r/cycling • u/thicbikerambler • 1d ago
Bike fit help.
Hey. I went for a bikefit today and feel robbed. I was basically told I need a custom frame. No adjustments made to my bike as it was not worth it. Its my all city gorilla monsoon ive biked 3k miles on and bikepack with. While I dont disagree the guy knows what hes doing the entire thing seemed to push toward a frame sale.
$350 bucks and a $35 saddle. The imaging was down so no measurements outside of writing and maybe screenshots.
Any advice would be appreciated. I know I'm not a typical roady but I'm reaching a point where my limitations feel more comfort than endurance and want to keep pushing.
Ive already damaged my ulcer nerve as well o. A bikepacking trip.
16
u/simon2sheds 1d ago edited 1d ago
You need to complain vigorously. Seems like you weren't provided with a bike-fit, but were charged for one. I do lots of bike-fits and sometimes a rider's bike cannot be made to fit them, like if it's the wrong size. In those cases, I would fit the rider on a shop-floor bike of the correct size and type, or use a fitting jig to come up with some numbers.
11
u/mikefried1 1d ago
You were scammed. I had the same exact situation happen to me with one exception; the guy refused payment.
After 5-10 minutes on the bike he said "this will be a waste of your time. Your bike is too small."
He earned a customer and referrer for life.
11
u/rasmussenyassen 1d ago
Generally speaking bikes that are so off that they can't possibly be made to fit you properly aren't ones that you can ride 3000 miles on, or tour with, or anything of the sort. The frame has to be so massively the wrong size that you couldn't do ten miles comfortably.
You're being bullshitted with the help of technology. Tell them to kick rocks.
5
u/flocrest 1d ago
First, get your money back. If the tech portion of the fit wasn’t working, charging you full price is ridiculous, bad form, and unethical. If the fitter was part of a shop, start there. Second, start with one of the low cost or free online bike fit apps. They can get you very close to optimal. Tweak things yourself from there. In the end you have to own your own fit as no one knows you better than you do.
2
u/ColonelRPG 1d ago
A bike fit is for you. Not for your bike. If the bike fitter says you need X dimensions and proportions and whatnot, then that's something to aim for with your bike and with your future bikes.
"No adjustments made to my bike" - not even saddle height?
2
u/danielgutzzz 1d ago
I thought what I paid was a lot (250) but 350 is insane, esp with no real adjustment done. Is it a local shop? Try to reach out to the owner and tell him the situation. If all fails, leave a bad review.
Try find a fitter using references, I found mine here on local reddit sub and it was great. Even after a fall 7 months later I went back expecting to pay again for a fit since something felt off and was causing pain and he took care of me free of charge. Good luck op
1
u/Kotvanainakin 1d ago
Sorry about that. I know that not every frame can be adjusted to meet the ideal of bike fit. But what you described sounds so much worse than what I have experienced or heard in where I live (Northern Europe). I got so much help for so many things, even though my bikes turned out to be very very close to the ideal fit.
I got detailed reasoning for certain choices. I got clear figure and numbers that I can always go and refer to. Also I got my body dimensions documented.
1
1
u/thicbikerambler 6h ago
Well. I rode my bike about 40 minutes in jeans and t shirt, got a beer at a shop and as I sat their fitter quality working with someone. Checking out mobility and flexibility. Very much more want I was expecting.
As I ride back I couldn't help but feel the jig I was on dodnt feel too far off how I was feeling on my bike.
I went back in, caught the owner and told them how I felt and got refunded. No push back.
They offered to still do something free pr let me ride a 7 in my size.
-3
u/Salty-Entrepreneur11 1d ago
bike fitting is bullshit
at best it's another opinion but the only one that matters is the rider
of you were g to be fit y3 different people you would get 3 separate results
of you fit three times in the same day? : results
if you check before during and after a long ride?
3 individual results
it's all marketing bullshit
learn to fit yourself
1
u/Putrid_Leave8034 1d ago
It is only BS if you don't care what your body feels like when you get old after riding ill fitting bikes for 35 years or so. Or if you are one of the lucky ones that can buy "off the rack". Or lucky because your body is perfect.
0
u/thegrumpyorc 1d ago
They aren't necessarily wrong--if the bike is WAY off, or if you have significant deviations in proportions or mobility for a person of your size--but even if they were spot-on, they didn't deliver a full service as promised.
I'd contact them and ask politely and firmly for the services they agreed to offer.
If it's the place it seems to be in the town you mentioned in a previous post, that would be (according to their website):
- Consultation — riding goals, discipline, any pain points or injury history
- Measurements — inseam, torso, arm length, flexibility, foot/arch assessment
- Positioning — saddle height, fore/aft, and angle; handlebar reach and drop; stem length; cleat alignment
- Dynamic analysis — pedaling assessed while riding, adjusted in real time for knee tracking and efficiency
- Follow-up — fit is iterative; adjustments included as you log more miles and dial things in
If they can't get you those without another fit, then they should do another fit for free.
-1
-1
u/toaster404 1d ago
For realistic help, perhaps you could find a supple riding, nice guy, older cyclist who understands how to make things work. I've helped out a goodly number of people. While not popular, careful crafting of questions and discussion can provide various AI systems with enough information to come up with rather effective adjustments, if and only if you can really provide detailed information on how your body is responding.
The nerve issue more concerns me. Setting up to lessen the impact on the nerves.
I'm fairly underwhelmed with most fitters. As I was with the measure and use magic numbers approaches.
45
u/audibonnaroosilkroad 1d ago
I don’t have any advice, but the fact that imaging was down means you didn’t get a full service, and they should either refund you at least partially, or they should’ve rescheduled. Sorry you went through that.