Bicycle Fit: Assessing an athlete’s flexibility

During a bicycle fit, assessing an athlete’s flexibility is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures a proper bike fit that accommodates the rider’s body. For instance, if an athlete has limited flexibility in their hamstrings or lower back, a higher handlebar position may be necessary to prevent strain and discomfort. Secondly, assessing the athlete’s flexibility can help prevent injuries and ensure a comfortable ride. Proper bike fit can help avoid discomfort or injuries that result from an ill-suited riding position. Additionally, assessing an athlete’s flexibility can also improve their performance by allowing them to ride more efficiently, in a more aerodynamic position. Lastly, assessing an athlete’s flexibility can identify muscle imbalances that may affect their performance or increase the risk of injury. Tight hip flexors, for instance, can decrease power output and increase the likelihood of knee injuries. Here is a list of areas that may need to be assessed for flexibility during a bike fit:

Hamstrings
Quadriceps
Hip flexors
Lower back
Glutes
Calves
Feet and ankles
Shoulders
Upper back
Neck

How To Assess for Flexibility

Hamstrings

These tests can help the bike fitter determine the rider’s hamstring flexibility and make adjustments to the bike fit as needed to ensure proper positioning and comfort on the bike.

Straight leg raise
1. The rider lies on their back with one leg straight and the other leg bent. The straight leg is slowly lifted as high as possible without bending the knee, while keeping the other leg flat on the ground. The angle at which the lifted leg stops is measured and compared to the other side.
Toe touch
1. The rider stands with feet shoulder-width apart and slowly bends forward, reaching towards their toes. The distance from the fingertips to the toes is measured to assess hamstring flexibility.
Seated forward bend
1. The rider sits with legs extended straight out in front of them and slowly leans forward, reaching towards their toes. The distance from the fingertips to the toes is measured to assess hamstring flexibility.
Hamstring stretch
1. The rider lies on their back with one leg extended straight up in the air, while the other leg remains flat on the ground. The straight leg is gently pulled towards the rider’s body until a stretch is felt in the hamstring. The angle at which the stretch is felt is measured and compared to the other side.

Quadriceps

Proper quadriceps flexibility can help prevent strain and discomfort in the knee joint and improve pedaling efficiency.

Here are some common ways to assess flexibility in the quadriceps during a bike fit:

Knee-to-wall test
1. The rider stands facing a wall and places one foot about a foot’s length away from the wall. Keeping their heel on the ground, the rider slowly moves their knee towards the wall, attempting to touch it. The distance from the wall to the toe is measured to assess quadriceps flexibility.
Thomas test
1. The rider sits on the edge of a table or bench with their legs hanging off the edge. They bring one knee to their chest and hug it with their hands, while allowing the other leg to hang. The angle at which the hanging leg lifts off the table is measured to assess quadriceps flexibility.
Heel-to-butt test
1. The rider lies on their side and pulls their heel towards their butt, while keeping their knees together. The angle at which the heel can be pulled towards the butt is measured to assess quadriceps flexibility.

These tests can help the bike fitter determine the rider’s quadriceps flexibility and make adjustments to the bike fit as needed to ensure proper positioning and comfort on the bike. Proper quadriceps flexibility can help prevent strain and discomfort in the knee joint and improve pedaling efficiency.Top of Form\

Bottom of Form

Hip flexors

Proper hip flexor flexibility is important for optimal bike fit because it can affect the rider’s ability to maintain an aerodynamic position and increase power output. Tight hip flexors can also lead to discomfort and strain in the lower back and knees. Here are a few common ways to assess hip flexor flexibility during a bike fit:

Modified Thomas test
1. The rider sits on the edge of a table or bench with their legs hanging off the edge. They bring one knee to their chest and hug it with their hands, while allowing the other leg to hang. The angle at which the hanging leg lifts off the table is measured to assess hip flexor flexibility.
Lunge test
1. The rider stands in a lunge position with one foot forward and the other foot behind, while keeping both feet facing forward. The distance between the front heel and the back toe is measured to assess hip flexor flexibility.
Seated butterfly stretch
1. The rider sits on the ground with the soles of their feet together and their knees bent, then slowly presses their knees towards the ground. The distance between the knees is measured to assess hip flexor flexibility.

Lower back

Proper lower back flexibility is important for preventing discomfort and strain while riding. A lack of flexibility in the lower back can also lead to an inefficient riding position and decreased power output. Assessing lower back flexibility can help the bike fitter identify any potential issues and make necessary adjustments to the bike fit.

Trunk flexion test
1. The rider stands with their feet shoulder-width apart and slowly bends forward, reaching towards their toes. The distance from the fingertips to the toes is measured to assess lower back flexibility.
Back extension test
1. The rider lies face down on a flat surface with their arms extended straight in front of them. They lift their arms, head, and chest off the ground, while keeping their pelvis on the ground. The angle at which they can lift off the ground is measured to assess lower back flexibility.
Pelvic tilt test
1. The rider stands with their back against a wall and their feet about six inches away from the wall. They slowly tilt their pelvis forward and attempt to flatten their lower back against the wall. The distance between the lower back and the wall is measured to assess lower back flexibility.

Glutes

Assessing glute flexibility is also important during a bike fit. Here are a few common ways to assess glute flexibility:

Supine figure-four stretch
1. The rider lies on their back with their knees bent and their feet flat on the ground. They cross one ankle over the opposite knee and gently pull the knee towards their chest. The distance between the thigh and the chest is measured to assess glute flexibility.
Seated piriformis stretch
1. The rider sits on the ground with one leg straight and the other leg bent, with the foot of the bent leg resting on the outside of the opposite knee. They gently pull the bent leg towards their chest and lean forward, feeling a stretch in the glutes. The distance between the thigh and the chest is measured to assess glute flexibility.
Quadruped hip extension
1. The rider gets down on all fours with their hands and knees on the ground. They lift one leg off the ground and extend it behind them, feeling a stretch in the glutes. The height at which they can lift the leg is measured to assess glute flexibility.

Proper glute flexibility is important for optimal bike fit because it can affect the rider’s ability to maintain an efficient pedaling motion and an aerodynamic position. Tight glutes can also lead to discomfort and strain in the lower back and hips.

Calves

Proper calf flexibility is important for optimal bike fit because it can affect the rider’s ability to maintain an efficient pedaling motion and avoid discomfort or strain in the calf muscles. Tight calves can also lead to foot numbness or tingling. Here are a few common ways to assess calf flexibility:

Wall calf stretch
1. The rider stands facing a wall with their hands on the wall and their feet about a foot away from the wall. They place one foot behind the other and slowly bend the front knee while keeping the back heel on the ground. The distance between the back heel and the ground is measured to assess calf flexibility.
Seated calf stretch
1. The rider sits on the ground with their legs straight out in front of them. They loop a towel or resistance band around the ball of one foot and gently pull their toes towards their shin, feeling a stretch in the calf. The distance between the heel and the ground is measured to assess calf flexibility.
Downward dog stretch
1. The rider begins on all fours with their hands and feet on the ground. They lift their hips up and back, pushing their heels towards the ground. The distance between the heels and the ground is measured to assess calf flexibility.

Feet and ankles

Proper foot and ankle flexibility is important for optimal bike fit because it can affect the rider’s ability to maintain proper foot position on the pedals and avoid discomfort or strain in the foot or ankle. Assessing foot and ankle flexibility can help the bike fitter identify any potential issues and make necessary adjustments to the bike fit, such as adding orthotics or adjusting the pedal stroke.

Ankle dorsiflexion test
1. The rider stands facing a wall with their hands on the wall and their feet about six inches away from the wall. They lunge forward, keeping their heels on the ground, until their knees touch the wall. The distance between the big toe and the wall is measured to assess ankle flexibility.
Toe touch test
1. The rider sits on the ground with their legs straight out in front of them. They reach towards their toes, attempting to touch them with their fingertips. The distance between the fingertips and the toes is measured to assess foot and ankle flexibility.
Single-leg balance test
1. The rider stands on one foot and lifts the other foot off the ground. They hold this position for a few seconds, attempting to maintain their balance. This test assesses foot and ankle strength and stability, which can affect optimal bike fit.

Shoulders

Assessing shoulder flexibility is also important during a bike fit. Here are a few common ways to assess shoulder flexibility:

Shoulder flexion test
1. The rider stands facing a wall with their arms at their sides. They lift both arms straight up, attempting to touch their hands to the wall above their head. The distance between the fingertips and the wall is measured to assess shoulder flexibility.
Shoulder external rotation test
1. The rider lies on their side with their upper arm bent at a 90-degree angle and their elbow at their side. They rotate their forearm outwards, attempting to touch their hand to the ground behind them. The distance between the hand and the ground is measured to assess shoulder flexibility.
Shoulder internal rotation test
1. The rider lies on their side with their upper arm bent at a 90-degree angle and their elbow at their side. They rotate their forearm inwards, attempting to touch their hand to their belly. The distance between the hand and the belly is measured to assess shoulder flexibility.

Proper shoulder flexibility is important for optimal bike fit because it can affect the rider’s ability to maintain a comfortable and efficient riding position. Tight shoulders can lead to discomfort or strain in the neck, upper back, or arms. Assessing shoulder flexibility can help the bike fitter identify any potential issues and make necessary adjustments to the bike fit, such as adjusting handlebar position or the reach to the handlebars.

Upper back

Proper upper back flexibility is important for optimal bike fit because it can affect the rider’s ability to maintain a comfortable and efficient riding position. A stiff upper back can lead to discomfort or strain in the neck, shoulders, or lower back. Assessing upper back flexibility can help the bike fitter identify any potential issues and make necessary adjustments to the bike fit, such as adjusting handlebar height or the reach to the handlebars.

Seated trunk rotation test
1. The rider sits on the ground with their legs straight out in front of them. They cross one leg over the other and place the opposite hand on the knee. They then rotate their torso towards the crossed leg, attempting to touch their elbow to the outside of the knee. The distance between the elbow and the knee is measured to assess upper back flexibility.
Seated forward bend test
1. The rider sits on the ground with their legs straight out in front of them. They reach towards their toes, attempting to touch them with their fingertips. The distance between the fingertips and the toes is measured to assess upper back flexibility.
Cat-cow stretch
1. The rider begins on all fours with their hands and knees on the ground. They arch their back towards the ceiling, then drop their belly towards the ground, creating a smooth, flowing motion. This stretch can help assess upper back mobility.

Neck

Proper neck flexibility is important for optimal bike fit because it can affect the rider’s ability to maintain a comfortable and efficient riding position. A stiff neck can lead to discomfort or strain in the neck, shoulders, or upper back. Here are a few common ways to assess neck flexibility:

Cervical spine range of motion test
1. The rider stands or sits with their head in a neutral position. They then move their head up and down, attempting to touch their chin to their chest and their nose to the ceiling. They also move their head from side to side, attempting to touch their ear to their shoulder. The range of motion in each direction is measured to assess neck flexibility.
Neck rotation test
1. The rider stands or sits with their head in a neutral position. They then rotate their head to the left and right, attempting to look over their shoulder. The range of motion in each direction is measured to assess neck flexibility.

Assessing an athlete’s flexibility is an essential component of a comprehensive bike fit process that can optimize performance, prevent injuries, and improve comfort on the bike. Flexibility plays a crucial role in the biomechanics of cycling, as it affects the rider’s ability to maintain proper body position and pedal efficiently. Tight muscles can lead to poor form, increased strain on joints, and decreased power output. Furthermore, poor flexibility can also increase the risk of injury over time, as the body compensates for limited mobility in one area by placing additional strain on other areas. By assessing an athlete’s flexibility during a bike fit, a skilled fitter can make the necessary adjustments to the bike and/or recommend specific exercises to improve range of motion and prevent future injuries. Ultimately, optimizing an athlete’s flexibility can help them achieve their full potential on the bike, and enjoy the sport in greater comfort and safety.

In conclusion, proper bike fit is an essential aspect of cycling performance, and assessing an athlete’s flexibility is a critical component of that process. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a novice rider, optimizing your bike fit can make a significant difference in your comfort, efficiency, and overall enjoyment of the sport. As a cycling coach with years of experience in the industry, I offer comprehensive bike fit services tailored to your individual needs and goals. My commitment to helping you achieve your full potential on the bike, combined with my expertise in assessing your flexibility, can make a world of difference in your cycling experience. Don’t wait to take your performance to the next level – contact me today via phone or send me a message online to schedule your personalized bike fit consultation with Coach Gilberto Cortez.

Thank you for reading!

Gilberto Cortez - USA Cycling & TrainingPeaks Certified Coach