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Bike Fitting...worth it?
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 2015-04-18 4:55 PM |
 17 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |  Subject: Bike Fitting...worth it?Hey all, new to the board and it has been fun to read a whole bunch of stuff everyone has been talking about. I had a question about bike fitting, the question being is it worth it. I know there is a bunch of stuff all over the place about it but I am doing Louisville IM and it will be my first IM. A little background is that I wanted to challenge myself after some shorter tris and finishing an IM is something I have been working towards for a little while now. As I come to find it is an expensive thing to get into and one thing I am not sure if I want to shell out the money for is a bike fitting. I have a used road bike that I bought off someone and had a friend of a friend give me a quick glance over with seat height and stuff but not sure if it is worth the price to get one done since I don't see myself being a "competitive" racer. I don't feel bad on my bike and through the long winter riding on the trainer I don't get any numbness or pain but curious as to what all of you have dealt with but with 112 miles and many more than that through training is it in my best interest to get a fitting? Thanks in advance everyone! |
| 2015-04-18 5:27 PM in reply to: 0 |
Pro 4824   Houston | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? I think bike fits are very important. Having said that if you have spent hours on the trainer without issue, I wouldn't change anything now. If you do find that with long rides outside you start having issues in the saddle, neck, back, knees, feet etc. schedule a fit. Edited by KeriKadi 2015-04-18 5:27 PM |
| 2015-04-18 6:26 PM in reply to: wei5209 |
Regular 585 Pueblo, Colorado | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? Would you buy a pair of shoes without seeing if they fit? I'd say a fitting is worth it. |
| 2015-04-18 7:53 PM in reply to: wei5209 |
Master 10208 Northern IL | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? How much are you actually riding now? 30-60 minutes at a time isn't really hard to get used to a fit which isn't that great. The 6-7 hours a lot of people take for an Ironman is a whole new game. Areas you didn't really know you had can get incredibly sore. Also, lack of soreness is only part of it. A really good fitter can help the rider be able to really work the bike well. As in have good control and power output. Some things can still feel fine, but rob some noteworthy power. Someone not used to a bike might not get how much better things could be. Maybe you do go to a good fitter and they don't end up adjusting much, if anything. At least then you'll have peace of mind about it. You'll know and can put your focus elsewhere. |
| 2015-04-18 8:17 PM in reply to: brigby1 |
Extreme Veteran 959 Greenwood, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? Bike fit is important. Recommend following one of the BT training plans. You may also want to consider using Mike Ricci (decoupled plans) as a coach. Money well spent for bike fit and plans. Louville is a great race, enjoy. |
| 2015-04-18 8:31 PM in reply to: GODAWGS |
| 87 | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? I think it is worth it but I had a bad experience when I bought my road bike with the shop setting it up... A fit fixed all of that. That was last year, and the start of this year I put some clip on bars on the roady, and just fiddled with my position myself and never had any pains. I returned it to stock road form last weekend after my last tri of the season... And I feel like a stronger cyclist with the position that has been set up for me. I think, in the long run, and compared to other costs you splash out for (wheels, helmet, race fees, etc etc) it is well worth it! |
| 2015-04-18 9:10 PM in reply to: wei5209 |
Extreme Veteran 1332 | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? Yes |
| 2015-04-19 8:14 AM in reply to: dfquigley |
Veteran 1900 Southampton, Ontario | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? |
| 2015-04-19 4:25 PM in reply to: wei5209 |
Member 1083 | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? Honestly, if you aren't having pain and you feel good on a road bike you could be fine. Are you doing long 3 hour rides? If you are and there is an issue with the fit I think you would be pretty uncomfortable. I'm a believer in the value of bike fittings but I also know lots of people who know enough about bikes and how they work that they can do their own adjustments. They are much stronger cyclists than I am. So if it's not broken don't worry about fixing it. On the other hand if you head out for a 65 mile ride and come home with a stiff shoulder, pain in your lower back and hot spots in your shoes ... head to your local fitter and you'll think it's the best money ever spent :-) |
| 2015-04-19 4:45 PM in reply to: wei5209 |
Member 1004 | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? I really don't know. I had a bike fit when I started out and again when I bought a new bike. I ended up changing things both times because it was so uncomfortable. I have heard a lot of people say that it's important but I haven't seen any supporting studies. My suspicion is that you can do it yourself using the basic concepts that you find on the net. If you were an elite athlete, I think it would be a necessity. It seems to me that there is a wide variety of expertise in the people who do fittings and it's difficult to tell who knows what they're doing and who doesn't. |
| 2015-04-19 8:10 PM in reply to: b2run |
Extreme Veteran 1332 | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? Originally posted by b2run My suspicion is that you can do it yourself using the basic concepts that you find on the net. If you were an elite athlete, I think it would be a necessity. It seems to me that there is a wide variety of expertise in the people who do fittings and it's difficult to tell who knows what they're doing and who doesn't. Even if you do a bike fit yourself, you're still *doing* a bike fit :p I did my best to fit myself to both of my bikes, and once I got a proper bike fit done, the changes made were pretty minimal. In all honesty though a GOOD bike fit isn't just about getting you as aerodynamic or producing as much power as possible, it's also about taking into account your physical limitations and comfort, and as such, fit will change over time as we adapt to riding more and get more fit. A good fitter will be able to take these things into account to get the most performance while minimizing injury risk from different strains. I only get them in packages that include followups to tweak things either right away or as I get more fit. |
| 2015-04-20 5:50 AM in reply to: dfquigley |
| 409 Durham, North Carolina | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? I haven't read any of the other posts, but I believe a fitting is definitely worth the money! I don't think its worth it because its going to make you faster, but worth it because you will feel comfortable while fighting through the pain. That is worth every penny to me! Is Retul worth it? Depends on whats available in your area. I live in Miami and have options galore. I've done an $85 fitting on my first bike (rodie converted w/ aero bars) which was just sensors stuck to my body, an ipad app to measure angles, and an experienced fitter to put me in the right spot. I thought this was great and made me super comfortable. My second fitting on my new tri bike was a Retul for $175 (coupon + sale) and it honestly seemed the same and not worth the extra money. They used a few extra gizmo's, but none of them seemed too important. For 6 months to a year I wasn't fit on my road bike when I got it and I just tried to fit myself. On long rides 35+ miles my hands would kill me + a few other things. After I was fit to my new aero position I would never want to come out. It was amazing how a few minor tweaks made it feel so much better than the way I had it. Now I'm broken and afraid to ride a roadie because I think they are all uncomfortable, and I love to ride aero. |
| 2015-04-20 11:34 AM in reply to: Lupy |
Extreme Veteran 1332 | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? I have what many would call a pretty "aggressive" aero position. I actually had to buy a stem that raises your handlebars, and flip it lower, to get the angles that I liked. Once I went to my bike fit, at first the fitter was skeptical, but it turns out I'd nailed it, and I am MUCH more comfortable in aero than I am out of aero. Heck, while on the trainer, when I settle into aero, I am more relaxed ( very little tension/grip needed comparatively ) and my heart rate drops for the same power levels. My biggest issue was getting used to a road bike again after spending a lot of time training in aero, it was a bit rough on the arms! :p |
| 2015-04-20 3:24 PM in reply to: wei5209 |
Pro 5361 | Subject: RE: Bike Fitting...worth it? Mixed opinions. Firstly- we're talking tri bike fitting. Road bike fitting is a lot easier. Certainly, being both comfortable, aerodynamic and being in a position that allows you to generate power, is an important thing. Theoretically, a 'good' bike fitter with the proper tools, can get you pretty close to that optimal combination. I've been 'fitted' twice, and have long since re-adjusted, as I became more comfortable with a more aggressive position. Now- since I haven't been riding my TT bike, I probably need to go and readjust again? Or just ride it more to get used to it. Short of being in a wind tunnel, while riding with a power meter and HR monitor- the 'optimal' position is somewhat of a guess. A good fitter will guide you by measurements, their experience, and your feedback, into what is a good, workable fitting for you. maybe. If you are looking for a 'free' bike fitting. Video yourself riding on a trainer- and post it over on SlowTwitch. You'll get plenty of comments on what you should change. |
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