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DIY bike fitting

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Old 10-31-09, 12:12 PM
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Neccros
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DIY bike fitting

Is there a site, software, tools that's CHEAP or FREE somewhere online that helps you do basic bike fitting yourself???

I'm just working on saddle height and position and don't have the cash to pay someone to tell me where to run my saddle...

Thanks
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Old 10-31-09, 12:27 PM
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You could get a friend and follow the instructions at Competitive Cyclist, or you could listen to your knees, too.

There are plenty of others.
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Old 10-31-09, 12:43 PM
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there are to many errors with the measurements to actually be able to use a site. just keep adjusting until it feels good.
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Old 10-31-09, 12:47 PM
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CC is a good start for an initial setup.

Everyone is differant though, even if your measurements were to come out the same. As Jynx said, once you have a baseline for your geometry, small adjustments can be made to tweak until you are a perfect feel/fit.
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Old 10-31-09, 12:49 PM
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If you're just working on saddle height/position, you just need to pick up a few tips to get started.

You can read https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm and have about as much theoretical knowledgeable about 'proper fit' as your LBS does. What you won't have is experience (which, IMHO, is sometimes worth paying for).

Once you get saddle position within a reasonable range of where it 'should' be, you have to adjust based on your preferences, and this just requires more miles (I'm eh.. still in this stage). In other words, don't get your hopes up for an online fit calculator that will be capable of giving you a perfect fit, not even for saddle position.
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Old 10-31-09, 12:52 PM
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Do a search within these forums. We've posted enough information over the years to make a decent, if not good, DIY fit system.
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Old 10-31-09, 12:59 PM
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Try this.
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Old 10-31-09, 01:15 PM
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Dont you just know when your position is right. I put together a bike at the beginning of the summer. Adjusted the saddle to a height based on my hip bone. Havent touched the saddle height since. A little fore/aft adjustment to get a good knee pedal relationship and that was it. Its a bicycle, not much to adjust.
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Old 10-31-09, 01:24 PM
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Originally Posted by big chainring
Dont you just know when your position is right. I put together a bike at the beginning of the summer. Adjusted the saddle to a height based on my hip bone. Havent touched the saddle height since. A little fore/aft adjustment to get a good knee pedal relationship and that was it. Its a bicycle, not much to adjust.

I don't even know where to start replying to this post......
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Old 10-31-09, 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by big chainring
Dont you just know when your position is right. I put together a bike at the beginning of the summer. Adjusted the saddle to a height based on my hip bone. Havent touched the saddle height since. A little fore/aft adjustment to get a good knee pedal relationship and that was it. Its a bicycle, not much to adjust.
I'll have a go.

Obviously, the OP doesn't see bike fit as the simple matter you do and came asking for advice.

Since the art of bike fitting is such a rudimentary matter to you, why not attempt to impart some of this basic knowledge.

Or are you just wanking for effect?

I'd also be interested to learn about this magic "hip bone" rule.
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Old 10-31-09, 02:31 PM
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The hipbone rule only works well with beach cruisers.
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Old 11-01-09, 10:21 AM
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Fitting shouldn't be so secretive someone cant do it on their own!!! And there has to be basic starting points to go off of!
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Old 11-01-09, 11:03 AM
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The spreadsheet here was pretty much dead on for my fit.
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Old 11-01-09, 01:19 PM
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This article covers the basics.
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

Hip bone rule. Basic starting point for saddle height. Raise saddle to hip bone height. Its the way I set the height on my bikes. Gets me within a cm of correct height depending on BB height and wheel/tire diameter

Last edited by big chainring; 11-01-09 at 01:27 PM.
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