aMTB BIKE FIT

With all bike fittings, the safety and comfort of the rider must be your first priority. Below are some important things to consider when assisting riders and their bikes.

Seating – Some styles of bikes have an adjustable depth or angle for the seat. Observe if the rider is able to feasibly achieve both neutral and ready positions based on their seat angle and seat depth.  Other styles of bikes may allow you to move the seat position forward or back allowing the rider to change their center of mass on the base of support.  Adjusting seat positions forward or backward might be to accommodate individuals with longer lower limb lengths or shorter lower limb lengths. Use your best judgment if this will need to be adjusted for the rider. 

Footrest – Three-wheeled bikes that are not foot pedal driven typically have an adjustable footrest.  When setting up a bike, you want to ensure that the footrests are in the proper position.

Things to consider are:

• Ensuring feet are secure in the footrest.
• Check to make sure that the footrest is not placing too much pressure on the feet.
• Legs, specifically knees, are in a good position – you do not want knees too bent or for knees to be hyperextended.

Padding – There might be the need to add padding to any part of the bike.  This is individual for riders and you will have to adapt to riders. 

Things to consider:

• One goal of padding is to make bikes comfortable for the rider and to eliminate any pressure sores. 
• Observe if the rider is able to keep the bike equally weighted and is able to have a base that is level.  If the rider is not able to demonstrate this, there may be a need for padding.

Leg and/or Knee Trays- For bikes that have leg trays for example (Bowhead) and knee Trays (Prone style cycles) check with the rider to see if they are padded sufficiently and are not causing any skin breakdown or issues.   Occasionally, there may be the need to add straps or some type of restraints to leg or knee trays, this is based on individual needs and should be placed carefully as it can interfere with the rider’s ability to easily get out of the bike or be extracted from the bike if necessary.  Additionally, if the rider is using a bike that has two wheels in front, check to see if the tires are making contact with any part of the body. While stationary, ask the rider to steer the bike, if the tires are making contact consider using padding and or straps to prevent shearing from the tires.