Bike Fitting
Riding a bike – whether it’s to commute to work, compete in an Ironman, get in some exercise with the kiddos, or to shred the brown pow with your buddies on the weekends – we can all agree is an activity that is inherently FUN. We can also probably agree that knee pain, back pain, butt numbness, and a sore neck are things that are decidedly NOT FUN when it comes to time spent on a bike. So, if you’re experiencing a less than comfortable ride, it might be time to consider a professional bike fit from an expert.
At Comox Physiotherapy, we’re fortunate to have Cassie Nobbs as our resident Bike Fit Guru. Cassie has been a physical therapist for 30 years and has been bike fitting since 2008. In 2013, she completed an advanced bike-fit certification program and has herself been racing bikes for 20+ years. In other words: Cassie knows bodies and Cassie knows bikes.
We asked Cassie a few questions in order to shed some light on the Bike Fit service she provides…
CPC: What is a Bike Fitting?
Cassie: The type of bike fitting I do in the clinic is retro-fitting. It's not unlike buying a suit or a dress and then taking it to someone to have it altered to fit you as closely to perfect as possible. Many people are not aware that bikes are generally highly adjustable and minor changes to things like saddle tilt, brake lever angles, and handlebar height can make a huge difference to someone's comfort level on their bike. The goal of a bike fit should be to have the cyclist become one with the bike as if it’s an extension of their body. This merging of bike and biker provides benefits beyond comfort - it improves performance, efficiency, and stability and helps to prevent overuse injuries.
CPC: What can people expect during a session with you?
Cassie: You’ll bring your bike into the clinic and I’ll put it up on the trainer. I’ll observe you riding with your favourite shoes and shorts/bottoms on. I will assess your pedalling mechanics and posture, do some measurements, and start making adjustments. I’ll start at the pedal/shoe interface and work my way to the saddle, assessing fit. Then I’ll adjust the cockpit - the handlebar set up including brake levers and step as needed.
CPC: Who typically benefits the most from a bike fitting?
Cassie: I fit all styles of bikes - road, mountain, triathlon, gravel city, etc. I have worked with all levels of cyclists from the day-to-day commuter to professionals. In my experience, the people who benefit the most from a bike fit are the relative beginner to intermediate rider.
CPC: What’s the advantage of having a bike fit done by someone who is also a physical therapist?
Cassie: As physical therapists, we’re experts in biomechanics and masters at observation. I can often quickly spot issues the cyclist has that can be helped with adjustments of the bike fit, but I can also identify contributors to pain that are more about the body than the bike. In the end, I am assessing the body and the bike together. For example, one of the easiest bike fits I’ve done was for a former professional road racer. He already had a perfect fit—which is true of many serious cyclists, but his issues were with his body, so instead we were able to focus on that.
CPC: Tell us a little bit more about your own cycling experience.
Cassie: I started mountain bike racing in 1999. I've raced road bikes, time trialing, triathlon, and ultra endurance riding both on road, gravel, and mountain biking. My last major race was in cross triathlon (swim, mountain bike and trail run) Worlds in Spain 2023. I mostly use cycling for commuting these days. I am familiar with what it feels like to be in the saddle for 16 hours at a time. Comfort is an important part of performance, especially on those long rides. I'm also trained in providing fitting for custom bike builds. This is a situation where I work directly with the bike builder to fine tune the building process. I also have a background in coaching in triathlon and ultra endurance cycling.
CPC: Thanks so much, Cassie!
Are you ready for a bike fitting? Here are a few other good-to-know items to make it happen:
Investment:
Bike Fit Initial Session (90min) - $200
Bike Fit Follow Up Session (60min) - $170
To Schedule an Appointment:
Call: 250-339-6221
Online: click here