Road Cycling - Getting fitted

I've been on my Zurich for over 1 year and have ridden almost 5000 miles. I've never felt as though I'm as comfortable as I could be, sore neck/shoulders, numb hands, sore butt, lower back, etc....seat position-height/fore-aft, handle bar length/height, etc may be to blame. I've tried a different stem and I have been through a couple of seats and seat positions.
I've read almost every internet article about bike fitting theories and have tried them all.
I have heard people say they feel great on their bikes. I'm not sure that I do. After a ride of 45+ miles up to 110 I feel worn out from the bike, not so much the effort of the ride.
I move around as much as I can, changing hand and seat positions, getting off the bike when I can, standing up on the peddles, relaxing the shoulders and arms.
Whatever I've been doing isn't working, I'm still feeling as though the bike isn't a "great fit".

My question is; is it worth getting a "professional" fitting? Thoughs of you that have gone from the standard fitting to get you on the right bike and then to getting the professional fitting. Has it made that much of a difference in how you feel on the bike and after longer rides?

Yes. If you've ridden 5000 miles and still aren't comfortable, something is out of whack fit-wise. The Zurich is a beautiful bike and there's no reason why you should be feeling the symptoms you've described other than fit.

I'd ask around in your area for the guy who has the rep for doing the very best fits. You certainly aren't new to the game and you will need a highly experienced pro to dial your specific situation in.

Good luck.

55/Rad

if you're going to pay to get a fit done, get a wattage fitting. i got one done and gained well over 100 watts just by getting a more efficient position. very cool stuff.

Watch out for what bike shops do...when I just grabbed my new bike I decided to have them fit it properly to me. Within about 2km I had to crank the seatpost up. Quite frankly I'm happy with a wrench and some trial & error.

I am, however, getting a whole bunch of arm pain/stiffness, but I haven't had a chance to ride the thing much so I may just be getting used to it (I'm used to a much longer wheelbase with narrower drop bars). Should I worry about this?

How much does professional fitting generally cost?

How much does professional fitting generally cost?

I've looked into that, about $90 is the average. The sceptic in me wonders just how good these "prefessionals" are.
Bicycle Ranch in Phoenix claims to have fitted pro riders including USPS. It seems like they know what they're doing. Why not try it?
Some local guys here have fitted many people and the folks that frequent the shops swear by them...Should I try them and hope they really know what they're doing?
Should I adopt the wrench and trial and error method? Eventually I'll get it right...

Maybe all I need is to increase my core strength, overall bike fitness and just do more longer rides, making small adjustments and go from there, if I still have issues then seek professional help.

I'm starting to believe that just being measured "FitKit" isn't the answer. Maybe it's more about angles and the experience of those who can talk to you about your issues and see that you're all out of wack, i.e. reaching too far, stem too low/short/long, seat to far back/forward, poor posture, not relaxing, not flexible, need more core strength or maybe...aaagghhh

wow 90$? thats quite expensive.
i get all my fittings from http://www.wrenchscience.com/
it works pretty well, i dont really have any cramps.

Gotham bikes charges $75 for a basic fit. A professional fitting takes something like a whole afternoon and they measure everything, that costs $250.

My question is; is it worth getting a "professional" fitting?

If you're sore from a 40 mile ride, most definitely YES. I rode 80 miles last week with one stop and I felt pretty good other than the hot spots in my feet, but that's an issue I need to resolve. My wife would have severe knee and ankle problems on multi day rides before her fitting. No problems after the fitting.



Should I adopt the wrench and trial and error method? Eventually I'll get it right...

It wouldn't hurt to try a few things. OTOH, you will probably make some things worse before they get better. Be prepared for some painful rides :eek:

As for where to go, you'll have to pick that yourself. The best fit guy here basically watches you ride for awhile and adjusts things here and there. I would avoid the whole measure and look it up in a table approach (fit kit). If your were a normal fit (required for the fit kit to work), you would probably wouldn't have problems.



wow 90$? thats quite expensive.
i get all my fittings from http://www.wrenchscience.com/
it works pretty well, i dont really have any cramps.

Gee, $90 to make your $2k bike comfortable and give you more power?!? Sounds like a bargain to me :D

Finally, be prepared for the fit guy to tell you your bike doesn't fit. You may need a different frame to be comfortable on a bike, but 200+ hours a year of pain replaced by comfort should be worth it!

-murray

A little off topic but interesting that you mention Gotham Bikes. I have a friend who works at the shop and at TOGA as well. His name is Mike if you happen to know him. And about the question I just toy with my bike to make it feel comfortable.

Bicycle Ranch in Phoenix claims to have fitted pro riders including USPS. It seems like they know what they're doing. Why not try it? Some local guys here have fitted many people and the folks that frequent the shops swear by them... Should I try them and hope they really know what they're doing? Should I adopt the wrench and trial and error method? Eventually I'll get it right...
Start with a conversation with the guy the very best cyclist you know recommends....



Maybe all I need is to increase my core strength, overall bike fitness and just do more longer rides, making small adjustments and go from there, if I still have issues then seek professional help.
You've already done this for 5000 miles. Time for professional help. Even Lance - who can tell if a seat is 1mm too high, low, fore and aft - uses professionals to keep him dialed in.



I'm starting to believe that just being measured "FitKit" isn't the answer. Maybe it's more about angles and the experience of those who can talk to you about your issues and see that you're all out of wack, i.e. reaching too far, stem too low/short/long, seat to far back/forward, poor posture, not relaxing, not flexible, need more core strength or maybe...aaagghhh
Absolutely - spend your time researching the different systems, find the right guy, and don't look back.

55/Rad

the only complaint i have is that my lower back doesnt feel right but i think its due to my inability to be flexible. I can barely touch my ankles. I think I need to stretch out my hamstring and try to make my back more flexible.

anyone have any tip on this? :)
(yoga is not an option)

A little off topic but interesting that you mention Gotham Bikes. I have a friend who works at the shop and at TOGA as well. His name is Mike if you happen to know him. And about the question I just toy with my bike to make it feel comfortable.

Is he the really tall fella?
Only guy I know is tattoo joe.

No hes a shorter guy with red hair. If he is there the next time you go in tell him Andrew from Michigan says hi and see what his reaction is.

No hes a shorter guy with red hair. If he is there the next time you go in tell him Andrew from Michigan says hi and see what his reaction is.

You better not be one of those guys who owes him money and when I say andrew says hi he punches me in the face. :p

the only complaint i have is that my lower back doesnt feel right but i think its due to my inability to be flexible. I can barely touch my ankles. I think I need to stretch out my hamstring and try to make my back more flexible.

anyone have any tip on this? :)
(yoga is not an option)

Sit in your chair and stick your leg up on your table. Keep everything straight, reach for your toes and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with the other foot. Do this about 5-10 minutes before and after exercising and every morning while you're reading bikeforums. :)

You better not be one of those guys who owes him money and when I say andrew says hi he punches me in the face. :p

Dont worry you should be fine. Unless he knows something that I don't. HA.

wow 90$? thats quite expensive.
i get all my fittings from http://www.wrenchscience.com/
it works pretty well, i dont really have any cramps.

$90 avoids the Penny-wise Pound-foolish thing. If you continue to ride with this sort of pain, you're headed for the Dr.'s office or perm. damage. So pay it at the bike shop or pay it at the Dr.'s office. Your choice!

Fitting is that optional thing that most people and LBS always seem to ignore. It's very wierd to me. Kinda like stopping just before the finish of a race and quitting.

I highly recommend you spend your time and money just once. Find a certified fit technician. I doesn't need to be Serotta's system, but their's is the most prevalent in LBS. I stress the certified part. You don't need to be certified to have a fit bike in a shop. Knowing how to lead the process of a fit for 3 hours requires quite a bit of knowledge. You'll benefit tremendously and never look back.

I just recently took my own advice and got a new pedal/cleat system and had a certified tech dial me in. It was complete with lateral foot angle and Q adjustment along with seat height and fore/aft adjustment. Then it was all tweaked again until my knee's tracking was spot on.