Fitting your road bike part 1 (also touring, hybrid, commuter, city) bike shop Ontario California

As part of our bike shop in Ontario, California's series of bicycle fit guides we've been posting on our blog, we bring you a series on fitting your road bike. Fit guidelines for touring bikes and hybrid, commuter and city bikes are likely to be similar to fit for a road bike. These are loose guidelines. Always make adjustments to fit based on your riding style, preferences, and comfort, if needed. Generally, the road bike guidelines are designed to make your ride more aerodynamic and fast. If you are uncomfortable with the road bike's fit, it is a good idea to come into a local retailer and get help making adjustments and modifications so your bike will work for you.

First, select a bike that fits you. This is done by checking standover height. A quality shop will have experts help you select the right bike, but you can also check standover height yourself. 

Stand straddling the top tube of the bike, in front of the seat. If the top tube goes straight across, you will want about 1" clearance between your crotch and the tube. If the top tube of your bike is sloped, your aim will be 2" of clearance. Wear your cycling shoes when you are checking fit, as they will affect your standover height. 

Check out our shop, including our road bike selection at www.bumsteadbikes.com and stay tuned for our next post describing adjustments to your road bike fit.