Bike fitting...total costs

[VamP]

I didn't really want to debate whether it was worth it or whether I'm an idiot.

I'm riding around 200 miles a week (and will soon be riding 100 miles a day) I'm pretty savy and have the bike set up in as near as perfect position as I can do, with my own skill and view. However, I am suffering from an aching neck, I know my shoulders are too hunched but don't know if my stem is too long, or my headset to high or perhaps my seat to... something or other. I also get the occasional ache in the back of one knee after a perhaps a hundred miles or so but this can usually be worked out by stretching.

I'm happy to pay to have someone else advise me, I just want opinions on whether these things actually end up costing much more than the agreed initial cost, or whether most fittings are achieved by just shifting things about.

I didn't really want to debate whether it was worth it or whether I'm an idiot.

I'm riding around 200 miles a week (and will soon be riding 100 miles a day) I'm pretty savy and have the bike set up in as near as perfect position as I can do, with my own skill and view. However, I am suffering from an aching neck, I know my shoulders are too hunched but don't know if my stem is too long, or my headset to high or perhaps my seat to... something or other. I also get the occasional ache in the back of one knee after a perhaps a hundred miles or so but this can usually be worked out by stretching.

I'm happy to pay to have someone else advise me, I just want opinions on whether these things actually end up costing much more than the agreed initial cost, or whether most fittings are achieved by just shifting things about.

That really depends on how far off you are with your current set up. You won't be forced to buy additional stuff from the fitter, if you need say a longer stem, you can buy it from wherever.

 

[Ningishzidda]

I didn't really want to debate whether it was worth it or whether I'm an idiot.

I'm riding around 200 miles a week (and will soon be riding 100 miles a day) I'm pretty savy and have the bike set up in as near as perfect position as I can do, with my own skill and view. However, I am suffering from an aching neck, I know my shoulders are too hunched but don't know if my stem is too long, or my headset to high or perhaps my seat to... something or other. I also get the occasional ache in the back of one knee after a perhaps a hundred miles or so but this can usually be worked out by stretching.

I'm happy to pay to have someone else advise me, I just want opinions on whether these things actually end up costing much more than the agreed initial cost, or whether most fittings are achieved by just shifting things about.

http://bikedynamics.co.uk/guidelines.htm

This guy's web pages tell you enough to get a position for commuting / recreational.

For long Audax, TT or racing, it would be avantageous to spend the money.

 

[RWright]

Not really, to get a good fit your self takes several £1000 in equipment & training.

Very debatable, but I did like the rest of the post. The body is not a machine, it changes. If you are doing 200 miles a week and go to 100 miles a day, I think you are going to change and need a refit very soon. Back to the thread title, I guess it is how much are you willing to pay for refits. I would rather learn to do it myself.

 

[GrasB]

Very debatable, but I did like the rest of the post. The body is not a machine, it changes. If you are doing 200 miles a week and go to 100 miles a day, I think you are going to change and need a refit very soon. Back to the thread title, I guess it is how much are you willing to pay for refits. I would rather learn to do it myself.

You can get an approximate fit from basic tools & feel but at some point you need video footage, equipment to easily adjust & monitor crank lengths & effective Q , saddle position & handle bar position freely over a wide range that you'll not get with usable seat posts & stems. To actually analyse all of this you'll also need video cameras & know exactly where to put you little marker dots. Ideally you need power metering which measures power output per leg!

 

[Ningishzidda]

The bodily changes as a result of increased mileage are,,, Less fat. Larger muscles. Toughening of the skin between your legs.
There will be V, V little skeletal changes, unless you are still at junior school.
A fit now might have your quads hitting your belly. A fit next year won't demand any bike changes but your quads will no longer be hitting your belly.

 

[SquareDaff]

I didn't really want to debate whether it was worth it or whether I'm an idiot.

I'm riding around 200 miles a week (and will soon be riding 100 miles a day) I'm pretty savy and have the bike set up in as near as perfect position as I can do, with my own skill and view. However, I am suffering from an aching neck, I know my shoulders are too hunched but don't know if my stem is too long, or my headset to high or perhaps my seat to... something or other. I also get the occasional ache in the back of one knee after a perhaps a hundred miles or so but this can usually be worked out by stretching.

I'm happy to pay to have someone else advise me, I just want opinions on whether these things actually end up costing much more than the agreed initial cost, or whether most fittings are achieved by just shifting things about.

Never had one - but I would imagine they'll have a load of stock parts that they can swap in and out easily - then write a report of their recommendations. It would then be up to you whether you followed them or not. Also up to you how quickly you purchased the replacements. I'm sure the company(s) in question are well aware that not everyone has infinite resources when it comes to changing components.

As an aside - I used to suffer from neck ache. I started doing flexibility exercises every day and mine has completely disappeared. I presume the ache was a result of some inflexiblity/poor posture on my part.

 

[e-rider]

A good fit is the best blend of aerodynamics, power production & rider comfort. For a more flexible rider 'comfort' may well be a non-factor as they can simply get into positions which are well beyond the best compromise of aero & power production. For a powerful but not very flexible rider it may well be worth consecrating on aero & comfort. The art of a good bike fit is to work out what's the best set of compromises to me given the riders typical riding & riding style.

Take to an extreme you actually need frequent re-fits. This is because as you train your body into a set of positions it adapts & you find that tweaks can be found. For TTing & road racing mainly you're sorting out aerodynamics & extracting every last bit of power out of your riding position. Endurance/ultra cycling may concentrate on maintaining the same aero/power but dialling in a little more comfort which may take advantage of new found flexibility), etc.

I agree with all of this. However, this can all be easily done yourself without paying for a bike fit.

 

[jowwy]

I agree with all of this. However, this can all be easily done yourself without paying for a bike fit.

having read through this thread twice - i cannot for the life of me see were the OP asked if a bike fit was worth the money or not

he only asked could you buy the recommended components elsewhere.........very odd

 

[GrasB]

I agree with all of this. However, this can all be easily done yourself without paying for a bike fit.

... not even CLOSE to easily!

 

[jonny jeez]

The art of a good bike fit is to work out what's the best set of compromises to me given the riders typical riding & riding style.

I agree, for the daily commute (40-50 miles 3 times a week) my set up seems fine, its good for lots of stops, quick starts and for being mobile to move about the road, often at low speed. But for weekend rides, something which I now enjoy frequently, partly as training for an upcoming Le-Jog, I start to develop these aches and pains.

The aches are nothing nasty and frankly I could likely grin and bear it or stretch it out but I don't want to do some latent, untold damage to my joints now that takes me off the bike in years to come.

hence the fitting, for the price of a good lid, I could remove these small discomforts and potential risks

 

[GrasB]

hence the fitting, for the price of a good lid, I could remove these small discomforts and potential risks

A basic comfort fitting like this can be done by easily eye as long as you observe the rider. Fitting really starts to get complicated when you're optimising power:drag ratios.

 

[jonny jeez]

as some of you guys have a good deal of experience, here are my symptoms.

- I Lock my elbows far too much on the hoods
-Get a tiny bit of numbness after 50-60 miles in my outer fingers (little)
-Neck ache after 30 miles (I wear a brimmed MTB helmet which I am trying (frustratingly) to change as this no doubt compounds the issue
- My shoulders are up.
-I slide forward in the seat a little as I travel
-very recently (like, this week) after 200 miles or perhaps an energetic 100, I get a slight strain in the back of one knee, this tends to go after a night in bed and is fine for the next day, until I undertake another longer ride

In addition (and these may have no bearing)

-I cannot see my front hub when on the hoods (its directly under my stem).
- I dont reach the drops comfortably, probably from too little practice and too much waist.
- Oddly I find it unnerving to sit up and ride no handed...I know this is daft but the transition from hoods to moving upright feels like a really big distance to move...again I don't need to ride no handed its just an observation on my potential position.

Otherwise my lower knee is vertical to the shaft of the pedal, my hips don't rock, my feet/cleats are straight (I don't know if I toe in/out naturally or not) but they feel fine, My seat is high but not too high and my thighs seem to be in the right position in the upper and lower rotation So I suspect the seat is not too low either.

So I'm tempted to just buy a shorter stem and raise the bars with a headset spacer.

thing is though, If I ride on the rear of the hoods ( the bent bit of the bars before they drop to the hoods), its no better for my neck...and this is the position a shorter stem would likely place me.

Anyone prepared to take a stab?

 

[RWright]

as some of you guys have a good deal of experience, here are my symptoms.

- I Lock my elbows far too much on the hoods
-Get a tiny bit of numbness after 50-60 miles in my outer fingers (little)
-Neck ache after 30 miles (I wear a brimmed MTB helmet which I am trying (frustratingly) to change as this no doubt compounds the issue
- My shoulders are up.
-I slide forward in the seat a little as I travel
-very recently (like, this week) after 200 miles or perhaps an energetic 100, I get a slight strain in the back of one knee, this tends to go after a night in bed and is fine for the next day, until I undertake another longer ride

In addition (and these may have no bearing)

-I cannot see my front hub when on the hoods (its directly under my stem).
- I dont reach the drops comfortably, probably from too little practice and too much waist.
- Oddly I find it unnerving to sit up and ride no handed...I know this is daft but the transition from hoods to moving upright feels like a really big distance to move...again I don't need to ride no handed its just an observation on my potential position.

Otherwise my lower knee is vertical to the shaft of the pedal, my hips don't rock, my feet/cleats are straight (I don't know if I toe in/out naturally or not) but they feel fine, My seat is high but not too high and my thighs seem to be in the right position in the upper and lower rotation So I suspect the seat is not too low either.

So I'm tempted to just buy a shorter stem and raise the bars with a headset spacer.

thing is though, If I ride on the rear of the hoods ( the bent bit of the bars before they drop to the hoods), its no better for my neck...and this is the position a shorter stem would likely place me.

Anyone prepared to take a stab?

I would start here: http://www.bicycling.com/maintenance/bike-fit/fine-tune-fit and read thru them all before I started tweaking. I would also seriously consider this:

As an aside - I used to suffer from neck ache. I started doing flexibility exercises every day and mine has completely disappeared. I presume the ache was a result of some inflexiblity/poor posture on my part.

If you feel you need to get a bike fit I am not saying don't. If you would feel more comfortable with someone else doing it I can totally understand that.

I used to not be comfortable riding with no hands, I can ride for miles now. I even practice climbing with no hands now (nothing very steep). It gives the arms a rest. The frame geometry of the bike can make them feel twitchy, some are much easier to ride comfortably with no hands than others. I am talking about two different drop bar race style bikes. I do it on both mine and the one with the less aggressive geometry is much easier to do it on comfortably. Just keep practicing, if it is really hard to pedal while you do it, you may need a seat height adjustment.

 

[jowwy]

as some of you guys have a good deal of experience, here are my symptoms.

- I Lock my elbows far too much on the hoods
-Get a tiny bit of numbness after 50-60 miles in my outer fingers (little)
-Neck ache after 30 miles (I wear a brimmed MTB helmet which I am trying (frustratingly) to change as this no doubt compounds the issue
- My shoulders are up.
-I slide forward in the seat a little as I travel
-very recently (like, this week) after 200 miles or perhaps an energetic 100, I get a slight strain in the back of one knee, this tends to go after a night in bed and is fine for the next day, until I undertake another longer ride

In addition (and these may have no bearing)

-I cannot see my front hub when on the hoods (its directly under my stem).
- I dont reach the drops comfortably, probably from too little practice and too much waist.
- Oddly I find it unnerving to sit up and ride no handed...I know this is daft but the transition from hoods to moving upright feels like a really big distance to move...again I don't need to ride no handed its just an observation on my potential position.

Otherwise my lower knee is vertical to the shaft of the pedal, my hips don't rock, my feet/cleats are straight (I don't know if I toe in/out naturally or not) but they feel fine, My seat is high but not too high and my thighs seem to be in the right position in the upper and lower rotation So I suspect the seat is not too low either.

So I'm tempted to just buy a shorter stem and raise the bars with a headset spacer.

thing is though, If I ride on the rear of the hoods ( the bent bit of the bars before they drop to the hoods), its no better for my neck...and this is the position a shorter stem would likely place me.

Anyone prepared to take a stab?

in all honesty and without seeing you ride or your set-up, i would still say that your saddle is still slightly too low and that your balance is a little to far forward. this can be why you feel that you can't ride no handed.

its just my opinion though and nothing scientific to back it up

 

[Ningishzidda]

as some of you guys have a good deal of experience, here are my symptoms.

- I Lock my elbows far too much on the hoods
-Get a tiny bit of numbness after 50-60 miles in my outer fingers (little)
-Neck ache after 30 miles (I wear a brimmed MTB helmet which I am trying (frustratingly) to change as this no doubt compounds the issue
- My shoulders are up.
-I slide forward in the seat a little as I travel
-very recently (like, this week) after 200 miles or perhaps an energetic 100, I get a slight strain in the back of one knee, this tends to go after a night in bed and is fine for the next day, until I undertake another longer ride

In addition (and these may have no bearing)

-I cannot see my front hub when on the hoods (its directly under my stem).
- I dont reach the drops comfortably, probably from too little practice and too much waist.
- Oddly I find it unnerving to sit up and ride no handed...I know this is daft but the transition from hoods to moving upright feels like a really big distance to move...again I don't need to ride no handed its just an observation on my potential position.

Otherwise my lower knee is vertical to the shaft of the pedal, my hips don't rock, my feet/cleats are straight (I don't know if I toe in/out naturally or not) but they feel fine, My seat is high but not too high and my thighs seem to be in the right position in the upper and lower rotation So I suspect the seat is not too low either.

So I'm tempted to just buy a shorter stem and raise the bars with a headset spacer.

thing is though, If I ride on the rear of the hoods ( the bent bit of the bars before they drop to the hoods), its no better for my neck...and this is the position a shorter stem would likely place me.

Anyone prepared to take a stab?

Welcome to the club.