Originally Posted by Steve Sawyer

Absolutely. I could futz with it for quite awhile before I got it in the ballpark, or I can get (and learn from) some professional input.



Moving from a hybrid to a road bike, I'm going to be conservative on the comfort side of the equation. Also, I can't see getting a perfect fit on my first road bike no matter how much I spend, as my definition of "perfect" is bound to evolve, especially in my first riding season. I think that the best I can hope for is a fit that is safe (won't cause injury) and initially comfortable enough to allow me to settle into it and decide what fine-tuning the fit needs. As you wisely point out, it has to be a cut-and-try process, and part of what I hope to gain from a professional fitting (whether I spend $50 or $250) is knowledge of what the variables are and their effect so that I can tweak the fitting to my preference over time.