Bike Fitting...

itsallinthelegs

...is it worth it? I am talking about a professional fitting where they take every conceivable measurement :? to ensure your rig is properly set up. I am unconvinced as to how useful this is, so would like to get some opinions, esp from ppl who've had it done.

If you have had a bike fitting which was really helpful and good value for money, let us know here!

Garybee

Haven't had a bike fit but can't really see the point. Positions vary quite wildly among pro riders anyway, presumably if these bikefit sessions were worth doing then all pro riders would have an identical position on the bike.

andyp

Garybee wrote:

Haven't had a bike fit but can't really see the point. Positions vary quite wildly among pro riders anyway, presumably if these bikefit sessions were worth doing then all pro riders would have an identical position on the bike.

Eh? Size varies wildly amongst pro riders which may affect position.

aracer

I think your answers will go along the lines of those who've had one will tell you it's wonderful and the best thing they ever did, those who haven't will tell you not to bother.

Having said that I've not had one, and never will as I'm happy my position on the bike is sorted, but would suggest that it might be helpful for you if you're not sure of your position on the bike or uncomfortable.

berg

I had it done because I was a total beginner - wanted some idea of positioning on a bike. However, after several months riding I feel uncomfortable on long-ish rides (50+ miles) especially in the lower back region so will be looking to deviate from my supposed perfect fit. What I will change I have no idea! Trial and error I guess.

andyp

I've always been slightly cynical about bike fitting services as I'm sure if you had it done by five different experts you'd end up with five different positions (there's an idea for an article in C+).

However, I had problems with my knee a few years ago and went to Cyclefit in Covent Garden on the recommendation of a friend who consulted with them previously about a similar problem. I was very impressed with the level of analysis they did and my pedal stroke has been much more efficient since I adopted the changes they proposed. Some of their recommendations about bar height I found uncomfortable so I didn't persist with them but the money I spent was worth it for the pedal stroke changes alone.

I'd definitely recommend them to anyone who was looking to invest some money in improving their position.

Garybee

andyp wrote:

Garybee wrote:

Haven't had a bike fit but can't really see the point. Positions vary quite wildly among pro riders anyway, presumably if these bikefit sessions were worth doing then all pro riders would have an identical position on the bike.

Eh? Size varies wildly amongst pro riders which may affect position.

Some riders have a saddle position on their TT bike exactly the same as that on their road bike, some move it further forward so they can open their legs out more. This is the kind of difference that i was referring to. Somebody telling you a position is biomechanically perfect is of no use if you are uncomfortable in that position.

I think that a rider's position on a bike is something that evolves anyway with changes in flexibility and riding style and possibly even power.

aracer

Garybee wrote:

Some riders have a saddle position on their TT bike exactly the same as that on their road bike, some move it further forward so they can open their legs out more.

Very few I'd imagine have the same saddle position on their road and TT bikes - I'd have thought those that do aren't particularly bothered about doing well in TTs. It's more to do with getting the upper body lower on the TT bike, hence you rotate your whole body forwards to maintain the same hip angle on both bikes. That's certainly the way I have my TT bike set up (is surprisingly comfy once I get used to the neck angle I have to hold). Is quite a complex fit problem to get both setup right.

Garybee

aracer wrote:

Garybee wrote:

Some riders have a saddle position on their TT bike exactly the same as that on their road bike, some move it further forward so they can open their legs out more.

Very few I'd imagine have the same saddle position on their road and TT bikes - I'd have thought those that do aren't particularly bothered about doing well in TTs. It's more to do with getting the upper body lower on the TT bike, hence you rotate your whole body forwards to maintain the same hip angle on both bikes. That's certainly the way I have my TT bike set up (is surprisingly comfy once I get used to the neck angle I have to hold). Is quite a complex fit problem to get both setup right.

Boardman did this, it would be hard to describe him as "not being particularly bothered" when it came to TTs. I agree it is a very complex issue and what works for some may not for others. The point i was making though was that because we all have different preferances it surely can't be possible to set up a bike based on a person's measurements alone.

mea00csf

Only had a veeeerrrryyy basic one to aid buying a first bike (was dreading the buying bike question of " how does it feel"? "well, weird, i've never been on a raod bike before" aaarrrggghh!!) but i can see the use of them. I don't think i'd pay for one unless i was getting pains in knees/back etc when cycling. Having said that, i can see that that might be too late.....

aracer

I think the point is that for people new to cycling or to road bikes, or those who are uncomforable they can be useful.

Boardman sat relatively well back on his TT bike, and forward on his road bike. I also thought we were talking about the present - Boardman was relatively old fashioned in some respects even for his time (he effectively fixed his position in the early 90s).

herbie12

It's certainly something that I've been thinking about... I've been road riding on and off for 6-7 years and had always accepted that pain in the lower back and hands were just something I had to put up with on 30+ mile rides. If I could get rid of that then I'd certainly spend the money!

neilv

www.cyclefit.co.uk are mentioned a lot but they do a big process with lots of analysis. The other option is go to a dealer who does http://www.bikefitting.com/English/Frame.aspx they tend to charge about £35 or in my experience free if you buy a bike.

Fit is really important to prevent injury and many people have wrong size frames. I had a disc prolapse a few years ago but find my current (bikefitting setup) very comfortable. Interestingly several of the bikes I wanted to buy just didn't fit my body shape.

wastelander

I got my Somec fitted at Race Scene - and found the dimensions radically different from my 'oh, that feels about right' Cannondale...frame 1.5cms longer in the top/seat tubes, head tube 2cm longer, stem 1cm longer, seat moved 2cm's further back and the bars too narrow by 4cms! The Cannondale had never felt wrong (it was my first road bike coming from a MTB) but with hindsight it obviously was.

The new position was completely alien at first but it was quickly obvious that it was better - longer leg stroke producing more power and speed, easier breathing because of the wider chest and after just a few rides I had gone from feeling 'perched' on top of the new bike to being part of it.

My opinion is that it's money well spent, espeically as Race Scene hold the cost of a fitting session (£75 I think) in credit against a future frame/bike purchase.

mea00csf

I did the bikefitting.com for my first bike a couple of months ago. As helpful as it was, and at £35 was good to get a first road bike sizing when you have no idea how stretched out you should feel, it's not detailed and certainly won't work for specific aches and pains.

It's main use is for guiding you towards correct frame geometries and ruling out brands that don't work for you, not to get perfect positioning. I personally took the data, tested bikes set up to my data. Once i'd bought the bike i then started making slight adjustments to get comfy.

It gave a good idea of what else to look for aswell, ie, narrow bars and the shortest cranks leading me to female specific bikes rather than men's bikes. Interestingly the SCR W that i bought is the same frame as the men's but still suited me better due to the narrow bars

terongi

I did a full fitting session at Cyclefit in Covent Garden.

It gave me enormous advantages:

(1) They showed me how much energy I was wasting in my existing set up. There were whole groups of muscles I was not using and which I should have been using.
(2) They improved my pedal stroke.
(3) The changes they made to the bike and my posture meant that I no longer suffer from upper and lower back pain on 70+ mile rides.

This has improved my endurance, not because I am fitter, but because I am much more efficient at using my energy resources. I had no idea I was so inefficient before I went. They actually show you the amount of power and torque you are producing with each leg on each stroke. You can then compare it with the power/torque readings after you start using the techiques/set-up which they advise you.

A proper bike fitting session is not just about saddle/bar height and whether your frame is the right size; it teaches you a lot about cycling style and technique. It is, of course, unique to each person's shape/size etc. It is well worth the money.

tobciocc

Terongi

Did cyclefit actually sort your own bike for you, or did you just get a series of measurements and have to apply them yourself. I have recurring back problems that have wrecked many a season, this one included.

Cheers

Tobciocc

Nuggs

neilv wrote:

I had a disc prolapse a few years ago but find my current (bikefitting setup) very comfortable. Interestingly several of the bikes I wanted to buy just didn't fit my body shape.

That's good to hear - I'm recovering from a herniated disc and facet joint problems. I also see a knee surgeon twice a year to see whether it's time for him to get busy with the knife.

My physio's recommended that I take up cycling next year and I'm worried that it might aggravate my problems. Given my knackered physical frame, I think a bikefitting session is a no-brainer. It's good to hear that a good setup has helped you...:)