I got my bike fit ... WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!

[Jiffer]

I got my bike just over a year ago. I've been having some back issues off and on and, even more so, neck issues. Dh kept telling me I probably just need to get used to the bike. He knows how important bike fit is, but thought he knew enough to fit me well and didn't think it was necessary to spend the money. I had been training for my first century and rode 55 miles about a month ago. At the end of that ride, I was so uncomfortable, I just couldn't imagine putting myself through that for TWICE that long and knew something simply had to be done. I was done with that pain and didn't want to keep riding if that's what I had to endure. So, I finally made an appt to get the bike fit. I figured, if it didn't fix my problems, at least I'd know it wasn't the fit.

WOW! I'm SO thrilled with my results! He moved my seat up and forward, which made sense with the research I had done about neck pain usually involving being too far from the handlebars. So, my neck pain is, for the most part, not even an issue anymore. Yay!!!

But, wait! That's not all! He also flexed both my legs and told me that my left leg doesn't flex nearly as much as my right, which explains the lower left back pain I had pretty bad a few months ago and went to a sports massage therapist to fix. I also had a massage the day after the bike fit and we talked a lot about stretching and how important that is. I saw her again yesterday and she could tell I'd been stretching. She said a little stretching does so much.

Back to the bike fit. He hooked me up to the computrainer and told me I was getting more power from my left leg than my right. Very odd since I'm right handed. Would have never thought. So the theory is I was overcompensating for my tense muscles in my left hamstring by actually pushing harder than my right. I told my massage therapist this and she said she could tell by how my muscles felt that I have been pulling up more with the left and pushing down more with the right. I had no idea!

Again back to bike fit. He told me I need to concentrate more on pushing forward across the top of the pedal. Pushing down and pulling up is important, but he says pushing forward across the top is even more important and will give me so much more power.

I had learned this before and THOUGHT I was implementing it. But to have someone tell me what I'm "actually" doing is somehow different than me trying to feel it myself. Since then I have really tried to focus on my pedaling and, with great concentration, I could finally feel myself pulling more with that left and pushing down more with the right. And let me tell you, when I concentrate on pushing forward across the top of the pedal, it really does make such a difference. It's like a whole new gear for me! I'm SO excited.

On my first big ride after all of this, I almost immediately started feeling that lower left back pain, which is something I really haven't felt much in a while. I remembered how my pedaling supposedly affects it, so I tried to concentrate on giving more power to the right leg and it really alleviated that pain. I did 58 miles that day and was amazed at how good I felt at the end. Not perfect, but SO much better than usual. Yes!

Hills have really been my nemesis. I've always been SO much slower on them than most people. Everyone passes me on the hills, but I can often catch up and sometimes pass people on the downhill and flat. One of my biggest cycling goals has been to simply be able to keep up with my two girlfriends. We have been "mostly" compatible, but I'm always the slowest, especially on those hills. Well, I have been riding a lot with one of them lately and I'm SO thrilled to report that her and I are pretty much neck and neck now. I have actually PASSED her on a hill TWICE lately! I cannot express how elated this makes me. Both of those times she passed me almost immediately at the bottom of the hill, but when I started focusing again on pushing forward across the top of that stroke, I found myself slowly getting closer and closer to her and then passing her! She has still had to wait for me at the top of some hills, but much shorter waits now.

I'm at a whole new level of riding now and I have to say that bike fit was a HUGE part of it.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't do that century I had planned. I did the metric instead to give myself more time to get ready. I'm now doing Amtrak on my single, instead of on the tandem (as I did last year with dh). I'm so excited about it. It's two and a half weeks away. I'm PUMPED!!!

[uforgot]

Sounds like you had a great experience. I've been thinking about having one done. Probably cheaper than my stem collection. How long did they work with you? I know sometimes they are an hour, but you can get up to 3 hour fits. Not sure I could do that long. Did you have your cleats fit also?

[Jiffer]

Wow ... you actually read my stupid long post?! Thanks.

The fit took about an hour and a half. He said to be prepared for two. I wasn't on the bike the entire time, if that's your concern.

As far as "cleat fit". He did run his fingers along my shoe (with foot in it), I assume to feel for fit. I have SIDI cycling shoes, which fit as well as I'll ever be able to find without buying custom shoes. I have an extremely narrow foot, yet very long (size 10 womens, which meant I had to special order a men's narrow because SIDI doesn't make a women's shoe that long and none of the millions of stores I called sells a men's narrow!) SIDI's are soft and fit snuggly over most people's feet.

If you go for a fit, I'm sure you could have your guy do a more intensive look at how your shoes fit.

[Aggie_Ama]

I paid for one last year and it was the best thing I have done. My bike was supposedly fitted when I bought it but unless I grew an inch or so it was totally wrong. I also got fitted for insoles that have made a world of difference.

[GLC1968]

That's so cool that you had such a great experience!

I paid for a 3 hour fit a couple of years ago and it was amazing. I learned so much, and got so much out of it. I found out that I was very flexible (which I knew but didn't realize how it applied to biking) and because of it, I could afford to have my saddle raised because my hips would allow me a greater range of motion than most people. In an instant, the power in my pedal stroke almost doubled! I went from barely keeping up in the flats to passing my husband! (I was always better at hills).

I swear that my fit opened up a whole new world for me. Worth every stinkin' penny... I highly recommend them!

[bmccasland]

I got sent for a proper fitting by my Doc after I pinched a nerve in my hand. Best use of time and money! Glad to hear you're cycling better Jiffer!

I miss my cycling doctor.....