howaboutme

My question is simple but likely hard to answer. Do I need a fitting before I buy my first (in a long, long time) road bike?

I am in my mid 40s, not currently as active as I'd like. I give the usual reasons, errr excuses, (family, kids, jobs, lack of time, etc). However, I am now looking to get (back) into road riding to get into shape, help stress and just enjoy it. The nuance is that way back during my teen years in high school, I was an avid road rider (and occasional weekend warrior racer) that had an advanced understanding of bikes, components, fit, etc. In the decades between then and now, I have continued to follow the European pro cycling scene so I have stayed informed of latest trends, etc. My point is, this is not completely new to me. But, bikes have advanced and I've been left behind.

I am now looking for an endurance bike. Not because I plan to do centuries but because I am looking for a relaxed ride rather than chasing speed. I live in Northern VA and we have hills so it's not completely flat. Small mountains are not too far away if/when that urge rises.

I have only started researching and am likely looking at the $3 to $4k range so I guess this is mid-range? I chose this for a few reasons, mainly so I can get a carbon frame and fork at the compromise of components. I can upgrade those later. I just want something I can be satisfied with w/o needing to spend more. Because of this range, I am open to doing DTC or purchasing from established brands that allow you to buy online. I'm not particularly concerned about test riding a bike at the store (most don't have what you want anyways?)

So...should I get fit to know exactly what size I need? Should I reconsider and only buy a bike I can test?

If you think about it, most DTC's are based on frame size only (not as hard to figure that one out) but lack the option to change stem size, handle bar width or crank length. If I'm not going fully custom, is there a benefit? I have a bike shop here that offers the GURU fit at a reasonable price. Is it worth it? I have nothing, no pedals, no shorts, nothing. I'll likely have to buy some stuff to even do the fit but much rather spend my money on a bike.

Open to thoughts! Thanks in advance.

Carbonfiberboy 

When I bought my last new bike, I researched what was interesting to me, which it seems you have already done. Then I went to a bike shop which carried the bikes in which I was interested. The salesperson picked what should be the right size (and it was) which they had in stock. He put the bike on a trainer. In the process of getting me on it, he adjusted saddle position and height, etc. After I got on and pedaled a bit, he got me into my best position on the bike and then guessed at the stem length I'd need but of course didn't change it out (yet). I liked how the bike felt and took it for a short test ride to check the steering response. Loved it. And that was that.

I think if the shop won't do that, you're in the wrong shop. BTW this is my long distance endurance bike, which happens to be exactly the same as the bike I'd race if I raced, but my position is adjusted for endurance rather than max speed on the flat. That said, for me, I think the position would actually be exactly the same but everyone's different and climbing is where it's at anyway.

howaboutme

Thanks for your response! I think what you're getting at is that I can get similar level of information from a dedicated bike fit just by going into a LBS. I agree with that, though I have yet to even step foot into one. My issue here is after I go through all of that setup and help they are providing, I may not buy a bike from there. Some may say "who cares" but I am sympathetic of the time they put in. I just tend to think I can get good deals (more options) online and take the risk of not riding it. But again, that's just my initial take, which can change through more research.

Kontact 

They aren't going to give you a fit sheet after getting your saddle set up for the test ride. So that process will have to happen at every bike shop you want to do this at.

Generally speaking, if you don't have an injury or limitation, the height to bike size charts that companies often have in their catalogs work decently well. If you are 6 feet tall and the bike is a true 58 for instance, you're likely to be able to get into position with adjustments and a stem length swap - if you have a reliable way of determining your position.


Fits offer much more than just basic sizing. Cleat set up alone is valuable.

BTinNYC 

my recent experience with getting back on the bike; after 4-6 months of regular riding my flexibility and core strength improved a lot and my bike fit changed...a lot. So my advice is get a bike with a separate stem and handlebars, not an integrated one piece stem/handlebar. This way you can get the bars to a comfortable position day 1 and move as needed later. I think getting a bike fit before spending big dollars will ensure you get a right-sized frame.

howaboutme

Thanks. One issue that I think goes against the thought of no bike fit is that I believe I'm not in proportion with my height. I am 5-10 (11 on a good day) but only a 30" inseam. I think people at my height are typically 32" inseam? I have a longer torso. I know there's ways round this like stem length or a larger bike w/ shorter crank lengths. I'd like to avoid adjust crank length because I think that's the more expensive adjustment.

Thank you for this. I didn't think about it. While I'm not obese by any means, I do have a at least 20 lbs of here and there to loose so I expect my flexibility will get better too. Doing a 2-peice stem/handle bar will help eliminate a few manufacturers for sure and help narrow things down.

rm -rf

My first reaction is that a bike fit is better after a few months of riding. The rider gets adapted to the saddle and the riding becomes familiar and automatic.

But you are spending a lot on a very nice bike, and don't want to pick something that turns out to be barely adaptable. I know quite a few riders on bikes that really don't seem to fit them well. For instance, not even riding with hands on the hoods, instead, hands always back toward the tops on the bend. So getting the info now is helpful.

Locally, there's the high tech fitters that stick dots on the rider to track movements and use video via a computer analysis, and use power analysis around the pedal stroke, etc. That's probably not too useful for a new rider that's way out of riding practice.

Or there's an experienced bike shop fitter that uses an adjustable fitting bike and less high tech methods: when I bought my very expensive bike, it was close to my previous bike, which was okay for me. I did a fitting with my new bike mounted on a trainer, and the fitter measured leg angle, used a laser level to watch how my knees moved, tested my flexibility, and spent a bunch of time watching me pedal. We made some minor adjustments that were quite helpful. 9 years later, I'm still riding that bike with essentially the same setup.

I'd interview some fitters to see what their approach is, and costs. I think some bike shops will do a simplified fitting on an adjustable bike.

rm -rf

I'm like you, 5' 10" with short legs. That can complicated choosing a frame size, but you'll easily find something that's correct. "Stack and Reach" will help with deciding how different frames will fit you. I ignored the 55 inch, 56 inch, etc frame sizes, instead comparing stack and reach to see how the different frames moved the handlebar position. It helped that my old bike was a reasonable fit.

Short cranks only change by millimeters, so it's not too relevant for bike size selection.
Separate stem and handlebars give more choices for bar width, drops shape, and stem lengths. And bar angle too. I wouldn't want an integrated one. I'm not racing.

I have the bars up a bit higher than many riders. The top of the bar is approx 1 3/8 drop from the saddle, about 35 mm. This way, my drops are perfectly usable as an alternate hand position. The drops are great for rough roads, so the jolts are spread over my whole palm, for control on downhills or sketchy pavement, for headwinds, and for relieving my back and shoulders with a different position.
Even with this higher position, my stem is the usual 7 degrees up and there's only two 10mm spacers under the stem -- nothing extreme.

Iride01 

Getting a bike fit now isn't going to tell you what size bike you need in a simple term of just size. You'll get a bunch of measurements that will tell you what position you need to be in and they may not have much direct relation to the geometry descriptions that are given for bicycles. And the size bike the maker for one model of bike recommends for you might not be the size they recommend to you for another model of their bikes. Though in general, many people can really fit a range of sizes from the ideal size.

Unless the bike shop has a high turn over for their floor staff, then they'll have a good idea what size bike you should start out with till you learn for yourself what things you need to consider. Many shops, the owner is the salesperson. And those that have been around a while probably have a good interest in getting you a bike that will keep you riding so you'll come back to them for all the things you'll need when you ride a lot.

Consider carefully what position you think you want on the bike. And look for bikes that are made to give you that position. Don't think that sitting more upright is just a matter of raising the bars higher on the bike you get. Most new bikes you try out have the bars as high as they are made to go already. And used bikes likely have the bars as high as they'll go unless the previous owner put the spacers on top of the stem as they lowered their bars instead of just cutting off the excess steerer tube.

If you plan to do Century rides, then you don't really plan to ride slow. Otherwise you'll be 7 to 8 hours finishing your ride and might get taken off the course if the ride organizer enforces the SAG. Plus, you'll find that you use much less energy if you ride in a group. And of course you'll want to keep up with that group.

Unless you are completely oblivious to the clues your body gives you to when something isn't right, then you should be able to figure out enough stuff to make your bike fit you. Also consider getting a somewhat inexpensive bike. That way if you find that your current expectations about riding aren't what you really want, then you can easily afford after a year to toss that new bike and get another that you think meets your then current expectations. Might take a few bikes to really decide what you want as your riding will evolve as you get fitter and possibly influenced by the cycling friends you ride with.

Similar to you I started riding again after 50 y.o. And after going through several bikes, I found at over 60 y.o. that I wanted a more aero position. So I bought a bike that gives that. And today I still consider it the most fun riding bike I've ever had. And it's also among the most comfortable bikes I've ever had. And it is a size that the manufacturer recommended. Though I've changed bar width to a narrower set.

Carbonfiberboy 

Oh, man. You caught me out. No, I didn't buy the bike from that shop. I was a stinker. A friend of mine bought the same model and size for me on sale from a shop in a no sales tax state he happened to be in. I'm always on a tight budget. But I knew that model and size would work for me, so it was quite easy for me to fit the bike on my own - and continue to refine and alter that fit over the years. I've had one bike fit, with a renowned local fitter, but IMO I did better on my own.

I think it's better to learn how to fit and care for one's own bike rather than have someone else do it for you. In my riding group the worst prepared bikes are those where the owner has turned all that over to a bike shop. I've had two cassettes, installed by bike shops, come loose during a ride - simply because the shop didn't use a torque wrench to install them. Who carries a cassette tool and big socket wrench with them? After that I did it myself. A riding buddy once had his rear derailleur come apart on a ride. The shop hadn't lock-tited the screws. On and on. I have a shop change forks and bottom brackets The rest I do myself.

I know, I know, folks like me would put bike shops out of business except for sales. I have found one local bike shop I've started to trust.

howaboutme

Wow, you all have been great! You've given me lots to chomp on. I appreciate it.

I do have a shop that utilizes the GURU system. It seems great but also perhaps way too much information. Like one person posted above, after not being on a road bike in decades, how would I know if the feel at the fitting is the right feel after 2, 3 or 4 weeks?

From my old riding days, I do still remember what needs to be done, what the feels should be, location of contact points, etc so I do feel comfortable tinkering myself, especially with cleats.

After reading some of these responses, I went to Lauf's website (just as an example) and looked at their specs for the stem and bar. A quick Google tells me that the stem is $50 or less and the bar is not much more so I think replacing them won't do too much to the wallet. Beyond that, I can play w/ seat height, fore/aft and stem height as I ride.

Okay, perhaps leaning one way now....

rm -rf

visit some local bike shops. Ask if they do a simple fitting, since you are just getting back into biking. I would expect to pay for the fit. Enough testing to find your
The fit numbers don't tell you what size frame directly. But testing one of their floor models with the saddle and stem adjusted to the new fit numbers would be helpful. Then you can use stack&reach and stem length to find bike sizes that will work for you.

Then for a quick testing bike setup, get these measurements from the fitting's floor model bike.

length measured from a pedal to the top of the saddle -- the measurement is with the crank aligned with the seat tube and measuring to the top of the saddle on this same line. That's not perfect, saddles vary and seat tubes can be at a different angle, but close enough for a start.

distance from saddle nose to the back side of the bars near the stem (for comparable saddle designs -- some have shorter noses or a bit different rider seat bones position). Close enough for testing,

saddle should be level. (but I like mine very slightly nose up, so that the seat bone section is just about perfectly level.)
Note the saddle rails clamped position front-back. (rails lengths can vary though)

approximate bar drop from the top of the saddle level. Within "two finger widths" or "four fingers", etc, is good enough.

howaboutme

Thanks all! I think it's very clear. I need to visit some shops!

What do you all wear if you know you want to test ride a bike? I don't have any cycling gear. Plus, it's winter here.... Kind of a stupid question since I think I know the answer but thought I'd ask. Do shops offer you to lend you some clothes for test riding?

Carbonfiberboy 

When I've done short test rides, I just used my street clothes. I never did a long test ride.

Bald Paul

I went to this shop for a fitting prior to buying my new bike. It was, without a doubt, the most comprehensive fitting I have ever had - much more than just 'adjust the saddle and guess at the stem you'll need'. The system they use also has a database of bikes and frames and can then recommend which would be the best fit for you. It took about 2 hours, and was worth every penny.
Bike Fits – Velo Valets

howaboutme

Thanks! I have heard of Shimano bike fit and see that I have a shop in my area that does it. I will look into it.

I assume that you now have put some miles on your bike, did you end up having to adjust post fit as you rode more and more? Someone above posted a good point that your ideal position may be different after some riding rather than in an hour long fit.

Bald Paul

Nope. I used the specs they gave me for my "ideal" geometry and I found a bike (Scott Addict) that most closely matched. Took it back to the shop, where they used my stored info and transferred all the adjustments (seat, bars, etc) using lasers. All very high tech! The bike has been absolutely comfortable, with no other 'tweaks' on the setup.
I wish I had done this about 4 bike purchases before!

Iride01 

Street clothes are fine. But do you even know if the shop will let you test ride the bike? Some don't even let you ride around the parking lot. I feel lucky that the shop here let me ride a lower tier model of the bike I was looking at for as far as I wished. Perhaps part of the reason was that the tier level of the bike I was looking at was somewhat high. It might have been a different deal if I was only looking for a $1000 bike.

In my case my legs and height had me straddling two different size frames in that model. And the shop had two lower tier models of that bike in those sizes. I tried them both out in the large parking lot and picked the larger size. However they offered to let me ride them out away from the shop on the local MUP which is a good mix of hilly terrain with a few flatter areas. And more representative of the rides I normally do. So I came back a day or two later dressed up in my usual riding attire and brought my pedals and bike shoes and my water bottle which I kept in my back jersey pocket since the bikes didn't have bottle cages installed.

I rode each for just over ten miles and found that the smaller frame size felt much better. I think part of that was the fact that the crank length changed and I don't do well with long cranks. I've pretty much always used short cranks compared to others. And the longer cranks actually wore me out as I felt like my legs were thrashing going up and down so far. As well bar width changed to wider on the larger size bike and that braced me too much making my shoulders sore.

But even on a 10 mile ride, you aren't going to get the same complaints from your body about the bike that you will on a 50 or 100 mile ride. You still will have to realize that what you pick might not be what you expect for longer rides. So again, if you have little bike experience today, get a bike that you can afford to throw away and start over with another bike.

I say throw away, because depending on the demands for bikes in your area, you might get stuck with something that there won't be a buyer you can find willing to pay what it's worth.

howaboutme

Thank you! Great advice. No, I dont know if I can test anything. That knowledge (not being able to try) was the emphasize to my original question if a bike fit would be worth it.

Bald Paul

If you decide to go with the Shimano fitting, wear your cycling clothes and bring a water bottle! You're going to need it!

Turnin_Wrenches

howaboutme : I see nothing in your original post that should push you away from getting professional help prior to purchasing a new bicycle. In fact, just the opposite. If you've been off a road bike for a while, a pre-purchase assessment of your physical measurements, as well as your flexibility and range of motion, is crucial. What you need ahead of the purchase is called a bike "sizing" session.

The purpose of the sizing session is to quantify your physical measurements, assess your flexibility and test your range of motion in order to determine your target geometry so you can identify bike models and sizes that will fit you. The initial part of the assessment is done off of the bike. During the 2nd part you will be put on an "X/Y Fit Bike", in which all aspects of the bike's geometry can be adjusted in 1mm increments. You ride it like a regular stationary bike, and at the end of the process you have your own personalized geometry chart that matches YOU and the way YOU ride a bike. Many fit professionals can also cross-reference your target geometry with a geometry database of bikes currently in production, which generates a list of bikes for consideration.

After you buy the bike and have it built you will return for the bike "fit" session.

howaboutme

Thank you! This is my assumption of what a pre-bike fit or bike sizing session is.

Locally, I have a place that does either one of the 2:

A. Basic Sizing Fit on GURU Dynamic Fit Unit1 hour @ $175.00

One-hour fitting session to determine the ideal geometry and size for a new bike (road, triathlon, or mountain). Get measurements to shop anywhere and $100 off any bike we sell.

B. Complete Pre-purchase Fitting on GURU

1 hour 30 minutes @ $250.00

Complete body and cycling analysis, including Pre-fitting on GURU Dynamic Fit Unit, bike measurements, and list of recommended bikes. Includes $200 discount for any bike we sell.
Right now, I don't see the value to pay $75 more. Any thoughts?

Turnin_Wrenches

I'm always skeptical of sizing and fit services that are sold as set blocks of time. These really should be open-ended sessions with no time limit. It's difficult to get all the info needed in 1 hr or 1 hr 30 minutes. However, if you are planning to purchase the bike from this shop the service might be worthwhile. If the shop knows it's going to sell a bike and not just a sizing / fit session, it is in their interest to provide the service without watching the clock.

Hard to say whether to go with option A or option B. Based on your description above, I have to assume that option A does not include any body measurements or flexibility / range of motion testing.

Are there any independent fitters in your area?

howaboutme

What does independent mean? A fitter that is not tied to a bike shop? The one above is as close as it gets. It's a sports coaching shop that CAN sell you bikes. All of the others are tied to shops. One does the the Shimano Fit System (I assume competitor to the GURU system).

Tusk

Like you, I am 5'-10" +/- with a ~30" inseam. I have one 58 cm. two 56 cm, and one 54 cm. All are relatively comfortable to ride with the two 56es best. I started with the 58 cm (freebee from my brother) and then went smaller after riding for a few years. As others have stated above, your fit will change as you get miles under you.

I would buy an inexpensive local used bike in the size you think you want, ride it, tweek it, learn from it, and after you are comfortable, in better shape with different flexibility than now, spend the $3-4k for what you want.