Folding Bikes - First folding bike purchase - professional fitting or free fitting at bike store?

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techman
04-22-10, 08:55 PM
I plan to buy my first folding bicycle soon. I'm purchasing a Bike Friday Ticket
at Warm Planet Bikes in San Francisco (a solid shop).
Most shops will help fit the bike for free (seat height, angle, handlebars).
Is this usually sufficient or is it worth getting my bicycle professionally fitted?
I don't do bicycle races. I just ride for commuting (10-30 miles a day).
I wan't comfortable rides, good efficiency and to avoid injuries from bad bicycle positioning.
Thanks

jur
04-22-10, 11:06 PM
It's a good idea to start with fitment at the shop... a tikit justifies it.

Also head over to http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm to learn more about what matters but don't argue at length with the bike shop.
Foldable Two
04-23-10, 01:27 PM
Our daughter just bought a Bike Friday NWT through a dealer in Seattle. She likes the fit very much - now if she can just find a saddle that is as comfortable!

If the dealer takes the measurements correctly, or if you have measurements off of a current bike, Bike Friday does a very good job of fitting the custom bikes. In addition, there is ample room to adjust them as I did with mine, as the seat was about 2" too low because I didn't measure my inseam correctly. Wife's bike fits perfectly, too.

Things like seat and handle bar angle are usually determined by riding the bike and fine tuning those adjustments to see what feels best. You can do it all with a couple of Allen Wrenches. Daughter did it with her new bike.

IMO: I doubt that a "pro" fitting will do that much more for you in this case.

Lou