Fitting process is more elaborate than the fitting calculators because it is personalized. You might be recorded on a camera for computer systems to capture your flaws, like if your left leg is bowed out when you pull up, or when your hip is rotated too much forward. It's not just about saddle height, but also saddle set back, which influence how much of your weight is distributed to the rear of the bike and the rotation of your hips which then affects how you pedal. You might find out things you didn't know before, like your right leg is longer than left or something like that.

If you're serious about track, then having your bike fitting should be your highest priority.

2) Mavic Ellipse are my favorites to recommend. They are great for beginner and intermediate track use and also are great for street. They are clincher.

3) For track your gear progressions (assuming you train or race a lot and get stronger) might go something like this:
48/16 For beginner racing. This might become your warmup gear forever afterward.
48/15 For beginner racing
49/15
50/15

Next season (or if you get strong fast):
47/14
48/14
49/14
45/13 (for fine-tuning)
50/14
46/13

4) That's just an orientation to the track. Not much coaching involved. Look for organized group events at the track. At some tracks those are like $5-10. Some great info there.

5) Yes! Squats or Leg Press whole leg exercises. Not so much with isometric (isolating) exercises like leg extension, leg curl, etc...)

6) Once you get bitten by the race bug, you might start rearranging your life. That's what I did.

7) Spin classes help a lot. But, rollers are better for different reasons.

8) Don't buy any wheels. Use whatever FG wheels you have now. Buy some nice tires (23c) that can be pumped up to at least 120-130PSI.

9) A fit calculator is a good start, but a good fitting by a professional or a friend that knows a lot will go a long way. Do you know where your saddle should be behind your bottom bracket? How about how high your handlebar grips should be for your body type and riding style? What about how high the saddle should be? A 1-2cm change can take you from spinning 120RPM bumpily to 120 smoothly and up to 200rpm.

ok, this is all good info and i appreciate it.

as per wheels, i will be buying some because i want to keep the velocity deep vs i already have on my "street fixay" and have wheels for the pista concept frame i have set aside....mavic ellipses seem like the way to go. i know of a local craigslist for a set of lasts years for 340 in what is described as excellent shape, although i havn't seen them yet.

just curious, how much do professional fittings run? at all feasible to fit yourself with the aid of someone else using google video instructions or is that just nowhere near the same (or possible) ?

+1

We are assuming that you don't have an unlimited bike budget. Any $ you spend on wheels is money that can't be spent on fitting.

Yes, fitting goes beyond that. Imaging putting measurements in a computer and it then mails you a suit. It might fit...or it may be off by 1cm here or there. It's generally best to find a competent person to do it. NOBODY sees the value in a bike fitting and some spend years riding and racing ill-fit bikes. Even after a professional fitting, there may be some changes to be made. Here is a list of variables in your bike fit:
Saddle height
Saddle angle
Saddle fore/aft
Stem length
Stem angle
Stem stack height
Bar width
Bar drop
Bar length
Bar angle
Crank arm length
Cleat fore/aft/left/right position
Cleat angle

All of that is measured in mm and 1/2 degrees. Some of it is based on feel. Some is based on science. Your body might feel right in the wrong position and you'd have to be uncomfortable for a while as it adjusts.

Then all of this changes as your body adjusts and changes.

Once Taylor Phinney was in a race a year or two ago and he crashed and ruined his bike. A teammate of similar stature was nearby and jumped off his bike and handed it to Phinney to continue the race (he was the team leader). Phinney grabbed the bike and rode it for a few miles trying to catch up and try to win then dropped out of the race because the bike wasn't setup for him and he didn't want to get injured. It was probably off by a few mm. But, that's how sensitive things are.


+1

OK. I see what's going on here :)

You want wheels, so buy some wheels. But, don't buy them under the guise of being a better and more competitive track racer. A bike fit costs (ballpark) between $75-150 depending on where you go. Wheels, tires, and tubes are gonna be $400+. The better value is probably in the bike fit. But, hey, it's up to you.

well, it sounds like a very good investment to get fitted correctly then.

ill have to see which LBS's around me do it. Will getting fitted also take road vs track riding into account? do you need to get fitted someplace that does track fitting specifically? i just realize ive seen people fitted at LBS's but it seemed to always be for the road.

and i know i should just go check out LBS's quotes....but what is ballpark for fitting?


anyway all the info has been awesome, i know allot more now than i did an hour ago.

yup :)
well, its looking like i will definitely be going to get fitted at some point, it sounds like a good idea....
and yah, i just want wheels on the bike, im definitely not thinking getting some expensive carbon wheels are going to make me a superfast-speedracer ;p

so i think i might go look at the mavic ellipses then. i will be riding this on the road as well as track, because the few times i get to the track wont be enough to suffice my need to finally ride this bike im building haha

Ask around for the most experienced guy in the shop then ask him his thoughts on road vs track fittings. If he says something to the effect of, "It depends on what type of track racing you are gonna do..." then he's your guy.

Endurance racers tend to go for a fit that is similar to their road bikes. They use road bars. They are higher up and sit further back in the saddles for comfort in longer races. This takes the weight off of the arms and shoulders. They give up a bit of aerodynamics and in-the-saddle sprint power. Sprinters tend to have the saddle as close as legally possible to the BB which allows them to lower the bars and get lower. But, this loads up lots of weight on the arms, shoulders, and hands. But, it's OK because sprint races (match sprints, keirin, short scratch races, etc...) are only a few minutes long so by the time it's too uncomfortable, the race is over. Sprinters use "track" bars because they allow the forearms to clear during standing starts, plus they tend to be stiffer/stronger also for the same.