I am a keen cyclist but due to age related wear and tear I am now experiencing some pain.
My physio and consultant have both recommended getting a bike fitting to ease the pain
I was wondering if anybody has had a bike fitting and if so where they had it carried out?
Thank you.
Kind Regards
Roger.
Pain where, Roger?
I have given the topic quite a bit of thought lately, on a bike that I bought in December but have not considered professional fitting. I will be interested in how you get on.
As far as I understand it there are two levels of bike fitting. The first would be when you go to a frame maker who will make a custom frame suitable for your size and shape, and cycling purposes. What I have had twice at Condor Cycles in London was a fitting that was based on a pre-selected frame and established the best standard size, and then adjusted the components to suit my shape. Obviously the second is far more limited and cheaper. However, both my Condors have been very comfortable - and I am still able to keep going at 70+.
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Kph Impressive! 
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Why not mph?
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I had a bike fit a few years ago, and it was worth every penny of the Ā£60 odd quid it cost then. There wasnāt much wrong but the cumulative improvements (marginal gains anyone?) made a huge difference. This was for mainly commuting (20+ miles each way) and leisure rides. The benefits were concentrated around comfort and a noticeable reduction in aches.
We all think we know all there is to know, and Iām sure many do, but this was v useful in terms of identifying where it wasnāt quite right and confirming what was. Iād recommend it.
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That must be one 'ell of a hill your going down! ā¦and a very confident 70 year old.
I must admit to being a little sceptical when it comes to bike fits. Thereās lots of information online and providing you are sensible about the information source you can get enough understanding of the principles to sort most issues.
Many problems are reflective of a lack of core strength or a biomedical issue rather than a poor fit - a good physio is often the solution rather than a bike fit.
In my right hip and neck.
Two years of physio and scans, has lead to a bike fitting.
Hi @Svetty
I have had two years of physio and different scans.
I have session once a week with a trainer for strength and conditoning, so core strength is good.
It may sound sacrilegious but have you thought about getting an e-bike?
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Quite - there are no steep hills near me and I certainly want to stay upright - so 30 mph is the limit.
We are both in our early 70ās and have had e bikes for many years .
We use most days and thoroughly enjoy them .
Regularly do a 50 mile round trips.
Our bikes are rather old technology but great fun .
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Track down your nearest Retul bike fitting centre. It is a very comprehensive service, though rather unnerving when they started sawing off my integrated carbon seat post!
You get a very thorough document with the results, which in invaluable when you come to change bikes/buy new bikes. If youāre serious about cycling, a good bike fit really is essential.
And for those of us who are not athletic or athletically inclined, but just want to enjoy the cycling we want to do, without the hassle/time/unpleasantness/cost of a gym ātrainingā, only wanting exercise doing what we enjoy doing?
Roger
A few years ago I went to see a physio about a mild back problem. After assessing my general condition, he told me my left hip joint was unstable due to weak muscles surrounding the joint. He gave me a set of exercises that would build up the hip muscles and core strength. When I asked if increasing the amount of cycling I do would help, he said if you ride a racing bike, the answer is no, the forward leaning position wouldnāt build up the muscles that need building up. He advised I use a bike with an upright riding position.
What type of bike are you using?
Iāve effectively had two bike fittings. The first was in a bike shop where the fitting was done on a fully adjustable static frame, which made measurements with beams of light. Adjustments were made manually. This was before I bought a new bike and one was chosen from standard production frames, although the measurements could have been used for a custom build, albeit at a cost. I used the measurements from this session to purchase a Cannondale Super Six Hi-Mod frame.
The second was when I attended the introductory user training session at Wattbike HQ. This was just as effective as above, since the Wattbike is, of course, fully adjustable. It resulted in pretty much identical geometry as above.
The physio I use also has the ability to do bike fits, but I suspect that would only be in the context of changing stem length, saddle position etc.
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Sounds like āfree fallā to me, seriously though a pro bike fit sounds like an excellent idea.
It took me a long time to get my setup right and as I have lost fitness and aged I have chosen to tweak it. It is time consuming and a bit hit and miss for me, so having someone who knows what they are doing help you sounds like a good plan.
Iām sorry to read that.
Having taken the advice of Richardās Bicycle Book (late 70s edition) on fitting myself to my old Mercian, I reckon that saddle position relative to the bottom bracket is the key element in riding comfortably and efficiently.
But I recognise you donāt want anecdotal advice on bike fitting from the forum, you want to know peopleās experience of bike fitting, so I will leave it there.
Hoping you can get the pleasure of riding back.
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I had no intention of throwing a bucket of cold water over your thread.