Road Cycling - Is it worth the $$$ for a professional fit?

I've been having problems w/ my positioning on my bike and have been sticking primarily to 1 LBS that services and carries Specialized bikes.

I was in another LBS over the weekend, a high end one that carries Trek, Cannondale, Seven, Lemond, etc (no one else around here stocks LeMond and Seven) and they mentioned that they have a "fit kit" system where they spend about 1.5 -2 hrs positioning you to your bike, not just handlebar and seat adjustments, but thru a test bike & pc, then take those settings over and adjust your bike to match the specs.

Question is, is it worth $70? Anyone else here gone thru a similar fitting before? I'm not opposed to spending the cash on it, but only if it improves my overall ride and comfort.

They did say that you have to already have a saddle that you are going to stick with as that's the first step in the process and changing the saddle out midway would throw everything off.

I've got my first organized event this coming Sun, the Diabetes ride and if I could make the 60mile ride any more comfortable for my hands, back, neck, butt, etc...I want to do it.

I bought my frame and fork 4 yrs ago. I never was comfortable with the saddle flat. If I rode it several days in a row I had shoulder and neck problems. Last summer I got medial epicondialitis in my elbow and still had some pain in my elbow when I rode this spring. I also bought a new mtn bike that was fitted perfectly to me and the more I rode the mtn bike the more convinced I was that something was wrong with the fit on my road bike.

I took it to the shop where I bought it and they could find nothing wrong. Frustrated and because I can't afford to irritate the elbow I went to another shop and had a Serrota fitting done. The fitting included checking my flexibility to rule out physical issues and a prototype bike was set up to show me how my bike should fit. It cost me $125 but it turns out I have short arms and the handlebars were 4 cm too low. That was the only thing wrong with the fit. Since my steerer tube was cut too short I had to buy a whole new fork and stem to get the 4cm that I needed. However, the difference is unbelievable, I'm so much more comfortable, I can reach the hoods and drops better, shift better and the pain in my neck and shoulders are gone. I can now ride with my saddle flat instead of "nose down". The handling of the bike is much better.
So the answer is "yes" it's worth the money.
Kathi

Most people buy there 1st road bike for looks, the 2nd for fit and function.

I had a 60min fit session long after I purchased my bike, the cost was $50 for the fit and $130 for a new stem and wider bar. Luckly, the frame size and crank length were close enough!

In the long run, I think time on the fit kit is well worth the investment, my comfort level and efficiency on the bike have greatly improved. If the bike fits you, you will spend alot more time on it. I say go for it.

I fiddled with set up and fit for almost a year before I went into my LBS
and threw down for a fitting. Took the fitter about 10 minutes watching me
pedal, measuring angle of my leg etc. to move saddle forward 50mm or so
and to readjust bars. He also checked cleat to pedal interface.
He suggested a change in my posture, rotate hips forward and bend at lower
back (as opposed to roll lower back).
I am alot more comfortable at this point. He also kept measurements
in computer for when I come in to buy my next bike. . .
Yes, well worth it.
Marty

Well, not all fittings are created equal, but my answer, in a word, is 'yes'.

when i bought my bike they fitted me right there and then. also they didnt charge me for swapping out the stem. i would highly reccomend getting pro fitted. i plan on going back as i have grown a bunch over winter and my adjustments are a little shadey :D

:O I should take up the offer my semi-sponsor has made me. Free fitting....

Semi-sponsor at the moment cause he sells me stuff at cost, and anything labour related he doesn't charge for. When I start getting results I might get more. hmmm just a matter of getting there cause its like over 60km away, with a harbour crossing.

Brendon

Is it worth the $70? Try blowing out a knee instead and see how much those Dr. bills add up. It's definately worth it.

When you go in for the RAD or Fit test, be sure not to rush the tester and try to pedal as closely to your normal stuff as possible in your cycling shoes and clothes. Some places allow free re-testing when you upgrade equipment too!

I found this thread to be helpful as I too am considering getting a professional bike fit thru Specialized. With all the different "fit threads" in this forum, its no surprise this one was "lost in space" and not expanded on since 2004!?

Would love to hear about others' experiences regarding getting professionally fitted, particularly with the Specialized Fit System. My local LBS offers the fit session at $50/hr and they say it takes approx. one hour.

Thanks in advance.

Definitely worth it. I spent $90 on a fitting session and it turns out my seat was too low and too wide. A new, adjusted Bontrager saddle later and I don't have any pain at all. The money I paid includes free adjustments when I buy clipless shoes or any other gear from the store. $70 sounds like a steal. Do it.

Wow, these "pro-fits" are cheap. In Houston the 3D pro-fit by Tad Hughes is 2.5-3 hours and $200. Tad came to a local bike clinic and he is amazing. He first tests for flexibily then discusses injuries and surgeries. You are then captured and everything about your fit is checked and adjusted. A lot of the racers and a close have used Tad.

I am a firm believer in his fit and and will schedule a fit in Sept once my kids go back to school. The costs is more than I would like to spend ( I am cheap), but everyone I know who has used Tad was very happen with the results.

Spend the money, what is your comfort worth?

wildbill,

goto Bikeworks (www.thebikeworks.com) on alexis by franklin park mall. it is my LBS, I am friends with the owners. They are great and actually care about what they do. They have a fairly new computer (Retul) system that sees how you ride and can tell you what exactly needs adjusted. It takes a while, and isn't cheap, but I've heard they are the only ones in a large area that have it.

yes. yesyesyes.

yes.

yup.

yes.

Yes, maybe. Depends on the fitter. I had a fitter hurt me, long story posted last year. Just be cautious. Most likely it will be a great help. Fit kit is straight forward.

Yeah, do it, why not.

I fitted my bike to myself for free. Of course, it took me over 2 years with many rides cut short due to knee or back pain. So you gotta decide what's more important: money or time.

In most cases I would have said its a waste of time, but I say YES its worth it.
With age comes wisdom, (hopefully) and I realize now that I spend 6 to 8 hours a day on my bike some years ago. I had an old school attitude about such things... Usually responses would have been "ride it off son, dont be a whimp," or "the bike shop must be laughing all the way to the bank because of people like you." However, now as I get older, I realize that not all people are on the bike for 6 hours a day, not all people spend so much time enough to be able to get right down to the millimeter of what position works for them. My bike was fitted perfectly, but that's because I had done it the hard way, years of micro adjusting till I got it right.
As such, its VERY important that you use a shop to help you fit it.
I have so many regrets as to many things I didnt have access to, couldn't afford, or things I didnt know back in the day when I raced. I can only imagine how much difference it could have made.

Your health is priceless, no matter your attitude, be it based on youth, or simply being a cheap bastard who doesn't like to spend money because your a penny pincher. But believe me sir, coming from where Im from, its a small price to pay to make sure you get the right fit, and enjoy many years of healthy, fun filled cycling

Get fitted, and enjoy your rides... cheers!

I'd do that in a heartbeat. $70 for 1.5-2 hours? A 4 hour fit at a place near here is $425, and the 2.5 hour fit is $275, though I can't exactly tell what the extra 1.5 hours gets you. Both are Retul I believe.

Great advise regarding this important subject. Would love to hear about what other riders have experienced. Really good sharing of info that will benefit many. Thanks again all.

If after you research how to fit yourself on a bike and cannot achieve the right fit then it's money well spent because discomfort on a bike will lead to not wanting to ride it.

I had a good fitting quite a few years ago that eliminated all knee pain.

Good point but I'm not sure if I would need to swap out stems, saddles, etc. in order to achieve the best fit. Thus might be best to save my time and novice effort and put out $50/hr for the evaluation from a pro.

Getting other people to fit you sounds good to me. I prefer fitting myself just because I like playing with things. I think I am pretty good. because I have set riders from 5'7 to 6'2 on the same frame, all happy riding to 35 mi. I love dialing things to make people happy.Being uncomfy is a bummer.

Wow, these "pro-fits" are cheap. In Houston the 3D pro-fit by Tad Hughes is 2.5-3 hours and $200. Tad came to a local bike clinic and he is amazing. He first tests for flexibily then discusses injuries and surgeries. You are then captured and everything about your fit is checked and adjusted. A lot of the racers and a close have used Tad.

I am a firm believer in his fit and and will schedule a fit in Sept once my kids go back to school. The costs is more than I would like to spend ( I am cheap), but everyone I know who has used Tad was very happen with the results.

Spend the money, what is your comfort worth?

My fit was done by Tad... He works miracles, can't say enough good things. I've actually taken several bikes to him now.

I have used three bikes in the last year or so. 1st bike was an old one that I first started riding on, which was the most uncomfortable thing in the world. Relative gave me a frame and I built that up and got a shorter stem and narrower handlebars, but still not comfortable. Finally I bought myself my third bike and got a pro fit, and let me tell you it was the best thing I could have done. I ended up with yet a shorter stem than I had ever ridden and some of the little adjustments have made a world of difference. I have just gotten back on the bike after an early season knee injury, and I did my first 30 miler the other day and I was so comfortable on the bike it was a dream. Definitely go and get the fit, and good luck!

A fit is only as good as the fitter. There are absolutely no criteria for calling yourself a bike fitter. If I owned a LBS, I could deside to call myself a professional bike fitter and charge a fee for my service (with absolutely no training).

I have spent money on bike fits that made me feel worse. I have also spent money on useful fits.

This is the best bike fit resource I have ever found. This article helped me much more than a couple bike fits I had in the past.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

My LBS where I bought my bike spent about an hour fitting me on it right when I bought it. If you didn't get one on the house I'd say it's certainly worth it.

I fitted my bike to myself for free. Of course, it took me over 2 years with many rides cut short due to knee or back pain. So you gotta decide what's more important: money or time.

Same here, including duration and pains. I have it perfect now but I also spent hours riding, reading and watching homemade videos and dealing with discomfort to finally get here. I should definitely have gone the other way and gotten a good detailed fit.

I'm really enjoying the responses in this thread and learning a lot. Anyone else want to share their experiences with getting a pro fit and/or do-it-yourself fit?

Anyone have a "fitting" experience to add here? Great info thus far!

If you go to a shop that does a lot of fittings, chances are that many of their staff does lots of fittings. Hence the aggregate experience will treat you well.

yes. yesyesyes.

yes.

yup.

yes.

This gets my vote, based on my experience. However as Hunt-man said, "Depends on the fitter."

I got a lot from club members recommendations for John at Racer's Edge in Boca Raton. They were right. I don't think I would go elsewhere.

I hear it's worth the money.

If you go to a shop that does a lot of fittings, chances are that many of their staff does lots of fittings. Hence the aggregate experience will treat you well.

I was told at the LBS that the shop owner does the fitting and that he has gone thru the Specialized training seminar. Sounds like $50/hr will be a good investment of time and $$.

A fit is only as good as the fitter. There are absolutely no criteria for calling yourself a bike fitter. If I owned a LBS, I could deside to call myself a professional bike fitter and charge a fee for my service (with absolutely no training).

I have spent money on bike fits that made me feel worse. I have also spent money on useful fits.

this is what i am afraid of. my stem is probably "too long" and bars are "too low" im many peoples eyes. i have also read that may cranks are a size too big. that said, i can go out and ride 80 miles 90% of the time in the drops with a cadence around 95-110 with absolutely no pain. ive never felt more comfortable on a bike than i do with my current setup.

i would listen to a fitters advice if i was uncomfortable or found a good deal by someone that was recommended.

edit: i just looked at that link and according to him my cranks are correct and i appreciated the comment he made about setting the bars as low and far ahead as you feel comfortable. maybe i am closer than i thought.

A fit is only as good as the fitter. There are absolutely no criteria for calling yourself a bike fitter. If I owned a LBS, I could deside to call myself a professional bike fitter and charge a fee for my service (with absolutely no training).

I have spent money on bike fits that made me feel worse. I have also spent money on useful fits.

This is the best bike fit resource I have ever found. This article helped me much more than a couple bike fits I had in the past.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

+1 on this.

I think a good fitter can get you in the ballpark and it's certainly worth the effort/expense, especially starting out and if you don't know what you are doing.

However, the right fit today isn't neccesarily the right fit tomorrow, especially as a beginner. As you ride a lot, you should become stronger and more flexible and may also want a more powerful or aero position on the bike. I used the information at peterwhitecycles and feel I am able to dial in my fit much better than what I got at my LBS. I also feel that I have the ability to make adjustments over time and understand the relationship between various changes. I feel confident I can set up my bike better than the typical 'good' LBS fitter. I also accept that there are some great fitters out there that could help me improve my fit.

Also, watch out for bad fitters that don't want to listen to you. I had a bad experience with a fitter that insisted that my saddle needed to be moved forward/up to get my knee over the pedal spindle (a common starting point). I knew it didn't feel right, but he was the expert (he kept telling me that anyway). A few rides later and I had massive knee pain that took several weeks to recover from (after moving the saddle back).

"I have the ability to make adjustments over time and understand the relationship between various changes" ....I think it would be beneficial if experienced riders would post here and elaborate on what adjustments they consider and the relationship those changes make regarding bike fit. Thanks everyone.

I just got a professional fitting this Monday. ROCKED MY WORLD.

I'd only gotten LBS fit before, which was pretty good, when it came to fore/aft balance, bar height, knee over spindle, stuff like that. Now that I've started training for a century and racking up more miles, I've started having a lot more aches and pains.

So, I went to a specialist. It took about 3 hours. He used plumb lines to get exact numbers. He marked up my ankles, hip, and knee with chalk or a marker (depending on clothing or skin) and observed my pedaling. He even set up two lasers that painted the front of my legs with a vertical line so he could really see what was going on. You'd maybe think 3 hours was excessive, but we used every minute of it.

It was iterative, like an optometrist. Questions, small adjustments, 'how does that feel', rinse, repeat. He spent 3/4 of the time on my pedals and leg fit, stuff like cleats (way too forward for being a 6'-3" clydesdale), pedals (adding spacers and watching my leg movement until I had good form and Q-factor), etc. Once that was dialed the upper body fell into place quickly. It was eye-opening. Every single adjustment gave me immediate tangible improvement. I actually already had good position in some ways, but the ones I didn't were affecting me more than I'd ever realized.

One big example: he added 2cm spacers inside my pedals. That may sound excessive, but I'm built like a linebacker. I have 49cm shoulders, and correspondingly wide hips. Once he spaced out my feet, the first thought in my head was (I kid you not): wow, I'm actually feeling the force of pedaling on my entire foot for the first time. I was basically pedaling on the outside edges before, and from what he told me, that was causing my IT band tightness and knee pain.

Another one: when he moved my cleats back, my calves relaxed, and I felt the power coming straight through my thighs and glutes. I've basically been doing a calf raise for hours at a time. I'm looking forward to far less pain and agony on the massage table.

The real shocker was the power increase. At the beginning of the fitting, he put some resistance on the trainer and said 'pedal at a comfortable pace'. I was getting 17-18kph. By the end of the evening, I was getting 21+ and still not working as hard.

So, yeah. I'm a believer. Anyone in San Diego, send me a PM and I'll give you a reference to my fit coach.

Also, watch out for bad fitters that don't want to listen to you.

This is so important that it's amazing that it isn't more obvious. I had a fitter insist that my saddle needed to be higher. I was getting fitted because I had been dealing with a knee injury, and raising the saddle seemed unlikely to help, but I did as he said. Well, the injury persisted. I wouldn't go so far as to say that this was a BAD fit, because it was helpful in some important ways, but he definitely didn't understand my needs as far as saddle positioning and such.

I recently got another fit with someone else, and brought the saddle back and down, down, down. The improvement was almost immediately obvious. I still don't know if I've solved my injury problem (not enough riding since the fit), but it's definitely a lot better than where I was before. This was a more interactive experience - there was a lot of making an adjustment and then seeing how it felt. As a result, my handlebars came back and up quite a bit. The Euro-snob part of me cringes a bit when I look at my bike now, but being stronger and more comfortable is making it pretty easy to ignore that little voice in my head - especially since I'm probably not functionally any less aero than I was with the less comfortable fit.

A fit is only as good as the fitter. There are absolutely no criteria for calling yourself a bike fitter. If I owned a LBS, I could deside to call myself a professional bike fitter and charge a fee for my service (with absolutely no training).

I have spent money on bike fits that made me feel worse. I have also spent money on useful fits.

This is the best bike fit resource I have ever found. This article helped me much more than a couple bike fits I had in the past.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

I've seen some cyclists who were supposedly "professionally fit" that had bad position on the bike, so I suspect that there are a FEW shops out there that either don't know and/or don't care what they're doing and are just in it for the money. However, if their fitting sessions are consistently off then I wouldn't expect them to stay in business unless perhaps they're the ONLY LBS for many miles around.

Btw - I fit myself (with the help of another competitive cyclist), but I've been riding for many years, am a former bike shop mechanic and am on my sixth bike.

I found this article very helpful. Thanks to those riders who have referenced / shared it! http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

I got serotta pro fit from Get a Grip in chicago (they have many local and national awards for their services) three years ago. A lot of life got in the way and I hadn't been on my bike since shortly after the fitting.

My eighth and tenth ride back from inactivity this year were over 70 miles. I felt no bad pains. A good fit is priceless!

Paying a lot for a fitting is like paying a lot for a helmet. People who say "how much is your head worth?" are 'tards. You should get a free fit with a new bike purchase and if you pay more than $60 for a one-hour fitting for a non-new bike, and you're not entering races to win money, and/or you're not sponsored, you're wasting money.

A fit is only as good as the fitter. There are absolutely no criteria for calling yourself a bike fitter. If I owned a LBS, I could deside to call myself a professional bike fitter and charge a fee for my service (with absolutely no training).

I have spent money on bike fits that made me feel worse. I have also spent money on useful fits.

This is the best bike fit resource I have ever found. This article helped me much more than a couple bike fits I had in the past.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm
Professional bike fitting is like retaining a Realtor - you don't really NEED one, but you better educate yourself if you choose to do without.
Personally, I reckon that spending money on a bike fitter is money lost. The article cited and carried with you to test fit bikes will do as much as anything else.

Just got fitted for my BMC today. It took a little over an hour. The bike shop is a mom and pop store and has been in business for over 30yrs. He put the bike on the trainer and had me warm up on the bike. He then measure the saddle height when I'm sitting. It was a tad low and we adjusted it up about 1 cm. Even though, I did not get knee pain from the previous height, he said that with the new height I should have more power with the strokes. Next, he adjusted the stem bc it was about 2 cm too long on the one that came with the bike. He set the angle of the stem at 7 degree. Told me that since I'm pretty skinny, he wanted me to try out the "race" fit to be more aerodynamic. When I go low on the handle bars, my forearms and my wrists are straight now. Overall, I'm happy to spend $75 for the fitting. He told me that he can adjust as needed but it's pretty much dial in from my standpoint. Will see how it goes with the next ride.

This is the best bike fit resource I have ever found. This article helped me much more than a couple bike fits I had in the past.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

This part of the article is pure nonsense and I'd be cautious taking his advice as gospel. The whole concept of saddle position based on balance.... Seriously????:



What about knee over the pedal axle?
Most fitting "systems" specify that some part of your knee be directly over the pedal axle at some alignment of the crank, usually with the pedal forward and the crank horizontal. This is pure nonsense.

Using this article you could get / justify almost any "fit".

Any fit system set up by a major bike manufacturer to fit you to one of their 5 or 6 different size bikes is a complete joke. How can this possibly be in your best interests? How could it actually be that difficult to do? It's science masquerading as sales.

It can be. Depends who's doing the fitting of course.

Any fit system set up by a major bike manufacturer to fit you to one of their 5 or 6 different size bikes is a complete joke. How can this possibly be in your best interests? How could it actually be that difficult to do? It's science masquerading as sales.

Id refine it as sales, under the guise of pseudo-science.
There is much self-serving in the cycling industry, as well as perpetuation of stereotypes - both for profit. In many ways, it reminds me of the automobile business of old.

On the other hand, I would suggest that fitting a bike, any bike, to ones physical dimensions is a practical thing and in ones best interests. Ignore it and see what your results are. It's hardly a joke. To your point, though, this fitting does not have to occur with any specific brand - it applies universally.

That you find only one brand promoted in any one particular shop has more to do with business practice than meeting the buyers best interests.

Paying a lot for a fitting is like paying a lot for a helmet. People who say "how much is your head worth?" are 'tards. You should get a free fit with a new bike purchase and if you pay more than $60 for a one-hour fitting for a non-new bike, and you're not entering races to win money, and/or you're not sponsored, you're wasting money.

You need to read my post a bit earlier in the thread, champ.

This Saturday I rode 68 miles (my personal best distance).
NONE of the pains I had before in my knees or neck. Legs were significantly less tight than usual also.

My LBS would have never been able to do what that fitting did for me. Ever. They just didn't have the expertise or equipment.