Sit on the bike and put the heel of one foot on one of the pedals at it’s lowest point. There should then be a tiny, tiny bend in the leg. Move the seat column up or down accordingly until the setting is correct. Matt explained that this will ensure there is maximum leverage with each pedal rotation, thereby increasing the efficiency of action.  Bringing my elbow up to the end of the seat (nearest the handlebars) and holding my hand out straight the longest finger should be approximately in the ‘middle’ of the stem. The stem connects the handlebars to the steering tube of the bicycle fork. Adjust the seat either forward or backwards along its rails.  Sitting on the bike with hands in preferred riding position – which is normally either on top of the brake levers (hoods) or on the drops of the handlebars – you should feel comfortable. In this position it should be an easy reach, not too stretched, and you should just be able to see the axle of the front wheel ‘beneath’ the handlebar.  With all the fine adjustments made, the dimensions were noted down by Matt enabling the bike to be built.  This is the first stage of choosing the right size road bike frame and getting the basics of the bike set up for general, comfortable riding. For those keen to take the sport to the next level, there are other specialist cycle fitters who can offer the ‘fine tuning’ of the bike to your body shape and your riding style such as Sigma Sports and cyclefit.  However, as someone just starting out on the challenge of long distance cycling, I am happy with the settings and can now, hopefully, look forward to hours of comfortable and efficient cycling!
Ahead of his Land's End to John O'Groats ride, Julian Sambles says   choosing the right bike and setting it up correctly is one of the most   important parts of his preparation.