The six winners of the bike fitting met in Koblenz in mid-April for the MYBIKE readers' event at ergonomics specialist Ergon. For two days, the focus was on riding comfort: cycling complaints were analysed, saddles and grips were exchanged, the bikes were individually adjusted - and the participants talked shop on a test ride along the Moselle and during a cosy get-together at the hotel.
Aching hands, seat discomfort, knee pain when cycling. This is often due to the bike being set up incorrectly for the rider.
"In our experience, the most common problems when cycling are in the seat area, hands and back/neck. This was also confirmed by the participants at the reader event. The right ergonomic products can often help with this. In the seat area, we at Ergon focus on gender-specific saddles.
The right size/width is also crucial, as is the shape or type of saddle for the respective area of use. A relief zone in the perineal area and special padding made from high-quality materials protect the soft tissue and prevent numbness or other discomfort. Ergonomic handles are a good option for providing effective relief for the hands. In addition to a large and anatomically optimised support surface, the ability to dynamically change the grip position is particularly effective.
Handlebar ends also enable other relaxing grip positions. As cyclists have different sized hands, it is crucial to choose grips of the right size. However, even the best ergonomic product is only effective if the bike is set up correctly. This is where a bike fitting with the Fitting Box developed by us helps, as we did with the winners of the MYBIKE reader event. In seven steps, every important parameter is systematically optimised: saddle height, inclination, rear seat, distance to the handlebars, handlebar height, cockpit setting and foot position. This led to some surprisingly new insights for the event participants!"
In my case, the saddle was moved slightly forwards, the height of the handlebars was adjusted and the grips with the horns were set a little flatter. I'm most impressed with the new saddle. I wouldn't have thought of adjusting it horizontally. It's a completely different riding experience.
Many thanks for the great bike fitting! I am very happy with my new settings.