Bike fit over-rated? (Page 2)

this is why fitters alsooffer a range of what they can offer, not just one price.

for example, colorado multi sport here in boulder, or cadence cycles that i used to race for back in saline MI, both offer some options like this:

Pedal placement and adjustment: normally in the 50-80$ range

fit adjustment on an existing bike- 75-150$ range

full blow bike fit, all musurements, help you find a new bike,
figure out which bikes would be best for you, and sets you up on, or gives you tthe numbers to do this once you get the bike
normally 100-400.

Also consider those of us with less than 'standard' body sizes...just finding a bike that started to fit was a PITA for me at 5'6" with a 27-28" inseam.  I've read more articles than I care to think about and still can't get myself to a position where my IT bands don't bug me.  I'm saving at this point for a fitting...it's either that or not ride again...

Jim

Unless someone was fit in a wind tunnel, no one knows if they are in the most "powerful/aero position". Obviously, the fitters have guidelines that they'll use to make sure they're not sacrificiung aero for power but they still don't know for sure. Look at the positions of the TdF riders on the their TT bikes. I have to assume those positions are optimal in every way and yet they're very different from each other. I was amazed at how shallow Lance's hip angle appeared to be. I'm thinking it's due to the fact that in his tri days he was on road geometry with aero bars and then all the years on the road bike.

There is also the issue of a riders current ability to produce power vs. their potential in other positions. Just because a rider's power is maximized in a position at some point in time, doesn't mean that there isn't another position to which their body's would eventually adjust and end up generating even more power.

My personal opinion of professional fits is that if a rider knows little to nothing about how a bike should fit (and/or they have little interest in learning about their bike), then spending the money for a fit is a great investment for both riding enjoyment, speed, and lowering the risk of injury.

For someone who does know quite a bit about bike fit and is not concerned with winning/losing by just a few seconds, they can hone in on a good fit by setting the bike up with reasonable angles and then tweaking the adjustments to feel. I think as long as the angles are reasonable, most people's bodies will adjust to the fit after riding it for a significant amount of time and that will become their most powerful position due to muscle development. This method also gives them the advantage of making minor changes over time, holding everything else constant so they know exactly why each adjustment is where it is (as long as they keep very good notes). IMO, learning about your bike is always a good thing.

IMO, for someone who is very concerned about an optimal position in terms of power/aero, they should be fit in a wind tunnel which obviously cost $$$.

I agree fit is important & keeping detailed data on your fit can come in REALLY handy (e.g. after major repairs, new bike set-up, etc.).  But is "pro fit" really necessary? IMHO- It depends on rider & fitter. No doubt many cyclists, esp newbies, want and need the assistance of a basic fitting.  IMHO that should come with buying a quality bike, but some want/need that service a la cart. Rider may have been mis-fit previously, and fit can change over time as flexibility & strength change. Better fitting done at shops may include swapping parts to improve your fit, which is more convenient than having to drag yourself & the bike elsewhere to get the work done.  Then there are the highly competitive riders for whom squeezing a few more functional watts out of their position is crucial.  Clearly top-end fitters using powermeters and video have helped some achieve podium finishes in big races.  Unfortunately, there are also too many fitters who are a waste of $$ at best.  And I've seen too many riders in my big local club claiming huge improvements in power/endurance after pro fitting- yet still seem to get dropped at same speed/distance during our weekly spirited group rides.

Then there are self-fit riders like me.  Don't race competitively, do my own wrenching (inc. complete strip-to-frame rebuilds), and spend WAY too much time reading about cycling.  I've been riding so much (4-5+k mi/yr) I can easily tell if my seat is <<5mm off.  Never had a "pro" fitting, but fit myself using digital photos (with drawing tools to check lines) & "feel" to dial in best set-up for my purposes.  My "speed" bike has a bit more aggressive set-up than my "plush" road bike. Since I started doing tri this year I added clip-on aerobars & zero-offset post to my "speed" bike to mimic TT positioning.  Initially set-up using photos of me on the bike, then tweaked position based on differences in speed @ same effort/HR (anyone want to donate a powermeter??).  Good pro fitter may have gotten me dialed in a bit quicker, but I'm happy with my results. 

So go to a good fitter if you want, but do your homework.  Decide what YOU want to achieve (more comfort,power,aero,endurance,etc.), and research who is best in your area.  Just remember that pro fitting is not a requirement if you're happy with your bike set-up for your riding style.

Edited by Oldteen 2009-07-26 3:29 PM

think ofi t like this:

a fitter is like a coach. you dont need one to get there, but sometimes it can take you from A to B faster.
some people work ebtter without one, some just need advice, and some need the whole shabang.

in the end, like some have said, it doesnt matter how you get there, but you need to be happy with the bike fit.

some want more out of it than others, and thats ok.