It's time to start planting the seed about bike fits and tune ups heading into the 2024 season. For endurance athletes who put in countless miles on the bike, a good bike fit is crucial. A good fit will maximize your power output, provide the most comfortable, yet aerodynamic / aggressive, position to you and decrease risk for overuse injury. You are cranking out countless miles on the bike, so setting your body up in the best position possible to decrease risk for injury is essential for longevity in your training, racing and lifetime of riding.
Your fit will change based on a variety of factors. Generally speaking, it's a good idea to get a bike fit at the beginning of every season and with each new bike purchase. There are many factors that go into a good bike fit. Fit changes with season, your fitness level, weight, flexibility, age and goals. If you have multiple bikes, depending on the type of bike(s) you have and the style of racing/riding you do on each bike, you may even be fit differently to each bike.
Reach out now to your favorite or local bike shop to see if or when they are doing fits and book an appointment within the next few months. Ideally, you would be ready to hit the road come spring with your bike fit and tune up checked off the list.
If you are in the process of, or considering, getting a new bike this year or at any point in the future, always remember fit the bike to you, not yourself to the bike. It is crucial to buy a bike that first fits you and then get fit, not try and fit a bike to you that doesn't fit you. Think frame size first, it's important to choose a frame that fits as well as possible in the first place. Be an educated consumer. It is imperative to test ride before you buy and it's a good idea to test out a variety of bike brands to find the best one for you. A good bike shop will expect and encourage you to take a test ride.