In this article I will share my thoughts and experiences with Bikefitting Bioracer Motion System at Golazo Energy (former Energylab) and Bakala Academy for both my road and mountain bike. Kobe Verstraeten has helped me to optimize my position on these two bikes for both performance and comfort. I will also share my experience with the Biorace Motion System technology which drives the outcomes for the bikefitting experience.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Bikefitting – Understanding your body
Bikefitting is more about your body than about your bike.
The human engine, genetics and blue print of your skeleton, joint flexibility, muscle fibre types, heart and lungs are all essential parts of the human engine and the power output it can produce. Check out the book The Secret of Cycling if you want to learn more about the physics behind cycling.
But the maximum (human) capability is there by design (your genetic blue print). So the bike will be optimized to perfectly fit to your body (and not the other way around). However I can tell from own experience that a proper bikefit makes a lot of difference. Kobe Verstraten working at/for EnergyLab/Golazo Energy performed a bike fit:
- Canyon Ultimate CF SLX (road bike) in 05-2017
- Scott Scale 925 (mountain bike) in 10-2023
Both bike fits were conducted with different supporting technology. Being an engineer by profession this is of course interesting to see how technology has advanced in those years.
Bikefitting technology – Bioracer Motion System
I will mainly focus on the Bioracer Motion System used from the Scott Scale 925 Bikefitting since this is the latest and best technology used by Golazo Energy and Bakala Athletic Performance Facility.
The Bioracer Motion system is the first real 3D bike fit system in the world that measures and analyses both sides of the cyclist simultaneously using 22 wireless active markers and 6 extremely accurate cameras, at a speed of 120 frames per second, which will help find the optimal biomechanical position of the cyclist. For more information on the Bioracer Motion system, click here.
As an engineer I’m certainly interested in the technology part of a bike fitting experience.
Biorace Motion System Hardware
The 6 Optitrack V120 cameras are build into two wings consisting of 3 cameras each, and which look like a part of a formula 1 car (with the carbon finish). All camera cables are attached to a computer, which does the heavy lifting in visualizing and calculating. Both the wings are positioned on one side of the room, with a Wahoo Kickr smart trainer in the middle of the room in which your bike is placed.
Before one can place the bike in the Wahoo Kickr, calibration of the 6 Optitrack V120 cameras needs to be performed in 3D through the room (making sure that both sides can be measured and analyzed). It is about moving a fork-shaped maker through the room, while keeping an eye on the monitor that the calibration space is covered.
The final critical pieces of hardware are the markers that are used to build-up the cyclist 3D skeleton model to measure and analyze. When the calibration is done, your bike is in the Wahoo Kickr with you the cyclist being on-top of your bike, the markers are placed.
To conduct a bike fitting, 20 wireless active markers are placed on the cyclist’s joints that are relevant for analysis of the bicycling movement (10 on each side of the body). 2 reference markers are placed on the bicycle that will serve as the middle line to evaluate the symmetry of the cyclist.
Software Bioracer Motion System
All the data collected from the markers (and calibrated camera’s) is being processed in the Bioracer Motion System software.
Bioracer Motion software offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use solution to bike fitters. It tracks the 20 markers on the cyclist’s body with sub-millimeter precision and produces a 3D reconstruction of the cyclist’s movement on the bike. Next to displaying 3D reconstruction of the movement of the entire body of the cyclist from side, back and upper view, the software also enables analysis of the specific joint movements.
And while the software helps, it is the experience of Kobe Verstraeten that will make the difference. Getting the saddle position into the optimum spot was relative easy. And we’ve played with a couple of scenarios from the handlebar, stem height (spacers) and measured the before and the after movement. Without the experiences of bikefits from both professional athletes and recreational cyclists, the latest scientific background, the data cannot be interpreted and optimized from real life experience like Kobe Verstraeten does.
In the video above you will get the idea of live analysis on the movements. The video is found through the Bioracer Motion website where your can also see the 3 service categories in which they can help:
- Bioracer Aero
- Bioracer Motion
- Bioracer Service Center
Please note the crank rotations and force vector like representation as with the Shimano Connect Lab / Pioneer Cyclosphere analysis. See how the measurement also shows the stability of shoulder and hips, while applying force on the pedals.
Concluding thoughts and wrap-up
I cannot emphasize the importance of a proper bike fit, since it will maximize power output and comfort by making sure the bike is fully adapted to your body (which is unique for everyone).
Although one can expect a difference in position between mountain bike and road race bike, I wasn’t able to see where and how it would differ when both bike positions would be optimized. In both cases the after bikefit scenario made such a huge difference, noticeable for a simple recreational cyclist like me.
Thanks to Kobe Verstraeten, who patiently explained his experience and reasoning when I asked the why-question when we were progressing during the bike fitting process. It gave me again additional highly interesting insights in the biomechanics of my body on a Scott Scale 925 mountain bike.
If you are planning to optimize your bikefit, than reach out to Golazo Energy, the price point is worth it in comfort, stability and performance on the bike. It is a way better investment than lightweight components on your bike.
About Bioracer Motion System
Bioracer Motion is the new standard in professional cycling analysis. this high-tech innovation is the only system in the world that simultaneously analyses both sides of the cyclist. This provides a unique insight in one’s cycling movement, symmetry and stability These insights are a prerequisite to create the perfect cycling movement to reach maximum performance and minimise the risk of overuse injuries.
Bioracer Motion — Bioracer Aero
About Bakala Academy – Athletic Performance Facility
“The Bakala Athletic Performance Facility takes its name from Czech investor and cycling fan Zdenek Bakala. In 2011, Zdenek Bakala took the initiative, in collaboration with KU Leuven, to set up an academic centre with the mission to stimulate sports science research within an international context, while at the same time translating the acquired knowledge and expertise to the recreational and elite athlete in the field. Bakala Academy is therefore both an academic research centre and a centre for social services in sport.”
Mission | Bakala Athletic Performance Facility (bakala-academy.be)
About EnergyLab / Golazo Energy
Golazo Energy helps people to move more and better. We want to motivate everyone to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Golazo Energy helps companies in creating and implementing a sustainable health policy through its corporate wellbeing services. This includes unique online and offline activations, interactive workshops, inspiring keynotes, and diverse sports events. Additionally, we provide professional testing & coaching services in our sport labs and via apps such as Start 2 Run and Hardlopen met Evy.
Golazo Energy | Full-service sports, health and well-being agency | Energy Lab