Dynamic Bike Fit today....excited!
This morning I went in for a Dynamic Bike Fit with a certified fitter using Specialized BG F.I.T. technology. It was SUPER COOL and I'm excited by the minor changes and impressed with the process.
He asked me questions starting with what brought me in (I felt my reach was a bit much to the shifters, some saddle issues, and foot numbness - none of it really bad or painful, as I'm good in the saddle for about 3 hours before I become uncomfortable and I've done fine in the races I did this season on it), what injuries or medical problems I've had in relation to mobility in the past, and then he did a mobility/flexibility test taking measurements. I brought in both sets of shoes (road and mtb - both equipped with SPDs as I use them on the same bike - cyclocross bike - depending on how I'm riding that day). Right off, he noticed the extreme looseness and flexibility in my hips, and that my right leg was longer than the left. He had me pedal some on the bike, with cameras filming from the front and the side coming up on the screen side by side. He took more measurements with me on the bike, drew some lines on the computer screen with the measurements, and took that info to adjust my cleats (adding shims to my shorter leg to even me out), and my seat and had me get back on again.
He then hooked up a bunch of wires to my bike and had me pedal while he monitored my power and pedal stroke. The readings all appeared on the screen, left and right leg on a split screen, with my stroke shown in 15 degree increments for each leg showing where my "power" was. He told me that most of my "problems" were with my own technique (I'm primarily using my quads to "push" the pedals "down"). He put it this way to me - when you learn how to golf, ski, snowboard or play tennis, you take lessons from a pro. Most of learn how to ride a bike when we're kids and just go do it - no one tells us "how" to do it right, so we go about pushing down on the pedals, not rotating or pulling back. He told me how to pedal properly, and while it was "difficult", I could see right on the screen the "improvement" in my stroke. It takes a lot of concentration for me to do it, and I definately feel it in my hamstrings, but that was the whole point of this - I wanted to get my bike totally dialed in NOW going into the offseason, so I could get used to any new positions, and focus on my technique while on a trainer.
The good news, my bike is a great fit for me, with simple adjustments to my seat. My new purchases will be a handlebar with shorter drops and reach (my stem length IS fine, but my small hands can't really reach the brakes well, too much for shims alone), and a new seat (he suggested the Selle Glider seat, which has the center cut out and this "different" kind fo shape - he says he's had 40 athletes get them this year, men and women, and they all LOVE them).
He loves the way my bike fits me otherwise, and says that other than retraining my body to pedal properly, I have great flexibility, excellent muscle length and I'm very even and smooth with my pedaling despite my uneven legs.
I was there about 2 1/2 hours for everything, and once my parts come in, I go back to have him put them on correctly then he'll test my power and pedal stroke again once I'm in the proper position. Once I've had some time in the saddle with all the adjustments, usually around 3 weeks depending on weather, I'll go back again for a followup to make sure everything is good. TOTALLY worth the $225 it costs for all of this (excluding parts). And when it's all said and done, he loads all of my testing, measurements and info onto a flash drive and gives it to me.
Sorry so long, but I'm really excited to get all of my goodies in and everything fit perfectly for offseason conditioning and a better 2011 race season :)
