Bicycle Fitting Information - Body Measurements

Inseam (Click here to see figures about making the inseam measurements)
You must be standing on a hard surface, in bare feet (or light cycling socks). Ideally, you will be wearing cycling shorts or long tights.

Place the feet so the medial ankle bones are approximately 5cm apart. This can easily be gauged by slipping the width of the measuring tape case between the ankle bones.
Attach a metric tale to the top of a 12" long dowel rod. Hold the dowel rod horizontally and firmly in the crotch. The metric tape should be centered in the crotch. Centering the measuring tape will give the most accurate inseam measurement. With the rod firmly in the crotch, pull with about the same pressure that you would feel if you were sitting on a bicycle seat. Pull the measuring tape to the floor for the inseam measurement. After you have taken a few measurements and you are confident that you have the most accurate inseam measurement, record this measurement on the fit kit sheet.

Foot Length (Click here to see figures about making the foot length measurement)
Using a wall of a room, or the side of a cabinet, tape a measuring tape to the floor. Then position your heels against the wall or cabinet with the measuring tape between the feet. Lay a straight edge at the end of the longest part of the feet (usually the big toe) and record this distance to the nearest mm on the fit kit sheet.

Occasionally an individual will have different foot lengths. If the difference is less than 5 mm simply record the length of the longest foot. However, if the foot length difference is greater than 5 mm, record this on the fit kit sheet for later reference.

Thigh Length (Click here to see figures about making the thigh length measurement)
On a hard surface, take a kneeling position. Using the same rod and measuring tape that was used for the inseam measurement, hold the rod horizontally and firmly in the crotch with the end of the measuring tape on top of the rod. The metric tape should be centered in the crotch. Centering the measuring tape will give the most accurate measurement.

Pull the rod with about the same pressure that you did earlier when doing the inseam measurement, then pull the measuring tape to the floor and record the thigh measurement to the nearest mm.

Again, take several measurements to be confident that you have the most accurate thigh measurement before recording it on the fit kit sheet.

Torso Length (Click here to see figures about making the torso length measurement)
Using the rod and measuring tape from the inseam measurement, move the end of the measuring tape to about 2 cm from one end of the rod, and position the rod in the crotch so that it is horizontal with the measuring tape in front of you. Pull the tape vertically up the middle of the chest. The torso length is the distance from the crotch to the base of the sternal notch. This is the "V" shaped area just above the manubrium. The measurement should end at the base of this "V" shape area.

Be sure that your measurement is from the top of the rod. Once again, I would like for you to take this measurement several times so that we get a most accurate measurement. Record on the fit kit sheet under Corrected torso length.

Arm Length (Click here to see figures about making the arm length measurement)
Reposition the end of the measuring tape to a spot about 5 inches from one end of the rod. Grasp the rod and hold your arm at about 45 degrees from the midline of the body The elbow must be extended fully during this measurement.

The arm length is the distance from the rod to the acromion process. The acromion process is the bone like protuberance at the edge of the shoulder

Be sure the measurement is taken from the top of the rod. After taking several measurements, record on the fit kit sheet under corrected arm length.

Upper Body Measurement (Click here to see figures about making the upper body measurements)
This is not an actual body measurement. The upper body measurement (UBM) is the sum of the corrected arm length and the corrected torso length.

Shoulder Width
This distance is measured across the back and is the distance between the Acromion processes. The metric measuring may be wrapped to follow the contour of the shoulders. After taking several measurements, record on the fit kit sheet.

Hand Size
This measurement is made by placing the dowel rod flat on a smooth surface, wrap your hand around the rod as shown in figure K. Measuring from the flat surface to the top of top of your clinched hand. If this measurement is less than 7 cm, your hand size is small. If the measurement is between 7 cm and 9 cm, then your hand size is medium. If the measurement is more than 9 cm, your hand size is large.

Last Updated: May 25, 2007