dr_cantalope

Yesterday was my clubs annual picnic preceded by a 54 mile ride. I went out with the "AA" riders and hung with them the whole time (we averaged a shave under 21mph). I'm new to the sport (started riding in March of this year) and since there were a few racers in the group I started talking to them in an effort to gain some more knowledge. I got some respect from the guys which felt great but during the conversation a few mentioned that I looked "hunched-over" on my bike and suggested that I go for a proper fitting (I'd be able to get more power in the pedals as well) There is a local shop here that specializes in fitting and I was talking with one of the guys who works there. For $375, they'll fit my current bike (below in blue I've including a copy of what's included from their web site).

I spend a ton of time on my bike (200+ per week) and am not opposed to getting something done the right way, but is $375 what I should expect to pay for a fit? I am a college student so money is a bit of a concern, but on the other hand I don't want to be riding a bike that will cause my body problems later on. Am I comfortable on my bike the way it's set up now? On short rides pretty much, but after a few hours on the saddle (especially when I do this for a few days in a row) I start to get aches in my elbows and wrists (I've been working on my upper body/core strength in order to take some of the burden of weight off my bones and put them onto muscles). Talking with the guys/reading stuff on the web I take it that the only pain I should have after riding is muscle fatigue.

"The Level One Fit allows us to make changes to your current bike by adjusting or changing components and putting you in the best desired position within the limits of your existing frame. It is a 2-2.5 hour process that begins with an extensive interview and physical assessment. You will leave with all the components assembled and located properly on your frame, to insure the final fitting target coordinates are accurately met and maintained. You will be provided with a marked up CAD drawing of your bicycle’s critical dimensions and coordinates. This information can then be used to compare any other bike to your new positional coordinates of your current bike.

The Level One Fit uses the Computrainer in the Spin Scan pedal stroke analysis mode along with Dartfish Video Motion Analysis.

The Computrainer Spin Scan pedal stroke analysis monitors your power output at every 15 degrees of your pedal stroke, left leg and right leg power output balance, overall pedaling efficiency, average torque angle for each leg, wattage, cadence, speed, and heart rate. This data allows us to fine tune your fit while monitoring the effects of the changes as they relate to power, efficiency and metabolic cost. Small changes in position or posture have proven to sometimes show large improvements in performance. Only the Computrainer can accurately illustrate what is the output of your efforts in to the bike. Our fitting adjustments will be based on a performance oriented goal when using the Computrainer.

The Dartfish Video Motion Analysis software allows us to capture accurate measurements which are unobtainable when you are in a static position. This degree of accuracy proves to be invaluable in setting you up in the perfect position to work within your body’s limiters. In addition, the Motion Analysis is used as a tool to let you visualize your pedaling technique in slow motion and understand the proper techniques necessary to produce power, be biomechanically efficient and avoid injury.

Our fitting methodology starts at the cleat placement and work its way up the body from the Foot to Knee to Pelvis to Lumbar spine to Thoracic spine to Scapula to Cervical spine to Elbow to Wrist, Hand and Fingers. All along we are checking and rechecking any adjustments and the resulting effect from your body’s kinetic chain of responses. We use the Computrainer to monitor and control wattage and speed, allowing real world efforts to be simulated during the fitting process. The Motion Analysis is then used to accurately align the critical biomechanical and mechanical land marks to insure proper and efficient alignment to maximize power transfer and avoid potential injurious joint loading.

The Level One Fit is the best process to maximize your power, efficiency, comfort, and control on your bike."

koxx rider

Seema good but I always like to just go on what I feel comfortable with. If I feel too much stress on one part of my body I change something like saddle height and stem length to figure out the proper fit. I have also put my bike on a trainer in my bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror if I want to check my leg position or how my upper body looks to make fit perfect. But otherwise I think it would be a good investment. If they are doing the fit and giving you the parts for that price it would be well worth it since it can take months to get everything right yourself.

Good luck

MerckxMad

Was that quote from Altheus by any chance? Fancy marketing talk, a computer and a laser will not get you any better fit than an experienced LBS with Serotta Size Cycle for $100. My suggestion is that you keep on looking for a decent fitter.

DrPete 

I would definitely talk to someone who's had the fit done.

The other issue is this--as you gain experience with riding, certain things will feel different as you go. For instance, I've been dropping my bar height all season as I've improved my hamstring flexibility.

I guess the bottom line is that if the fit isn't comfortable, you'll make some little tweaks/adjustments anyway. I'm a little skeptical about the value of all the uber-fitting unless you're a Pro/1/2 trying to squeeze every last milliwatt out of yourself.

DrPete

botto 

+1

i'd also check and see if you can go back for tweaks/check up if you're paying that much. sounds a tad steep to me, but a good fitting can make a WORLD of a difference.

Brandy

Okay...$375 makes the $125 that the LBS here charges seem suddenly reasonable to me!

H1449-6

It's just like every other decision you make, from what cereal to eat to what neighborhood to buy a house in.

Get enough advice (and a fitting is a structured form of expert advice) to help you make good decisions, without getting so much advice that you get stuck in option anxiety land.

The latter is what's happened to at least a couple of folks who have posted fit issues on this board.

acape

$375 seems like a lot. I got a good fit at Toga for $150, which was their basic version. They have a $250 version that is supposedly much more sophisticated, similar to what you are talking about I think. I was perfectly satisfied with the basic version. I know there's a Toga up in Nyack now, so you might check there.

brundle_fly

I wouldn't pay $10.Just try out a load of bikes and see which one fits.Then just do a bit of tweaking
of the stem and seat yourself if need be.

MichaelW

It helps to have some understanding of what good bike fit is.
There are a plethora of websites dealing with fit. Some are fairly crude and simplistic, others make unwarrented and unspoken assumtions such as "you are a fit, flexable racing cyclist", some take fitting to unneccessary degrees of precision.
This is one of the best sources of fit info for all cyclists of any style.

botto 

that was very helpful. thanks

cmh

$375 is way more than most bike shops charge for a fit. It sounds like they are charging you for a new stem, bars, seatpost or other parts whether you need them or not.

ranger5oh

Dude... if money is tight, just adjust as you go. I think $375 can be better spent elsewhere.

Your LBS should have done a minimum fitting for you when you bought the bike. Im not sure as a beginner how much you will gain by having a $400 fitting. Maybe after you have been riding for some time, and you have more money you should consider it. Or when you are going to buy a new bike frame.

DrPete 

But dude, didn't you read the OP???? THEY USE LASERS!!!

DrPete

GuitarWizard

I just paid $400.....BUT....that included a custom set of orthotic footsoles for my cycling shoes. The fitting itself was $150, and I had to order a set of fixed cleats, which should be here today hopefully.

The biggest differences he made were to my cleats and moving my seat back quite a bit....and also raised my seat up a bit. It has made a HUGE difference in comfort and power delivery. I can't wait for my insoles and cleats to arrive....should be even more comfortable.

Bill Peterson is the man.

Kenal0

I paid $50.
Talked for a few minutes about riding style and any current issues I might have,
Put bike on trainer, did some measuring and changing of seat height and location.
Adjusted cleat position.
Rotated handlebars to a more comfortable position.
Process took about 30 minutes and I was satisfied. Made adjustments that were definitely beneficial.
$375 sounds steep but you could ask a few people that have had it done and see what they thought.
Kenal0

bmonnig

*****
LMAO. That was great. I'm still chuckling. LOL

johnny99

I would start with a basic fitting ($50 to $100) and see how far that gets you. Most recreational cyclists will be happy with this level of fitting. Even at the $100 price level, you are paying as much for coaching as for measurements. The coach should advise you on ways to modify your cycling technique to become more comfortable and more efficient.

The super high end fitting might make sense if you have already had a few years of experience after a basic fitting and are now looking for a few more seconds of speed. It can also make sense if you are experiencing pain or injury even after a basic fitting. A pro level fitting with lasers and x-rays and video tapes and power meters (probably no wind tunels at the $400 price level) will look for abnormalities in your physiology and your cycling motion and try to correct or compensate for them.

Psimet2001 

Why don't you ask the hammerheads you're riding with to help you work on you setup? There's got to be a good fitter in the bunch, besides you know they have a ton of extra gear hanging around that you could probbaly borrow to get you sizing.

If you're comfortable then I'd read up, ask advice, and then proceed with trial and error only changing one thing at a time. 99% of a fit is saddle position (height, angle, fore/aft), and bar position (stem length, height, angle, bar rotation, lever position).

I guess I'm saying $350 is crap if you're already comfortable, and that if the guys can see you're "hunched over" then they also have a good enough eye to tell you what to start changing first. Buy them a case of beer and get some advice.

[Edit] Don't be lured in by the "Frickin' Lazer Beams!"

dspyder

Here's a question... If you don't have the money for a $375 fit, do you have the money for the changes they're going to suggest (up to and including frame replacement). It does sound like a very neat process, but you'll probably get more value right now out of something more basic.

I would definitely look at the $100-$150 fits from any number of reputable shops. They will put you on a trainer or dedicated fit machine and make fine-tuning changes that will definitely help you ride and feel better. They may suggest some new purchases, but it's up to you when/how to make those.

I've found most of the $50-$100 fit offerings to be standover height on the frame and saddle height (and maybe position if you're lucky). Not much better than you and a buddy can do yourself, and certainly not much more than a good LBS should have done when they sized you to sell you a bike in the first place.

operator

$375? Complete waste of money seriously. Set everything to a neutral position and adjust things that don't seem right to you. If you have problems with something, look online.

Probably better if you gave us a picture of yourself on the bike now with your typical position on the bike and we can tell you if something is horribly amiss.

johnny99

1. Not all fit changes involve changes to your bike. A curved back and hunched shoulders often just indicate poor posture. Try bending your wasit and elbows more when you ride. You may need to lower your seat as well.

2. If you are going to make changes to your bike, I consider cleat position to be just as important as saddle and handlebar position. Poor cleat position can waste energy as well as cause knee injury.

3. Ask your fitter exactly what you are getting for you money. I paid a local college cycling coach $80 for a fitting. He spent 2 hours with me watching me ride, coaching me on riding technique, and adjusting my cleats, saddle, and handlebars to give me a more efficient riding position. The changes were less than 1cm each, but together I do feel more powerful and balanced because he did remove some dead spots and inefficiencies from my technique.

Cleave

Hello dr_cantalope,

I'm not sure that the responses you've gotten get to the point of your "how much is too much" question. The forum members quoting a $100-$150 fitting are generally refering to a fitting system based on "global" fitting criteria based typically on empirical data (such as the Fit Kit or Serotta). These kinds of fittings are probably what you need.

The fitting that you quoted, is a bio-mechanical fitting that is tailored to your body mechanics and power output. Since you noted that finances are an issue, the value that you would gain from this kind of fitting may not meet you financial requirements. Individuals getting this kind of fitting are generally elite athletes or weekend warriors with disposable income. This kind of fitting definitely gives you more information on how to get the maximum performance from you bike, but the lower cost option will get you at least 80% of where you want to be for power output and at least 90% of where you want to be for comfort.

Hope this helps.

allez

My shop does a 3+ hour fit for $150, i say you shop around for a better price. 100-150 seems to be a standard.

rounder

Post side view pix and I will save you 375 bucks.