Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and bike fitting truly go hand in hand. CAD or computer-aided design technology gives me a new perspective on rider position and the necessary changes that need to occur in order meet the fit solution e.g. increase or decrease saddle height, fore/aft, effective body extension and so on. The fit solution is generated by a separate proprietary software program which I am licensed and trained to use – it was created by Tom Coleman of WN Precision Bicycle Fittings.
Until now, I had no way to project rider position but now with this technology, I am able to input anatomical measurements i.e. leg, trunk and foot length along the frame geometry and existing component length and instantly determine adherence to the fit solution.
A common issue is the athletes reach is too cramped. This comes from a variety of issue but most common is the stem is too short. This causes problems during the alignment process as the saddle fore/aft is not intended to compensate for effective body extension or EBE (the distance from the saddle sweet spot to the center of the handlebars or slanted rider compartment). So, if the stack and reach of the athlete’s bike frame are correct but the stem is too short I can insert changes to the CAD program to determine the necessary stem length.
CAD has proven to also help save time and eliminate redundancy in the alignment process. The alignment process (the point at which I am implementing the fit solution and altering the saddle height is incorrect. With CAD I no longer have to align the entire bike just to find out that a new stem is necessary (shorter or longer) or that the frames stack and reach are too tall or short. Further, this is a great tool for illustrating and quantifying changes to be made to the athlete.
As a small business owner, I try to provide a service above and beyond my competitors. I attempt to explain the entire process as clearly as possible while making sure I triple check my work and ensure the athlete that the work I have completed is without error. CAD is the perfect finishing touch to the customer’s experience as it provides a visual aide to everything I explained regarding the measurement process along with the physical changes I make to the bike and shoes.
A proper bike fit coupled with necessary time to adjust to the alignment along with pedaling instruction (included in all my fits) will help the athlete produce more power on the bike while pedaling in a comfortable and correct fashion.