1. What makes a great fit? A good fit is the result of an intelligent collaboration between the rider and the fitter. Great tools help a lot, but ultimately a great fit requires a great fitter. No matter the tools, a “good eye” is still essential. But our greatest asset is that we actually listen to you. We’ll ask about your current and ultimate cycling plans as well as physical issues and problems. When we make a fit alteration, we’ll make observations, AND we’ll ask for your feedback. We’re never satisfied until you are.
2. “I’m not a pro cyclist. Why do I need a pro fit?” Hardly any of us are. But we all love to ride, and none of us likes to suffer. We can improve your comfort and your performance no matter what level of riding you do, and we can minimize your chance of injury.
3. “Why should I get a pro fit? My knees don’t hurt.” Yet. What about your neck, back, hips, shoulders, wrists, hands, and feet. A good fit can make all of them more comfortable.
4. “I’m already comfortable.” Humans are extremely adaptable, but improper fit can still cause injury and reduce efficiency. It’s amazing how many people first tell us that they are perfectly comfortable, and then tell us, “Oh, that’s much better.” Hmmm. The correct approach is to adjust the bicycle for the rider, not to try to adapt the rider to the bicycle.
5. “I thought my hands/feet/butt were supposed to go numb.” Contrary to what you may have heard, neither numbness nor pain is normal, and we have the techniques and equipment to minimize them.
6. “No one fits women properly.” Co-owner Joyce R and thousands (yes, really!) of satisfied female customers definitely wouldn’t agree with you! “We try to treat every client with respect. We believe that you are the expert on your body, and how you feel on your bike.” We’ve been fitting women for over 40 years, and we have specific tools, techniques, formulas and equipment for fitting women.
7. “I already got a pro fit – 10 years ago!” We’re sure that, like us, you haven’t changed in the last 10 or even 20 years, but luckily equipment and biomechanical techniques have. It could easily be worth your while to let us fit you again.
8. “I bought an expensive new bike somewhere else. I must have been fit already.” Unfortunately, having an expensive bike does not guarantee a proper fit. We have seen innumerable instances of riders with very expensive bikes and a terrible fit. Proper fitting is a combination of art and science, and requires a commitment of time, special equipment and training.
9.“Aren’t bikes just toys? I got mine at Walmart.” Although we all think that bikes are loads of fun, we don’t consider them to be toys. Is something carrying your baby in the middle of traffic just a toy? How about something that you need to stop from 25 or 35mph going down a hill, or that you need to control when a bus swerves into your lane? All of those are real situations. Get the best out of your purchase and yourself with a pro fit.
10. “It’s all nonsense, all bikes fit the same.” Not really. Different brands, and even different models within a brand, all fit differently. In addition, your body may not be identical to the body the designers had in mind when they developed the bike. We can compensate for all of that.
11.“I hardly ever ride.” Maybe if you were comfortable you’d ride more.
12.“A pro fit is too expensive.” It isn’t free, but what is the value of greater comfort, fewer injuries, improved efficiency, and better safety? We have a number of levels of fitting, and the basic level is included with new bike purchases.
13. “It takes too long.” The time to do a proper fitting varies from about ½ hour to 2 ½ hours. What we do depends on what you want, and what you need. You are in control.
14.“Everyone just uses Lemond’s method or some other mechanical system. I can do that by myself.” Surprisingly, that is not true. Many people do use a rote mechanical system, but our 40 years of experience assure us that any rote system is not enough. Dr. Andy Pruitt of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, perhaps the leading medical fitter in the world, was offered $50,000 to develop such a system. After an intensive study of all such systems, and an analysis of the successful techniques his own team uses, he concluded that no system of structural measurements alone, can ever be successful. Such systems, including those we use ourselves, are merely a starting point. Real success can only be achieved by applying art, training, and experience to the fitting process. But having a great tool like the GURU certainly helps.
15.“You’re going to tell me that my bike doesn’t fit, and I can’t afford a new one.” That’s not necessarily the case; we often find that your old bike can be made to work. But isn’t it better to know whether or not your bike fits properly? In most cases, even when it won’t be perfect, we can modify an existing bike to reach an acceptable level of fit. The cost of new parts is usually modest, and it’s worth every penny.
16.“I can’t change my bike, my girlfriend/boyfriend, husband/wife gave it to me.” We won’t tell if you don’t. Besides, don’t your loved ones want the best for you?
17.“I hardly ever ride.” Maybe if you were comfortable you’d ride more.
18. “I don’t need a pro bike fit, I’m just going to leave my bike on my car rack to look cool.” OK, that is one way to enjoy your bike, but you may find that riding it is ultimately more satisfying. And, you may meet some really nice people along the way.
19. “Pedal Power? What do you guys know about pro bike fitting?” At Pedal Power we've had a serious interest in fitting for decades. We acquired an ultra adjustable Eliteknik fitting cycle in 1977. We began using the FitKit over 30 years ago, and some of our suggestions have been incorporated into that system. But the whole arena of bicycle fitting has become much more informed in the last decade, leading up to the GURU Gen 2 Dynamic Fit System. We installed that system in 2014, attending their fitting course and earning certification in Dan Empfield’s F.I.S.T protocol. In 2015 we attended GURU’s inaugural Level 2 fit training course with world famous fitter Matt Steinmetz. Later, there were additional courses with Dan Empfield, and then their course to introduce the new Range of Right computer program, which we were among the first in the world to acquire. Of course we haven’t forgotten what we learned in 2009 at the BG F.I.T. course with the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine or the SICI Advanced Motion Capture Course; or the 2010, 12 and 14 Trek U Fit System courses; or the two SICI world symposia on fitting, technology and medicine. We still use the laser-based, computerized BodyScanning CRM system we acquired in 2008, while we’re waiting for the (oft delayed) arrival of the new Trek Precision Fit Digital Fit Station, a more powerful replacement. Folks we've fitted have ridden in the Pan-Mass Challenge and Paris-Brest-Paris, and won national championships for their age group. Of course most of the people we fit just enjoy tooling around in the area.
20.“I've recently heard about something called Motion Capture and Analysis. Pedal Power couldn't possibly do that. Actually we can. We are trained and equipped for both the Dartfish video system and the GURU Range of Right system. But the GURU Dynamic Fit System is even better. The Gen 2 GURU system uses a 3D camera to capture instant remote body measurements with no touch, no markers, no stick-on sensors. Five remote controlled motors instantly change all aspects of your position, letting you feel the exact fit and compare it with an unlimited number of others. No other fit system is motorized, so no other fit system can change positions as rapidly. You don’t have to try to remember how a position felt 2 or 5 or 8 minutes ago, we just toggle among them. The system allows us to change incline or decline to see how your selected fit feels on different terrain, and includes a Computrainer, to test your fit under different loads. And of course it also includes adjustable cranks, so we can exactly simulate the bike you have, or determine that you need a change.
Pedal Power - Big Enough to Serve You, Small Enough to Know You