Wait a hot second… I’m no Pro rider!

what do I stand to gain from this process/investment?!

I’ve heard this so many times over the years and I totally get it… it is an investment, for sure. However, it’s an investment that all riders of any experience level can benefit from. Think of it this way, professional fashion models aren’t the only people who benefit from having clothes that fit them! That said, let’s talk about what you get out of a fitting:

1.) INJURY PREVENTION: This is huge. An ill-fitted bike can really make life difficult. Most common issues I see are knee problems, back pain, and numbness at the contact points (hands, feet, tushy). Left unchecked, these can turn into some major issues that affect day-to-day life. We want to do everything we can to prevent that and a massive percentage of the fit process has emphasis on this.

2.) COMFORT: Who doesn’t want to be comfortable. I mean, maybe those people exist, but I haven’t met one yet. At the end of the day, riding any kind of bike should not induce any sort of pain, numbness, etc. If you are experiencing those sort of discomforts, we can and definitely want to do something about it.

3.) PERFORMANCE: “Whoa, hey, wait. I already told you I’m no pro!”

I know, I know… Yes, the pros are looking for every last little milli-metric gain, but who doesn’t want to perform at their best when they’re trying to get a good workout in or simply go for a spin? Who goes for a ride with the mindset, “I want to waste so much energy today!”? Who signs up for an event with the intention of giving a C+ effort? You get my point… I think it’s safe to say, that we all love seeing improvement in ourselves - whether it’s moving up the leaderboard in that PowerZone ride or realizing that the hill that used to be hard to climb no longer is. Here’s the best part - Performance is a byproduct of comfort. They go hand-in-hand. Once we get you comfortable, you’ll inevitably be more efficient and, very likely, more powerful too. Who doesn’t want some of that?

I thought it was normal for [insert body area here] to go numb while riding.

I cannot emphasize enough how much this is not the case! I’ve also heard this sooooo many times over the years. My response is always the same: At the end of the day, they’re bicycles - not torture devices. They’re supposed to be fun AND comfortable! As stated above, these discomforts can turn into real problems if left alone. In a fitting, we’ll work together to figure out why this is happening and do something about it so it doesn’t happen anymore.

What Do i need for a fitting?

In short, everything you’d normally have for a ride (save for your helmet, of course). That would be riding clothing and whatever shoes you ride with - whether you clip-in or not. For an outdoor bike, if you have an indoor trainer that you like to use, we can totally stick with that for the fitting. If not, I have a trainer that we can use. That’s pretty much it. Oh, and maybe some water - you’ll be pedaling for a little while.

No need to worry about tools and such. I’ll be bringing all my tools, trainer, etc., so no worries there.

will my bike be ready to ride when we’re done?

That’s the goal! Unfortunately though, some bikes are too complex to adjust on the spot. A lot of triathlon bikes, for example, require almost a complete disassembly of the front end to make fit adjustments. If we run into that situation, don’t worry! I speak “bike mechanic”! I’ll write up some detailed notes for your local bike shop to take care of it.

Why is the outdoor bike fitting more expensive than the indoor one?

Simply put, indoor bikes are much easier to adjust. A knob or a lever is usually all that’s needed to adjust a handlebar, for example. Meanwhile, on an outdoor bike, there’s a lot more “wrenching” involved and I’m a stickler about safety and proper torque specs. The price difference includes the extra labor for these adjustments.

OH SNAP! Something’s come up. How do I reschedule!?

No worries! Life happens. First, try doing so via the CHANGE/CANCEL APPOINTMENT button at the bottom of your confirmation email. If that doesn’t work, try your best to let me know in advance via email and we can work it out together.

If it’s less than 8 hours from the appointment, there will be a cancellation fee to cover my expenses and time.

I have a dog and three curious children. will that be a problem?

I don’t mind an audience! It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. However, I want you to get as much as possible from our time together, so if you think that might be distracting, do what you can to help us both focus on the job at hand.

how do I know you’re a “good fitter”?

Oh, this is a good one! Hopefully, the results speak for themselves. I’ll tell you some of what I think makes a good fitter:

• Someone who’s incredibly open-minded and doesn’t use any blanket statements (ie: everyone should be riding blah blah blah crankarm length, saddle setting, etc.).

• Someone who tries their absolute best to work with what you have before recommending any new parts.

• Someone who speaks “normal human” and doesn’t throw around a bunch of complicated medical terms to sound smarter.

• Someone who always explains WHY and brings you into the fitting process, therefore never leaving you feeling “in the dark” about anything.

• Someone who never says they’re “the best”. I believe that if you think and project that you’re the best at what you do, whether you realize it or not, you’re likely closing the door to growth and improvement.

I see pictures and videos of fitters with lasers and computers and stuff. is that what we’re doing?

I have a certification to use computer fitting technology, such as motion-capture software. Having used it many times in the past, I’ve been able to find numerous flaws - so here’s why I don’t use it (aside from how expensive the equipment is).

Number one is how much of a distraction it is. Glitchy software, sensors that keep falling off the body, and so on, that keep me from doing my job ( I once spent 2 hours on the phone with tech support trying to get the software working during a fitting session - needless to say both I and the rider were not pleased).

Number two is the software is only as good as the fitter using it, anyway. So if you put wrong information in, you’ll get nothing but wrong information out. The results can be a recommended saddle height, for example, that’s impossible to replicate (seen it).

Lastly, it leaves way too much room for error when you have to do a fit on a fit bike, take the numbers off the fit bike (or from the software), and then translate them to the actual bike. I’d rather make the adjustment, torque down the bolt, and be done with it.

End rant. Sorry.

I got my bike fitted. So, I’m good forever, right?

Sorry to say it, but not quite. For better, or worse, our bodies are always changing. As we progress, we get stronger and our muscle structure changes. Maybe we started a consistent stretching routine and our range of motion has improved. Or, heaven forbid, you’ve suffered an injury and range of motion has decreased in an area of the body. Every once and awhile, a fitting needs to be redone. If the body has changed, odds are excellent that the bike has to change as well to match. Granted, this isn’t something that needs to be done often, but if you ride a lot (let’s say 15+ hours a week), once a year might be worth considering. For a lot of weekend warriors, you might be able to increase that time interval. All of that said, as long as the bike feels good - keep riding it. Once something starts feeling off though - let’s get your fit rechecked.

What’s with that butterfly bike logo thingy?

I created that logo to symbolize the transformation a rider can go through after a fitting. Just as a caterpillar morphs into a butterfly, a good fitting can transform your riding experience into everything you want it to be. So if you feel like your riding is “stuck in the cocoon”, let’s work together to turn it into something beautiful.

what if I have more questions?

Just shoot me an email! The doors of communication are wide open!