Five Minutes With... Lee Endres

Lee Endres is co-host of the and a Sheffield based bike fitter specialising in ultra-cycling. He has raced downhill, crit, road and ultra-distance; his passion for just about anything with two wheels starting at a very young age. This love for all things cycling has peaked with him starting his own bike fitting business, .

More About Lee Endres

Prior to being a bike fitter, Lee was a music producer, which is glaringly obvious when you hear the intro to the DotComms Podcast. He tells me that there are plenty of common skills between music production and bike fitting, such as attention to detail, experimentation, creativity and empathy. Having trained with Tony Corke of Torke cycling, the leading UK bike fitting trainer, and working for a few years in the most successful bike fitting studios in London, Lee is now six years in to running Peak Bike Fitting.

What bike do you ride, and are there any key setup points you’d like to share?

I have a Cannondale Scalpel. It's a lovely, very capable hardtail mountain bike. The Peaks are pretty tough and a gravel bike just doesn't quite do the job. It's also just way more fun on downhills and more comfortable over longer distances. I chose this specific frame because its geometry allows for a lovely, big, full-frame bag, Also, its lefty fork means you don't have to take the front wheel off when fixing a puncture! I've just put on a 30t chainring to prepare myself for the Hope1000 event I'm racing this year with an insane 32,000 metres of climbing in 1000km.

What's the most overlooked bike-fitting parameter for ultracyclists and how would you advise people to assess and make a change?

I think ultracyclists can tend to overlook bike fitting in general, actually. Cyclists often associate bikefitting with wanting to get quicker by improving aero capabilities, but I would argue that ultra-distance cyclists need bike fits more than these other types of cyclist. Consider for a second that 99% of cycling injuries (apart from those from crashes) are a result of overuse. Imagine doing the same motion over and over again, thousands of times, and not realising the saddle is too high, for example? Needing a bike fit is a bit like needing a haircut – as we found out during Covid, you'll miss things if you try and do it yourself. At some point you just need someone to look around the back of the head and make sure everything is looking good contextually!

Image Credit: Matthew Pull

What’s the most prevalent physical limitation you see in riders, and do you have any exercise or advice on how to deal with that?

I'm first and foremost a bikefitter, so I don't try to prescribe too many stretches or exercises for specific problems. I'd say the main physical limitation I see is a lack of stability, which I see during the physical assessments I do pre-bike fit. One of the exercises I get the rider to try is a single leg squat; I think only 5-10% of people can do them without issues. A squat perfectly mimics the pedalling action and helps to stabilise you on the bike and improve efficiency. I would say that some strength work is the best thing any cyclist can do for themselves. Doing a plank, hip flexor stretches, and single leg squats can help so much on long-distance races. Your form will hold for longer and it will actually help things like nerve damage post race. I would also like to mention that stretching whilst you stop to eat is a very tactical move: you will recover better if you stretch!

What’s the best bike modification or accessory that could benefit an ultracyclist?

Okay, this is a hard one! I would say either sorting out your saddle. The relationship you should have with it, is that you hardly realise it is there. Or, getting aero bars fitted specifically by a bike fitter. Don't just put them on yourself, as there are many more ways of getting it wrong than right! They give you the ability to offset weight on the ulnar nerve (if you're on a road or gravel bike) and also offer an alternative hand position to help with general fatigue and nerve issues. Even pressing your ulnar nerve for a few hours can cause temporary nerve damage; imagine what 70 hours does!

What bike fit issues are only likely to make themselves known after consecutive days of cycling?

Knee pain. Caused by: saddle height too high, saddle height too low, saddle too far back, saddle too far forward, incorrect saddle, cranks too long, cranks too short, lack of foot support, cleats too far forward. Bike fitting is so multi-faceted and contextual. It is never just one thing, like the choice of saddle, for example. It's a journey of experimentation but it is absolutely joyous when you find a position that allows you to pedal over 1000km without problems. I've a track history working with many ultra-distance cyclists with both great results and finishing rates. I'm still amazed you can get bike fits specifically for time trial bikes, but you can't get a specific ultra-distance one. That's where I come in. If you love this niche part of the sport, come see me for a bike fit!

Image Credit: Matthew Pull

Get In Touch

You can hear more from Lee by subscribing to the , and following him online:

peakbikefitting@gmail.com