How many bikes did you buy before you got the right fit?

[RoadRaven]

Only one... the frame was a fraction big, so the next bike we bought a size smaller, and thats been great.
Had to work with seat post/stem heights, as well as saddle poistion and crank length to get them perfect for me... but thats not too bad

[Trek420]

Not counting bikes I had as a kid .... One.

I still have it 20 some odd years later. Than another and .... right now I have 3 bikes not counting the one a bike thief got from me all fit wonderfully.

I <3 my LBS.

[Kathi]

4 road bikes and 2 mtn bikes,

I started riding in 1980. My first road bike was a mixte frame, I was too small for a regular frame. Mixte's were considered women's frames but the design was based on men's sizes so it was still too big. Bike fit wasn't well known in those days so I rode the bike for 15 years and suffered but didn't understand why.

In 1995 Cannondale came out with a frame they called the compact frame. 650c wheels, 75 degree angle seattube and 165 mm crankarm. I thought I was in heaven. I had bought a 48 cm Cannondale the year before and it felt better than the mixte but not as good as the compact.

By Y2K I was doing bike tours and found the Cannondale aluminum to stiff for my lightweight. I made modifications, carbon fork, etc but still felt every crack in the road. I went carbon fiber with my Aegis Swift. It was a good fit but not perfect. In 2005 I decided to get a custom frame.

My custom frame is a Serotta Ottrott. It's a perfect fit, handles well and is a joy to ride.

I went through the same process with mtn bikes but not so many as mtn bikes seemed to fit better than road bikes did. My current mtn bike is a Titus bought in 2003. It fit so well that it started my search for a perfect fitting road bike.

In today's world no woman needs to go through the "hit and miss" process that I did. Bike fitting is becoming the norm rather than the exception. I learned alot about what works for me but I also spent a lot of money to get it right.