Some frequently asked questions answered

Q: I feel fine on my bike; do I really need a bike fit?
A: Yes, you probably do. Just because you feel fine does not mean the setup is optimal. The body is very good at adapting to stress however, a sub-optimal fit is a position that is more stressful than it needs to be. A Torke Cycling bike fit puts your body into the least stressful position allowing you freedom to achieve and enjoy your cycling goals stress-free.

Q: I had a bike fit elsewhere two years ago, when do I need another?
A: Firstly, how was the quality of the fitting? I’m sad to say not all fits get you to an optimal position. Secondly you only need to change your position if either your body function changes or your riding changes. Did you gain/lose weight, increase/decrease fitness, change how/where you ride? If so then you are due a new fit.

Q: I had a Torke Body Positioning fitting for my road bike last year, can I use these measurements for my new cross bike?
A: You can. However, it’s highly unlikely to be optimal, as shoes, saddle, crank, pedals and bar will likely all be different. You should come and do a follow up session for the cross bike.

Q: I just had a Body Positioning fit yesterday and it just feels weird, is it right?
A: Your body needs to learn the new movement pattern of the new position. It will feel abnormal and even the handling of the bike will change. Give yourself three weeks of less than 70% intensity riding to learn the new movement patterns. Then It should feel great, if not, give me a call. All services are satisfaction guaranteed.

Q: I had a bike fit and they said it would take 500miles to get used to the position. Is this right?
A: Not really, if after three weeks it still feels bad, then it is bad. However occasionally I fit riders in radically different positions from what they were riding and this can enlist muscle groups that were not working before. Initially they might get delayed onset muscle soreness from working out muscles that are not used to it, and it can take 8-10 weeks to build full muscle strength. However, this doesn’t feel bad after the initial soreness in the first 2-3 weeks, it just means the rider keeps improving for up to 10 weeks.

Q: Can your bike fitting cure all my injuries?
A: No. Bike fitting does not cure any injuries. Good Bike fitting can take away the stress that may be causing your injury, and so your body gets the opportunity to heal itself. Also, if you have an injury before the fitting, you will still have it after the fitting and you need to manage your recovery in the normal ways.

Q: Will Torke Cycling bike fitting make me faster?
A: Yes, probably. If you are not optimised in your position and we get you there then you can expect better performance in your event. Although we don’t recommend racing within 3 weeks of your fitting, we have had category racers get their best ever placings the day after the fitting!

Q How much power will I gain from a fitting?
A: It all depends on how far out your position is to start with. The biggest increase would be around FTP 100watts max, but normally 10-25w. However, a good fit often increases the sustainability of power, so 1-30sec power may not change noticeably. It is repetitions to failure that often significantly increase. As cycling is an endurance sport this is a big deal. We also find that riders can train harder and more frequently with lower levels of fatigue. This enables them to hit higher peaks in their training. The other benefit to performance is a much lower risk of over use injury. If you are injured you need to stop or significantly back off training.

Q: Will you give me a frame size number like 54cm?
A: No, these numbers are meaningless. A 54cm bike will almost never have any tube on it that measures 54cm, it is a notional idea and it is interpreted differently by every manufacturer. So practically it is of very little value for choosing the right bike.

Q: What is stack and reach?
A: The vertical and horizontal distances of the bicycle frames headtube centre form the bottom bracket centre (cranks). This shows us the relative length and height of a bicycle. This governs where bars can reasonably be placed. It is useful to note that stack is often more important than reach.

Q: Why don’t you offer cleat fitting?
A: Changing the fore/aft cleat position has an effect on leg extension (saddle height) so it seems a futile exercise to set the cleats up without considering the rest of the position. We could give you a good cleat position that leaves you under/over extending your legs and now you have another problem. This is why we recommend a Body Positioning session. If you are struggling with cleat setup then it is most likely your saddle height is off and/or you really need your cycling shoes tailored.

Q: I heard good things about Torke Cycling Bike fitting, what makes it so good?
A: Our passion has always been to make cyclists feel awesome on their bikes and we have had amazing opportunities to travel the world and meet some of the best minds in bicycle fitting. Our passion for high quality results has led us to develop proprietary techniques and methods that manage to exceed the industry gold standards in terms of fit accuracy and consistency. The methods revolve around a robust basic premise of the core physiological goals and a unique functional comparative testing technique that screens each person for their individual ability to resolve the forces opposing them posturally and their ability to create propulsive forces.

Q: Is Torke Cycling a bike fitting system?
A: I don’t think there are any complete bike fitting systems, only tools and methods. Torke Cycling uses all the necessary tools to do an excellent job and to our knowledge has the best, most consistently accurate methods available anywhere. We teach these methods internationally to elite bicycle fitters and continually receive excellent feedback.

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