How useful is a professional fitting?

[Machoman121]

Has anyone paid for a professional fitting to a bike? If yes - was it worth it. Did it truly provided the best position for you - or did you had to still change the settings a bit after the sessions? Or was it all Voodoo - I've got a new bike with an integrated seatpost (Defy SL 2015) and I'll have to be able to have my optimised seat height in when they cut the seat mast - if i get it wrong the bike is toast.

[harmonix1234]

Getting the right seat height is in the basics toolkit of a good fitter, and every shop should have someone that can get that measurement dialled. You will still have a bit a play too because the seat post can still move a little either side of the cut. Pro fitting is more detailed with cleat shimming, Q factor cleat refinement, reach and stack height dialling etc. if you are just after the right seat height, any fitter should be able to do it in a pinch.
BTW - I have had two bike fits by two separate fitters. One in NSW and one in TAS. One gave my saddle height as 755mm, the other 755 also. .

[Machoman121]

Hi Harmonix1234 - lucky both fitters came to the same results - there is order in this choatic world after all?

Did you find the recommended saddle height to be good for you - or did you did some more tweaking?

[CKinnard]

seat height isn't as straight forward as it sounds, esp if you are over 30.

many riders I know get sore knees at the generally recommended seat height, esp on hillier rides, and have to raise the seat to reduce knee pain. the more you bend the knee, the more pain you are likely to experience.

and some riders have more hip joint pain at the recommended seat height.

it really does come down to your anatomy and history of injuries or joint wear.

[gabrielle260]

Has anyone paid for a professional fitting to a bike? If yes - was it worth it. Did it truly provided the best position for you - or did you had to still change the settings a bit after the sessions? Or was it all Voodoo - I've got a new bike with an integrated seatpost (Defy SL 2015) and I'll have to be able to have my optimised seat height in when they cut the seat mast - if i get it wrong the bike is toast.

Macho man, the answer is "it depends".
It depends on how much riding you do, what pre-existing injuries you have, your flexibility, your specific dimensions and a host of other issues.
If all you want is guidance for when you cut an ISP, and you have a pretty standard body, then most good bike shops can help (given most ISP's allow about 3cm of movement even after cutting). If you have a leg length discrepancy or another minor issue you may not even be aware of, then a bike fit may be best.
Andrew

[barefoot]

I read somewhere that Australian cyclists get professional bike fittings done at something like 4x the rate of other countries.

It seems we're uniquely obsessed with getting an expert's "correct fit" on the bike. Nowhere else do so many people make a living out of doing independent fitting sessions.

Of course, international professionals all get coached in many ways, including position and biomechanics. They get fitted. That's a given. But amateurs, recreational riders, clubbies and MAMILs tend not to.

I've never had a fitting, I've just spent 25 years or so tweaking and adjusting my own position. So I don't have a valid opinion on how worthwhile a fitting is. It's just interesting that nowhere else is so into it as Australia.

tim

[outnabike]

I like the stories of the blokes that pay good money to be told the seat has to come up 3 mm, or back two mm and go out happy. A couple of weeks later they are at it again. I reckon most don't even retain the "recommended" settings a month. It's like a golf swing with some people, they always tinker with each shot.
All we ever did was sit on the bike with the heel on the pedal and that was the seat height. Start with the seat level and in its middle section. Ride the thing and only ever make slight adjustment in any thing. Give your self time to get the feeling of the bike.
If you see some one reaching for the pedals and hip swaying they are sitting too high. If their knees are sore generally too low. Sitting on the seat and foot on the ground, too low. Falling off.... get rid of the stupid clip in pedals...... (still, we do want to look like all the other boys don't we?)

I am talking your average Joe Blow and they are only my experience of course, professional levels finish up in the coaches care in any case, problem is, all your mates are in the same boat and want to help you tweak your set up.

I met one cyclist on a trail and we spoke of all this stuff as you do.He told me how happy he was with his fit up. I said "Your seat looks a bit low as you seem to be able to place your foot almost too easily on the road."
He checked and was surprised to find the mark he had on the stem was gone, and the stem bolt was slightly loose and the seat had slipped down a bit. I had a set of Allen keys and we took it back up. "I cant' believe I didn't notice it". He said."My knee has been getting a bit sore"
It pays to keep an eye out for these things.

[guyc]

I'm currently reading this book, it's surprisingly awesome and definitely recommended - full of no-nonsense practical advice:

http://www.amazon.com/Bike-Fit-Optimise ... 1408190303" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CKinnard]

thanks for the link. someone else recently recommended this book as a great read. just dl'd the kindle version. impressed so far, esp for price of 2.5 coffees

[NeillS]

Professional fitting for the average rider is, for the vast majority of riders, not a necessity. That's because most of us compensate around our assymetries, inflexible parts and poor stability reasonably well, and can't push on the pedals for long enough and hard enough to develop pain from doing so. The issues arise when you have an assymetrical rider who is attempting to go harder, faster and longer than his compensation strategies will allow. Pain is the last thing in line when you run out of compensation strategies. Depending on the individual, you may not be able to ride 10km with a poor position, or you may be able to do 150km. If you're the latter, but you only ever ride 50km at a time, you'll never have an issue. If you're the former, then you need a professional bike fit.

[CKinnard]

I read somewhere that Australian cyclists get professional bike fittings done at something like 4x the rate of other countries.

It seems we're uniquely obsessed with getting an expert's "correct fit" on the bike. Nowhere else do so many people make a living out of doing independent fitting sessions.

I'd guess some of that is due to people elsewhere having ridden consistently since they were a kid, and free of the most aggressive anti-cycling culture in the world!

Further, many middle aged and older have taken up cycling for the health and social benefits. I don't think this trend has been as large outside Australia.
It is a sign Australians have more recreational time, energy, money, and agreeable weather to do such things.

[MTG]

I think it's important to remember your own knowledge and ability to make the various changes to your bike in order to 'fit' it. I have ridden all my life on some kind of bike yet when it comes to setting up a new bike to fit me, there is significant room for error to get it 'right' or at least into the comfort zone. I went to a very reputable LBS who set me up by getting me on the bike and setting up some laser gadget. Whole process took 1 hour which included seat height, handle bar height/angle, cleat adjustment etc and the recommendation I buy a shorter 100mm stem. Whole thing costs me 1 hour of his time so $45 which I thought was great value and I was willing to spend more. If you know what you are doing then you absolutely can set things up yourself, yet if like me, you are not sure of where your body geometry should roughly be, then i'd recommend getting some kind of fitting. For me this simple process has set me up on my new bike which feels so much more comfortable then my last bike which I bought and attempted to set up myself - exact same size.

I should note, I trust the guy setting me up, I purchased a shorter stem elsewhere so he only made $45 from me. You should also factor in the type of riding you are likely to be doing and how much time you are likely to spend on the bike.

For me it was simply, I do not know how to set up a bike so talk to someone who does. I have since adjusted my saddle height marginally up which has improved my comfort. I have also adjusted the angle of my handle bars marginally. The guy in my LBS made a point of teaching me what he was doing during the process so I am know armed with some more knowledge that I could probably set myself up on another bike if I had to save for some minor tweaks.

Again, asses what kind of riding you are doing, age, injuries etc and review comfort on the rides you are on as you can make self adjustments and trial. I was happy to get a rough base fit though and could easily justify a $45 spend to get me up and running and build some knowledge.

Good luck

[ColinOldnCranky]

While I do not question the value of a proper fit (I DID once ride a bike you know ), I notice here that while a word search of the thread so far pops up 20 "seat" mentions, there is not a single reference to "crank".

While a crank can't be adjusted, I do find it somewhat ludicrous that bikes only seem to come in 170mm to 175mm crank length. That does not matter whether the rider has a short inside leg measurement as for my wife (140mm cranks optimum) or my own (172mm).

I therefore take it with a decent bag of salt any claim to a shop doing fits making any claims of how serious they are if they also do not carry a sufficient range of crank sizes.**

You want to ensure that a person with short legs will not survive the rigours of hard cycling into senor years? Just put them on a bike with a 170mm crank.

I would say that an grossly inadequate crank length is at least as important for a rider. How can a correct seat height be set otherwise.

**(Actually the LBS will find it difficult to get a sufficient range which is an indictment on the manufacturers. But LBS should at least carry the available range. From memory I had to get in something like a 150mm crank for my wife, the LBS couldn't readily get a shorter one.)

[gabrielle260]

Professional fitting for the average rider is, for the vast majority of riders, not a necessity. That's because most of us compensate around our assymetries, inflexible parts and poor stability reasonably well, and can't push on the pedals for long enough and hard enough to develop pain from doing so. The issues arise when you have an assymetrical rider who is attempting to go harder, faster and longer than his compensation strategies will allow. Pain is the last thing in line when you run out of compensation strategies. Depending on the individual, you may not be able to ride 10km with a poor position, or you may be able to do 150km. If you're the latter, but you only ever ride 50km at a time, you'll never have an issue. If you're the former, then you need a professional bike fit.

This^
I first got bike fitted when I was doing Audax rides - ie going longer than compensation strategies allow.
For me the difference between a good and bad fit is how specific the aches and pains are at the end of a very long ride. With a good bike fit I am just generally sore without pain in any particular spot. The other factor is how much power I can generate - although this is harder to quantify.
Two thoughts;
1. There are good and bad bike fitters out there (and you get what you pay for).
2. Bike fit is dynamic - as your body changes, so does your bike fit - so don't expect it to stay the same forever.
Finally, I don't understand how people can pay $10,000+ for a bike but then quibble about the price of a good bike fit. As a coach I have seen so many cyclists benefit from getting better bike fit - to me it is the single most important thing about buying a new bike.

[ldrcycles]

If you can dress yourself, you can fit yourself.

[nezumi]

If you can dress yourself, you can fit yourself.

Which is why fashion/clothing consultants exist. Some people have an understanding of what works well for them, both in terms of clothing and in terms of bike fit. For the rest of the population, there are people who have specialised in this to assist - for a fee.

[Dr_Mutley]

Bikefits are also a fluid thing.. What's best for u now, won't be what's best for you in 12months etc...

[g-boaf]

Has anyone paid for a professional fitting to a bike? If yes - was it worth it. Did it truly provided the best position for you - or did you had to still change the settings a bit after the sessions? Or was it all Voodoo - I've got a new bike with an integrated seatpost (Defy SL 2015) and I'll have to be able to have my optimised seat height in when they cut the seat mast - if i get it wrong the bike is toast.

Yeah, I did. The ISP shouldn't be too much of a problem - they do have some adjustment with spacers. But not much! My initial fit was wrong, so we had to use spacers on the ISP on my TCR.

The person who did my fit knew me already quite well and took notice of how I was riding and based on some of the complaints I was having, really did a great job of sorting those out. Result was the saddle went up higher and a few other things were changed as well.

Same person also did the fit on my other bike (a TT bike). In that case we worked out using a fully adjustable stationary bike what was needed. On that thing, components were swapped over, different bars put on and all the adjustments tweaked. The fit was worked out before I spent any money and verified that the frame I was after would fit correctly. I even did about a 45 minute interval session with that proposed fit.

Now I have the TT bike finished, the fit on it is really good. That's the benefit of knowing someone who is very good at bike fitting.

all your mates are in the same boat and want to help you tweak your set up.

Nobody touches the setup on my bikes! Absolutely forbidden. After getting a fit done, the difference was enormous. I was doing 400km/week on a dodgy fit. It was far enough off that I wasn't really using certain muscle groups and others were being overused. The result of it was a week of some slight soreness as the less used muscle groups got used to doing their share of the work, but the overall result was much less soreness in the legs overall and a lot more comfortable on longer rides. That was many months ago.

I like the stories of the blokes that pay good money to be told the seat has to come up 3 mm, or back two mm and go out happy.

See what I wrote above re: TT bike fit. Given I saved some $7000 building that bike, a couple of hundred on fit and final building of the bike was money well spent. If I was buying an off the shelf bike locally where I could choose the frame size and work out the fit at the shop, then it might have been simpler. But when it is a brand new spare frame from an overseas race team, one size only and much cheaper than buying the frame locally, it worked out very well.

[foo on patrol]

Never had a proffessional fit done. I've changed my position four times in the last year and it will change again this year. The fitter, more flexable and lighter you get, the more you need too tweak your position. [emoji57]

Foo

[Dr_Mutley]

Never had a proffessional fit done. I've changed my position four times in the last year and it will change again this year. The fitter, more flexable and lighter you get, the more you need too tweak your position. [emoji57]

Foo

+1

[Xplora]

I agree with the two schools of thought, tweak regularly and only the weird will need a full fit. I do both. Had my Hogg fit, then slammed my stem, dumped normal bars and went traditional (completely changes the geometry).

NeillS is on the money - everyone reaches their limit, just getting to that limit can take some time.

[fat and old]

This idea that "have a good fit and all your pains will disappear" intrigues me....for a new rider at least. Starting out, surely you're going to get aches and pains just getting used to spending time in the saddle? Especially us older blokes? I spent a lifetime heavy labouring, but still got a sore ass and aching quads......after building up over a year it subsided to a few specific issues. Then I got a fit....most of it went away. But if I go out and up the time or k's or climbing, I'll still get sore until I adapt to that. Bike fit won't make that go away?

[Xplora]

There is good pain and bad pain - burning lactic acid that makes you sore for 2 days is good, sharp stabbing pains in your knees is bad. The easier it is to make the stabbing pain go away by standing up or moving your butt on the saddle, the more likely a fit will make that go away. The biomechanics of it all seem to imply that moving the seat 2mm forward and 3mm down will take your knees into a different range of motion, might unload some of the sideways forces that cause some pain as well. There is a lot there to take in, if you spent 5000 on a bike, it seems less silly to spend 250 bucks getting your bike set up to cope with your body and your expectations.

[g-boaf]

This idea that "have a good fit and all your pains will disappear" intrigues me....for a new rider at least. Starting out, surely you're going to get aches and pains just getting used to spending time in the saddle? Especially us older blokes? I spent a lifetime heavy labouring, but still got a sore ass and aching quads......after building up over a year it subsided to a few specific issues. Then I got a fit....most of it went away. But if I go out and up the time or k's or climbing, I'll still get sore until I adapt to that. Bike fit won't make that go away?

As Xplora says, there is the pain that is simply from riding fast and putting in big efforts and general muscle soreness from that, but then there is the pain that is not from that, and is from something not working properly, either overuse or you've torn some muscle. These sharp, intense pains and aches that are not normal. Those are the ones that can sometimes be solved by a proper bike fit and possibly some work in the gym with weights to strengthen them.

The former types from fast riding/big efforts might be helped a bit by a proper bike fit, but only really if the original was very wrong to start with. If you are just going along at lower speeds you might not notice, but if you are really going for it, then you might.

[HappyHumber]

Main reason I had one done was because I had a knee issue; which led to seeing a sports physio for a proper cleat fit; I thought why not go the whole hog and get something back out of my Health Insurance? I was pleasantly surprised after 7 or 8 years trial & effort with random kerbside frames I was pretty close to being dialled in. Had to laugh though, after measuring me up he just punched my numbers into Competitive Cyclist's fit pages. As long as you can get someone to measure you - I think it's all you need.

I do get the impression a lot of LBS's just pull it off with smoke, mirrors and gadgetry though.

I would recommend the cleat fit at least. Again, I had just fudged it for years. Seems it was less than optimal and although for the most part not painful (just hot spots on longer rides) my poor fit was obviously placing undue pressure on my ITB(?) and something did pop when climbing a longer hill one day. Fortunately nothing lasting in terms of damage. Hot spots are now a thing of the past after a few minutes observation and then critique of technique and cleat adjustment.