement habits the body eventually develops pain in new areas. Fix the movement issue first and then see what needs to be done.

 

Seated Pedaling Should be Minimized, Not Fortified

 

A bike fit only “works” as long as you are sitting down – as soon as you stand up all the precious measurements go out the window and you are no longer benefitting from your investment. The problem is, as a trail rider you should be spending way more time standing up and only using seated pedaling to get ready for your next standing effort.

 

Standing up naturally takes care of any “fit” issues as it forces full knee extension, fuller hip extension, a straighter spine and less strain on the neck. Sitting down to pedal places your body in a jacked up position and a fit is simply trying to make the best of a bad situation. The less you are laying down hard efforts when sitting down the less you have to worry about your seat being 4 mm too low or some absurd thing like that.

 

On a side note, this is why singlespeed riding has gained the reputation it has as a way to “train” for riding your regular bike – it simply makes you stand up more and push a harder gear instead of clicking down and keeping your 90+ rpm spin going. It shouldn’t take a singlespeed to make you stand up and be a man on the trail.

 

Sure it’s harder but mountain biking is not about seeking the path of least resistance. On the trail, standing up more is the mark of a strong, confident rider and it also naturally takes care of “fit” issues.

 

The Technical Skill Side of Trail Riding

 

Trail riding requires a large degree of technical skill, which is something that most bike fits don’t take into account. To maximize your trail riding your want to outfit your bike in a way that will allow for maximum skill and efficiency – which means prioritizing the bike, not the rider.

 

For example, in order to corner effectively and feel confident on steep pitches you need a stem that is 60 mm or less – period. A longer stem makes steering sluggish and makes it tough to keep your weight back as the trail gets steeper. Switching out to a longer stem because your hip mobility sucks (see Maximizing Your Dysfunctions above) and the bike fit formula said that an 80-100 mm stem would “fit” you better is actually screwing up your trail riding, which is probably not what you wanted to spend money on.

 

On the trail you need to select your tool based on its ability to do what you want on the trail and then fit your body to that tool. Don’t force an inferior tool on yourself when what you really need is some good ol’ mobility and strength work.

 

I always have to bring some perspective back to the argument so people don’t think that I hate bike fits and that you should go get an angry mob and some torches and go get the guy who put that longer stem on your bike in the name of a “better bike fit”. Like I said before before, at the highest levels stuff like that does matter. Once you have a clean Functional Movement Screen then a bike fit can be helpful, especially if you spend a lot of time in the saddle.

 

However, they are a Q4 method for Q4 athletes (check out my article on the 4 Quadrants of Training (link to post) if you don’t know what Q4 means) and, like clipless pedals, can quickly become a crutch being sold to desperate riders who really need to re-evaluate how they ride and how they prepare for riding. Most people will always look for a magic bullet and I know that this will mostly fall on deaf and defensive ears, which is fine. However, if I can get a few riders to scratch their head and think about the points I’ve made then I’d happy.

 

-James Wilson

http://www.bikejames.com/technical-skills-training/are-bike-fits-worthless-for-mountain-biking/

Edited December 27, 2011 by Konaman

[udxcob]

Holy moly that's a mouthfull

[goya-goya]

I think it is awesome that you have an opinion...

 

I read one or 2 articles on your site...

 

Your opinions are just that...

 

I hope no-one actually believes the drivel that you spew.

 

Its nice that you take the time to write these things... some ignorant people may take your advice and you may give some beginners serious knee or hip or back problems... but hey that was just your opinion so what the heck...

 

This is my opinion...

[outoftowner]

Great to see freedom of speech at work.... and that is the only positive I can take out the post.

[Iwan Kemp]

I think it's bird sheet! Same can be said about doing a set up for a road bike only to stand to pedal. Setting your mtb up should include some thinking towards what, where and when will you stand.

 

For instance I run a taller spacer UNDER the stem for trails like Majik Forest compared to Paarl Rock where I try to run my bars as low as possible. Specifically for when I stand.

 

Have a pro fit done, write all measurements down then do experiment with riser bars, stem lenght and rise, bar width, spacers...cockpit stuff. Do one at a time and do it back to back with your last setting. Write down your thoughts and try another run the way it ways. That way you will learn the influence of each small change.

 

DONT move your saddle around

DONT alter saddle height for the sake of

DONT change more than one setting at a time

DONT

[DJR]

DONT move your saddle around

DONT alter saddle height for the sake of

Why?

 

To me it makes sense on a trail or all mountain bike to raise saddle hight for optimum power and to save your knees when climbing. Then, to lower it for steep decending, jumps and drops where you want more freedom to move your body around on the bike.

[Iwan Kemp]

Should've been a clearer as I do that too. What I meant is lowering or raising your saddle in terms of setup.

[nickelass]

An interesting point of view,only to me after riding for a couple of years I have changed my setup as my body as also reacted to the forces imposed from riding.However a newbie has no knowledge and needs a starting point,

I bike fit is just that.

[Just Keep Pedaling]

A lot of mountain bike riding is not 'trail' but 'marathon' in which case setup is just as important as on the road.

 

From personal experience even small setup problems can result in pain / injury.

[Jeepdude]

i have no problem with said opinion ... but does the messenger have to come across so agressively... and i dont think beginners or even majority of SA rider do TRAIL riding... we are a marathon cultureon mostly farm roads jeep tracka and flowing singletrack? so we want to look like the RACERS the have long stems casue they can touch their toes

[SwissVan]

Who the fork is James Wilson?

 

Without reading the whole artical or his blog..... I think the heading A bike fit is extremely overrated for mountain biking. is a load of bollocks.

 

Try and ride a new mtb straight out of the shop without doing any kind of bike fit set up and see how far you get.....

 

However I do think that what he is trying to say is that riding a bicycle is not a natural physical activity for you humans and that often the bike setup is rigged to compensate for physical deficiencies and that it would be better to correct the deficiency.

 

But then again who the fork am i.....

 

Will be interesting to read the whole blog

[Squier]

 

 

However I do think that what he is trying to say is that riding a bicycle is not a natural physical activity for you humans...

 

 

 

Swissvan taking a stab at the puny mortals! lol :-D

['Kaze Pete]

Back to 16" bikes for you all! If fit does not matter, then frame and wheel size is completely immaterial.

[Konaman]

I don't think i agree with his advice. It is Interesting however to a see a different perspective. It is so easy to always accept what the "experts" have to say.

[leet22]

I think what he means was that its a "waste " to have your bike set up as strict as a road bike. On a MTB you always on the move changing postions etc.

I think a basic set up to be comfertable on the bike should always be done.

[Clinton1]

I think the biggest issue here is posting this sort of thing on a forum where most regard themselves as an experts.

 

As a beginner myself, I am more than willing to listen to what is being said in that article. I have had all and sundry offering me advice on how to improve my riding and what I need to do to get better. This advice is well appreciated but the reality of it is that the most important way to improve my riding is to get fit and ride more! A 4mm seat adjustment or a 100g saving on a new saddle will no doubt benefit someone who has reached the pinnacle of their fitness and mastered all the skills but for me, and most newbies, there is a lot more that can be done first to make improvements. As mentioned in the article suppleness and fitness are far more important facets.

 

Another thread says you cannot buy skills. I fully agree, as did most. Yet here, when this same bit of advice is presented in another manner, it causes a small uproar....

 

By the way, I never did get a fitment done as I was advised to do. I did a bit of reading online, asked around, made some adjustments myself and will continue to do so as my fitness and skills improve. Sure things may be a few mm out as it currently stands but do you honestly reckon that is going to make too much difference to my riding?

Edited December 28, 2011 by Clint_ZA