Saddle pain and numbness are among the most common reasons riders come to Cycle Techniques. They are not something you have to put up with to enjoy cycling. In most cases they come from how you sit on the bike and how you pedal it, and both can be measured and improved.

Common causes of saddle discomfort

  • Saddle height. Too high or too low, and your hips rock side to side, causing chafing and pressure. We can measure this in real time using our 3DWearable Motion Tracking sensors.
  • Saddle tilt. A nose-up saddle puts pressure on soft tissue. A nose-down saddle makes you slide forward. Both set you up to be out of balance, and your body will have to compensate.
  • Saddle position (setback). If the saddle is too far forward or back, you can’t spread your weight across your sit bones and the bony ridges just in front of them the way the saddle was designed to support.
  • The wrong saddle, or a worn-out one. A saddle that doesn’t match your sit bones, or has broken down over time, puts your weight in the wrong places.
  • Reach to the handlebars. Bars that are too far or too low rotate your pelvis too far forward onto soft tissue the saddle can’t support.
  • Pedaling technique and posture. Bouncing or rocking on the saddle, pushing gears that are too big, or letting your back extensors relax too much so you sink into the saddle all add pressure and friction.

How a bike fit & technique instruction help

During your fitting, we assess your range of motion and measure your bike, then generate a WN Precision CAD Blueprint for it. The blueprint sets your saddle height, setback and reach to the millimeter, and we check whether your saddle suits your anatomy and riding style. We then fine-tune all of this with the 3DWearable Motion Tracking sensors. We also help you understand how proper posture and a smooth, efficient pedal stroke keep your weight supported where it belongs, so you ride more comfortably and with more power.

Book a fitting

A fitting and technique instruction session is $350. It takes 2.5 to 3 hours and includes a follow-up session. Fittings are held at Free Flite Bicycles (Sandy Springs and Marietta, on Canton Road) and at Bob’s Bikes in Homewood, AL, near Birmingham.

Call 404.432.5841 or email eddie@cycletechniques.com to schedule.

A bike fit addresses your position on the bike. It is not a substitute for medical care. If pain or numbness continues off the bike, gets worse, or comes with swelling, see a doctor or physical therapist.