Cycling Analysis
Bike-fit posture, knee tracking and pedalling mechanics from a side clip and a rear clip.
How far has this tool been checked?
The measurements were checked against computer-drawn athletes whose true answers are known exactly. That shows the arithmetic and the event rules are right under clean, controlled conditions. It does not measure how well the body-tracking model sees real people (water, loose clothing, crouching, fast limbs) and has not been compared with a lab or a coach’s stopwatch. Treat the numbers as an aid, and use the confidence label beside each value.
Where the camera goes
Seen from above. Angles are measured round from the front of the athlete; 90° is square-on from the side. Reference line: direction of travel.
Side view, rider’s left side. Knee angle at the bottom of the stroke, hip angle, torso angle and reach.
How high, and how it should sit
Framing
The whole rider from shoulder to foot; both hips, knees and shoulders visible through several pedal cycles.
The 70–90% band is our own guidance. No published source gives a camera distance in metres, so use it as a starting point and adjust until the whole movement fits.
Ready to record?
Tick each item as you set it up. This is a reminder, not a lock.
0 of 11 ready
All the camera settings
Every setting shows where it came from.
- Camera height
- No height is given. Put the lens at about hip height so the whole rider fits.
- Our guidance
- Distance
- No published distance exists. Stand back until the whole athlete fits with a small margin, so the athlete fills roughly 70-90% of the frame height. Use the 1x lens and move your feet, not the zoom.
- Our guidance
- Frame rate
- 60+ fps. 60 fps and 1080p whenever possible. Slow-motion footage saved at normal speed works if you enter the recorded rate.
- From published guidance
- Resolution
- 1080p recommended
- From published guidance
- Orientation
- Landscape or portrait both work.
- From published guidance
- Lens and zoom
- Use the 1x lens with no digital zoom. Avoid ultra-wide and fisheye lenses.
- From published guidance
- Lighting
- Bright light and minimal motion blur.
- From published guidance
- Stability
- Tripod or fixed support.
- From published guidance
- Calibration
- No calibration is needed for angles. Distances and speeds need a scale (see Calibration).
- From published guidance
Before you start
- Pedal at a steady cadence and resistance for each view.
- Keep the bike, shoes and cleat setup unchanged between a baseline and a retest.
- Use the same cadence range and the same trainer or road setup for a fair comparison.
- Change one fit variable at a time, then record again from the same camera position.
Cues for the athlete
Plain coaching cues, one thing at a time.
General
- Ride naturally at your usual cadence.
- After a saddle change, wait a few minutes of riding before recording.
Why camera position matters
Research behind these rules.
2D angles are only trustworthy when the limb moves in the plane the camera sees. Camera-side joints are measured more accurately than far-side joints, and timing is only as fine as one frame.