Bike fit methods

[mtb_frk]

I have been suffering some problems with a recurring injury/strain to what I think is my gastroc muscle behind my knee. There are a few shops around me that offer bike fit, I have gone to the specialized shop a number of years ago, and then getting a custom bike I have been on a size cycle. This time around I am not sure where to go, so I am looking for suggestions on the different methods that are out there that one shop may offer vs another and results that people have had. There is anything from using laser levels etc to get on and let me watch you pedal for a bit.

[ultraman6970]

You need to post pictures of you riding to know. IMHO.

Are you having cramps or a mix of cramps and pain??

Height?? saddle height?? Frame size? One leg longer? etc etc

[fa63]

I have tried most of the different fits out there (BG, Wobble Naught, Retul, and whatever Trek uses). Some I paid for, others were free. In the end, the one that most closely resembles my fit today is the one where the LBS owner threw me on a trainer and just watched me pedal. Retul was the one most far off from where I am today (saddle too far forward and high, handlebar too low). So I think a lot of comes down to experience of the fitter. Don't trust someone who is looking at just numbers. Also, don't be afraid to play around a bit yourself.

Good luck.

[MattTuck]

Yes, fit is important, but it isn't everything.

I had problems last year with my hamstring and I went to see a physical therapist. What I had was something called hamstring dominance which is related to a weakness with the glute, and the hamstring works extra to make up for it, and ends up over doing it and becoming fatigued and tight.

I'd look seriously at a physical therapist and seeing if you need to strengthen the musculature around your knee. also resting your injury.

[Cat3roadracer]

There's a gentleman named Steven, who owns a shop called Saville Road, who could help you. First class guy who has been in the business for decades. A sponsor here, worth the trip from anywhere.

[djg21]

I have tried most of the different fits out there (BG, Wobble Naught, Retul, and whatever Trek uses). Some I paid for, others were free. In the end, the one that most closely resembles my fit today is the one where the LBS owner threw me on a trainer and just watched me pedal. Retul was the one most far off from where I am today (saddle too far forward and high, handlebar too low). So I think a lot of comes down to experience of the fitter. Don't trust someone who is looking at just numbers. Also, don't be afraid to play around a bit yourself.

Good luck.

Forget the gizmos, and find someone with years of experience and the results to show for it. Retail bike shops are suffering, and the only way they can be successful right now (speaking generally) is to sell service. Many of them are jumping on the "fitting" bandwagon by investing in various of the fitting systems, which are loaded with fancy bells and whistles like lasers, and then are operated by employees with marginal experience. The result is going to be only as good as the person using the tool.

[djg21]

There's a gentleman named Steven, who owns a shop called Saville Road, who could help you. First class guy who has been in the business for decades. A sponsor here, worth the trip from anywhere.

He goes by "RedRider" here, but his shop is in Albany, NY and the OP is in Michigan. I'd think the OP should find someone relatively local to him so he can visit to tweak the fit as he puts in miles.

But before doing that, maybe he should see a doctor to confirm his self-diagnosis. It may be a relatively simple overuse issue. On the other hand it might be something more serious, or maybe a biomechanical issue that can be addressed with something apart from a different bike fit. Knowing exactly what the issue is can only help resolve it.

[hainy]

If you can't get to Steve Hogg in Australia then someone he has trained is the best option for bike fit. Colby Pearce - Boulder CO was trained by him

[Mayhem]

I have been suffering some problems with a recurring injury/strain to what I think is my gastroc muscle behind my knee.


http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

[mtb_frk]

Thanks everyone for the replies. It started this year on the trainer, I was doing fine until I did a pedal technique exercise towards the end of February. I had been riding my fat bike most of the winter with no issue, and after it flared up I continued to ride the fat bike without much if any pain. So I started to look at what was different between the two bikes. Also I wear winter boots when riding outside. So I was comparing two different bikes and two different sets of shoes. I started with lowering the saddle to get closer to the fat bike. The pain continued, with no real amount of change. Next I looked at my cleats and ended moving my right cleat back some. This seemed to help, before I did this I would be on the bike for about 5 minutes and start to develop the pain. After the cleat move it took closer to 30 min for it to start. I did a race a couple weeks ago with the old cleat placement and it really aggravated it, so I have been doing just some short easy rides, very limited. This past weekend I decided to give a longer ride a try. Of course the pain came back a while into the ride, but what pushed me over the edge now my other leg is actually more sore than the one that has been bothering me, in the same area. It was the longest ride of the year for me, but I need to get this figured out before it gets any worse.

[oldpotatoe]

I have been suffering some problems with a recurring injury/strain to what I think is my gastroc muscle behind my knee. There are a few shops around me that offer bike fit, I have gone to the specialized shop a number of years ago, and then getting a custom bike I have been on a size cycle. This time around I am not sure where to go, so I am looking for suggestions on the different methods that are out there that one shop may offer vs another and results that people have had. There is anything from using laser levels etc to get on and let me watch you pedal for a bit.

Well, if you really have some recurring physiological issue, that is cycling related..step up, use your health insurance, and go see Andy Pruitt at Boulder Center for Sports Medicine..

[93legendti]

I have been suffering some problems with a recurring injury/strain to what I think is my gastroc muscle behind my knee. There are a few shops around me that offer bike fit, I have gone to the specialized shop a number of years ago, and then getting a custom bike I have been on a size cycle. This time around I am not sure where to go, so I am looking for suggestions on the different methods that are out there that one shop may offer vs another and results that people have had. There is anything from using laser levels etc to get on and let me watch you pedal for a bit.

If you are in SE Mi, pm me for # of Be Well in Birmingham that fixed my leg issue...

[JAllen]

I have been suffering some problems with a recurring injury/strain to what I think is my gastroc muscle behind my knee. There are a few shops around me that offer bike fit, I have gone to the specialized shop a number of years ago, and then getting a custom bike I have been on a size cycle. This time around I am not sure where to go, so I am looking for suggestions on the different methods that are out there that one shop may offer vs another and results that people have had. There is anything from using laser levels etc to get on and let me watch you pedal for a bit.

Too bad you're not in the Portland area. There is a guy in town that I would send anyone to. Kevin at Pedal PT is running a great business. My wife was having some issues with her bike fit on her commuter and it turns out that it had to do with an old gym injury she had. He got her fixed up over a series of sessions and got her fitted to her bike perfectly.

[Idris Icabod]

Well, if you really have some recurring physiological issue, that is cycling related..step up, use your health insurance, and go see Andy Pruitt at Boulder Center for Sports Medicine..

I was going to suggest a physio or a sports clinic. I went to the Boulder Center when I lived there and had my bike fit (although Pruitt didn't do it, for him to do it wasn't covered by my insurance as it would then have been 'performance' based rather than 'medically' based or some such explaination, so a minion did it). After I moved to Tucson I had the same issues and found a physio who was an avid cyclist, he did a better job than they did in Boulder IMHO. Got me custom insoles, no knee issues in 11 years now. I would ask around your cycling buddies to see if tehy could recommend someone locally.

[mtb_frk]

I was going to suggest a physio or a sports clinic. I went to the Boulder Center when I lived there and had my bike fit (although Pruitt didn't do it, for him to do it wasn't covered by my insurance as it would then have been 'performance' based rather than 'medically' based or some such explaination, so a minion did it). After I moved to Tucson I had the same issues and found a physio who was an avid cyclist, he did a better job than they did in Boulder IMHO. Got me custom insoles, no knee issues in 11 years now. I would ask around your cycling buddies to see if tehy could recommend someone locally.

I think that after reading the suggestions here I am going to contact a PT that does bike fit as well as being a local racer. I am thinking the straight up lbs bike fits are not going to get to underlying physical reason why I am having these problems.

[Ti Designs]

Forget the gizmos, and find someone with years of experience and the results to show for it. Retail bike shops are suffering, and the only way they can be successful right now (speaking generally) is to sell service. Many of them are jumping on the "fitting" bandwagon by investing in various of the fitting systems, which are loaded with fancy bells and whistles like lasers, and then are operated by employees with marginal experience. The result is going to be only as good as the person using the tool.

It's all about market share and marketing. High end fit studios have taken most of the fitting dollars by offering high tech fittings with computers and lasers, bike shops are fighting back by investing in fitting systems and training. This is called progress, it happens in everything. Most people are on 11-speed, or at least 10-speed, nobody uses an iphone 2 any more, why should fitting methods be any different? If the majority of fittings can be moved to more expensive high tech fittings, that's what you get.

The business model follows the dollars, the only thing that counts is market share and the price the service can demand. Injured people who come in for a fitting are outliers, they are a small percentage of the market and they test the service far harder than most. As this thread suggests, even the outliers buy into the high tech fit marketing. What remains will be divided into two categories, the big names associated with fitting systems, and the independent fitters working with individuals. Again, the independent fitter loses the marketing game to the big names.