Ted & Alice's Bike Fit - Bike Science, Bristol

A short story for fellow Clarions. 

On Saturday Alice and I went for a bike fit at Bike Science in Bristol.  We elected for the Retul fit which uses 3d camera technology to take measurements dynamically whilst you ride your bike. It's not cheap but it is supposed to be very effective.  

The fitter, Andy, was really friendly and informative and set us at our ease. Alice pushed off for a couple of hours while I was fitted and then we swapped over. My bike was set up on a turbo trainer which was of the type which does not use the rear wheel and automatically adjusts to maintain a constant power level. Next, questions were asked and some measurements taken. These were static and dynamic. 

The Retul system uses an infrared LED system which can image in 3d thereby surfing the lateral movement of your limbs and body. To do this little Velcro discs are placed on your elbows, shoulders, knees and shoes. Recordings and measurements are taken from left, right and front and the figures gathered are compared to the system's database and show if you fit within the parameters of what Retul think you should be. 

Importantly, Andy said that it was more his fitting skills that would determine the final fit than the ideal set by Retul. 

Cleats were renewed on my shoes, I was placed on a massage table to asses my physical differences from the ideal. All the time Andy was asking questions and finding out all he could about problems after rides, pain in knees, back problems, ride lengths, average speeds and everything else to do with my cycling. 

I went for the fit as a result of a severe back problem this autumn which ended up with me having to take a long time off work and spend 2 weeks lying on the floor with agonising sciatica. I was sure the stiffness in my lower back was caused by having to stretch too far for the hoods and was sure that a shorter stem would be the solution. First my saddle was moved BACK and a SHORTER  stem was fitted. I was stretched out further!  

The pedals were pushed further out using 10mm spacers and some very thin wedges were placed between the cleats and the sole of the shoes. Andy explained that I need to improve my core strength so I can ride with softer arms and a more natural curve in my spine. This would mean a complete change in posture on the bike and some exercises to improve my abdominal fitness.  

So what does it all feel like? Today we both went for a ride, just doing a lap of the circuit to see how we felt. I was impressed, my shoulders felt more relaxed, my lower back felt better after the ride and I felt as if I had more power during the ride. Alice commented that I was more relaxed in the arms and that my legs were tracking more up and down with less lateral movement. She also said there was less movement in my hips and trunk, though my shoulders are still moving about.  

Alice, on the other hand, found her bike less comfortable and lacked power on the ride. She thought her back felt sore after the ride but is willing to persevere with this to see if it's just the new position which is causing temporary discomfort. 

Overall I felt well looked after and that I received the services of an expert bike fitter with years of experience. Andy is a keen cyclist himself and explains everything he does as he goes along. Would I recommend this type of fitting?  Well assuming the improvements to my comfort continue then yes, I would. Andy did not flog me anything without consultation and was informative, helpful and took his time. The whole process for 2 of us took 5 hours and at no time did we feel as if we were being pushed through or hurried.

http://www.bike-science.com/pages/precision-bike-fitting