Bike Fitting Recommendations

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on May 30, 2009 at 9:59pm

Julie,

Kozy's at Milwaukee and Belmont also does fitting. I would imagine they don't just do fittings on bikes sold by them.

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Permalink Reply by Ashley on May 30, 2009 at 10:48pm

I had my bike fit by Sean Palmer at Johnny Sprockets. Good guy, I highly recommend him!

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Permalink Reply by Ali on May 30, 2009 at 10:53pm

There is really not that much to fitting if you are trying to just get comfortable on a bike...If the bike is too big for you; usually getting a shorter stem, moving the seat down and forward a little will solve most if not all problems. Just do the inverse if the bike is a tad too small for you. If you are looking for efficiency that is a whole different story, then you would need a professional fitting. This is especially true for TT& triathalon athletes as they need to be as aerodynamic as humanly possible while still being comfortable.

What exactly is your issue? We might be of some help and save you some bucks. Although this would be no substitute for a "professional fit", I am confident there are a number of different peeps here who can help you out...

-Ali

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 30, 2009 at 11:21pm

Thank you Ali for trying to save me money...

I think I want to go the professional route though just so I'm comfortable. My arms fall asleep a lot (especially on longer rides) and sometimes my back hurts. I've done a bit of adjusting already.

I hope its not my bike though....I love my bianchi.

Ali said:

There is really not that much to fitting if you are trying to just get comfortable on a bike...If the bike is too big for you; usually getting a shorter stem, moving the seat down and forward a little will solve most if not all problems. Just do the inverse if the bike is a tad too small for you. If you are looking for efficiency that is a whole different story, then you would need a professional fitting. This is especially true for TT& triathalon athletes as they need to be as aerodynamic as humanly possible while still being comfortable.
What exactly is your issue? We might be of some help and save you some bucks. Although this would be no substitute for a "professional fit", I am confident there are a number of different peeps here who can help you out...
-Ali

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Permalink Reply by Ali on May 30, 2009 at 11:39pm

I am going to take a stab here and guess your bike is larger than it should be which is causing you to overextend yourself to reach the bars. This is causing 2 things; 1)You are keeping your arms straight and tight(which is a no-no as they need to be relaxed and bent at the elbows to absorb the road shock), 2)You are leaning too far forward to reach the bars(Which is causing your back pain). You can get a shorter stem with a little more rise which will move your bars higher and further back. If you are still uncomfortable my next suggestion would be to get a different seatpost, with less setback. After that if you are still uncomfortable you can replace your cranks with shorter ones, which will enable you to lower your seat even further. An Ideal fit is where your back is straight at a comfortable angle, relaxed and slightly bent elbows while still getting an almost full extension of your knees.

With all that being said, I hear Get-A-Grip has an awesome fitting crew. I heard nothing but good things about their fitting services...

-Ali

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 31, 2009 at 11:04am

Dear Ali, thanks again...

I bet you are right here on all points - I am 4"9 and have pretty small hands and feet -size 33 (3 US kids) shoe size.

Ali said:

I am going to take a stab here and guess your bike is larger than it should be which is causing you to overextend yourself to reach the bars. This is causing 2 things; 1)You are keeping your arms straight and tight(which is a no-no as they need to be relaxed and bent at the elbows to absorb the road shock), 2)You are leaning too far forward to reach the bars(Which is causing your back pain). You can get a shorter stem with a little more rise which will move your bars higher and further back. If you are still uncomfortable my next suggestion would be to get a different seatpost, with less setback. After that if you are still uncomfortable you can replace your cranks with shorter ones, which will enable you to lower your seat even further. An Ideal fit is where your back is straight at a comfortable angle, relaxed and slightly bent elbows while still getting an almost full extension of your knees.

With all that being said, I hear Get-A-Grip has an awesome fitting crew. I heard nothing but good things about their fitting services...

-Ali

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Permalink Reply by DC on May 31, 2009 at 1:30pm

For far less money than Get a Grip (although I've personally seen them do a very thorough job for the money), Wheel Werks up in Crystal Lake does 90 min. fittings for $100. Several of my friends had their new bikes fitted there and were extremely happy. Trade off is travel time to Crystal Lake, but hey it's right by the train station so go Metra.

http://www.wheelwerksbikes.com/road.html

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Permalink Reply by J on May 31, 2009 at 6:06pm

Julie,

There are many online resources on fit as I'm sure you know. As someone who's been doing fits for over 20 years, though, I can say that there's no silver bullet. The fit methodologies popular today (Serotta, FIST, Retul) are great starting points, but there are still mostly arithmetic. What's far more important for those with either chronic pain and/or atypical physiology (it sound like you might have both circumstances) is to establish a relationship with a knowledgeable fitter, because the process is very iterative. What I mean is, that a mix of (a) medical/injury interview (b) body and bike measurements (c) stationary bike fitting (d) dynamic bike fitting and ideally (e) having a fitter actually ride outdoors with you... are all part of the ideal process.

Just a few more thoughts. One is that many professional fitters are focused on race/fast recreational fitting methodologies and problems. Another is that there are very few folks highly atuned to the issues surrounding smaller riders. So you will want to find someone who is pretty experienced with your situation, or at least highly sympathetic and patient. Also, the variables extend to the bike as well... frame angles and construction, pedal/shoes, even subtle things like bar tape/grip material, tire pressure, and so forth.

Finally, one approach you can take is to pay for a Serotta/FIST/Retul fit and use it as a starting point. From there, a really good idea is to find a club or riding buddy with a lot of experience. Sometimes fit issues are a function not only of fit, but of riding form -- and this is something that's hard to diagnose in a shop... but something that really experienced club riders or coaches can identify easily after riding with you for a while.

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Permalink Reply by Brian Bird on May 31, 2009 at 8:14pm

I went to Get-A-Grip on Irving Park three years ago inquiring about getting fitted for purchasing a Waterford road bike. G-A-G did personal fittings on site @ the time but, since I was dead-set on buying a Waterford, G-A-G set me up for a fitting appointment with Waterford @ its factory in WI. I took a weekend, stayed in a nearby B&B, then showed up at the factory in my cycling attire, and parted with my $150 for what amounted to a two-and-a-half hour session.

In short, the best $150 I've ever spent on cycling. The Waterford people made me get on the fitting bike and put me through my paces - fast riding, slow riding, riding-out-of-the-saddle, etc.. They took almost every conceivable measurement I could think of and then some. So much so that when I picked up the finished product at G-A-G, took it on its break-in ride, then back to G-A-G for adjustment, the shop guys only had to do a minor tweek of the handlebars and seat height - otherwise the bike fit me perfectly.

Your results might not match mine but before I did this, I was dead-set of the opinion that getting fitted for a bike was a waste of time and money. I have decamped from that position since taking my first ride on my Waterford. Spend the $$$ for the fit - you'll come out ahead in the bargain.

Good Luck!

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Permalink Reply by Weir's beard on May 31, 2009 at 9:40pm

Waterford/Gunnar does great work all around.

Brian Bird said:

I went to Get-A-Grip on Irving Park three years ago inquiring about getting fitted for purchasing a Waterford road bike. G-A-G did personal fittings on site @ the time but, since I was dead-set on buying a Waterford, G-A-G set me up for a fitting appointment with Waterford @ its factory in WI. I took a weekend, stayed in a nearby B&B, then showed up at the factory in my cycling attire, and parted with my $150 for what amounted to a two-and-a-half hour session.

In short, the best $150 I've ever spent on cycling. The Waterford people made me get on the fitting bike and put me through my paces - fast riding, slow riding, riding-out-of-the-saddle, etc.. They took almost every conceivable measurement I could think of and then some. So much so that when I picked up the finished product at G-A-G, took it on its break-in ride, then back to G-A-G for adjustment, the shop guys only had to do a minor tweek of the handlebars and seat height - otherwise the bike fit me perfectly.

Your results might not match mine but before I did this, I was dead-set of the opinion that getting fitted for a bike was a waste of time and money. I have decamped from that position since taking my first ride on my Waterford. Spend the $$$ for the fit - you'll come out ahead in the bargain.

Good Luck!

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Permalink Reply by Dana on June 1, 2009 at 9:32am

Julie -

I'd actually be interested in where you decide to go because I might want to take my bike in for a fitting as well, and I'm about 5'4'' have the the back issues. It only happens after about 30 or so miles of riding.

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Permalink Reply by Katie Hasse on June 1, 2009 at 10:29am

Hi Julie --

I just went to Get A Grip and they were amazing. I didn't know much about cycling and there were extremly helpful and held my hand through the whole process. In the end, I didn't end up buying a bike from them because they couldn't get one in my size but they still were very helpful and supportive of me. I would highly, highly recommend it!

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