Rehab or Bust.

Did your last bike fitting session begin with you getting on the bike?

The obvious answer might be yes, however I believe the answer should be No. Just before you clip in and ride off in to the sunset, consider the following questions.

• What is driving the decisions to adjust your bike and equipment?

• Do you understand why suggested changes are being made?

• Do you feel confident about your bike set up?

Unfortunately cycling related injuries can and will occur as a result of ill-informed bike fitting. Athletes will turn every stone in the pursuit of the highest performance. This might be referred to as chasing the 1%ers. Athletes that present with injuries as a result of bad equipment choice or of an ill-informed bike fitting become frustrated with the sport they love. When injured an athlete will struggle to maintain even the minimum training requirements let alone achieve season goals.

What is driving the decisions to adjust your bike and equipment?

Understanding an athlete’s pre-existing injuries and setting clear objectives for the bike fitting session are critical for success. Cycling is often suggested, as rehabilitation for many injuries, however if the bike is not set up correctly in relation to your injuries then perhaps the road to recovery will be long and problematic.

What comes first? Is it the bike before the body or the body before the bike?