Bike fit then bike or vice versa + Cervelo S3 content

fat guy hat

Hello chaps, will apologise in advance for a fairly long post, but I require your advice.

After a 5 year absence from cycling due to a medical condition, thanks to the wonder of modern medicine and steroids I'm able to begin exercising again.

So I'm basically In the market for a nice bike. Unfortunately I have expensive tastes and the only bike I really like the look of is the Cervelo S3. I know it's very expensive and I know it's my first bike after a long lay up, but the suffering I've endured physically and mentally the last 5 years, I'm treating myself big time.

So my first question is, I'm in Birmingham and was going to get fit done with Adrain Timms. Mainly due to the fact when I ride at the moment (and years ago) after 40 minute or so the outsides of my feet go numb and painful. I've played about cycling in the gym and if I concentrate and bring my knees together, the pain goes away. Will a fit with Adrian and his custom insoles will help me with this problem?

Second question - the bike. It's £3,200 ion a shop not to far from me, however a chap from work who cycles told me about bike24 in Germany. From them the bike would be £2,800ish delivered from then. Has anyone bought from them before and would the Cervelo warranty still be okay even though I'd be purchasing it from another country?

Following on from this, I'd feel really guilty going into the bike shop near me, being fitted for the bike and then buying it cheaper elsewhere. So with this in mind, should I have the fit with Adrain first so I know what size to order?
Only problem this presents is then I wont have the bike for the fitting so wont know where to put my cleats etc, which to me makes the fitting not worth while?

Thanks in advance.

sloppyschleckonds

Go to local bike shop, ask them how close they can get to cheaper price with bike fit thrown in.

DeVlaeminck

I'd phone Adrian Timmis (if that is your preferred option) and see whether he recommends fit first or bike first.

Silly Old Hector

Go to you LBS and get the fit and bike. If you by from Bike24, next time you want a bike, there may not be an LBS and you'll be contributing to The UK's -ve balance of payments.....

Buying from your LBS should give you unlimited access to advice and servicing (of the little stuff), keeps the social aspect going and keeps our high streets fitted with high value businesses (not charity/pound shops)...

fat guy hat

Cheers guys. Only thing is local bike shop doesn't do the custom foot beds.

Fishboyz

depends on the bike fit...if you want a retul type fit then you are fitted to the bike you ride. If you have a few doubts about size, bars, stem etc it could be costly...I had a fit years ago and know my size and other factors within a few mm so built my own bike and just needed a fine tune....point is if you need to swap kit you might not end up saving any money....
I would ask for the bike fit and a full service at least as part of a price match deal...if your not that handy or don't have tools to do it yourself

meesterbond

Fishboyz wrote:

depends on the bike fit...if you want a retul type fit then you are fitted to the bike you ride.

A good retul (other measurement tools are available) fitter will happily (prefer) measure you on a jig to get to a really good fit (Google retul Muve for a shot of their fit bike).

They should then be able to take those measurements and give you an idea what frames are likely to give you a good fit reasonably easily.

For the sake of a 12% discount, I'd go with the lbs if they're any good. You'll get a free first service no doubt, somewhere to go if there are any issues, somewhere to handle any warranty issues. Ok not all lbs are perfect but I'd still fancy you chances there over an online retailer.

As for the footbeds, I guess you won't know until you've had the fit - it maybe that a properly fitting bike sorts that problem out without needing them, you won't know until you try.

rafletcher

Ok, I had a "basic" bike fit to get a general idea of the frame geometry I should be looking at, then after I bought the bike, I went back and had a Retul fit on the new bike.

Note that if you have ANY bike now you can get the Retul fit, and the fitter will have a variety of stems etc to try, unless of course he / she says the bike is the wrong size altogether.

Foot-beds / orthotics is NOT part of the Retul fit - wedges for cleats to correct out-of- alignment knee movement are extras too.

The same fitter "may" do orthotics - the one I used does, and he's also a chartered physio.