Is a bike fitting worth it?

[Ian H]

Well you’re the one that thinks anyone who does bike fits, that happens to have ridden as long as you, is automatically better than someone with real fit experience but not ridden for as long.

You’re also rather bitter and pessimistic in stating that most bike fit services are just to rip people off. I just don’t agree.

Realistic and amused. The key word you seem not to see is 'most'.

 

[screenman]

The builder who made my last but one frame measured me up on his jig, and managed to get within a couple of mm of my position on the old bike, so no change there. Our club coach squinted at my position and declared there was nothing wrong with that.

However, if you re-read my previous post carefully...[/QUOTE


Which one, could you just c&p the part I should read. I had many made to measure bikes and for most of my cycling life I had a pain in the outside of my left foot, I spent thousands trying to sort the problem in the end the bike fit did the job. Adrian Timmis is younger and far more experienced than I.

 

[bpsmith]

Realistic and amused. The key word you seem not to see is 'most'.

I think not, otherwise I would also have not used the same word in my response, as above.

 

[screenman]

I wonder if some of the people offering advice on a bike fit have ever had a good one done, somehow I doubt it.

 

[bpsmith]

I think they’re doing it wrong and I really don’t get it tbh.

If you read posts about bike fits, some above and others in previous threads, people appear to get them done then go and ride the adjusted bike, only to then complain that it feels all weird. They then move it back to how it “feels right”, which is basically how it was before as the muscles are trained in that position.

If people only have the adjusted bike a go then they may actually get the benefit once they get used to it.

Ironically, others then say that nothing much was changed so aren’t happy. It’s likely that these people were close to their ideal position. I do sympathise with this group though, as I get how it could be disappointing.

What I do find ironic is that one group complain that their bike feels different when adjustments are made, whilst the other group are disappointed that said changes weren’t made.

 

[screenman]

What gets to me are the guys who have never had one saying it is a waste of money, how do they know.

 

[Blue Hills]

Have known a couple of folk who had them done. Neither were happy. I well remember one telling me that the bike fitter had expressed shock at his existing ride, couldn't understand how he hadn't crippled himself. I must say he always looked perfectly relaxed riding it to me. In the end he sold the bike that came out of the fit to someone else and went back to his old beast. The person who bought it said he liked it and it felt perfectly comfortable. But of course it hadn't been measured/built for him - and he if he had wandered back to the same bike fitter he may well have sucked his teeth at the torture instrument he was riding.

I went for one with the nice Mr Hewitt when buying a tourer off him.

I'm no expert but the position he put me in in the jig to make the measurements didn't feel quite right to me. Nothing dramatically wrong. Just not quite right. As I say I'm no expert but I had by that stage been riding a lot for a fair number of years. And had discovered that all my bikes, which had a variety of frame sizes and types, all measured pretty much the same on the key measurements to do with reach etc etc. I had gradually over the years adjusted them until they felt right.

The resultant bike never felt quite right.

I took it back after a while and it was adjusted. All very politely. And it is now pretty much like my other bikes in those key measurements. And a very nice bike by the way.

So I think maybe they can be useful for beginners, or folk who want to output maximum power at any cost (including irretrievably bending themselves) but not so useful for more experienced folk who have existing bikes to tinker with.

And I instinctively mistrust all systems that get you to line up the back of your knees with the tip of your nose, drop a plumb line from one of them and then divide the resultant angle by Pi and the first number you thought of or whatever.

In short, if it feels good, ride it.

 

[screenman]

For me a bike fit fixed 40 years of pain when cycling.

 

[Blue Hills]

I wonder if some of the people offering advice on a bike fit have ever had a good one done, somehow I doubt it.

Can I be clear. Are you saying that there's a lot of folk on here who have had bike fits and found them lacking?

I thought the thread was asking for feedback/experiences.

Or don't bad ones count in the survey?

I'd also be interested in how many bike fitters tell someone that their current set up is hunky dory.

Can't help but feel that consultants of any type are loathe to tell a client that all is currently well. "Just carry on what you are doing".

 

[screenman]

Can I be clear. Are you saying that there's a lot of folk on here who have had bike fits and found them lacking?

I thought the thread was asking for feedback/experiences.

Or don't bad ones count in the survey?

I'd also be interested in how many bike fitters tell someone that their current set up is hunky dory.

Can't help but feel that consultants of any type are loathe to tell a client that all is currently well. "Just carry on what you are doing".

I am saying some people who have never had one or any experience of one may be offering poor advice.

 

[StuAff]

In answer to the OP, yes.

A good, properly trained bike fitter- and granted, there may well be those who are not, but there are many good ones out there- will consult the client about the type of riding they do, what they want to achieve, take into account posture & flexibility. They won't be offended about doing minor adjustments (as my Litespeed needed when it got built up at the same LBS, some years later) or answering questions. Had one done under the bikefitting.com system back in 2009. Done an awful lot of miles since then without issues.

 

[boydj]

My club organised a bike fitter with a good rep, who did a deal on cost. He dropped my saddle by a few mm and said everything else was fine, and tbh I've no complaints about that because I'm a little more comfortable than I was to start with (which wasn't causing any problems) and I have the reassurance that my fit is good (by this fitter's standards). I think the money was well spent. Some of the folks had more significant changes made, most had relatively minor tweaks. For many the biggest change was cleat position. Since most were very experienced riders, I'm not surprised that most changes were minor.

I do think that for relative newcomers or inexperienced riders a proper fit could be a revelation.

 

[Blue Hills]

For me a bike fit fixed 40 years of pain when cycling.

What change was made?

 

[derrick]

Which is why I go to a Physio who does and understands the medical stuff unlike someone who’s done the Retul course

So your Physio knows how you ride? Does he or she ride with you?

 

[bpsmith]

Have known a couple of folk who had them done. Neither were happy. I well remember one telling me that the bike fitter had expressed shock at his existing ride, couldn't understand how he hadn't crippled himself. I must say he always looked perfectly relaxed riding it to me. In the end he sold the bike that came out of the fit to someone else and went back to his old beast. The person who bought it said he liked it and it felt perfectly comfortable. But of course it hadn't been measured/built for him - and he if he had wandered back to the same bike fitter he may well have sucked his teeth at the torture instrument he was riding.

I went for one with the nice Mr Hewitt when buying a tourer off him.

I'm no expert but the position he put me in in the jig to make the measurements didn't feel quite right to me. Nothing dramatically wrong. Just not quite right. As I say I'm no expert but I had by that stage been riding a lot for a fair number of years. And had discovered that all my bikes, which had a variety of frame sizes and types, all measured pretty much the same on the key measurements to do with reach etc etc. I had gradually over the years adjusted them until they felt right.

The resultant bike never felt quite right.

I took it back after a while and it was adjusted. All very politely. And it is now pretty much like my other bikes in those key measurements. And a very nice bike by the way.

So I think maybe they can be useful for beginners, or folk who want to output maximum power at any cost (including irretrievably bending themselves) but not so useful for more experienced folk who have existing bikes to tinker with.

And I instinctively mistrust all systems that get you to line up the back of your knees with the tip of your nose, drop a plumb line from one of them and then divide the resultant angle by Pi and the first number you thought of or whatever.

In short, if it feels good, ride it.

You’ve just described exactly what I posted 2 posts above yours.