Five Reasons to Get 'Fit'

So where can your average guy go to get a good fit? I guess I am leery of the local bike shops.

Josh, if you wanted the Specialized branded “BG” fit, one of their dealers might offer that. In Minneapolis, I know Erik’s bike shop does the BG fit and I even attended the class with a few of their guys. Good luck!

I would start at the bike shop that you have a relationship with. I ride a Specialized and the owner of the local bike shop, here in Montana, has been to some of these classes. I’m in luck going into the shop in a couple of weeks to get fitted. I’m a casual ride that does a couple of longer rides a year and average only about 60+ miles a week. I just want to become a little more efficient and want to make sure I am getting the maximum benefit out of my effort.

A good bike fit is extremely important for even the casual rider. Think about it, if your average cadence is around 90, over a 2 hour ride your feet will go around 10800 times. The repetitive motion on an ill fitting bike could lead to severe knee and hip issues.

As far as where to go, ask around. Find riders who put on thousands of miles a year. The local race club could be a good place to start. Find out who these people go to for fitting. Another option is to check out USA Cycling www.usacyling.org. There is a “find a coach” section. Most coaches will know the fitters in their area and they want to see the sport grow. So, they should lead you in the right direction.

Treat yourself well, the alternatives aren’t pretty.

Instead of the whole pro fit thing the shop I go to is owned and run by a guy who has coached many riders. He puts your new bike on a trainer and then you spin for at least an hour as he makes tweaks to the bike setup and replaces parts as needed to fit. Not sure if I’m any faster but I’m sure more comfortable.

In our town there are a couple of options for bike fitting. My favorite shop has a guy who does it “old school,” with a plumb bob and some rulers. And then there’s a guy doing custom fitting using the Retul system, which uses a computer, motion-capture technology, and a power meter. I’ve tried both and each has their advantages, but for 200 bucks the Retul system is a steal.
Retul fitters are listed here: retul
Disclosure: I’m not affiliated with Retul or any of their fitters, just a happy customer.

So would I be able to take my non-Specialized bike in to have it fit? I luv my bike — Lotus Excelle — and have no desire to purchase a new bike. :/

Having been employed by a shop for the past five years, I have seen and personally felt the difference between bikes that fit and those that dont. It is vitally important to have a proper fit. In fact, it is a policy of ours to fit anyone and everyone for their bike, whether they buy one from us or not (but hopefully the time we spend fitting a customer sends them a message of confidence in our employees and is enough for them to give us our business). Regardless of the brand, most bike shops SHOULD be willing to fit you to your bike. If anyone is in the Philadelphia area, might I suggest you stop by one of our locations (one in Glenside and one in Cherry Hill, NJ)and see what a proper fit is all about. It makes a world of difference!

BurbankGal – For sure, unless your bike is just the wrong size altogether, they’d fit your bike to you. That’s what its all about. Great question.

One thing this review does not mention is the cost of the Specialized BG fit. It is very expensive; more than $300. Most bike shops charge $100 to $200 for their comprehensive bike fittings (and much less for basic fittings). Is the Specialized fit worth the extra cost? Maybe for some people, but likely not for others.

Steve – True, the cost is high, but this is one of the best fits in the industry. Only a handful of programs are as thorough, and Specialized would claim theirs’ is still tops. That is a whole new article though…