Moving your saddle forward has become the latest supposed bike fit shortcut to producing more cycling power, often justified by the positions of elite riders like Tadej Pogačar. But saddle position, and bike fit in general, is more complicated than that. Power production, pelvic stability, weight distribution, handling, and long-term comfort all interact. Before copying a professional cyclist's position, it's worth asking whether the same compromises make sense for you.

For decades, bicycle fitters have used Knee Over Pedal Spindle (KOPS) to determine saddle fore-aft position. But does aligning the knee with the pedal spindle actually improve power production or biomechanics? There may be a small mechanical argument in its favor, but that's a long way from establishing a universal fitting rule. Here's why a good position might satisfy KOPS entirely by coincidence—and why understanding the rider matters more than satisfying a measurement.

Cycling coaches have promoted ankling for decades, claiming that deliberate ankle movement through the bottom of the pedal stroke creates additional power. Now, social media types with a stethoscope around their neck are weighing in…poorly. But what does the research actually show? Understanding pedal-force direction, crank torque, and muscular effectiveness reveals why more movement doesn't necessarily mean more propulsion—and why copying the ankle movement of elite cyclists may be misguided.

What actually qualifies someone to be a bike fitter? A three-day certification, expensive motion-capture technology, or a background in physical therapy? The answer is more complicated. A good bike fitter needs to understand human biomechanics, bicycle mechanics, geometry, and handling—and have the judgment to bring them together. Here's what cyclists should look for when choosing someone to trust with their position on the bike.

The bicycle industry is extraordinarily good at making measurable improvements. But measurable and meaningful aren’t always the same thing. Shimano’s new pedals reduce stack height by 2.3 mm—or an impressive-sounding 15 percent. It raises a larger question about cycling technology: when does innovation actually make riding better, and when does it simply make bicycles more complicated?

Many common bike fit mistakes begin with reasonable ideas that have become rigid rules. From cleat position and knee angle to spinal posture and saddle fore-aft, the problem often isn’t the adjustment—it’s prescribing it before understanding the rider.

If the foot behaves as a rigid lever inside a cycling shoe, fore-aft cleat position becomes a question of lever mechanics rather than anatomical landmarks. Discover how total foot length may influence muscle recruitment, stability, and pedaling efficiency.

Fore-aft cleat position has long been based on the location of the metatarsophalangeal joints. But if the foot behaves as a rigid lever inside a cycling shoe, are we measuring the right anatomy—or simply following convention?

For more than twenty years, I've been chasing one question: why do some riders leave a bike fit feeling transformed while others continue searching for answers? That pursuit has taken me far beyond the bicycle industry, through graduate research in exercise physiology and biomechanics, international bike fit instruction, clinical manual therapy training, and thousands of hours working with riders whose problems couldn't be solved by simply adjusting a saddle or changing a stem. Recently, the International Bike Fit Institute recognized that journey by awarding me their Level 4 – Master Bike Fitter certification. More meaningful than the title itself was the reason behind it: a philosophy that values clinical reasoning, continued learning, and consistently helping riders achieve better outcomes. This isn't the story of a certification. It's the story of why I've spent two decades asking better questions—and how that pursuit shapes every rider who walks through the door at RedEye Service Course.

Cyclists are routinely told they have pelvic asymmetries, functional leg-length discrepancies, hip imbalances, and chronic pain patterns. Yet one of the bicycle's three primary contact points is often excluded from the conversation entirely: the feet.

Hand numbness is often blamed on gloves, handlebars, or weight distribution. In reality, the source of the problem may originate in the neck, shoulder, or forearm long before the nerves ever reach your hands.

Choosing a bike fitter goes beyond software, joint angles, and equipment. After 22 years of fitting, academic research in biomechanics, international education, clinical bodywork training, and work with everyone from world champions to everyday riders, I’ve learned that fitting is ultimately about understanding people.

Hand numbness while cycling isn't always caused by gloves, handlebars, or pressure at the palm. Rider balance, wrist position, aging, breathing mechanics, and nerve irritation anywhere between the neck and fingertips can contribute. A thoughtful bike fit looks beyond where the numbness occurs to understand why it's happening.

Lower back pain while cycling isn’t always a problem with the back itself. Hip mobility, pelvic stability, crank length, saddle position, posture, and movement strategies can all influence how the lumbar spine is loaded. A thoughtful bike fit looks beyond where it hurts to understand why the back is struggling.

Hip pain while cycling isn't always solved by simply “opening the hips.” Crank length, saddle position, pelvic asymmetry, mobility, and foot mechanics can all influence how the hip moves under load. A thoughtful bike fit starts by understanding why the hip is struggling—not simply changing the angle.

Knee pain is common among cyclists, but the knee isn’t always the source of the problem. Saddle position, cleat setup, crank length, hip mobility, pelvic stability, and foot mechanics can all influence what happens at the knee. A thoughtful bike fit looks beyond where it hurts to understand why it hurts.

Cycling safety is often reduced to a single idea: brighter lights equal safer riding. But human vision doesn’t work that way. Drivers respond to contrast, motion, beam shape, and context far more than raw lumen output. This article explores why visibility is a system—not a product—and how thoughtful lighting, clothing choices, and biomotion cues help cyclists be seen clearly without creating glare, annoyance, or misjudgment on the road.

Subtle pelvic asymmetries can shape how riders load the bike, absorb stress, and adapt over time. Addressing them often clarifies problems that never quite resolve otherwise.

In cycling, the back is frequently the victim of forces generated elsewhere. Addressing hip function, pelvic control, and load distribution often resolves back pain more effectively than treating the spine alone.

Cycling places sustained demands on the hips that extend beyond the bike. Without addressing hip flexor tone and posture, many fit solutions treat symptoms rather than causes.