What to Expect during a Fitting

Whether you have a new bike that you need set up properly for you, or you want to improve your performance in a race, or you just want to check that you have the best possible fit for your event, SportVelo can help. Each individual fitting takes approximately 2 hours. During the fitting, SportVelo will observe your pedaling style as well as your position on the bike, and observe how you ride on the road. Dan takes detailed measurements and suggests changes to position you best.

However, position isn't everything. If you aren't supporting yourself properly or pedaling correctly on the bike, you may have the best position in the world, but you still may not be able to ride to your potential. Dan analyzes many factors that affect how you ride your bike: flexibility, muscle activation, muscle imbalances, and pedaling form. He gives you the overall picture so that you can improve your cycling, not just by putting you in the traditionally “best” position on the bike.

What You'll Learn from a Fitting

Because Dan has so many years experience conducting fittings for a wide variety of people, usually he can tell, just from watching you ride, what adjustments are necessary. He can give you tips not only on pedaling style and body position, but also on equipment changes. Although Dan loves the latest and lightest technology, he prefers to see equipment that will endure the beatings that we give our bikes daily.

You will also walk away with all data points, from stem length to leg length. You can apply the bike measurements to all your bikes, but keep in mind that as your body adapts to the cycling training, or as you implement Dan's suggestions on body position and core strength, your position on the bike can change over the years and miles of training, and it's possible that you will need to adjust your fit farther down the road.

Road TT -VS- Tri TT Fits

If you are racing a time trial, you need the same fit, whether or not you need to run afterwards, right? Not really. Although we try to make you as comfortable as possible during a time trial, time trials are brutal on your body. You are stuck in one position, the position that is the best compromise between aerodynamics and power. You are bent way over on the saddle and stretched over your aerobars. Inevitably, when you race your hardest in a time trial, your back and hamstrings are highly stressed, your periformis and your adductor muscles are tight, and it's even difficult to dismount your bike when it's over.

This discomfort during dismount is taken into consideration before a triathlete's run. Triathlon positions are generally more upright than true time trial positions, to give some relief to your back and hamstrings. Your arms may not be as close together. Triathlon positions are a compromise not just between aerodynamics and power, but also comfort and running as hard as you can after the bike.