bike fitting and suggestions help

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bigpab
Posts: 68
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2013 7:31 am

by bigpab

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by Weenie


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eyedrop
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2016 5:33 am
Location: Prescott, AZ

by eyedrop

For anyone looking to buy a bike and wants to get serious about cycling, get a professional fitting on an adjustable stationary bike such as the Retul Muve. That way you can get your ideal stack and reach measurements, which are the most important thing to look for in the geometry charts. It really narrows down your selection of bikes. And geometry is really key in getting the best performance. An improper bike fit can dramatically affect your performance and comfort, even if the frame size is right "for your height". Even though Pinarello offers tons of sizes for the F8, none of them would fit me properly because the reach is too short and stack too high. I could "fit" it no problems, but I wouldn't be able to get in a proper position for optimal power and aero efficiency without some drastic tweaks.

If you truly want a bike with a perfect fit without having to go custom, this is the best solution. Only cost me $150 to do that. And if you buy the bike from the same shop that fit you, they will typically match up your fit on the new bike for free. Alternately, you can now buy blind online or used with confidence by knowing if the geometry is correct by simply looking and the charts and knowing your ideal measurments.

Generic sizes like 50, 52, 54 etc... mean almost nothing. You can "ball park" it casually, but if your serious and planning on spending lots of time and money on a bike its not worth risking. Sure, you can always swap stems, change bars, cranks, etc... But you will never feel quite right with the bike. Having to slam stems, run crazy lengths, ridiculously high or low seat heights, seatpost setback, etc... all affects the handling of the bike, aerodynamics, comfort, etc... you can put a bandaid on but it will cause problems and you will eventually just get rid of the bike because of this.

Its alot like finding the perfect shoe. Not only does the sizing differ between brands and models, but there are details like heel slippage, toe box room, height of arch, etc.... Bikes are no different in that respect. If you want to do it right the first time, get a Retul Muve fit before buying a bike. It will save you so much hassle and money in the long run.

3Pio
Posts: 1577
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:13 pm

by 3Pio

I was buying a new bike last summer, so i decide to do it properly

1. Retul Muve fit

This help me e a lot, after this much easier to pick the frame size and geometry that fit me.I definetly recommend u

2. Demo Ride

This Demo ride at the end make me instead of Pinarello Dogma F8, to buy Colnago C60. If u can do it, it can be worth (of course afer u done the fitting first).

Im 175cm, 82 cm inseam, and i was riding Pinarello Fp3 in 53 cm size before this.

Retul fit put me on 51.5 cm dogma F8 for more agressive riding (but 2.5 cm spacers under the stem), or 53 cm Dogma F8. I demo ride 51.5 cm frame (140 km ride), and seem that i prefer more compared to my 53cm. For ur height i think u are 53cm or 54cm frame (54 is safer choise). But again, it depent from ur flexibility, inseam, type of riding...

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mpulsiv
Posts: 1384
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:17 pm

by mpulsiv

Take the time to educate yourself with Steve Hogg method before you see any bike fitters https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/faq


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Racing is a three-dimensional high-speed chess game, involving hundreds of pieces on the board.

:arrow: CBA = Chronic Bike Addiction
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antonioiglesius
Posts: 290
Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:08 pm

by antonioiglesius

I paid for a bike fit before, at a fancy LBS (I thought it would be better). The fitter wouldn't help unless I buy a particular brand of saddle (I'm guessing the store has some kind of deal with the manufacturer), and the entire process seemed... shallow. I was hoping for some insight from the fitter, some reflection of experience from having known about and fitted multiple cyclists prior, but no, it was more of "You have X problem? Then do Y." I ended up reverting to my previous setup, and felt that it was an utter waste of my time and money.

After that whenever I talk to cyclists I would occasionally ask if they would recommend a great fitter. My impression so far is that most fitters are not up to their expectations, and that great fitters seem to be more of a myth ("My friend's friend's uncle's niece says that XYZ is great!"). Also, I felt that the general bike fitters will work somewhat for those who just started cycling and are completely clueless, but are much less useful for those with experience.

I'm sure that there are really good bike fitters out there, it's just that because so many are below expectations, I don't trust them in general. I suppose the tools they have do provide meaningful data, but that data needs to be interpreted correctly, and that again relies on the bike fitter. Who is usually not so good.

What has helped me (e.g. for my IT band issue a while back) is to pay a great deal of attention when cycling, and record what happens when I change a variable. E.g. I tried increasing the seat height, and I felt X. I lowered my stem, and I felt Y. When I wear shorts that isn't so tight around the top of my knees, it helped with my IT band issue. I also read whatever I can online, e.g. articles and forum comments, think about them, and try them out. I adopt those that work, and discard those that don't. Through multiple trial and errors, I improved comfort and posture.

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mpulsiv
Posts: 1384
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:17 pm

by mpulsiv

It's not about a bike fitter, not the price, nor his knowledge. It's about the method that he implies. I went to reputable fitter, paid ridiculous sum then educated myself about the method that he implied. Never again! This is the reason I encourage people to educate themselves before seeing a random fitter. Do more research about Steve Hogg method www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/faq


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Racing is a three-dimensional high-speed chess game, involving hundreds of pieces on the board.

:arrow: CBA = Chronic Bike Addiction
:arrow: OCD = Obsessive Cycling Disorder

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



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