Professional Bike Fit - is it for you?
There comes a point in most cyclists’ ‘careers’ where they ponder the question of whether a bike fit would make a difference to their comfort and performance.
Maybe you’ve got niggles, maybe you’ve got a new bike or maybe you’ve just signed up for Le Loop and you’re looking for every bit of help that you can get!
Gav Cooper is one of our brilliant team of therapists on tour and has been working on Le Loop most years since 2014. Every year, cyclists tell us that Gav’s made strides with (or even cured) problems they’ve had for years, sometimes problems that other therapists haven’t managed to fix. So, when Gav told us about his new bike fitting qualification, we realised this was a good opportunity to talk about bike fits and to try to answer any questions you might have.
But like everything, whether it’s right for you depends on your priorities, time, budget, and body.
This blog shares what a good bike fit can do, what’s involved and help you decide whether it’s worth doing before the event. No pressure – just info.
Here goes:
What is a Professional Bike Fit?
A bike fit means adjusting your bike (and sometimes recommending changes) so that your body is supported, comfortable, and efficient. That can involve changes to saddle height and fore/aft position, handlebar reach and height, pedal/cleat alignment, foot/arch/ankle setup, stem length, perhaps saddle model, etc. A bike fitter, with a health specific focus such as with Gav, also considers your flexibility, strength, any previous injuries, your riding style (how long you ride, how hard you push, what type of terrain), and the type of event you’re training for (eg. multi-day vs one-off).
On Le Loop, you will be riding many hours over multiple days – so any small inefficiencies, discomforts or niggles get compounded. What feels “okay” on Day 1 can become painful by Day 3 or 4, especially in areas like the back, knees, neck, hands, or in your feet. So, investing time in a fit and the exercise advice that may come with it, can help reduce fatigue, reduce risk of injury, and often increase enjoyment (and speed, though Le Loop definitely isn’t a race).
What are the Benefits - Especially for riding Le Loop?
Here are specific benefits that might matter to you on Le Loop:
- Reduced discomfort & injury risk
Proper alignment of saddle, cleats, handlebars etc. reduces pressure points, avoids over-use injuries (knees, hips, back), reduces numbness in hands or feet. Less chance of a small issue turning into a ride-ending problem. - More efficient pedalling / energy conservation
When your position is more efficient, you waste less energy: better power transfer, better aerodynamics, better alignment of joints so you’re not “fighting” your position. Over tens of hours this adds up, which could mean arriving less fatigued each day. - Better endurance & recovery
With a fit that suits you, there is less strain, so your body can recover better overnight. Recovery is as important as performance on Le Loop. If you ride day 1 feeling okay, but day 3 you’re sore, that can affect your performance or even forced rest. A bike fit can help smooth that. - More comfort = more enjoyment
Maybe the most underrated benefit. If you’re more comfortable, you can enjoy the scenery, the riding and the camaraderie rather than riding thinking about sore bits. And that helps morale too. - Tailoring to your event
Because Gav knows and understands Le Loop, he can adapt the fit. For example, if you’re riding the mountain stages, he can account for that.
What a Bike Fit Doesn’t (Usually) Do / When It May Not Be Essential
It’s important to stress: a bike fit is not a guarantee of perfection. Some things a fit won’t immediately solve:
- If you’re very new to cycling, or unconditioned, soreness or muscular fatigue is somewhat inevitable. Fit helps but training matters too. Don’t underestimate your training.
- If budget is tight, or time is short, you might opt for a “good enough” fit (saddle height, cleats, maybe reach) rather than a fully detailed fit.
- Some discomforts stem from things other than bike position – poor bike maintenance, shoes, saddle type, or your own flexibility or core strength. Sometimes you’ll need complementary work (stretching, strengthening – something Gav can obviously help with).
So, you don’t have to have a pro bike fit in order to have a very successful, enjoyable Loop. Lots of people do, lots don’t. It depends on how much you’d like to mitigate risk and discomfort vs how much you value simplicity or minimal cost.
When to Do a Bike Fit, If You Decide to
If you are considering it, here are some suggestions:
- Do it early enough before the event – months/weeks rather than days – so your body has time to adapt to any changes.
- Bring all your typical kit: shoes, pedals, saddlebags, etc (anything that changes your riding posture). Whoever does your fit should provide a kit list to bring with you to your fitting.
- Make sure you’ve already ridden some longer rides to really root out the niggles and get a sense of what’s uncomfortable.
- After the fit, give it some rides to “bed in” before Le Loop. Minor tweaks may feel odd at first but are usually good in the longer run.
Why Gav & Body and Bike Therapy Are a Great Option
- Gav is a level 2 IBFA certified Bike Fitter (Internation Bike Fitting Institute) – one of only 3 qualified in Scotland. He knows his onions!
- Level 2 fitters have advanced training (practical experience, assessments etc.). That means Gav can offer more nuanced fit adjustments than a basic fit, particularly helpful if you’re going to ride long days, want to optimise comfort and efficiency, or have had discomfort in past rides.
- Gav has 20+ years as a manual therapist, teaching etc. which helps in understanding the body-side of things as well being a keen racing cyclist himself so knows about bike position.
- He knows Le Loop and as a working therapist on the event, he really understands the challenge and toll it takes on your body. He fully ‘gets’ what you’re taking on, and how he can integrate the bike fit into your preparation.
- Gav’s collaboration with his local Crush Cycles means the bike side (mechanics, components etc) is solid, not an afterthought.
- Gav’s business Body and Bike Therapy Ltd, is based in Dunfermline, Scotland. He’s not going to be geographically convenient for everyone, but at least 1 Looper who’s been successfully treated for back pain by Gav on tour has made the journey to Scotland for a bike fit with him (and come away feeling better and more comfortable than he’s felt on a bike for years, including resolving a wrist pain issue that no one had ever connected to bike fit!).
Case study
We asked Gav to share a case study to help illustrate the sort of impact a good professional bike fit can have. He shared this with us:
A recent Bike Fit involved addressing a rider’s ongoing neck, shoulder and wrist discomfort during longer efforts. Through the details Body and Bike biomechanical assessment we established a new setup that priorities comfort, stability and sustainable performance.
Key adjustments included:
- Optimising handlebar reach and drop to reduce excess strain
- Refining saddle position to support balanced weight distribution
- Aligning cockpit setup to promote a more neutral spine, related upper body and addressing a wrist issue that had plagued the rider on longer rides
The outcome was a position that alleviated discomfort, improved posture and enhanced efficiency on the bike.
Should You Do It?
Here’re some quick self-check questions:
- Do you feel any regular discomfort or soreness (back, knees, hands, neck) when riding, or after long rides?
- Is your riding position adjustable now (saddles, cleats etc), or are you stuck with a “default” position?
- Are you doing enough training ahead of the event that fit matters for ensuring comfort throughout your ride (clue: you should be!).
- Is enjoying Le Loop as important to you as just finishing each stage (or both)?
- Can you afford to invest in a professional bike fit? It’s likely to cost in the region of £150 – £250, but can rise as high as £400 for a fit that includes motion capture, video analysis, pressure mapping etc.
If you answered yes to any of those, a bike fit might repay its cost many times over.
Conclusion
A professional bike fit isn’t mandatory for success, but it can significantly enhance your Le Loop experience.
Depending on your goals, current comfort, and how much “little aches” bother you, it might be one of the better investments you make.
If you’re thinking about it, Gav at Body and Bike Therapy is a great option and he’d love to hear from you. Of course, ‘there are other providers’. The IBFI has over 200 members worldwide and you can use their ‘find a fitter’ tool to find one near you.
*Gav may be relocating further south for a short period early next year—potentially for a few days or a weekend—bringing his expertise much closer than his normal base in Scotland. Once this is confirmed, we’ll share details along with opportunities to book in, so keep an eye out for updates!