MOUNTAIN BIKE FIT- Dial in For Your Best Ride!

by Lisa McKinney, PT 

Do you experience pain while riding, frequent crashes, difficulty with handling or skill progression? A few simple tweaks to your bike can make all the difference!

Mountain biking should be great experience. But if you’re experiencing pain, difficulty handling, or struggling to improve your skills, it might not be you—it could be your bike fit. A well-fitted bike reduces pain, enhances performance, and allows you to ride confidently and comfortably. Investing in a professional mountain bike fit is one of the best ways to increase your enjoyment of the sport and can help you make the most of every ride by aligning your bike to your body’s unique measurements.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned rider, a few simple adjustments to your bike can make a world of difference. A great fit improves safety, enhances comfort, and boosts performance, helping you ride better, longer, and with greater confidence. Let’s dive into how an expert mountain bike fit can help you get dialed in for your best ride yet!

Is Your Bike Fit Holding You Back?

You might think discomfort is just part of the ride or blame slow progress on age or fitness level. However, subtle mismatches between your bike and body can be the real culprits. An expert bike fit can solve many common issues riders face, including:

• Back & Lower Extremity Pain: Improper component settings—like saddle height—can lead to back, hip, knee, or ankle pain over time.

• Hand and Wrist Issues: Poor handlebar or control positions often result in hand numbness, thumb or wrist pain, and even neck or shoulder strain.

• Frequent Crashes: If you’re crashing frequently or struggling with skill progression, adjusting your bike’s fit could make a huge difference. A properly fit bike allows better control, reduces crashes, and builds confidence on tougher trails. It can improve your overall safety.

• Poor Endurance or Cardiovascular Performance: An optimal setup enables your body to utilize large muscle groups, like your glutes, for power and stamina. Proper alignment also improves breathing efficiency, so you can maintain energy longer.

  
  

What Makes a Good Mountain Bike Fit?

A well-fitted mountain bike feels like an extension of your body—comfortable, balanced, and easy to control. The best-fitting bike allows you to sit comfortably without excessive weight on your hands and wrists. Hand controls are within reach, and legs can generate power efficiently with every pedal stroke.

Mountain bikes are typically designed with “standard” body types in mind, using VERY standardized parts off the shelf. However, no two people are exactly alike. That’s why fit customization matters. At Backway’s Physical Therapy, our mountain bike fit process examines and adjusts your bike’s contact points for an individualized setup, tailored just for you.

The Importance of Investing in a Professional Physical Therapy MTB Fit

A professional mountain bike fitting is an invaluable investment in your safety, performance, and enjoyment on the trails. Here’s how it helps:

• Maximize Safety: Proper fit enhances control and stability, reducing your risk of crashes.

• Enhance Performance: Your body works in harmony with the bike, allowing you to ride faster, farther, and with greater ease.

• Protect Your Body: Avoid the strain, soreness, and potential injuries that come with poor bike alignment over time.

• Build Confidence: With an optimally fitted bike, you’ll be empowered to take on new trails, improve handling skills, and ride with less hesitation.

  
  

Mountain biking requires repetitive motions and constant stabilization, so even subtle misalignments—such as an improper saddle height or handlebar reach—can lead to discomfort, pain, or limited control. Some riders have anatomical differences, such as unequal leg lengths, that standard bike setups don’t account for. Professional fitting and adjustments can help you achieve the best fit by addressing these unique needs and ensure your weight is balanced for the best handling, comfort, and control.

If you’re experiencing pain, difficulty with skill progression, or feel you’re "too old" or "out of shape" to enjoy riding, a custom bike fit might be all you need to rediscover the joy of mountain biking.

What Happens in a Mountain Bike Fit Session?

During a mountain bike fit session, we assess both your body’s dimensions and your bike’s setup. The physical therapist optimizes your posture and alignment to create the most comfortable, powerful, and efficient riding position possible.

A mountain bike fit typically includes:

1. Adjusting Bike Contact Points: Saddle, handlebar, and control adjustments are made to align with your body’s measurements.

2. Assessing and Recommending Parts: If certain parts (like handlebars or saddles) can’t be adjusted enough, we’ll suggest replacements to achieve your ideal fit.

Signs That You Could Benefit From A Bike Fit

EVERYONE who spends time on a bike can benefit from a fitting session, but it can be especially helpful if you:

• Experience pain that only arises during or after a ride.

• Have unique body proportions (such as smaller women, teens, or those with a longer torso or leg length).

• Want to up your endurance or technical performance.

• Struggle to progress your bike handling skills despite your efforts.

• Have a non-bike related condition but want to ride a bike (ex- total knee replacement)

• Are a beginner who doesn’t feel comfortable on a bike at all

• Are riding second-hand bike and want it to feel more customized

• Are interested in high performance and racing

The Benefits of a Mountain Bike Fit with Backway’s Physical Therapy

A professional fit provides several key benefits that can transform your riding experience:

• Improved Handling: Gain better balance and control, boosted confidence, and improved high & low speed turns.

• Decreased Pain: Less strain on muscles and joints, fewer numb spots, and more overall comfort.

• Enhanced Performance: Increased speed, power and endurance, allowing you to tackle longer rides with ease.

• Boosted Confidence: A well-fitted bike helps you level up on skills and technical terrain.

• Improved Safety: With optimized handling, you’ll be able to ride more safely- with less wrecks- even on challenging trails.

Bike Fit Successes From the Trail

Example 1: Beginner Rider

A new mountain biker who struggled with frequent crashes and discomfort found her small hardtail bike wasn’t designed for her unique proportions. After adjustments to her saddle, handlebar, and controls, she experienced greater stability and could progress to an intermediate level.

Example 2: Experienced Rider with Back Pain

A seasoned female rider stopped biking due to lower back pain. She rode a high-end bike that had already undergone some modifications. Our fitting revealed that her saddle width was too narrow, and crank lengths were not suited to her bike size. With a few tweaks, she was able to ride long distances comfortably and pain-free.

Example 3: High-Performance Rider

A skilled enduro rider with a new bike was experiencing difficulty with manuals, front wheel lifts and high speed cornering. His fit session identified bike/body geometry ratios and pedal issues that were holding him back. After adjustments, he advanced to expert-level trails.

Get Dialed In!

A mountain Bike Fit will provide you with a bike that fits your body and riding style. By optimizing your posture and position on the bike, you will have increased stability, handling, and control while experiencing less muscle and joint issues.

A mountain bike fitting session at Backway’s Physical Therapy will leave you with:

1. A custom-fit bike adjusted to your body’s proportions.

2. Part recommendations for even greater comfort and control.

3. Insights into how your bike should work with your body for the best possible ride.

   
   

No matter your skill level, our goal is that you leave with the best-fitting bike you’ve ever ridden! Ready to get back to loving the sport? Contact us today to book your mountain bike fitting and take your riding to the next level!

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Are You Ready for Your Best Ride Yet?

A professional bike fit isn’t just a luxury—it’s an investment in your health, safety, and enjoyment of the sport. By optimizing your bike’s setup, you’ll unlock your full potential as a rider and ensure every ride is a pleasure, not a pain.

Ready to transform your mountain biking experience? Contact Backway’s Physical Therapy today to schedule your bike fit and start riding your best!

Want to get your girl to love mountain biking?

Make sure her bike fits!