YEARLY BIKE FIT ... is it really worth it?

Juan Vergara

Wisdom says that one should do a bike fit every season .... which I´ve done the last 3 years and always a minor adjustment has been introduced (by Todd at TT Bike fit). 

While I have in fact got gotten faster over the past 3 years (mostly by working hard I guess) I wonder if most in the team do in fact revisit their fitting every year???

Al Truscott

Instead of the calendar, I think any of the following should trigger consideration of a re-fit:

• New equipment, e.g., shorter cranks, change in aero/base bars, shoes, pedals, etc (or of course, new bike)
• Emergence of injury or pain: shoulder, knee, hip, neck, etc.
• Change in body shape  - lost a lot of weight, spine shrinking with age, etc.
• Inability to stay aero for duration of IM bike leg, worsening times, constant moving around on saddle.

If none of these (or others I haven;t thought of off the top of my head) apply, AND you are satisfied with your performance, why mess with success?

Paul Hough

I agree with Al. I think that "received wisdom" is pushed by those in the fitting industry.

jaleslie

But, what if...you were fitted (Retul) for your new bike two years ago....then were refiitted (some small adjustments made) by Todd (TT bike fit) a year ago, but when you see your race photos recently you think....man, I sure wish my position was more aero (since your FTP is not as bueno as you wish'd) and you are having NO current problems staying aero, having back pain, hammies tight, other than minor neck discomfort when the rides get longer, etc?  I.E.....is it worth asking him to try to get me more aero?  Or is that just gonna lead to poorer blood flow to legs, back problems, etc?

Al Truscott

@ Jeff - # 1, getting "more aero" will in all likelihood NOT increase your FTP; if anything, it may reduce it (when tested in that position) a small amount, due to the change in hip angle. The value in getting more aero is to go faster at the same power output, or  go the same speed at a lower power.

So, would "looking more aero" allow you to do one of those two things (faster/same watts, same speed/lower watts), all while allowing you to ride pain free for 5-6 hours and run well? Unfortunately, no way to find out without trying a new fit. But were it me, I;d rely on the wisdom/experience of Retul and TTBike fit to help me answer that question.

Paul Hough

@ Jeff - I listened to a great interview on the Tri World Summit with Specialized chief engineer. His very practical, and non-salesman comment, was that the vast majority of age groupers would/could/should reduce far more drag by working to spend more time in the aerobars during an IM than by either buying a more aero bike or adjusting their fit to a more aero position. So what if your fit is more aero if you only spend 80% of the race in that position. Until you've maximized the time in the position like pro's do (e.g., only a few minutes out of aero during the course of hours on the bike), then you are wasting your time and money seeking aero benefits from other methods. He had me thinking, I need to start clocking my time out of aero on my long rides...maybe with a separate stop watch on my bars that I hit anytime I come up.