by ODC on Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:53 am
Bikefits...who is right and who is wrong?
I have done 4 bike fits and never have gotten the same results.
Some results:
- the one bike fitter would put my saddle height 82,5cm (center bb to top middle saddle) the other bike fitters would put me at 81,5cm, 82,2 and 82cm
- the one bike fitter would put me on a setback of 10,5cm where a other would put me on 8,7cm for having more power
- the one bike fitter advised me to ride 177,5mm cranks, a other bike fitter calls it crazy and would put me on 172,5, 175 and 175mm cranks
- the one bike fitter says ride with 44cm handlebars where the other says take 42, 42 and even 40cm handlebars
- the one bike fitter says 10cm drop where an other says you can easily have 12, 14 and even 15cm drop
- the one bike fitter would say 59cm top tube with 14cm stem and an extreem other one says 57,5cm top tube with 13cm stem => 2,5cm shorter (almost same handlebar reach 0,5mm difference)
- All the bike fitters have put my cleats differently and one bike fitter even would have put shims under my right cleat.
You see what I mean?
Which bike fitter I have followed? None! I have taken the results and adjusted everything on how my feeling is best and the resulted in:
- saddle height 81,5-81,7cm
- saddle setback 9cm
- cranks 175mm
- handlebars 42cm cc
- top tube length 58,2cm with 14cm stem length
- handlebar drop 13cm
- cleats adjusted them with less painful feet
Now I have ordered a new Madone slr9 with the new Etap and it was the choose between a 58cm and 60cm frame.
Frame difference => 57,4 top tube vs 58,6cm top tube => current bike 58,2cm
Stack => 58,1 vs 60,1cm (top cap included) => current bike 60cm with top cap included
Reach => 39,6 vs 39,9cm => current bike 40-40,1cm
Stem length => max 13cm with trek
The salesperson is also a bike fitter and called me crazy to go for a 60cm. But I measured everything and even on a 60cm frame I would sit 0,5cm shorter because of only 13cm stems with trek. With the 60cm frame no spacers
With the 58cm I would sit 2cm shorter then my current bike (handlebar reach is the same) and I would need to put +/-2cm spacers.
I'm 1m93cm => 6'4" and I never saw (even professional riders) on a 58cm trek madone or they must have gotten an extreme position with a extreme custom stem.