To get the most from cycling, both from a comfort and performance point of view, it’s important to ensure that your bike fits well. This means more than putting the saddle to the right height and heading off for your first ride. If that’s your only input, there’s every chance you’ll return with aches and pains and a bike that’s banished to the garage, which is no good for anyone. Taking the time to not only ensure that the bike is the right size at the time of purchase, but also to have it set up correctly for your body proportions. These simple measures will ensure your cycling career gets off to the best possible start.

The first thing to identify is frame size. An experienced shop or mechanic will be able to assess your position on the bike and give you advice here. It’s then a case of dialing in your position through a bike fit where specific measurements will be taken to determine your optimum cycling position based on your own body. Finite adjustments to the height and position of the saddle, length and height of the stem, reach to the handlebars and even the position of shoe cleats to keep your knees aligned well (amongst a whole host of other specifics) really are of benefit to every rider on the road today, and not only those new to the sport.