Anyone buying a new bike a bike-fit is a MUST

Gazspurs

Well today has been a day of bikeporn heaven :shock:

Had today off to collect my Felt AR5 & to tinker/ change sat nav over etc.

After just doing a couple of laps round the block to make sure the cadence sensors were working I could not believe the difference in a 10 minute spell a full & proper bike fit has made.

A massive Thanks must go to the guys at North Hants Bikes over in Whitchurch for not only supplying a fabulous bike but the detailed bike-fit I had this morning. just little tweaks here & there have made a massive difference to my riding style & power output.

I know that a lot of new cyclists read these threads & I have been guilty of just purchasing a bike online in the past but if your serious about spending some money & want to get the most from your bike & cycling in general I can't recommend going to see a local bike shop, getting to know them & being fitted to the bike you want enough.

Just need the weather to improve & for the evenings to return to get some decent miles under it

mallorcajeff

me too made a great difference in comfort and being able to produce more power more of the time. New bike sounds nice!
enjoy

smoggysteve

I would agree but only to a certain point. No point paying a few 100 quid for a bike fit if you are only going to buy something that costs less than a grand. Just throwing away money in that case. Money would be better spent on important items for a first time buyer for example.

Simmo72

It doesnt matter on the cost of the bike, £500 or £5000, if you are not comfortable a bike fit is an excellent investment. Buying addon Carbon fibre handlbebars and bottle cages arent going to be much use if you are sore after 20 minutes

smoggysteve

So you would recommend a £200 bike fit for someone buying a £500 bike?A bike fit is great if you are going to get all scientific about it. I have had one for my Sempre but I can climb on a bike thats close to my size and fit it myself to be comfortable. If you spend a lot of time riding you can adjust these things yourself. Most things they correct on a bike fit are stuff like stem length, crank length and reach. I don't think someone buying a cheap bike on a budget are going to start buying extra bits of kit like that on a shoestring. I spent a lot on my main bike so I wanted it to fit right for races, TTs and sportives. If I was just going to use it to get fit and/or commute I would have just got a bike that was designed more for that purpose with a more upright ride and saved myself the price of a fit.

Ron Stuart

A decent bike club could cover most of this if it had the inclination, could save the members a lot of money.

Simmo72

Your point is valid if you know what you are doing, not everyone can do this.

people new to cycling could easily be put off the sport or introduce unnecessary injury though bad setup, so my point is if you need help then a professional fit on a cheap bike is a good thing, it can be an investment and you can use it on your next more expensive purchase. if you ain't comfortable you ain't going to enjoy yourself.

Upright position is also misleading, i was told for years to be more comfortable i needed to be more upright but it turns out my back is better in a lower, more aggressive position. everyone is different hence a pro fit can be of help regardless of what you buy. Had i known this years ago i would have saved a lot of pain.

Anyway, loads of shops give discounted fits if you buy a bike, no brainer to someone new to the sport

styxd

If you've got half a brain and a bit of spare time, theres plent yof interesting and informative information available on the internet that'll give you a good idea with regards to bike fit.

Bike fits are not the be all and end all, especially if you dont have any odd issues. Ive read about people who have had bike fits done by two different fitters and have come away with two different setups!

smoggysteve

People new to cycling want to get on a bike and just ride the damn thing. The sport is expensive enough as it is without adding unnecessary costs like a bike fit for a complete novice. The majority of inexpensive bikes are designed to be a happy medium. Yes some will experience a bit of discomfort. I get discomfort sitting in my car for more than a few hours. Im not going to invite Recaro to come and mould a bloody seat to my driving position. Yes if you are going to get serious into cycling and I mean serious, not fair weather or just wanting to get started in the sport, a bike fit is worthwhile. To the vast majority its not that important. I have been riding bikes all my life, and I had my first fit 2 years ago, at the age of 36 I am in no way a cripple from riding a bike that didnt fit me, because like the most people who buy a bike they know how to raise a saddle and stand over a crossbar to see if the bikes right for them. Its no wonder people get brain washed into spending cash on pointless things. Its like someone who askes about a good bike to buy as a beginner, it turns into a c0ck measuring contest over who has what. people band about brands cos thats what they own or have seen in passing instead of offering the advice being a bike is a bike and if its comfortable and feels good, its a good bike. F*ck carbon v Alu or Campo v Shimano etc, it don't mean sh*t to the new and inexperienced. they listen to the buzz words that the snobs pass around but its still just a damn bike.

And the "discount fits" are they the proper 2 to 3 hour fits that it should be? and are they going to offer that to someone paying for a bike that may cost marginally more than the fit itself? I get that you are happy with your fit , money well spent if you believe you really needed it, but if someone went and paid 200 quid for a fit and in the end all they got was a slight adjustment of the stem and seat I think they would be justifiably pissed.

I would like to know exactly what percentage of the people on these forums actually ride in any form other than just plodding about by themselves or with the occasional group of friends. There is no need to get into the technicalities of what is one of the most basic forms of transport on the planet.

ShutUpLegs

Gazspurs wrote:

A massive Thanks must go to the guys at North Hants Bikes over in Whitchurch for not only supplying a fabulous bike but the detailed bike-fit I had this morning. just little tweaks here & there have made a massive difference to my riding style & power output.

How did you measure this difference in power output :?:

Simmo72

Everyone is different. The bike fit i had was wrong in terms of saddle height and reach (bg fit still follows basic principals that did not work for me), i was initially a bit peeved at spending the money but they did sort out my cleat alignment and my pedaling is smoother, footpain has gone and after god knows how many years i have a saddle that fits well, plus it also helped me find a better position myself. I dont race anymore, sportives have no appeal, i just enjoy riding, and i want to be comfortable. I wish i didnt have to go and see someone to solve the problem but this time it paid off.

thescouselander

I'm not sure about bike fits- they are expensive and the results seem to be variable. I agree with the above, if you do a bit of reading it should be well within the capability of most people to work it out for themselves.

Ron Stuart

Ron Stuart wrote:

A decent bike club could cover most of this if it had the inclination, could save the members a lot of money.

I stand by this general statement that for a proper established cycling club there could/should be the expertise available to set a new member/cyclist up on their bike, fine tuning could come later with personal feed back. Bikes are one of the most simple and efficient of machines and should not be an entire mystery to a group of fellow enthusiasts. There have been fair comments posted already on this thread regards so called two expert fitters and two different results, something a buddy of mine has experienced.

After a free bike fit normal cost then was £75 I received a print out of 'my' measurements:-

Saddle height - centre of BB to saddle top through the seat tube = 68.5cm
Saddle at -3.5cm behind BB centre vertical
Bar height - QR centre to rear of h/bar centre = 54.0cm
9cm stem length used on Racelight 51cm (54.4cm top tube) and Addict 52cm (53.5cm top tube)
170mm cranks
42cm c/c handlebars

Not rocket science and I have since added a 11cm stem to my Addict and it feels better.

When I did a lot of competitive sailing dingy racing there were often experts brought in to do lectures at the my club on the general do's and dont's regards boat set up and believe me it's a much more complex subject than bikes.

Surely this is something that would help attract new members to a club and cycling in general, the club could also help with other topics along the way, for example road craft and the etiquette of cycling in a group.

CiB

SmoggySteve wrote:

A superb rant...

Well said sir. Although I did have a bike fit that transformed a so-so bike to my best ever.

Is a bike fit vital? No. Necessary? Hmmmm.... Worth it if your circumstances fit? Certainly.

Froomes Edgar

ShutUpLegs wrote:

Gazspurs wrote:

A massive Thanks must go to the guys at North Hants Bikes over in Whitchurch for not only supplying a fabulous bike but the detailed bike-fit I had this morning. just little tweaks here & there have made a massive difference to my riding style & power output.

How did you measure this difference in power output :?:

Simple. After spending three figures for some pube chinned school dropout to tell you to put your saddle up by 0.1mm, you'll bloody well feel a massive increase in power output no matter what.

smidsy

I have always felt that a bike fit is certainly worth it if you have the cash and have often recommended them, but reading this got me thinking (always dangerous).

If you go to somewhere for a bike fit and they take 2-4 hours of measuring, looking at you on the bike, analysing your technique etc. etc. and are charging circa £150 for the privalige, are they ever going to say "well I must say you have set your bike up perfectly sir"?

It's a bit like government, they have to change things or they are admitting that the previous lot were actually doing a damn good job, and that is clearly unacceptable. :-)

So has anyone actually paid for a bike fit where the outcome was no changes required???

bernithebiker

A bloke on a Specialized forum bought a Venge and had it set up by them at the shop. When i suggested that it looked a bit odd, he was incensed that i dare criticise the Holy Grail that is the BG fit man, and you can tell that he will never touch any dimension on his bike ever again, regardless of comfort or aerodynamics.

Doubtless there are good fitters out there, but you can bet your butt there's some bad ones too.

One of the best things you can do is have someone take a photo of you riding along (from a car or similar). You can then often immediately spot any glaring mistakes. Also check out your reflection whenever you cycle past a big shop window - do you look good?!

stueyboy

bernithebiker wrote:

Also check out your reflection whenever you cycle past a big shop window - do you look good?!

Since I started reading the road bike threads, this is one of the best pieces of advice ever posted.

dodgy

Bike fit, put it amongst other must have items like:

• Cranks that are too flexy - I need to upgrade to whatever ones are getting good reviews for being 'stiff'
• Freewheels that don't catch quick enough - I need freewheels that catch instantly
• Dura Ace, my Ultegra kit isn't good enough - I need Dura Ace
• etc

Are bike fits being pushed by any of the magazines at the moment? Certainly seems to be a lot of conversation about it in the cafe these days by people who have been convinced they must have it.

Grill

The magazines don't make as much money from those advertising bike fits...

Bike fit is a must...

philvantwo

I always used to ride a 24" frame for a good few years and I always felt comfortable, one year I started timetrialling and decided to treat myself to a Brian Rourke low profile frame. Went up Stoke to order it and met Mr Rourke himself, he asked me what size frame I was currently riding and when I told him 24" he shook his head and said he thought that was too big for me. Jumped on his jig and after a few adjustments he informed me that I did in fact need a 25 1/2" frame!
Don't know if he charges for a measure up now but it was free then, I think if your spending a couple of grand then it should be free anyway!

Ron Stuart

stueyboy wrote:

bernithebiker wrote:

Also check out your reflection whenever you cycle past a big shop window - do you look good?!

Since I started reading the road bike threads, this is one of the best pieces of advice ever posted.

Don't do it just before approaching a milk float as a boyhood mate did many moons ago :oops:

bernithebiker

Ron Stuart wrote:

stueyboy wrote:

bernithebiker wrote:

Also check out your reflection whenever you cycle past a big shop window - do you look good?!

Since I started reading the road bike threads, this is one of the best pieces of advice ever posted.

Don't do it just before approaching a milk float as a boyhood mate did many moons ago :oops:

Did he get creamed?

Ron Stuart

bernithebiker wrote:

Ron Stuart wrote:

stueyboy wrote:

bernithebiker wrote:

Also check out your reflection whenever you cycle past a big shop window - do you look good?!

Since I started reading the road bike threads, this is one of the best pieces of advice ever posted.

Don't do it just before approaching a milk float as a boyhood mate did many moons ago :oops:

Did he get creamed?

A little but mainly he lost his bottle after that :oops:

styxd

bernithebiker wrote:

One of the best things you can do is have someone take a photo of you riding along (from a car or similar). You can then often immediately spot any glaring mistakes. Also check out your reflection whenever you cycle past a big shop window - do you look good?!

Filming yourself on a turbo trainer might help (if you know what to look for), admiring your reflection probably wont.

Not everyone looks the same on a bike, some people have a naturally more "awkward" position than others.

smoggysteve

philvantwo wrote:

I always used to ride a 24" frame for a good few years and I always felt comfortable, one year I started timetrialling and decided to treat myself to a Brian Rourke low profile frame. Went up Stoke to order it and met Mr Rourke himself, he asked me what size frame I was currently riding and when I told him 24" he shook his head and said he thought that was too big for me. Jumped on his jig and after a few adjustments he informed me that I did in fact need a 25 1/2" frame!
Don't know if he charges for a measure up now but it was free then, I think if your spending a couple of grand then it should be free anyway!

So he says a 24" looks too BIG for you then sticks you on one 1.5" larger? Think that says it all!!!!

dhobiwallah

SmoggySteve wrote:

So he says a 24" looks too BIG for you then sticks you on one 1.5" larger? Think that says it all!!!!

It probably does - it seems to say that judging someone's frame size before you see them on a bike is a very poor indicator....

de_sisti

FTFY

SmoggySteve wrote:

People new to cycling want to get on a bike and just ride the damn thing. The activity is expensive enough as it is without adding unnecessary costs like a bike fit for a complete novice. The majority of inexpensive bikes are designed to be a happy medium. Yes some will experience a bit of discomfort. I get discomfort sitting in my car for more than a few hours. Im not going to invite Recaro to come and mould a bloody seat to my driving position. Yes if you are going to get serious into cycling and I mean serious, not fair weather or just wanting to get started in the activity, a bike fit is worthwhile.

I suppose cycling is a sport if you compete, but if you're just buying a bike to ride, it probably isn't?

smoggysteve

De Sisti wrote:

FTFY

SmoggySteve wrote:

People new to cycling want to get on a bike and just ride the damn thing. The activity is expensive enough as it is without adding unnecessary costs like a bike fit for a complete novice. The majority of inexpensive bikes are designed to be a happy medium. Yes some will experience a bit of discomfort. I get discomfort sitting in my car for more than a few hours. Im not going to invite Recaro to come and mould a bloody seat to my driving position. Yes if you are going to get serious into cycling and I mean serious, not fair weather or just wanting to get started in the activity, a bike fit is worthwhile.

I suppose cycling is a sport if you compete, but if you're just buying a bike to ride, it probably isn't?

That was half of the point I was trying to make. For a lot of people its just a means of getting from A to B r for keeping fit etc.

smidsy

So in a Top Gear style analogy what you are essentally saying is....having a bike fit for the leisure cyclist is akin to having tailor made football boots to go for a kick about in the park?

smoggysteve

I was arguing that too much thought and unnecessary spending is pushed onto people who just want to ride. People come on here looking for advice and I feel it is irresponsible to make things like getting stuff like bike fits, which are a good thing but not a necessity to be seemed as something that MUST be done.

Some people could end up throwing money away for no reason or for no extra benefit. Its not just the bike fit argument. I have read threads where someone asks a question about what bike to get and its just a mass of people plugging bikes they own with no explanation for why except "its been good for me" If someone has a budget to stick to for a bike, its fine to warn them of extra costs they may not have thought of, like buy a good helmet, clothing or lights. But to start adding in things like bike fits or to talk about better wheels or stuff the novices don't really understand yet can be overwhelming.