Picking up first bike in 15 years tomorrow morning...PLEASE HELP!
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Picking up first bike in 15 years tomorrow morning...PLEASE HELP!
I am picking up my bike tomorrow (the first one in 15 years!). It is a Specialized Sirrus Elite. My LBS said they will fit the bike to me, but as I am new to biking I have no idea what it means to be 'fit' properly.
Can anyone please shed light on what I should be asking/looking for?
From what I understand, the Sirrus Elite is pretty good out of the box and the LBS has been excellent so far. But I would like to be somewhat educated on the subject.
Please help!
Can anyone please shed light on what I should be asking/looking for?
From what I understand, the Sirrus Elite is pretty good out of the box and the LBS has been excellent so far. But I would like to be somewhat educated on the subject.
Please help!
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Getting the saddle height right is a good place to start. Also the LBS should talk to you a bit about how to maintain the bike (a floor pump with a gauge is important) and about how to ride the bike. You could talk to the LBS about whether the stem length is right but that is less of an issue on a flat bar bike than a drop bar. This is the time to swap out the saddle if you are not comfortable on it but frankly it's hard to tell what you think of the saddle until you've ridden it for a while. Also ask about clipless pedals, shoes, water bottle cages, water bottles, a bike computer, a saddle bag for a spare tube and patch kit, and a pump for your bike.
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A bike fitting is aimed at the most comfortable and efficient position for you on your new bike. You'll see the saddle up high enough to make you wonder if you can touch the ground while on it (toes of one foot MAYBE!), and lots of fiddling for what seems to be tiny adjustments. Trust -- they are necessary. Anyone who is any good at all with fitting while take some time, and make sure it's DIALED in. MILLIMETERS can make a big difference!
A lot of it is how you will FEEL on the bike; will you feel like you're sliding off front or back? (bad, BTW) Do you have pressure on your "taint"? (also BAD) Is there more weight/pressure on your hands than on your butt? These are all involved.
Basic maintenance tools are good thing, yes, but have little/nothing to do with fit; they just get mentioned because that's a good time to find out about them. A multi-tool, patch kit, spare tube, pump, tire levers, stuff like that is a good start. Ask how they work.
ENJOY THE RIDE!!
A lot of it is how you will FEEL on the bike; will you feel like you're sliding off front or back? (bad, BTW) Do you have pressure on your "taint"? (also BAD) Is there more weight/pressure on your hands than on your butt? These are all involved.
Basic maintenance tools are good thing, yes, but have little/nothing to do with fit; they just get mentioned because that's a good time to find out about them. A multi-tool, patch kit, spare tube, pump, tire levers, stuff like that is a good start. Ask how they work.
ENJOY THE RIDE!!
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Thank you both for the advice. T minus 2 hours, and now I have a better understanding of what a bike fitting is!