What is Dynamic Fit?

Dynamic Bike Fit and finding the right balance

CycleFit.de is passionate about fitting and increasing your performance. So much so that it has taken me a while to get to this part of our website and I apologize!

To start, there are many ways to go about fitting your bike and if you found us, you are likely interested in improving your comfort and performance on your current bike or you are looking to get on a new bike. You have probably researched many different systems and calculations that are available that have been around for a long time to 'correctly' set up your bike. The biggest thing with these calculations that most people don't understand or fully realize is that the formulas that are derived from your body measurements can be used as relatively safe starting points but these points may just be the start of getting you into your sweet spot and at the extreme ends of the theoretical formulas, you may be in completely the wrong spot for your starting fit.

Dynamic bike fit can not be done by yourself... you need objectivity to have a fresh view of your position and from there, you really need a trained eye to look at the small subtle motions of your pedal style. Other needs are that a dynamic fit to be done right needs to occur under load. Where that load or power level is can really have an effect on where you sit on the bike and can also effect your position. This section can be very detail on its own but this gives you a good overview.

Knowing how changes you make in one location affects other areas of your fit is also a big consideration and something that having a fitter that not only knows how the body is 'supposed to work' but also a fitter with a specific background in the sport can be of huge benefit to you. Don't settle for less.

With regard to video capture or 3D motion capture or using a goniometer: all the tools have their place somewhere in the fitters toolbox...how to use the tools and when is the important part. 3D motion capture with a system like Retul is at the top of the priority list and where you get the absolute best most consistent results. There is no other more precise way...if you think there is... please let me know!! We will consider it if it passes our level of standards. Retul averages all of its data that is captured in real time...what that means is the system measures and generates in real time 22 measurements of various angles as min/max, averages, and ranges. You CAN NOT get that from video...doesn't happen...and if you can get it from video, a system that would be close enough to accurate would cost over $50 000 USD... probably something you will not see anywhere except perhaps for the most elite of athletes at only a few national sport federations around the world... BUT... in cycling, most of these top federations are using Retul... you can see where I'm going with this... it is the standard in cycling analysis.

Using video does have a small place in that you can nicely show before/after of clients which is super and helps you with demostration and explain posture on the bike. This is great for this, you just cannot measure quickly and get the data that you need and it is very subjective to where you are recording the angles from.

Goniometer...well, its great to know how to use one, but for the most part, it should be left for use in the assessment area and not for real bike fit. You just can't get close enough and you really start going down the static measurement path where you lose accuracy in what you are trying to measure.

Hope this helps your quest for knowledge! Please don't hesitate in reaching us if you have further questions and if you aren't close to us and you're looking for a fitter. Just ask and we'll point you to quality fitters in your area...keeping in mind that people travel to see us from all over the world :) We even pick you up at the airport if you like :)

Happy pedalling!