Bike fitting...total costs

[goody]

It's called old age. After 50 miles my neck aches, a couple of years ago my left achilles tendon used to squeak (medical term), sometimes my right knee fells a bit clicky (another medical term) but that goes away after 30 minutes or so. After 80 miles my lower back gets a bit stiff. When I first get on the bike it feels right and I think it looks right. I could probably make it more comfortable for rides over 80 miles but it wouldn't feel so good up to the 80. If the cost of the bike fit isn't an issue go for it, now it's in your mind you probably won't be satisfied until you've had one.

 

[Blue Hills]

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.

Looking at that page's recommendations for "knee angle - maximum" - does anyone else think that that knee is still a bit too bent at the bottom of the stroke?
(I'm a bit of a math's thicko these days - 180 degrees is totally strraight-legged I presume)

 

[Lee_M]

bike fitting might be useful for total newbies that don't have a clue but otherwise they are a complete waste of cash!
being told what position you should be riding in, and what position actually works are two completely different things, and the list of variables is almost infinite.
I agree that you see newbie types with their bikes set up really badly that could certainly use some advice, but otherwise save your money!

Jeez, have you actually ever had one?

I have, it was brilliant, my bike fit might look unusual due to a hostiry of back problems but my bike fits me like a glove, and the fit itself was worth every penny

 

[Ningishzidda]

Looking at that page's recommendations for "knee angle - maximum" - does anyone else think that that knee is still a bit too bent at the bottom of the stroke?
(I'm a bit of a math's thicko these days - 180 degrees is totally strraight-legged I presume)

Yes, 360 divided by 2 is 180.

 

[screenman]

Jeez, have you actually ever had one?

I have, it was brilliant, my bike fit might look unusual due to a hostiry of back problems but my bike fits me like a glove, and the fit itself was worth every penny

I like you had bike fit and it was money well spent, the only people I know who advise against one is persons who have never had one.

 

[Ningishzidda]

I had two bike fits.
One on a roadrace bike and the other on my TT bike.
The Road bike was first and he adjusted my shoe cleats and bike to get 15 Watts more for the same HR.

I adjusted the bike I use for Audax myself and it was noticeably more efficient.

I have another sports bike which I have kept at the 'old' set-up, as a training machine.

He declined from fitting my Raleigh 20.

 

[Blue Hills]

Yes, 360 divided by 2 is 180.

Yes but do you (or anyone else) have any views on that leg/knee angle that page suggests?- seems a fair way short of 180.

 

[oldgreyandslow]

I had a bike fit at Wyndymilla near Farnham back in December, it was interesting and they just adjusted my set up, no need for new components etc. The saddle was raised a little, cleat position sorted and so on. But after a few months I wasn't sure it felt right when I got over 60 odd miles and I was adjusting things myself.

After a particularly painful ride I decided to call Wyndymill again, they said they'd have a look. This time it was adifferent fiter and instead of doing a fit on the jig and replicating these figures on my bike the guy put my bike onto a trainer and looked at it there.

Initially he adjusted everything back to the recomendations on the original fit and had another go. The saddle was raised about 4mm, he also suggested a slightly shorter stem and narrower bars, we tried ones he had to see how it felt and I cycled on the trainer for a reasonable time.

I was then given a couple of options, buy the recommended/sized kit myself or buy from them and have them fit it. They had cheap and expensive options for both bars and stem, the budget end was Deda and I went for that and they fitted the stem bars and new bar tape for £60, however the refit cost £0 and was pretty much a complete new bike fit.

It has made a difference, I did an 80 mile ride pain free, and reasonably quickly.

So in my experience a bike fit is worthwhile and you will need to change components if the ones you have are not putting you in the right position, however you should be given the fit dimensions and component sizes so you can source and fit them yourself. But if your bike fitter is sensible they should be able to offer you a reasonably priced option and then fit them and finally tweak the position with the new components fited.

 

[Ningishzidda]

Yes but do you (or anyone else) have any views on that leg/knee angle that page suggests?- seems a fair way short of 180.

Your leg should never go straight.
That puts tension in the knee joint, and that is a BAD thing.

 

[Blue Hills]

Your leg should never go straight.
That puts tension in the knee joint, and that is a BAD thing.

Yes I know - but that suggested position seemed somewhat more short of straight than I maybe thought it should be.

Tho maybe I'm odd - I have it fairly straight at the bottom, recently went for a fit with a well known chap who had ideas that the saddle should be lower - felt very odd to me but I went with it. And he put a new bike together.

I've now raised the saddle and have arm problems - flat bars now way below saddle.

I have subsequently checked 2 other bikes I have and the distance from centre of bottom bracket to the saddle is pretty much the same as what I've moved the new (arm problem) bike to. I didn't consciously move them to this position - they just migrated there from ride tinkering. It's the first time I have actually consciously measured this.

I should stress that I have never had knee problems that I am aware of.

Complicated fraught business this bike fitting.