Bike Fitting

pottssteve

After some advice...

Since moving back to HK I've not ridden much due to work, moving, settling in and bad weather. However, I am planning to ride more over the winter in preparation for a possible jaunt around the south of France with a dawdle up Ventoux next March. I am currently a bit heavy (79kg) and out of condition.

I have never had a professional bike fit and was wondering whether it was worth it. I will be aiming to ride 2 - 3 times a week over the coming months with rides of between 40 - 80km at a time. I know a fitting will cost me around 100 quid and was wondering whether people who have had it done have felt it was value for money.

Advice appreciate.

Cheers,
Steve

bahzob

Yes. In value terms it is the best investment you can make. I had one after having ridden a bike for years. I was amazed by the result, riding became easier and faster.

Bike riding is fundamentally about transferring force from your muscles to the pedals. If you are not positioned correctly then this force will not be applied in the ideal way. It's similar to using a hammer. You can use it to knock in a nail holding in a number of ways, holding at the head or half way down the shaft. However it's a lot easier if you hold it in the right place.

Bad position will make you ride less quickly than your body's muscles are capable of. And could well result in aches and pains as a result, especially on long rides.

In the long run you will get the money paid back several times over if it prevents you spending on the wrong sized piece of kit, developing some sort of medical issue and/or desperately searching for a something that you think will solve a problem that is in fact due to your position (bike saddles being prime example, you can't possibly know what saddle is best if you are sitting in the wrong position to start with).

Douglas_shaw

When you think about it a good bike fitting costs the same or less than some top of the range shorts and a bike fitting will sort you out for comfort better than a pair of shorts ever will - if its a good one that is - look around for a fitter with good reviews though

drlodge

I agree a bike fitting is generally well worth it, some fitters (good ones) can cost way above £100 and the best is where the value's at IMO. Its not just about the position of bars/saddle/pedals but more important is the foot/pedal interface.

However, I wouldn't say you need a bike fitting if you don't have any problems. It depends what you want out of a bike fitting, then choose someone appropriately. I used http://www.thebikewhisperer.co.uk/services/bike-fitting/ and at £265 is quite expensive. But he knows his onions and its a great experience too.

pottssteve

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I am in Hong Kong and low of 2 people locally who have very good reviews, so i think I will invest.

Steve

Mikenoma

pottssteve wrote:

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I am in Hong Kong and low of 2 people locally who have very good reviews, so i think I will invest.

Steve

Hi, Steve,

Have you finally did the bike fitting?
I live in China and i will go to Hong Kong in a couple of months so I'm thinking about carry my bike and do a bike fitting there.