Is a proper fit at Sigma Sport or other worth it?

okgo

I've had my bike for about a year, but only recently started really putting the miles in. And I've noticed a few things.

My lower back aches after the first 10 miles, and gets very bad.

My hands ache , but I don't wear gloves so maybe this is the cure?


Do you think I can cure these things by having a pro-fit?

father_jack

Maybe post a picture of yourself from side on on the bike, maybe we might see what the problem is? I plan to do the same, just need a tweak on bike setup I think

okgo

I'll get my gf to take one later.

I've dropped the bars a bit to try and ease the pressure on my hands, I've got the feeling the stem is too long.

Pretre

+1 for a professional fit - especially if you can't even do 10 miles without issues (:shock:), although if you have other health issues then you need to get them sorted out as well...

I didn't when buying my first road bike about 3 years ago & I'm still having knee problems because of it ..

Super Domestique

When you say bike fit at Sigma Sport - do you mean the basic bike fitting or the full BG fit?

I am presuming by the term pro-fit you mean the expensive one. I can only imagine that would be very good. I only had the normal bikefit and my Allez is set up perfectly for me.

I would also look at the set up (2 page spread) in this month's cycling plus as it has an overview and you may find you need to tailor things to you that little bit more. It would be a good start.

okgo

Yes I meant the BG fit £120 or whatever it is.

I have an idea of a few things that could be wrong, but we will see when I get down there

Super Domestique

okgo wrote:

Yes I meant the BG fit £120 or whatever it is.

I have an idea of a few things that could be wrong, but we will see when I get down there

Hope it works out mate. They have a good team there. Speak to Jimmy if you can as he was really helpful.

antikythera

Just do it.

Even without your specific issues, a proper fitting should be considered mandatory particularly if you're looking to race (or performance riding). I go so far as getting a (review) fitting even few years, or when my body condition changes (noticeable weight loss).

I had a fitting at Sigma when I bought a bike from them a few years ago. The fit was spot on for me, so no complaints about their abilities.

As an aside, I developed back pains for a while (from just above the glutes), that was solved for me by more core exercises (swiss ball) and some weight work for the back and glutes. At a different time I also developed pain in the hands (loss of feeling in both little fingers), it just stopped happening?

okgo

Thanks!

I'm going to get one booked in.

Yes I had heard that, core excersises.

But seeing as I deadlift getting on for 200kg and squat 160 I thought my core was strong enough tbh.

antikythera

okgo wrote:

But seeing as I deadlift getting on for 200kg and squat 160 I thought my core was strong enough tbh.

Technique is everything!!!!

I go to the gym every day and mix it up between cardio and weights. But it wasn't until I started doing girly stuff :P like yoga and swiss ball that I discovered how I'd neglected the core muscles. It was pretty ego-defalting to discover I couldn't go into those classes and be a god :shock: based on my previous experience

okgo

Point being deadlift used nearly every muscle in the body, and squat maybe even more so.

So I doubt its my weak core.

wildmoustache

Yes a fit is usually worth it.

BUT, it can't tell you everything and isn't a panacea. There are things about your body, and how it relates to bike geometry that very likely you'll only find out about over time.

msw

I went with a specific problem - knee pain after about 50 miles that got so bad I couldn't walk afterwards - and a bike fit (at Mosquito Bikes in Islington) sorted it out instantly by changing my cleat positioning. Now on the one hand the cleat positioning was only a tiny bit of the bike fit, but on the other hand not having any knee pain was worth the cost of the whole thing. Plus I now have a CD with a spreadsheet of my ideal measurements for any bike I want to set up.

blackpoolkev

Am I alone in bristling about paying lots of money to someone that will tell me what size bike I need?
I visited Ribble Cycles in Preston where they sat me on an adjustable frame and told me that I needed a medium.Hardly the equivalent of a trip to Saville Row but it was helpful and free.

furrag

I think it's exploitation of a specialist market that they charge so much, but I've pretty much answered why it costs so much - it is a specialist area as well as a one-to-one service.

A quick adjustable frame will give you limited information. The top tube could be too long, or your stem could be too far to reach the bars meaning you absorb all the shock of the road through your elbows. Your bars could be too wide opening your chest and battling the wind more than you need to.

I had terrible terrible knee pain which threatened my cycling. 20 miles and it felt like I was being stabbed in the knee, which is no enjoyment. I felt like selling my bike. It was quite dangerous to get such a pain when I was clipped in too. Less than 0.5cm adjustment of my cleat backwards, and I've not even had a twinge over 1500 miles. A bike fit would have avoided that problem.

Pretre

Furrag wrote:

I think it's exploitation of a specialist market that they charge so much, but I've pretty much answered why it costs so much - it is a specialist area as well as a one-to-one service.

A quick adjustable frame will give you limited information. The top tube could be too long, or your stem could be too far to reach the bars meaning you absorb all the shock of the road through your elbows. Your bars could be too wide opening your chest and battling the wind more than you need to.

I had terrible terrible knee pain which threatened my cycling. 20 miles and it felt like I was being stabbed in the knee, which is no enjoyment. I felt like selling my bike. It was quite dangerous to get such a pain when I was clipped in too. Less than 0.5cm adjustment of my cleat backwards, and I've not even had a twinge over 1500 miles. A bike fit would have avoided that problem.

Not sure about the "exploitation" part - they're selling a service, not holding a gun to your head - but spot on re the fit