bicycle fitting _after_ purchase (SF Bay Area)?

Hi all,

I made the mistake of purchasing a road bicycle earlier this year from
a LBS which did not involve a careful fitting of the bicycle (it was
basically just a standover test). At the time, I wasn't fully sure
about my commitment to biking and so was more concerned with buying
something inexpensive, to see if I took to the whole road biking
thing. Certainly, if I were to do things over again, I would approach
the problem differently, but that's the situation now.

I have enjoyed biking, and am interested in continuing; however, along
the way I've had various bouts of discomfort on the bike, whether it
be my seat, my knees, my back or my neck. I've always been unsure
about how well the bike fit to begin with, and have had to make
adjustments on my own without too much guidance. I did ask the bike
shop for help at one point, and they did suggest a shorter stem, which
I had installed. The shorter stem did seem to improve things with my
back, but I'm still unsure about the fit as a whole, and am unwilling
to just throw more money/parts at the problem without a better sense
of what should be done. This isn't a department store bike, so it's
not that it can't be modified/upgraded, it's that I'm not sure whether
the frame is the right size to begin with.

Is there a shop in the SF Bay Area (preferably South Bay/Peninsula)
that would be willing to help improve my fit on my current bike? Or
are those services limited to people purchasing bikes from those
stores in the first place? I'd like for someone to gauge my size and
riding style and tell me how close I am with my current bike--then I
could decide whether to invest further on my current ride or start
over. I'd expect there to be some fee involved with the fitting, of
course; I was more concerned about whether a shop would be interested
in helping me with a bike not purchased there. Or do I just chuck it
all, cut my losses and buy a new bike from a better LBS?

Thanks,

Jason

Or do I just chuck it all, cut my losses and buy a new bike from a
better LBS?

Well, IMHO it's pretty hard to know what you want in fit without some
miles on the bike. Some of what you've described is the normal process
of breaking in (your body, not the bike).

Try the one you've got for a few hundred miles and you may have a
better idea of what kind of fit you prefer. Then try adjusting things
based on your experience. Usually it's not too hard to get things
dialed in after a certain amount of trial and error.

Most people do fine within the adjustment ranges on a standard sized
frame appropriate for their height, experiment with one variable at
a time.


--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 19:09:39 +0000, jkwon1 wrote:

Is there a shop in the SF Bay Area (preferably South Bay/Peninsula) that
would be willing to help improve my fit on my current bike? Or are those
services limited to people purchasing bikes from those stores in the first
place?

Many shops will provide the fit gratis if you buy from them. But most
will provide it at a cost if you don't -- maybe with a rebate if you
decide to buy a bike from them later on. It's not that expensive, and it
sounds like something you should do. At least ask around at some of the
better shops. Hopefully someone living in the area can recommend one.
The one I went to way back when (Cupertino Bike Shop) is no longer in
business.

I went through a long period of fiddling, adjusting, buying parts, etc.,
before I knew really what I needed. This is a better way.

I'd like for someone to gauge my size and riding style and tell me
how close I am with my current bike--then I could decide whether to invest
further on my current ride or start over.

For what it's worth, you can find websites that allow you to enter your
measurements, and it will spit out recommendations. This is not the same
as a professional fitting, but it beats standing over the bar. That might
indicate whether or not you need a whole new bike.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Arguing with an engineer is like mud wrestling with a pig... You
_`\(,_ | soon find out the pig likes it!
(_)/ (_) |

I went through a long period of fiddling, adjusting, buying parts,
etc., before I knew really what I needed. This is a better way.

As he develops physical fitness his needs will change. This is why
it is better to explore the potential of the existing platform
rather than toss it out of hand, IMHO.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

Jason wrote:
I have enjoyed biking, and am interested in continuing; however, along
the way I've had various bouts of discomfort on the bike, whether it
be my seat, my knees, my back or my neck. I've always been unsure
about how well the bike fit to begin with, and have had to make
adjustments on my own without too much guidance. I did ask the bike
shop for help at one point, and they did suggest a shorter stem, which
I had installed. The shorter stem did seem to improve things ...

This isn't a department store bike, so it's
not that it can't be modified/upgraded, it's that I'm not sure whether
the frame is the right size to begin with.

If the frame dimensions are within a cm or so of your ideal, it should be
possible to get a comfortable fit by making various adjustments and perhaps
replacing a stem. If you went to three different shops, they'd probably
recommend three different sizes for you anyway based on their own idea of
proper fit.

First you should try to figure if your bike is close enough in size to be
salvaged. If it is, you have to figure out what needs adjusting.

How many miles have you ridden on this bike? If you're a new road rider, it
will take some time to become acclimated. The more you ride the more
comfortable you will become, and you will be better able to pinpoint areas
that need adjustment. For example, pain in the front of the knee may be due
to a too low saddle (or just pushing too big a gear). Back/neck pain may be
due to the bars being too low (or just lack of miles).

Visiting an LBS is a good idea, but the more riding you have under your
belt, the more you will be able understand what you really want.

Basic bike setup involves adjusting the saddle first (height, fore/aft,
tilt) and then the handlebars (height, reach, tilt). See:

http://www.sbraweb.org/setup.htm

Do you still feel too stretched out? Do the bars seem to low? Is the seat
level? Try to get the fit as comfortable as possible, and get in some miles.
Then visit an LBS and have a dialog with a good fitter.

Art Harris

Basic bike setup involves adjusting the saddle first (height, fore/aft,
tilt) and then the handlebars (height, reach, tilt). See:

http://www.sbraweb.org/setup.htm

Do you still feel too stretched out? Do the bars seem to low? Is the seat
level? Try to get the fit as comfortable as possible, and get in some
miles.
Then visit an LBS and have a dialog with a good fitter.

Art Harris

I got a laugh out of the description on your web site saying that handlebar
adjustments are due to "old wives tales." When was the last time you heard
any old wives sitting around discussing bicycle handlebar adjustments?

Pat in TX

at wrote on 11/20/03 7:09 PM:
Is there a shop in the SF Bay Area (preferably South Bay/Peninsula)
that would be willing to help improve my fit on my current bike? Or
are those services limited to people purchasing bikes from those
stores in the first place? I'd like for someone to gauge my size and
riding style and tell me how close I am with my current bike--then I
could decide whether to invest further on my current ride or start
over. I'd expect there to be some fee involved with the fitting, of
course; I was more concerned about whether a shop would be interested
in helping me with a bike not purchased there. Or do I just chuck it
all, cut my losses and buy a new bike from a better LBS?

Impossible to say without seeing your fit and position, which is why it's
not a bad idea to have someone knowledgeable check it.

I've seen some excellent fittings come from Tony at Bicycle Odyssey in
Sausalito. He does charge for separate position/fittings. Give them a
call.

http://www.bicycleodyssey.com/

You might also post to ba.bicycles for more area-specific feedback.

Hope that helps,


-- Jim

wrote in
om:

Hi all,

I made the mistake of purchasing a road bicycle earlier this year from
a LBS which did not involve a careful fitting of the bicycle (it was
basically just a standover test). At the time, I wasn't fully sure
about my commitment to biking and so was more concerned with buying
something inexpensive, to see if I took to the whole road biking
thing. Certainly, if I were to do things over again, I would approach
the problem differently, but that's the situation now.

I have enjoyed biking, and am interested in continuing; however, along
the way I've had various bouts of discomfort on the bike, whether it
be my seat, my knees, my back or my neck. I've always been unsure
about how well the bike fit to begin with, and have had to make
adjustments on my own without too much guidance. I did ask the bike
shop for help at one point, and they did suggest a shorter stem, which
I had installed. The shorter stem did seem to improve things with my
back, but I'm still unsure about the fit as a whole, and am unwilling
to just throw more money/parts at the problem without a better sense
of what should be done. This isn't a department store bike, so it's
not that it can't be modified/upgraded, it's that I'm not sure whether
the frame is the right size to begin with.

Is there a shop in the SF Bay Area (preferably South Bay/Peninsula)
that would be willing to help improve my fit on my current bike? Or
are those services limited to people purchasing bikes from those
stores in the first place? I'd like for someone to gauge my size and
riding style and tell me how close I am with my current bike--then I
could decide whether to invest further on my current ride or start
over. I'd expect there to be some fee involved with the fitting, of
course; I was more concerned about whether a shop would be interested
in helping me with a bike not purchased there. Or do I just chuck it
all, cut my losses and buy a new bike from a better LBS?

Thanks,

Jason

I've cross-posted this to ba.bicycles to get some local input. Here's a
list of places you might want to check out:
http://www.paloaltolive.com/shop-sporting.html#Bicycles

wrote:
Is there a shop in the SF Bay Area (preferably South Bay/Peninsula)
that would be willing to help improve my fit on my current bike?

Jason:

About 10 years ago I had Terry Shaw at Shaw's Lightweight Cycles
(www.shawcycles.com) fit me on a bike I had bought elsewhere. I found his
advice well worth the money spent. Call him up and make an appointment.

--
Bill Bushnell

david moore writes:
I made the mistake of purchasing a road bicycle earlier this year from
a LBS which did not involve a careful fitting of the bicycle (it was
basically just a standover test).

I've cross-posted this to ba.bicycles to get some local input.

Tony Tom at A Bicycle Odyssey in Sausalito, CA is the master of bike
fit. Make an appointment with him and get him to fit you. I've sent several
friends of mine to him for custom fittings both before and after buying a
bicycle. He's the best. I ordered a custom Landshark for my wife based on
his numbers and it fits her perfectly.

(Tell him Morgan sent you.)

http://www.bicycleodyssey.com/

Morgan Fletcher
Oakland, CA