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Bike fit

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Old 08-11-12 | 01:46 PM
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From: Long Island, New York, USA

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Bike fit

So after 9 months and 1400 miles it's time to reinvest in my bike. When i 1st got it my son did a "quick fit" just to get the basic adjustments and told me to ride it and see how it feels. Well it feels OK but i'm sure it can be better. I "think" my handlebars are too wide and my shoulders would be more comfortable and relaxed with narrower ones. But i'm not going to waste money with guesses.

I went to 3 LBS and got some info on the "fits" they do and pricing. So now that I have a basic education, what do I really need to know and ask before choosing which to go with?

Here's some info on my:
56 years old
Riding for only 9 months
Trek Madone 4.6 H2
Mostly flat with some hills
Rides range from 25-40 miles

Riding for pleasure and exercise, not training or competing.

Thanks for your assistance.

Last edited by GlennR; 08-11-12 at 03:56 PM.
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Old 08-11-12 | 04:47 PM
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Your question seems obtuse to me. Perhaps explain what you learned about the 3 fits and the forum could help choose which sounds best.
Also, before you go for your fit, run your nos. through Competitive Cyclist fit calculator and provide the size of your Madone...you mentioned it is H2 but not frame size. Also post a geometry chart of the bike. If you want better feedback, you need to do some homework. When I hear of wide bars feeling a bit too wide, in my experience this is due to the bars being to close.
If you want a gist of what I mean, ride the bike only scoot well off the back of the seat and the bars many times will feel better with better arm extension. I have tried every bar width out there from ultra narrow to ultra wide. I have come to the conclusion that average pro gets is right. 44cm bar width...either center to center or outside to outside is good for a great many male riders. Males don't vary that much in shoulder joint width as it turns out...though they may in chest diameter which is largely irrelevant.
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Old 08-11-12 | 05:16 PM
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What type of fits have you looked into that you want more information on?
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Old 08-11-12 | 05:35 PM
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From: Long Island, New York, USA

Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303

The bike is a 56cm.

One shop offered a "static" fit at a cheap prince. The other 2 gave dynamic fits with video so they can see my motion.
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Old 08-12-12 | 02:07 PM
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Look at the Retul System. If you have any shops in your area that offer it, go and talk to them. It's a little more expensive, but worth every penny of it. I ride mostly for health and fitness and train more for long distance rides rather than racing. I had one done two years ago and it has been the best cycling related investment I have made, next to the bike. If you don't have a Retul fitter near you, talk with other riders that have had fittings done and do as much research as you can before deciding. A poor fitting is as good as no fitting.
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Old 08-12-12 | 03:06 PM
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Originally Posted by John_V
Look at the Retul System.
3 of the 4 use that system.
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