When I discuss bike fit with someone, I stress that proper fit does several things, not one. Bike fit is generally pitched as improving a rider’s comfort, period, end of statement. Honestly? That’s a sad reduction, and part of the reason why more riders don’t see a trained fitter to have their bike adjusted to their needs. When a bike is fitted to the rider, most riders will note an immediate improvement in handling. That’s because once a bike is fitted to the rider, the rider’s position results in their center of gravity being shifted into the optimal position relative to the bike’s design.
But that’s not all. A good fit will allow a rider to produce power more consistently. I can hear the rebuttal now: I don’t care about power. I’m just out to ride and enjoy myself.
Yup. Fair. And my response to that is: Imagine doing a familiar ride in your usual time, but with less effort. And imagine feeling less fatigued at the end of a ride or feeling like your endurance has increased. All of those are outcomes that a good fit can provide.
The more I look at how bike fitting is sold—by whom and to whom—the more I believe that the bike industry has done cyclists a disservice by making fit an elite service. In golf, shops will sell custom-fit grips to anyone who walks in.
Given how many truly horrendous fits I see, it seems to me that fits ought to be offered at more affordable price points (and durations). What a professionally trained fitter can offer the average cyclist in just half an hour is a service worth selling and a service with a significant payoff.
The bottom line comes with no downsides: Making cycling more enjoyable.