Bike Fitting Costs?

$200 is a good price.  Most entry level tri bikes start around $1700, $2k is just a drop in the bucket for a bike.

There are lots of different levels of fitting, so you need to find out exactly what is being fit, and the method used. There is a basic type of fit where someone will sit you over the bike, maybe put you in the seat, and adjust the handlebar level and seat position. An intermediate type of fitting will get you pedaling, maybe use a few measurements, swap out a stem, etc. Then a full fit will cover things like pedal cleat location, take video to measure hip angle, pedal stroke, and shoulder location. You have lots of options to chose from. I got an intermediate fit when I bought my bike in June, and then after putting about 20 hours on it, I went back in for a full fit. I will likely have to go in again after I have more hours on it to get truly dialed in.

It's hard to properly express the importance of getting a proper fit on a bike. For me, $300 in fittings is part of the bike purchase budget, and I would willing spend less money on a bike to ensure that I get fit to it. I would rather be properly fitted on a cheap bike than poorly fitted on an expensive one. In fitting, a centimeter is like a mile - if you're seat is one cm too far forward, it effects your pedal stroke, the muscle groups engaged in the stroke, the amount of weight sitting on your hands on the hood, and the angle to which you hold your head. Any one of those things, when improper, can cause pain, discomfort, and in some cases injury. Proper fittings are a process, too. You may need to go back in because an hour into a ride, you start to develop some pain in one leg, and need a shim because one leg is longer than the other.

$200 for a fitting is about average or slightly below average for a F.I.S.T. or similar fitting.

If they'll do it free for buying a middle of the road tri bike, AND I was in the market for a $2K tri bike I'd do that in a minute.

Thanks for all the replies and the info.  It sounds like this shop is pretty reasonable.  Here is the e-mail they sent me:  

"Our Dynamic Fit Process is a 2 hour time block where we adjust and move every part of the bike on our velotron spin scan fit bike. We measure power, cadence, leg descripencies, cleat placement and we adjust your saddle height, cockpit, drop and seat tube angles to make sure you find the right position for you on the fit bike. We then measure your coordinates and find the best frame size for you.

 

Our fit is $200, but a portion is included in the price of a bike. So if you purchase a $2,000 bike, the fit is free!

Let us know if you'd like to schedule an appointment and talk more about our fit process over the phone!"

I'm only doing my 2nd sprint tri this Saturday and then I'm doing my 3rd sprint tri the end of October, so I'll probably wait until I have a couple more sprint tri's under my belt and then go for a fitting assuming I'm still hooked!