Originally Posted by alanbikehouston
To a "princess and the pea" member of the pro peloton, a half inch difference in the distance between the rear of the saddle to the front of the stem is "life or death". To "Joe Average Cyclist" such differences are trivial. [...]
For the record, it is my belief that the opposite is true.
For a moderately fit recreational cyclist with less than optimal conditioning and flexibility, who has aspirations to achieve maximum speed and distance, fit is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
For this princess, 2cm and a professional LBS fitting has made the difference between a pleasant experience or discomfort that results in a complete bailout from the sport...