Anyone recommend a retul bike fit

mosa

Just had a centre open nearby and wonder if worth getting fitted up £125 cost for service (offer available) any thoughts would be appreciated. No real current issues just new bike build and not sure if at all anywhere near where it or I should be on it. Thanks

VTech

Almost everything I say attracts huge concern by a select COUPLE of people but I speak from my heart with integrity so with that in mind this comment is just an opinion and nothing more.

I do not think my bike is setup for me so after some advice here I was pointed towards a Retul fit so I set about confirming if this indeed was the way to go but after reading on this very forum, and in other places it was clear that some people are of the mind that due to the natural way the body "crushes" during the day (you can quite easily be between 1/2 and 1") a purpose made 3d or similar fit will never actually give you the best results.
Of course, I do not think that it is not worth doing, quite the opposite in fact but today I spoke with 2 work acquaintances who cycle almost every week and compete in several pro-celeb events and both said that they had come across these computer fits and told me that in their opinion they would opt for a well known human fit by someone who is well rated at bike fits.
I am now going to speak with the local cycle club and see if anyone is rated there and if not ill simply look for a good fitter close to my home location and see how it goes.

nicknick

Retul, Dartfish etc are all TOOLS and not a replacement for an experienced fitter. Any shop can buy the stuff and go on a training course then advertise as a Retul fitter.

mosa

I rang a local new shop who said he had years of experience with bike fitting down south and could fit me for £180 or £150. He has training sessions on in his place that he trains fitters under his guidance and needs a couple of guinea pigs so to speak hence £125. He said he would still oversea all fitting and adjustments so I receive the same 1-1 service as in the £180 version ?

smidsy

Adrain Timmis (Cadence Sport) nr Burton on Trent is where I spend my money for bike fitting.

http://www.cadencesport.co.uk/

nicknick

smidsy wrote:

Adrain Timmis (Cadence Sport) nr Burton on Trent is where I spend my money for bike fitting.

Me too, very happy with the results.

saprkzz

I had a retul fit on my first road bike a couple of years ago, and was amazed the difference from buying the bike from the shop. My whole postion changed and the pains in the neck i was getting on long rides disappeared. Also I just felt right.

Now a couple of years on and buying my 2nd bike, I opted for a "Human fit" and again have been surprised how well i am now riding the bike. The Cervelo R5 had a very sit up and beg postion and to be honest wasnt feeling it like i thought i would. I completed a 110 mile ride a couple of weeks ago, and again my neck was hurting, and noticed my arms were fully streched... not right.

After the fit, I went on a 70 mile ride this sunday gone to test it, and i was totally amazed on how nice the bike felt, and making it feel like a race bike now. I feel much more powerful, maybe this is physcological, but wow, the bike feels good now, and had no aching when i climbed off.

To choose between the Retul to human fit.... i reckon i would choose human fit now.

Be prepared to buy a new stem & bars, on both my fits i ended up spending some cash. :roll:

nicknick

saprkzz- what changes were made if you don't mind me asking?

saprkzz

nicknick wrote:

saprkzz- what changes were made if you don't mind me asking?

Not at all..

On the recent human fit:

My stem length was changed from 130 to 120mm
Bar width from 46CM to 44CM
Height adjusted by increasing 1 spacer
Seatpost aduster higher (sorry cant remember how much)
Seat was adjusted back slightly

And last thing my Look Keo cleats had spacers placed under on one shoe to even my leg length and also adjusted the position of cleats on the shoe


On the retul fit, on my other bike, pretty much the same, apart from i needed a longer stem to what was factory fitted, seatpost and seat adjusted and and cleats sorted.

I will try and dig out the measurments from the retul before and after, i have them on email, tey even send you video footage of before and after. Very clever stuff

meesterbond

As above, it's pointless comparing Retul to a less technology-focused solution. It's all about the fitter.

If you can find a good fitter then I'm sure the dynamic approach has its benefits, but if the fitter is no good it doesn't matter whether he's got £10k worth of sensors or a tape measure, the results aren't going to be great.

I think there's a danger with things like Retul that the guy operating it can rely on it too much and use the numbers more than his eyes and what the fitee is feeling. A good fitter should use all three.

blablablacksheep

meesterbond wrote:

As above, it's pointless comparing Retul to a less technology-focused solution. It's all about the fitter.

If you can find a good fitter then I'm sure the dynamic approach has its benefits, but if the fitter is no good it doesn't matter whether he's got £10k worth of sensors or a tape measure, the results aren't going to be great.

I think there's a danger with things like Retul that the guy operating it can rely on it too much and use the numbers more than his eyes and what the fitee is feeling. A good fitter should use all three.

I totally agre with you here.

Im quite a keen runner and a lot of people have their shoes "fitted" and a lot of shops/chains now have treadmils with special machines that check if you pronate ect.

Ive had shoes bought from chain shops and small running shops.
ilke you said, with machines they tend to rely on the machine to do the work without using experience and know-how. So i allways go to a shop in london that is small but all of them are runners with very high level of exsperience and knowledge.


Question though, if this is the case, isnt cycling more "ridgid" compared to running ie your moving in a set patten and body as a whole doesnt move that much outside a set limit, so couldnt a retul fit be just as good as a human?

Compared to running where i think the body adapts different positions depending on the person and many diferent styles can affect your form ie chi running/barefoot,toe to heel, heel to toe ect ec

gimpl

I'd also like to add that a Retul fit is actually carried out by a human who can if they're good enough (which the one in Milton Keynes is) actually interpret the results that the machine is showing to fit the bike for you.

It would be easy just to take all the 3d measurements and 'plug' those onto the bike however they will ask what you're riding for and tailor it for you. I certainly wasn't interested in having a 'racing' position, just an optimal position for my age, weight, physical restrictions and type of riding I am going to be doing.