Why I like doing bike fits

[Smiley]

Because I can see riders getting it. BumperJohn you got it and you have no idea how much potential you have going for you. Fix gear riding has made you very strong.
Its about the the end results and they are very gratifying for me to see from where you started.

[93legendti]

Very cool. Smiley, any details of the fit you can discuss?

[Smiley]

Very cool. Smiley, any details of the fit you can discuss?

Bumperjohn is really no different that most clients I see except he came to me with what he thought were two ill fitting bikes a road bike jewell of a Ti Spectrum and a steel fixee. Lets say both those bikes fit pretty darn well now as he waits for his new two custom bikes, a road rocket from Kirk and a steel lugged Vendetta fixee. Ah and something good about what I do rubbed off on him cause he has K Bedford Customs on order too. Lucky guy, went from two poor fitting bikes to Five bikes just like that :)

[Ti Designs]

I kinda like coaching 'cause I can watch them become better riders. My priorities are all screwed up...

[Smiley]

I kinda like coaching 'cause I can watch them become better riders. My priorities are all screwed up...
Come to DC cause alot of my clients could sure use your coaching apres le Fit. I actually had a client pay to have a coach teach her how to ride her new Serotta after I was done with her delivery. I wish she would have told me that she needed a teacher cause I would have gladly done that. Oh yeah forgot to say she was my bosses wife so that complicated things. We did take her out for a ride, a hilly long one at that and she got lots of free coaching trying to follow our tandem wheel :)

[Ahneida Ride]

Smiley is worth the ride to DC. :) :) :) :) :)

[bumperjohn]

Smiley is worth the ride to DC. :) :) :) :) :)
+1000!!!

This has been such an amazing experience! Smiley has been so patient with me, explaining everything he is doing as he is doing it, and what I should expect as a result of the changes he has made. After he had made what we thought were the final adjustments this morning, this has been my foruth session, we headed out for a ride and a couple more adjustments were made on the road. To say that the bikes I first came to see him with and the bikes I am riding today are the same, would only be true in that the frames are the same, the rides are night and day different.

I have a totally different appreciation for cycling now than I did before I began the fitting process with Smiley, not only due to proper fit but basic cycling knowledge. I realize I still have a lot to learn and I look forward to continuing the process of becoming a better cyclist. I definately learned a lot today about descending and better use of my gears while climbing. Riding my fixed gear so much I do not think often enough about shifting in to a lower gear when climbing, and when I started to use my gears, it was like I was struck by a bolt of lightning.

It is funny that Smiley started this thread as I was going to top one I started after my first session with Smiley. If any forumites are looking for a good fitter I highly reccomend looking Smiley up. You will be very pleased with the results, and Smiley is a heck of a nice guy to boot :)

John

[93legendti]

This thread needs photos!

[Ti Designs]

After he had made what we thought were the final adjustments this morning, this has been my foruth session, we headed out for a ride and a couple more adjustments were made on the road.

Looks like the client may be partly to blame for things working out well. So few fitters take the time to get to know their clients, even fewer of them ride with their clients. The fitter alone is only half the story - would you have seen the same results if you gave Smiley a one shot, one hour fitting? Somehow I don't think so, and yet every high end fit studio claims they can put you in the perfect position in about an hour.


when I started to use my gears, it was like I was struck by a bolt of lightning.

Must be a bug in the new electronic shifting...

[Sandy]

Smiley is excellent at fitting someone because of the following:

1. He is an engineer and has the understanding of the quantitiative aspects of a fit- The relationships that produce the overall geometry of the bike and how the cyclist is positioned on the bike.

2. He works from his home and is not interrupted by external events that would/could be detrimental to focusing on the job at hand and/or take away form the fit process.

3. Most importantly, Smiley wants each and every cyclist to fit properly on his or her bike and spends the necessary time to achieve that. The time spent is a function of the time needed to do an excellent job in the fit.

4. Smiley is a person who enjoys interpersonal communication and wants/insists that the cyclist understands the basics of what he is doing as he does it.

5. Unike most fitters, Smiley, a very experienced cyclist, will often ride with cyclists to observe the cyclist on the bike and make changes based upon his observations.

6. He makes one change at a time and determines the effect of that change before trying another.

7. Smiley looks at what type of cycling the bike will be used for, and the individual's unique physical limitations and abilities, and designs the bike with flexibility for future change (cyclist and bike).

8. Smiley cares greatly about the fit and wants the cyclist to be genuinely satisfied with the fit. He wants it to be right and focuses on that.

9. He does it all with a smile!! :rolleyes:


Sandy

[Ti Designs]

5. Unike most fitters, Smiley, a very experienced cyclist, will often ride with cyclists to observe the cyclist on the bike and make changes based upon his observations.


Why is that? When I went to the Serotta Fit School I looked around and saw maybe 1/3rd cyclists. I listened to the questions and it was clear that understanding cycling from the saddle is where fitting really starts. The only danger is when fitters start assuming that everybody fits the same as they do. That's what experience is for - they didn't cover experience in the three day fit school either...

[Smiley]

Don't bust on my marketing director :)

[Ti Designs]

Come to DC cause alot of my clients could sure use your coaching apres le Fit. I actually had a client pay to have a coach teach her how to ride her new Serotta after I was done with her delivery.

I'm thinking about it, gotta get Sandy on that bike of his... Before the PMC I was coaching 20 hours a week with people who were afraid of their own bikes. I love working with new riders, in a span of only a few weeks you can watch them go from wobbling down the street to fitting in with far more experienced riders.

[zap]

edit

I'm thinking about it, gotta get Sandy on that bike of his...


We need to have a talk with King and get him to chase Sandy on the bike.

Dressing Sandy up in some bunny suit might work.

[bumperjohn]

Hey Ti Designs, if you make it to DC let me know as I would love to work with you.

John

[dave thompson]

Cigars and Tequila for everyone!

[bumperjohn]

And I will share a cigar with you Dave.

John

[rkalams]

This thread needs photos!

as you request.

How's my fit?! I feel like I'm a little stretched out. Shorter stem in order?

http://lh6.ggpht.com/TheSergeant/SKzFqFzRTjI/AAAAAAAAAbg/-aMAaHRQixc/IMG_0410.JPG?imgmax=512

http://lh5.ggpht.com/TheSergeant/SKzFuS7PRkI/AAAAAAAAAbo/BZxO4BXAaSM/IMG_0412.JPG?imgmax=512

[93legendti]

Smiley and TiDesigns (among others here) are the experts...I can't tell anything from a still, indoor photo.

[Ti Designs]

Smiley and TiDesigns (among others here) are the experts...I can't tell anything from a still, indoor photo.

No, I'm a domestic model with export instructions (badly translated at that). From those pics the only thing I can say is turn left when you get to the kitchen. My point in this thread has been that fitters should be more involved with their clients (and they should be given the freedom to ride with clients at all hours, they should be paid better, and I'd like a female fan club too). Smiley and I both ride with many of our clients, which means we get a true picture of what happens on the road. If you want to do the whole fitting inside, one of us will be over for a few laps of the house with you, but it's gonna cost you some beer, a pizza and it might leave chainring marks on the sofa.

[93legendti]

No, I'm a domestic model with export instructions (badly translated at that)...
A domestic model who once finished Mt. Washington, in what, 1:05? :)