With summer right around the corner, many of you are likely hitting the road and/or trails more often on your bicycles. Whether you are training for the STP Ride, commute to work, or enjoy a leisurely ride with friends, it is important to make sure you bicycle is properly fit to you, especially if you are starting to ride more frequently. There are five main connection points between you and your bicycle, all of which help determine a proper fit: two on the handlebars, two on the pedals, and one on the saddle (or bike seat). Selecting the proper saddle height is a basic adjustment even the most novice of riders can make. In general, your knee should be bent to about 30 degrees when your foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke while riding (6 o’clock position). To the untrained eye, this can be difficult to estimate or measure without the proper tools. However, there is a way to get darn close by a technique called the “Heel Scrape Test”. The “Heel Scrape Test” is performed by setting a saddle height that allows your heel to barely touch the pedal when the crank arm is in the 6 o’clock position (bottom of the pedal stroke). Once in this position, your knee will end up in roughly a 30 degree angle when you place the ball of your foot on the pedal, which is the ideal foot position. No fancy digital software or goniometers necessary. Try it yourself and see how it feels on your next ride!
Seattle-Based Physical Therapy Practice, Serving Ballard and Fremont