Does this bike make me look good?

It’s a beautiful day and you’d like to go for a bike ride, but you just don’t feel comfortable riding your bicycle. Perhaps when you ride you develop a pain in the neck, back or knees, or numbness in your hands. Or maybe your knees hit the handle bars when you pedal, making it difficult to steer. These symptoms may mean your bike isn’t the right size. So, how do you know if a bike fits?

•  You should be able to straddle your bike over the top tube with both feet on the ground and be able to lift the bike off the ground.  For a road bike, there should be one to two inches of clearance between the tires and the floor. For a mountain or hybrid bike, there should be three to four inches of clearance. When riding a recumbent bicycle, the leg and arm extension is more important than the stand-over height. This measurement doesn’t apply to “step through” bikes (formerly referred to as “girls” bikes). 
• When seated on the bike, you should be able to reach the handlebars without feeling stretched out, hunched over or cramped.  There should be a slight bend in the elbows when riding. Bent elbows act as shock absorbers for the upper body when riding over bumps. Pedaling with bent elbows will often help prevent numbness in the hands. Neck pain is often the result of having the handlebars too low or having a long reach.
• When seated, there should be a slight bend in the knee when the pedal is down. If your hips rock from side to side when you’re pedaling, the pedals are too far away and the seat should be lowered. If you have pain in the front of your knees, the seat is too low or too far forward. A seat that is too high can cause pain in the back of the knee. For recumbent  bicycles, leg extension is the best judge for frame size.
• The saddle (bike seat) should be flat, not pointing up or down. Any slant can apply unwanted pressure on your arms, back and pelvis. Note that there are many different types of saddles for different types of seats. Large saddles (which are not comfortable on long rides) and gender specific saddles. A saddle should support your pelvic bones yet be narrow enough to prevent chafing when riding. Only you can decide which saddle is best for you. Try several.  The most important part of saddle comfort is adjustment.

If you’re not sure whether your bicycle fits you, consult a local bicycle shop which is experienced in this. Good bike fit can improve your pedaling efficiency and aerodynamics and actually make you faster and make you look good!

(Written in collaboration with Robin Hildenbrand, an avid cyclist who lives in Loveland, Colorado.)