YOU NEED TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT

I derive a lot of pleasure from solving difficult fitting problems for clients. Solving problems is how bike fitters learn and is a positive experience for both parties. Except that difficult cases only refer other difficult cases!!!!

Which helps the learning process . However, there are limits. A bike fitter’s task is to alter the relationship of rider to bike in such a way that the cycling experience becomes more powerful, more comfortable and more pleasurable. There are occasional clients who have issues that are so severe that those issues need addressing thoroughly, before they even consider riding a bike.

The video clip above is of one of those cases. He is a gent who came in 3 years ago complaining of chronic low back pain when riding a bike. He was new to cycling and very keen, but put off by the constant low back pain. Off the bike, at least as far as he was concerned, everything was hunky dory. When I told him how much pelvic movement he was displaying on the bike, he didn’t believe me and this clip was shot to bring home to him the severity of his stability problems. Amazingly, prior to seeing this clip of himself, he said that he felt ‘rock solid’ on the seat!

To his credit he has spent the last 3 years getting good advice and addressing his profound problems of lack of range of movement and just about zero functional stability. When we first met, he could only just reach his knees with his outstretched fingers in a standing position and could not perform a lunge with either leg forward. Now he can reach to mid shin without flexing his lumbar spine when standing (not world class but a massive improvement) and can not only perform near perfect lunges, but also deep single legged squats. He now rides pain free, mainly because of the hard work he has done with stretching and functional stability and since returning to the bike, has taken up triathlon.

Which serves to bring home a simple truth – a rider can only function as well on the bike as they can function off the bike.

I still wince when I watch this.

Note: The black dots on the lower back aren’t anatomical landmarks. They only there to catch the eye and highlight the degree of movement.