Cycling is wonderful way to exploring your surroundings, whether locally, nationally or internationally. It’s not just a mode of transport but also a great recreational activity. Whether you’re commuting to work, improving your aerobic fitness, training for an event or simply enjoying the journey, cycling allows you to cover a lot of ground in an economical and environmentally friendly fashion, all while discovering new and inspiring sights.

There has been an explosion of bike types (e.g. cyclocross, gravel, fixie, single speed, time trial, road, mountain bike, some new, mostly old designs that have been re-discovered) and uses (e.g.off/on road, bike packing, racing, commuting) so there are any number of different shapes and sizes of bikes available to fit an individual’s needs and tastes (and budget!).

Why do I need a Bike Fit?

The main reasons we recommend a bike fit:

• If you’re experiencing pain while riding – commonly knees, lower back or feet
• If you’re recovering from an injury and want to be sure that getting back on your bike will not hinder your recovery
• If you’re planning a long bike mission such as the Otago Rail Trail or Old Ghost Road
• If you’re wanting to maximise your performance at competitive events

Most people will try on different shapes and sizes of shoes, under the guidance of a shoe sales representative and/or podiatrist however when it comes to cycling, very few will seek out significant advice on correct size/set up for their bicycle.

Any number of components to a bicycle (i.e. seat height/angle, handlebar / stem height / width, distance from handlebar to seat, cleat position) can all add up to either a very comfortable cycling experience, or not.

Whether you feel that something is just not quite right or are seeing one of our team for an injury, if you ride a bike, it is very helpful to have your set up reviewed.

Our philosophy focuses on fitting the bike to you, and you to the bike.  This involves a two-part assessment: first understanding your history and reasons for seeking guidance;  second, observing how you sit on the bike and identifying any weak or inflexible areas that you can work on at home.

We provide video feedback and an exercise program, as well as limited adjustments to the bike itself as indicated. Adjustments using a torque wrench are pretty standard however if changes of components (i.e. stem length, handlebar width, crank length, time trial bar, shoes, saddles) are recommended, we always support taking your bike to your local bike shop. We may identify one or more areas to adjust, usually recommending that only one or two are acted on at a time, so you can test those over a few rides prior to considering further adjustments.

Our bike assessments are an hour long ($180 or $90 + ACC claim if influencing injury causation/ recovery) and follow ups are 30 – 60 min depending on how much additional follow up is needed.

Bike fits can be completed by Andrew Abakhan at Physiosouth Colombo or by Mary Gray at Sports Clinic.

Andrew Abakhan

I’m a competitive age group long distance triathlete, having started in shorter distances over 30 years ago and as the distance increased, so did the time in the saddle either on or off road! As such, I’ve had a rather personal investment in expanding my knowledge in this area.

I’ve coached all levels of tri, multisport and endurance athletes, supporting local club members at the Canterbury Triathlon Club and working in High Performance Sport New Zealand from 2008 – 2012. Bike position was always a key criteria for injury screening with these athletes and I worked with any number of coaches, bio mechanists and strength & conditioning coaches around finding solutions to optimise both comfort and performance for each individual.

Mary Gray