What’s the most important part of buying a new bike? Saving money? Getting the right color? Choosing carbon fiber?

Nope – the most important part of buying a new bike is getting it fit properly. But most people don’t realize this until it’s too late. They either don’t ride as powerfully or comfortably as they could, or they get injured thanks to poor fit.

Or riders might know they should get a professional fitting, but they don’t want to shell out $350-550 for it, so they just ride a poor-fitting bike. Perhaps “The Bike Fitting Kit” from CycleTime can change that.

This is a bike fitting “kit” for you to use at home to fit your new bike yourself. Tools and an instructional DVD are included.

I saw the list price was $44.95, but it was on sale for $29.95 ($38.20 with shipping) when I purchased it a couple years ago, so I couldn’t pass it up. It’s still on sale for $29.95 today actually.

There are three things I need to cover in this review – the DVD, the tool kit, and the shopping experience.

The DVD

Well, you can tell this DVD was made in Windows Movie Maker. But nevertheless, it presents important information, and the video quality is good enough to see what is going on, so that’s what matters.

Here’s an example clip from Youtube:

The content only covers the basics, so this is best for someone who just bought their first bicycle. It’s not for a triathlete dialing in their most aerodynamic position.

If you follow the instructions, you’ll actually end up with a pretty good fit. A stationary trainer and someone to help you out with measurements will make things infinitely easier and lead to a much better fit, though.

(For more advanced bike fitting advice, look to Arnie Baker.)

The Tools

I was excited about this tool kit, but once I saw it, I was really disappointed. The so-called “tools” are more like toys!

The goniometer is flimsy plastic, like a kindergarten ruler. The plumb bob is as good as a house key tied to some string. The measuring tape is junk, like it will rip apart. And who doesn’t have hex keys already? Every cyclist should own a quality set of hex keys.

So, DO NOT buy this kit for the tools! Either buy real tools or make your own tools at home for free.

Personally I’d buy the tools from a real store and just get the information free online somewhere, but if you’re strapped for time and want to put down the money, I guess you could get this.

(For the fancy tools, check out BikeFit.com.)

The Shopping Experience

Back when I got this, the shopping cart was terrible. You couldn’t even tab to the next box when entering your information. There were also too many steps, and it always said “continue” but never “place order.” Before you knew it (or had a chance to review,) your order was placed!

I think some of this has been fixed now, luckily. So hopefully your shopping experience would be better today, but don’t expect it to be super slick like some retailers.

My final verdict is…

If you already know the basics of a proper bike fit and are looking for an in-depth guide to the principles of bike fitting, or you want nice tools, this kit would be a total waste of money.

But even though the information is fairly basic and the tools are more like toys, this kit is a better value than a typical $50 bike fit (which in my experience is nothing more than a quick check of seat height and fore/aft position.) So if you have poor-fitting bikes and no knowledge of proper bike fit, this kit would be a good way to get yourself a better setup.

Official website: www.BikeFittingKit.com

Getting a professional bicycle fitting is extremely important if you’ll be putting in tons of miles and your body is already adapting to the proper cycling position.

But if you’re just a casual cyclist getting started (and therefore need to put in some time on the bike before deciding on your ideal position,) you can get a good fit at home with these simple tips.

It will be a lot easier if you have your bike on a stationary trainer, but having a wall to lean against works in a pinch. Then all you need is a set of Allen wrenches and a little patience.

1. Set proper seat height.

If this is your first bicycle fitting, chances are you put your seat too low. Most beginners do, so let’s start with this.

There are multiple ways to do this, and some require formulas and special fitting equipment, so here is the easy way to start with:

Raise your seat to where your leg is straight when you are sitting on the seat and have your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke (roughly the 6 or 7 o’clock position.) This will translate to the correct knee bend when the ball of your foot is on the pedal.

Note: Be sure to wear your cycling shorts and shoes for this step. It also helps to pedal backwards a few times to make sure your leg straightens at the bottom of the stroke and your hips don’t rock excessively.

In the end, when your foot is on the pedal in the proper position, you should get about a 30 degree bend in your knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke.

2. Set the fore/aft seat position.

Once your seat height is dialed in, you need to set the fore/aft position, or how close the seat is to the handlebar.

There are two easy ways to approximate this.

First, move the seat forward or back until your knee is directly over the pedal spindle. You can eyeball this or, for greater precision, use a plumb bob (i.e. a key tied to a piece of string.) Just hang the string off the little bump below your knee cap and move your seat until the key is pointing at the pedal spindle.

Or even easier (but with a greater margin of error,) set the seat so the tip of the seat is just behind the bike’s BB shell.

3. Set proper cleat position.

For starters, you want to position your cleats so they are centered under the ball of your foot. You will slide the cleats forward or back to get to the ball of your foot, then probably slide the cleats laterally a bit.

You may also want to adjust the angle of the cleat. In other words, where the front of the cleat points. You might like it pointing straight at the tip of the shoe, or off to either side, depending on the natural angle of your feet. Fortunately, most cleats have enough float that you don’t have to get this angle exact.

4. Tilt handlebar.

Now we are getting to even quicker changes. This one is for greater comfort from altering your hand position slightly.

What you do is tilt the handlebar up or down in the stem. Generally you want to tilt it up and back just a tad for increased comfort with your hands on the brake hoods.

So all you have to do is loosen the stem clamp bolts enough to nudge the bar, tilt the bar up and back, then re-tighten the bolts. This method is much easier than untaping the bar, adjusting brake hoods, and re-taping.

5. Rotate brake hoods.

This can also be done without untaping the handlebar.

The point is to rotate your brake hoods inward slightly. This helps to fit the natural curvature of your hand, giving you a more natural hand position.

All you have to do is loosen the brake hoods slightly, rotate them inward slightly, and re-tighten.

Following these tips should give you a pretty good bike fit in a relatively short amount of time. As you ride more, you can slightly vary your position until it’s dialed in exactly how you like it.

Note for those of you putting in a lot of miles: Once you feel you have a good position and some flexibility, you should see a professional for a real bike fit to get your position perfect. It’s not cheap, but the process can save valuable riding time in the future, as well as prevent needless medical bills from injuries stemming from poor riding position.

Professional fittings are also nice for the adjustments where you may need to purchase new parts, such as a different length stem to set a better reach to the handlebar. When you do the pro fitting, you’ll determine exactly what size new parts to buy. That’s great because it sucks to go buy a brand new 100mm stem when you really need a 105 or 110mm!

If you’re planning to buy your first mountain bike, you are probably wondering what size to get. The “what size bike for me?” question comes up over and over again, so here is the answer…

What is the ideal mountain bike size for me? I’m 6’3″

What size mountain bike for a female, 5’2″ 120 lbs? I’m looking to get into mountain biking, and I was wondering what size bike frame and what size wheels I need, because of my short height.

Those are just two examples of the questions I hear. It’s usually the same question, but with a different height and weight!

Let’s start by looking at what sizes are out there…

Mountain Bike Frame and Wheel Sizes

In general, mountain bikes are available with frame sizes of Small, Medium, Large, and X-Large. The frame measurement is the seat tube length. A Small frame will usually be a 15″, Medium 17″, Large 19″, and X-Large 21″.

But just as important is a seldom mentioned measurement – top tube (TT) length. The length of the top tube partially determines how far you have to reach to the handlebars while seated. This is actually more important to getting a correctly sized, comfortable bike than any other measurement.

To make things even more complicated, frames vary between manufacturers. Some companies measure differently, and most will have different geometry, leading to very different feelings from the same size bicycle!

For example, I love the feeling of Giant frames in their 18″ size. But on a 19″ Specialized, I almost feel cramped. Crazier still, I have a 21″ Trek frame that I got when I was in middle school (I was maybe 5’5″ tall then.) So your size also depends on which brand you choose!

Some manufacturers such as Trek and Gary Fisher and doing bicycles with geometry specifically for women, so that is an option for some smaller women. If you are around 5′ tall, you may prefer a women-specific design.

The most popular wheel size is 26″. Just about every mountain bike you look at will have 26″ wheels, so there isn’t much to worry about with wheel size.

Gaining in popularity is the 29″ wheel size. A few years ago you rarely saw a 29″ wheel bike, but today, there are actually quite a few 29″ bikes out there. While there is a hot debate about which size wheel is better for mountain biking, I’d say stick with 26″ wheels unless you already know the advantages and disadvantages of 29″ wheels (in which case you probably understand frame sizes as well.)

The only other thing to know is to avoid 24″ wheels in almost all cases. Those are typically found on small mountain bikes at department stores, and replacement parts (tires, tubes, etc.) are hard to find. Only look at bikes with 24″ wheels if you are particularly short and can’t get comfortable on a small 26″ wheel bike.

The Size For You

In general, if you’re short, you’ll get a size small. If you’re tall, you’ll get a larger size. But you also have to consider inseam length rather than just your height. And then your arm length comes into play as well.

All I can really tell you without fitting you on a bike is, “if you are 6’3″, start by looking at the XL size” and, “if you are 5’2″, take a look at bikes in the XS and S sizes.”

It’s impossible to determine your exact size over the internet! Bicycle geometry (not to mention the human body) is too complex and unique to analyze so easily.

Bottom line: There is no “this is the size for you” answer to this question. Anyone that gives you a specific size to get, without discussing specifics about the exact frame in question and seeing your body, is just guessing (and most likely wrong.)

How to Actually Get the Right Size Bike

If you’re serious about getting a proper-fitting mountain bike, you owe it to yourself to visit a bicycle shop. Not a department store, not a sporting goods store, and not an online retailer.

You want to actually see the bikes in person and take them for test rides. What’s cool is that you don’t need to walk into a shop and know exactly what size to get. That’s the point of bike shops – they help you pick the right size bike!

But before you go shopping, here are some tips on bike fit:

It should be comfortable. Comfort is subjective, so it’s up to you to pick out which bicycle seems most comfortable. You should be able to sit comfortably on the bike and reach the handlebars without being too stretched out. Likewise, you might not want to be too upright.

Get some standover clearance. Since mountain biking can be dangerous and there’s always a possibility of crashing, you want to have some clearance. Look for about 2-4″ of clearance between your crotch and the bicycle’s top tube.

Get the smallest bike that still fits. You want the smallest frame you can get that still provides the correct riding position. (To get the correct position, you need to test ride and fit the bike in a bike shop.)

The smaller frame is easier to handle and provides more standover clearance, plus it’s a little lighter and stiffer.

Be wary of certain deals. Some unscrupulous bike shop employees will attempt to sell you a bike that’s a size too big or small in order to clear out old inventory. Even if they offer you a good deal, I don’t suggest getting a bike that doesn’t fit perfectly!

Test ride. Finally, test ride the bikes. It’s about what you like, and a test ride is the best way to figure that out.

Then and only then should you decide on the right size bike!

Let’s look at what you can do if you have the problem where your feet hit your front tire when you turn…

I have a KHS Flite 100 And when I turn my feet hit the front tire. This is happening with my new soma cages and the older Mini-Clips I had. The clips are as far away from the bike as they can be.
Do I need shorter crank arms or new pedals?

I’m 6’0″ and it’s a 57. The guy said it was a perfect fit… I really don’t want to but a new bike, it doesn’t happen on my brothers swobo sanchez. (His is a 58 and it has a good inch of room.)

Sincerely,
Bigfoot

Hi Bigfoot,

I’ve had that same problem before and I know many others who deal with it too. It is commonly referred to as toe overlap.

It’s not uncommon, especially on road bikes with racing geometry. Racing bike = racing geometry = short wheelbase. (Some bikes have very relaxed geometry with a long wheelbase for stability, which is why it doesn’t happen on all bikes.)

Toe overlap can certainly be annoying, but I have come to deal with it. When you know it’s there, it’s relatively easy to avoid.

Remember this: Bikes with toe overlap are made to go fast. When you go fast, you don’t need to turn the wheel to turn – you just lean. So in most cases, you won’t actually notice the wheel/toe overlap.

I usually only notice it when doing a trackstand. In other words, when I’m going very slow or not moving at all, but still turning the front wheel back and forth.

So what you want to do is not turn when going slow. If you do need to turn when going slow, do it with your feet at 6 and 12 o’clock, and don’t twist the bars too far to either side.

It might sound like a big deal, but it’s not bad once you try. It’s pretty simple, and the trackstand is an integral component of bike handling skill, so learning is worthwhile. After a few rides, it should be second nature.

Just don’t buy new cranks or pedals! It won’t help, and it could screw up your bike fit. At your height, I don’t think you want shorter cranks. You’d have to replace the frame and/or fork with a different style to make a noticeable difference, and that’s not the best solution.

Replacing the clips/straps pedals with a clipless system could help ever so slightly, since there won’t be any sort of strap in front of the toe, but that isn’t a guarantee. (The toe overlap would have to be very slight, like 1/4″, for the pedal switch to make a difference.)

Summary: Get used to working around the toe overlap, because that happens on most race frames!

Basic bike fitting principles include setting a proper seat height and bar reach, and just getting the correct seat position is going to give you a better position than many riders (some of whom seem to ignore bike fit.)

But even with a “good” bike fit, there are numerous positions to test and tweak before getting a “great” bike fit. Most of these little tweaks never even crossed my mind, but thanks to Cyclo-Club, I’ve had a chance to get some tips from bike fit guru, Paul Swift.

You might not recognize his name, but you’ll probably recognize the products he has worked on – Paul has worked on the design of products including Cannondale’s Track 1000 bicycle, the LeMond RevMaster group fitness indoor bicycle, and the XO dual sided pedal. And he’s in charge of BikeFit.com, so he knows a thing or two about bike fit!

Anyway, I recently put one of his interesting little tips to use. This tip involves repositioning the hoods slightly to achieve a more natural hand position. It’s a very small adjustment – so small I never even considered it – but it works.

The full instructions and video demonstration can be found here, but basically you want to rotate your hoods slightly inwards (towards each other.)

Funny thing though, I went to adjust my hoods and it turns out they were already rotated in slightly! I guess I set them correctly without even thinking about it last year when I switched to my new Ritchey bar and stem.

Anyway, the idea really makes sense when you think about how your hands naturally hang at your sides. They fall inward slightly, so your hoods should match that position.

Here are the pictures to illustrate it…

1. Hood straight in line with bar.

That picture has my hood lined up perfectly straight with the bar. I don’t know if bike shops even sell bikes with the hood that straight, but if you get a bike like that, move that hood inward!

The line demonstrates how my wrist is ever so slightly bent backwards. It doesn’t look that bad, but holding your hands like that for hours on end, every single day, can surely wreak havoc in the long run!

2. The hood in an ideal position.

This looks almost like the last picture, but the hood has been rotated inward slightly. It’s just enough rotation to make it ultra-comfortable. Plus, the hood is contoured for an anatomic fit, so it doesn’t take much of a twist on your part to get it in position.

You definitely don’t want to overdo it and rotate the hoods too far in. They could become even less comfortable, and don’t forget about being able to shift and brake properly!

These two pictures show the hood straight with the bar and rotated in slightly. Without my arm on there, you can’t even tell the difference! (I can’t remember which picture I took first, so even I can’t tell!)

See, the pictures look the same. But what matters is what your body looks like when it has to conform to the bike. You don’t want to have to twist and bend your body to fit the bike – adjust the bike to fit you!

To make sure you do this right, click here and watch the video demonstration from Paul Swift himself. (It’s free, and it could save your hands, wrists, and shoulders from unnecessary pain.)