15minprior

A shop near my job offers the Guru fitting for $350, is this completely overpriced?

I know it's not 100% about the systems but more emphasis should be placed on the fitter and their experience in cycling.

This shop is located in a more "prestigious" beach area which may be affordable to the typical demographic that lives here. Based on my research on the shop/owner, it doesn't seem as though owner/fit specialist are ex-racers so I find it difficult to justify the cost simply because their input is from nilch applied to my own fit.

Tommy1955

I just paid $300.00 for a bike fit here in Houston yesterday. I went to my doctor (GP) the day before to get my blood pressure meds and was telling him about tingling in my hand and arm. I do keep a daily detailed log of every ride I do from where I ride, how many miles, ride time, average heart rate/max. heart rate, what the wind speed is, calories burned etc.. Needless to say the doctor is impresses. I started riding because he wanted me to do cardio because I was in pretty bad shape 1-1/2 years ago. Anyway, he told me to get a good bike fit since I ride between 100 to 125 miles/week on average. So I did. The woman that did the fit raced mountain bikes, road bikes and cyclocross for years. She is a Certified Master's Body-Geometry Fit Tech and is certified with R.E.T.U.L and S.I.C.I... Her testing is very comprehensive and asks all kinds of questions concerning your medical history and if you have had any operations or broken bones. She wants to know what you do most days as far as activity goes. She measures everything on you and tests you for your flexibility which is very important. She places you bike on a platform that is LEVEL and measures everything on the bike so she knows where the bike started at for you get a report on all exact changes that were to the bike. The testing is all done on computers videoing your ride and measurements are taken by computer. She shows you on the monitor while your riding what's going on and what she plans to do to correct it. At the end, you do get a complete report about your body and computer images of your body before and after the fit. She does do the fit to you and your body for one fit doesn't fit all. It's a custom fit to you and that particular bike. Since yesterday afternoon, I've been 35 miles and have no pain or numbness in my hands like I did prior. It's amazing what a few adjustments can make. She basically changed my grip position which put my wrists in a must better position. My saddle was forward too much as well which made a huge difference on my knee position to the pedal. I don't clip in so she gave me some tips on how place my shoe in the same location. She said that when you're clipped in, they can be exact but a lot still depends on your flexibility. I personally think this was money well spent especially because she fixed my hand problem (so far). I do go back with in 30 days for a free follow up and any tweeking that might be needed. She also comments that I need to ride a little easier for a week or two after the fit to give my body time to adjust for the changes that were done. BTW, I don't think I would have paid $300.00 for a fit if it wasn't computerized which is much more accurate.

DrIsotope

Closing in on 25,000 miles done, never had a bike fitting of any kind. Used the calculator on the Competitive Cyclist website to ballpark the required frame size, then tweaked adjustments from there. I'm sure getting a professional fitting works for many-- but I know guys who have been fitted and re-fitted as many as four times, and still ride 50 miles per week and have never logged a ride approaching 100 miles. Until you put serious miles in the saddle (that is, miles well beyond your comfort zone) you don't really know if the bike fits you well or not.

$350 is my chain and tire budget for the entire year, @ +900 miles per month.

pakossa

I've had 2 GURU fittings, neither of which I found to be comfortable or efficient. As they say, it's the fitter, not the equipment. The fitters I had didn't take body measurements, check flexibility, etc., so that may be part of the problem. At least some GURU fitters use a formula which -- for some strange reason -- determines bar drop and reach as a percentage of your saddle height. Since my torso is ridiculously short, this resulted in the reach being WAY too long (by, like, 5 - 6cm). Based on this, I do not believe GURU is the best fitting method, but, again, it's the FITTER that matters. (Try to find someone with a physical therapy-type background, who can recognize if the "starting point" setup will not be optimal for your body.)

Clyde1820

Some years back, I got a custom fitting through a Co-Motion dealer. Was an eye-opener. Ended up deciding to not acquire a custom-geometry bike at the time, but it helped me understand what was and wasn't working with the various elements of geometry and fit. IIRC, it was about $200. Worth every penny, in that sense. Would have been worth even more, had I had a custom Co-Motion bike designed for me.

linberl

+1 on it being the fitter, not the equipment. If you don't ride clipped in (neither do I) there are fewer adjustments to be made and the fit should cost less based on that. Mine did. I suggest finding a fitter who has great reviews from riders in your area, imo more important than computerized gear if you use platforms. Really important is the "re-fit" after you have used the adjusted bike a while. If a fitter doesn't do that, walk away.

Wildwood 

I'm a 30+ year rider, who has never been fit by a certified person on any 'system'. However, 3 builders have produced customs for me that fit, so i must be close to dialed-in.

So, to answer the question = no fit is worth $350 to me. But if i were in pain.....???

drewguy

A custom built/fit bike should avoid many of the issues buying a "stock" bike creates, as standard frames are based on standard sized people, and don't account for longer/shorter arms/torsos/legs etc.

reef58

I have had three fittings. One was good. One was the absolute best, and one plain sucked. They all costs about the same.

realyfishy

I had a $300 Guru fit on a bike that ended up just being too large. I did use the computer printout they gave me & used the measurements to fit my new bike, after much tweaking. I really don't think the fitter himself had much experience with it & a year later the shop no longer has the Guru fit mechanical bike. I understand the concept of putting the rider in the optimum position for the output of maximum power, but that doesn't always translate to mean comfort. I've since had a $100 "mini" fitting from an experienced fitter & I'm close to perfect!

ctpres

Agree the person is what counts. Got mine at Tad Hughes Custom Fit Studio | Texas' only independent Master Bike Fitter and retailer of 100% custom footbeds for any lifestyle.
Still $200 for basic and $350 for the works that includes custom footbeds. His customers come to Houston from all over the US for his service.