How Does Todd Kenyon ttbikefit.com Do It?
I've been burned in the past by bad fitters. Guys who claim they have been published in medical journals, are recommended by medical professionals and have fit "thousands of athletes". Lots of cash shitcanned because of people who claim they are the bomb.com but don't know squat about Long Course triathlon fitting.
So Todd...I sent him my video. He sends me an email asking me to send him $199 PayPal and he'll give me a link to my analysis. Great. Can't wait. But then I start wondering...how does a dude who is thousands of miles away from me and has no access to me physically make recommendations for fitting me? What's his methodology? Does he use software of some kind to do the analysis? I want to believe.
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I'm not sure what his methodology is - I have some decent theories but they're just that. What I am sure of is that he does a hell of a good job.
Todd has a PhD from MIT in math and worked at the wind tunnel there I believe. He has fitted me to three bikes (2 TT and 1 road) and helped me w/ sizing on my new Trek SC 9.9. He will spend plenty of time figuring your angles and tweaking you at no fadditional cost. I sent him video of my wife after she got a P3C last year and he said she was well fit at our LBS and NO CHARGE! Hardly seems like a huckster to me.
If you want more info on exactly what he does, share your concerns with him and ask for details!
On my last bike, I'd gone to A2 wind tunnel before and got a best Cda of 0.253. After Todd fit me, I went back for small tweaks and was 0.235 right off the bat and my fit was more comfortable after Todd. No more numb genitals! That's worth every penny of $199 and WAY cheaper than a trip to wind tunnel let me tell you.
Good luck and hope you give him a chance. Jeff
He uses software to analyze your fit (the angles and such) based on the video you send him. You'll get a video back that shows you some of this as he speaks over the work he's doing- so kinda like your math test in 5th grade, he shows his work. You can go back and forth with him on tweaking and fixing as much as you need until you get it nailed down. He's never been anything but completely legit and ethical when working with me.
Would also echo the comments above about just asking him directly. He's gonna give you a strait answer and he's not gonna be offended either.
Jim,
Bottomline, PnI aren't going to let a schmuck work with our team of 600 athletes. Todd knows his stuff and has been working with our folks for years.
The are FAR less qualified and experienced $10/hr shop employees charging the same or more money for a shitty fits. Sounds like you've had your fair share.
I fully understand your reluctance as there are so many jackasses doing bike fits out there that it is easy to be skeptical. Todd knows what he is doing and seems to make everyone happy which as has been mentioned is rare. If you seatch the old forum there are some good examples of his work.
How Does Todd Kenyon ttbikefit.com Do It?...he does it by simply listening and understanding that the best aero position really is useless if you can't stay in it for more than 10' at a time or you drop 10% in watts. He understands long course triathlon, something most LBS guys only dream of understanding, because most are roadies to begin with. His analyses are thorough and very easy to understand. No "plumb-bob" knee over pedal stuff from him. Its true angles!
Upon Jeff Brandenburg's recommendation, I trusted him, and went straight to Todd when I initially entered the sport. The absolute best decision I have ever made in regards to NOT doing a "trial by error" philosphy. It is "trial" but its "trial and tweak" and if constant tweaking is what you desire, Todd will gladly oblige. I've been working with him for over a year and with severe Piriformis Syndrome he has worked on my position so I could start riding again and we are making changes gradually and methodically to get me back to, and even possibly a more efficiant position than before my injury. Got a new aero bar recently, slapped on by LBS, rode a few times, shot Todd a video, and voila...a few tweaks that have already made me more comfortable and confident. Heck, its pretty impressive to me that as soon as I was diagnosed with PS...he knew what it was, had an idea on how to adjust my fit and has been instrumental in my rehabilitation on the bike.
Jim, with all that being said...I am a neophyte in this sport and biking in general, but I WILL use Todd for every bike fit, tri or road, from here on out. To me, it is about doing it right the first time.
How he does it? Beats me - he reduces frontal area and makes sure the angles are correct. And his recommended changes keep/enhance your comfort.
tom
I know of a few shops that also use video/dartfish or retul and can do this as well in person, but most don't.
I like to think of it as comparing the swim coach that records 6 different angle videos of you from above and below the surface to be able to see everything you are doing to the coach that stands at the end of a lane and just watches you swim from 6 feet above the water.
Done. Got my video from Todd. Pretty impressed with the advice and adjustments he's calling for so far. We can archive this topic and mvoe on.
Okay, I'm now a believer...smoking the ttbikefit.com dope in addition to the EN dope - high as a kite. The video and the expertise that Todd shares is amazing. I haven't done squat with my bike yet but I'm totally impressed with what he's saying. As a friend of mine (who watched it with me said) "He (Todd) doesn't try to force you into crazy angles or specifications based on old school methods". Instead he spends time addressing physiological and biomechanical issues in the way you are setup on your bike. I have a big issue to resolve with my pelvis tilt but I'm confident now after watching the video that IF it can be fixed I will be able to fix it with Todd's help.
@Peter - take the free fit when they get the Retul system. Only do it on a bike that you have not had Todd fit you up on. That way you won't mess up your fit from Todd.
@ Dusty I believe you just let Todd know that you are with EN and you get the discount.
I also have to add that I had a great experience with Todd. I used him to find a bike and am happy with the specialized that he recommended.
Gordon
- He accepted what i was looking for and worked with me that way. Some people might want more "debate". I basically told him that I was trying to be fairly competitive and wanted to not throw away any advantage I could take for free...and was less concerned with a "comfortable" fit if I could save a few minutes.
- Before this, I had a decent feel for how to move things around and what effect it would have, but he had insights by looking at me on film that I missed and made suggestions that I had not thought of.
- He showed me the major shortcoming of my previous position and got me to overcome it. When something we were doing was too extreme, he saw that too and got me to back off of it.
- The major disadvantage of it compared to using a shop in person was that I had to obtain several stems. Fortunately, they aren't very expensive, but in an in-person fit, such things would have been there, avoiding time delays and some expense.
- I am quite sure that my fit costs me a few watts at FTP, compared to what I had before. My spring outdoor FTP isn't all that much bigger so far than my Fall outdoor FTP, despite a successful OS because my nailed-to-the-bars position is a bit more constrained. Nonetheless, I can sustain easily 20 W more on an ABP-type ride done by perceived exertion rather than strictly %FTP. This reflects both me getting stronger and that the constraints of the fit are less important when at somewhat less than peak effort. I have anecdotal evidence that I am faster at fixed wattage, but hard to be quantitative at this point in the season because I have to wear so much crap and there is so much wind and rain. But the bottom line is that if I can go faster at fixed wattage but be basically stronger, I still win on both counts because I'm faster on the bike and save more for the run.
John,
My responses from Todd were very quick but I was just doing a pre-buy. Which bike would fit me best. The delays were typically me getting back to him and this definitely gave him extra time.
Gordon
It varies, depending on what is going on in the shop. First time, less than 48 hours. Second time, like 3 weeks. Third time, like 2 days.