If road cycling is something you want to get into or you have a road bike already but it’s totally uncomfortable then BC Bike Fit is a place to go. I had the pleasure of working with Dave Howell in his basement studio and his expertise and knowledge and sophisticated equipment helped sort out all the discomforts that come from spending copious amount of time pretending I’m the first female in the Tour de France.

I wished I had had the pleasure of meeting Dave before I got into the world of road cycling. When you are looking at purchasing a bike and getting into road cycling most people find it a  daunting process for two reasons 1) expense – buying a road bike is expensive. A good entry level carbon fiber bike usually starts around $2000. 2) the saddle – Let’s face it, everybody is scared of the rigid narrow saddles that are typically attributed with the sport.

But this can all be helped by Dave and his vast knowledge of cycling and body mechanics. He will ensure that you are paired with the right saddle and frame dimensions so that you can go shopping with greater confidence.

So what the heck is a bike fit anyways? Well you have a bike and you have your body. The two need to be put together in a bio mechanically sound way so that your body can be used in the most efficient manner. Now many of us remember standing on our tippy toes, adjusting our seat, and taking off on a cycling adventure with our friends. With road cycling that method would maybe last an hour but when you’re looking at spending longer periods of time riding your bike there are a few adjustments that can make your experience more enjoyable and have your body work effectively.

If I had to do it all again I would begin with Dave in his bike fit studio. To be appropriately fitted before I begun my hunt for a bike would take so much confusion out of the process, especially for someone wanting to get into the sport. I would go in for a bike fit before I even thought about purchasing a bike. By using Dave’s equipment I would be sized for the appropriate frame before I even stepped foot in the store. One thing that stores generally do is pigeonhole you to one or two brands because that’s all they carry. But by seeing Dave first and having him work with you on finding the best frame for your body, you can then shop with some measurements in mind. Just like jeans not all bike frames fit the same.

One thing that can often be negotiated when buying a bike is the width of  the handle bars. Often bikes come with a standard 42 cm wide handlebar.  Women may find they need something more narrow,  whereas, men may need something wider depending on their shoulder width. A good bike shop can usually swap out a set of bars when you buy your bike helping you avoid additional costs afterwards.

Bringing in my bike to Dave was a super cool experience. He took the time to look at all the alignments and angles of my body positioning. He used lasers, cameras and his own eyes to position me in the most optimal position. After being out on my bike for another few hundred kilometers I can say that my bike handles better, my shoulder pain has been alleviated and I have more power over all. Now that I am a full fledged bike nerd I can honestly say that my average speed has probably increased by about 3 km/h.

Is this a sponsored post?: Yes, however we take the responsibility of shared posts VERY seriously and only work with partners we can wholeheartedly recommend and services we would purchase ourselves.

Check out my other blogs about my GranFondo training, how I Stepped Back into Fitness and my GranFondo finishing experience!

Article Written By: Sarah McConnell