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MOUNTAIN BIKE FITTING. YES! MOUNTAIN BIKERS GET FITTED TOO!

Why getting fitted to your mountain bike is more important than you know

Many mountain bikers are not in the habit of getting a bike fit.

It seems that the common statement is: "I move around so much, I don't need a bike fit".

What they are really saying is: "I am not like a roadie always in the same position. I don't feel the pain of being static like on a road bike. Therefore, I must be OK".

That's a big misconception that leads to mountain bikers leaving significant performance and comfort on the table.

In this article we cover the basic tenets of mountain bike fitting and how they apply to you and the many different ways we use mountain bikes.

We draw from our vast experience fitting mountain bikers of all kinds: from Cross Country, Enduro crazed and Xterra racers, to the daily trail rider.

Over the years, we wrote and re-wrote the book on the bike fit protocol for modern mountain bike fitting. As bikes have changed and the long and low, slack geometry and big travel trend have taken hold, new bike fit protocols had to be introduced. This changed the bike fitting landscape for mountain bikers.

We want to bring the art and science of bike fitting to a cycling discipline that had traditionally been left behind by the bike fitting profession.

How long ago did you start hearing about people getting fitted on a mountain bike? Until recent past, many mountain bikers resisted the notion of bike fitting for mountain bikes, relegating it to the roadies: "I move too much around in the saddle for fitting to make a difference for me". We heard this rationalization a lot. But mountain bike fitting is more important precisely because a mountain bike rider moves around and needs to be optimized for multiple positions while in critical performance situations. The location of the Center of Gravity (CG) - as it relates to the bottom bracket - and the weight distribution on the front and rear wheel are a key performance parameter. They affect how a mountain bike will handle under your command. Those two parameters drive the bike fitting protocol when it comes to saddle position and handlebar reach. How? WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKE FITTING Mountain bike fitting is the most involved and complicated bike fitting protocol of all. That's because it involves handling as the primary outcome of the bike fit. As compared to Road and Tri bike fitting, where the most consideration is given to finding a single position that generates the most power and the best aerodynamics, mountain bike fitting must carefully integrate and balance a power-based position against the weight distribution front to rear, the position of the Center of Gravity (CG) and the ease of handling the components of the steering (i.e. the handlebar reach, stack and cockpit controls like shifters and brakes) to overcome obstacles. It also has to deal with generating traction in critical and often-time precarious situations like steep climbs in loose terrain. When you add to the mix the fact that front suspension forks and rear suspension shocks, dropper seat posts and a variety of suspension settings can alter not only the rider's position, but also the geometry of a mountain bike (flip chips, suspension chips, etc.), you have the reason why most bike fitting professionals shy away from mountain bike fitting. It really does take a vast amount of knowledge and experience to fit mountain bikes. And it might explain why mountain bikers struggle finding a qualified bike fitter that is willing and able to do the work. MANY BIKES, MANY BIKE FIT PROTOCOLS To further add to the complexity of mountain bike fitting, there are many  different types of mountain bikes, each specific to an application - how you use the bike. A bike is designed to do a specific job. It has a design point for performance that the engineers have optimized for its use. The interaction with the cyclist aboard must respect this or suffer performance loss. Mountain biking requires you to pedal at many different RPMs and under a wide range of loads. Bike fitting for mountain biking must allow for the ideal power output while embracing the the nature of the bike geometry. Mountain biking fit protocols must be designed around each specific application: Cross Country: Racing Riding Trail: Enduro racing Riding All mountain: Gravity Racing Riding

His mountain bike fitting session led to a National Xterra Championship

Clearly, a Cross Country racer on a light-weight bicycle will have a different bike fit position than an all-mountain rider. The location of the CG and the weight distribution of a cross country racer are more forward and optimized for the specific needs of of race-inspired trails with tight spaces and relatively manageable technical features. Trail riders benefit from a different bike fit position that focuses more on fun handling, jumping and conquering big drops and gaps. It's usually more upright and with a closer cockpit. The location of the CG is significantly further back than a XCO for handling on steeper terrain. Many mountain bikes can accommodate more than one fork travel length (ex: 120-140 mm) and some have rear suspension with flippable chips that change rear travel, bottom bracket height and slacken or steepen the geometry. Some trail mountain bike, like the Canyon, can change suspension travel and slacken the geometry at the flip of a handlebar lever. Further, the suspension settings, travel and handlebar width, for example, are dramatically different in all-mountain and trail riders who spend the majority of the time riding steep inclines, dealing with gnarly obstacles and big drops. The pedaling technique is also dramatically different between the two applications that gravity bikes have more in common with BMX (dropper posts help with that too), while cross country resembles more cycle cross. Knowing this, can dramatically alter the bike fitting set up and lead to the successful integration of the rider with the bicycle.

The location of the Center of Gravity (CG) during in-studio bike fitting is very different among mountain biking applications, so it can result in the correct handling of the bike in its intended environment. Here we compare enduro (on the left) versus cross country racing application.

All these parameters are taken into account to optimize a bike fit specific to each application and mountain bike model. Cross Country racing is about speed and agility in relatively flowing trails with moderate-to-difficult obstacles; Trail/Enduro is about being able to handle just about anything is thrown at you in comfort and for hours at a time. The fit protocol is significantly different among the applications, placing focus on different biomechanical parameters as they apply to pedaling mechanics, the location of the center of gravity and the desired handling characteristics. Knowing these differences and how to capitalize on application-specific settings is what sets apart a good bike fitting professional. The performance improvements for a proper mountain bike fit are undeniable and mountain bikers should feel comfortable with the notion that bike fitting can benefit the,

Same rider, two different bikes (Specialized Epic and Santa Cruz Tall Boy); two different applications (XCO and Trail/Enduro) , two distinct bike fits that maximize each.

So now you are aware that there are significant and important differences in the bike fitting parameters that should be applied to each mountain bike fit.

You also know now that mountain bike fitting can benefit you and give you significant performance gain in power and handling.

If you want to achieve the best results possible, look no further than a qualified bike fitter capable of mountain bike fitting.