What to Expect from a Professional Fitting

[Bad JuJu]

I've already got two bikes (three, if you count my cheap, one-speed neighborhood cruiser), but I'm thinking of going for a professional fitting. I got a Waterford touring bike several years ago, and I got a deal on it because it was actually built for someone else; but I was able to tweak it with components to get it pretty comfortable. Then I got a Bianchi Veloce last fall, in the deal of the century, because the Waterford is pretty heavy and I wanted a light, fast bike for club rides--also needed tweaking for comfort, but it's still not quite right.

So, after all that, I'm thinking that maybe what I need is someone to help me figure out the bike size that's really right for me. Which means a professional fitting. Here's my concern: will a professional fitter want to fit me for an aggressive riding position? Because that's not what I want. I want to be comfortable enough to stay in that saddle for hours (well, with a break now and then of course ). Also, I'm in my 50s and not at the *ahem* optimum weight for my height, and I'm afraid that a professional fitter will just look at me and think "Oh brother, why am I wasting my time with this podgy old woman?"

Finally, what will I end up with when the fitting is done? Does the fitter give you a specific geometry to look for, or suggest actual frames/bikes?

There's a shop about a 2-hour drive from here that offers Serotta fittings, so that's the specific one I have in mind. But I thought I'd get some thoughts from the TE forum brain trust before taking the plunge. Thanks for any tips you all have to offer.

[mimitabby]

fitters try to fit you for your own purpose. They come in lots of varieties; fitters, but every one I have been to appeared to want to get me to where I wanted to be.
They wanted to know what kind of riding i did and what i thought was comfortable. I hope you can find a good one because the not so good ones waste your time.

[Eden]

I've had 3 fittings from 3 different shops...

fitting one - my old bike that was too big. These guys did a lot of measuring put it all into a fancy computer and came up with a print out. Unfortunately when it came to actually altering the bike they had a theory that everyone should ride more upright and rather than saying we should not bother with this bike (because it was actually way to big for me and could not be changed enough) they put a taller stem (it had a quill stem so this could be done) on it and sent me on my way. This did nothing for the shoulder pain I was experiencing and put so much presssure on my butt that I started having back and butt pain. So in a nutshell these guys had all the fancy technology, but then didn't use it....

fitting two - my Fuji. These guys did a good job took some measurements, put me on the trainer, adjusted my cleats, flipped my stem (and suggested I get a slightly shorter one) and said once I got used to that position that I could move the spacers to drop the handlebars even lower (I was looking for a more aggressive position).

fitting three - my Ruby. This fitting was done at a physical therapist's office. Their methods were a little more sophisticated. They took a lot of measurements - did the angles of my elbows and knees in certain positions and had a computer hooked up to the trainer that you could look at your pedal stroke on. In the end, as my husband and I had set it up as close to the Fuji as we could, it turns out we had done a pretty good job. There were some small tweaks to my shifters and saddle height, and again the suggestion that I get a shorter stem, which I did.

Any fitter should ask you how you ride you bike and what you want to get from the fitting before they do it. They should understand the difference between someone who wants to race and someone who wants to tour. If they don't understand that not everyone wants an agressive racing position then they shouldn't do fits! Conversely if they have a one thing fixes all fit problems attitude (like my first fit) they shouldn't be doing fits either. They should also check to see how flexible you are as that will have a lot to do with how comfortable you will be with saddle to handlebar positioning.

[Bluetree]

I think it all depends on the fitter and if they can do a fit exactly to your expectations. I just got a complete re-fit from a pro who was completely aware of my expectations and abilities (i.e train on a road bike for triathlon). Before he started, he made sure I was fit and experienced enough to handle a race fit on my bike and questioned me about how loose my hamstrings are, shoulders etc. He asked me about my mileage, bike handling skills and short term/long term goals. He also explained to me, every step of the way, why certain positions were helpful to performance, what muscles were stressed by poor fit and how the mechanics of the body had to be "made one with the bike". He had done thousands of fits, from USA Cycling pros to elderly ladies on Cabot-Cove cruisers, and after listening to him, it didn't seem to matter what you rode, as long as you fit your bike well.

That's what a good fitter does: he wants to make you happy on a bike, regardless of your aspirations of a podium position or if you just want a quick trip to the Farmer's Market. In the end, it's your bike and your needs. If a fitter does not listen to you, I suggest you find another fitter.

[IFjane]

Juju - My SO and I have had one fit done and are completely happy with them. My SO's fitting resulted in swapping out a few components and nothing more. Mine was more involved.

The guy who did my fitting asked me lots and lots of questions to determine what kind of rider I am (not racing, more the endurance type). He then put me on my bike on a trainer & did lots of measurements, some tweaking and more measurements, then more tweaking. The issues I had were shoulder & neck pain, numbness in my hands & butt pain. In the end, he replaced my saddle, my seatpost & my stem. What I found out is that the top tube of my bike was too long. He brought the bike as close to fitting me as possible, then sent me home to put in a couple hundred miles on it. He wanted me to come back & let him know how it felt. He told me that I might be able to ride with that bike for years to come, but that in the end I would need to get a new bike if I wanted one that fit me properly. Meanwhile he was going to look at stock bicycles & see if any came close to the geometry I needed.

I went home and put a couple hundred miles on the bike while he found a Fuji wsd bike that approximated what needed. I went back to the shop a couple weeks later & tried out the Fuji. What a difference it made to have a bike that fit! However, the Fuji was aluminum and I didn't want an aluminum bike, and it also had 650 wheels & I wanted 700's. He gave me options of manufacturers and in the end I decided to go with an IF custom frame. That was my choice; he never pushed me to go that route. I cannot tell you how wonderful it feels to have a bike that fits correctly!

In the end I think a good fitter will do what he can with what you have, while also being completely honest with you about your equipment. He will leave it up to you to decide what you want to do and how much expense you want to go to. For the record, I am 53 & struggle with weight issues as well.

Good luck and let us know how it goes! -jane

[Mimosa]

Hi juju

I am sort of in the same position. Wednesday morning I am going to go to the shop that sells the bikeframe I want. But they need to do a proper fitting to determine the correct frame, stem & handlebar size. My guess is that my current frame is on size to big but I am not sure (which bugs me). Already I am starting to get nervous about the fact if they are going to treat this professionally or just 'throw their hat' at it. I've talked to the people of the shop twice now (once to just look at the frame and to get a feeling about the shop and once at a bikeshow) and they seem to be genuine in their attitude towards me (some guys have a large ego when it comes to their bike 'knowledge').

Oh well, only time will tell ...

[makbike]

My fitter had a questionaire for me to complete when I arrived so that he could get a feel for the type of riding I do. He also spent some time talking to me and asking me what I wanted him to do for me. The fitting process took almost 2 1/2 hours and I walked away with a bike I much more comfortable on. I don't feel all stretched out on my bike and I don't feel I'm reaching for the pedals as much (keep in mind my left leg is shorter than my right so a perfect could not be obtained for my left leg). It was overal a great experience and I'm looking forward to the warm weather when I can once again ride on the roads for hours on end and really see what my benefits are from my fitting last month.

[wavedancer]

I just had a basic fitting today to tweak some comfort issues on my bike. The fitter was John Allis, a former Olympian and current coach for the Harvard cycling team. There were no computers or special body measurements involved. He watched me spin on the bike for a bit, asked what comfort issues I was having, measured my seat height and dropped it a bit. Measured my knee-to-pedal relationship and brought the seat forward a bit. My major issues were neck and shoulder discomfort and numbness in my thumb and first two fingers on longer rides. He said that counter-intuitively I probably needed to be more stretched out on the bike. I told him I felt like I wanted to be a bit more upright on the hoods, and by lengthening the stem we were able to get me in a more stretched out position and raise the handlebars about 1.5cm. I did a one-hour Spinervals session on the trainer tonight and it felt pretty good. Time will tell if the comfort issues improve, and I probably won't really know until I can get back on the road for some longer rides. (I'm waiting for 40-degree+ days!)

[mlove]

I just got fitted for my bike last week. Lots of measurements and then several options for how I want to be on the bike--in my case more upright, I think. Scott knows me and knows what I want to do with my riding so that wasn't an issue in my case. But I think he would have asked otherwise. We looked at comfort and comfort plus positions and the main difference was in the stem. We decided to go with comfort plus and the option of switching the stem if I want a less upright position. All the other measurements were the same with either of those two options. But there were 5 or 6 possibilities, depending on the type of rider you are.

I'm in my fifties and am always concerned with back issues. And I don't plan to race so comfort plus is probably the best choice for me. But when the bike comes in, we can check to make sure it fits right.

[Kathi]

Serotta fitter's have a prototype bike called a sizecycle. After they determine your measurements they set up the sizecycle to let you feel how different the changes are that you need.

I had my Aegis refitted by a Serotta fitter because I was having shoulder pain. It turned out that my handlebars were 4cm to low. To make changes it required a new fork. I wasn't convinced that 4 cm would make much of a difference until I felt it on the size cycle. I then took the bike to the shop that does my mechanical work. They ordered the fork for me and installed it.

When I ordered my custom Serotta the setup of my old bike was used as a starting point. The sizecycle was hooked up to a computer and I pedaled for approx. 1/2 hr before the fitter looked at anything. Then he made some minor adjustments. I was injured so my leg strength wasn't very good so I never asked what results the computer showed.

Be sure you know what it is about your bikes that feel good and what it is you don't like, what kind of riding you do etc. Be honest when they interview you. My orginal Serotta fitter checked my flexiblity. Also, if you need a new stem, etc. and the shop installs it you will pay for parts and labor.

After the fitting, have the shop give you a sheet with your measurements. That way, if anything gets moved, saddle, etc. you can have it set back where it belongs.

Here's a picture of me on my custom Serotta. I love the fit of this bike!