FAQ

A. A bike fit is the process of adjusting the various components of a bicycle to its rider’s body dimensions. The goals are to improve the rider’s comfort on the bike, increase the rider’s efficiency, and reduce the chances of injury caused from improper body alignment and positioning.

A. We start with you, the rider. Our bike fit technique is quite different than most because we focus on personalization and customization.

We start with asking a multitude of questions about YOU, including your experience and your goals. Then we LISTEN to what you say. We use your needs as a guide, not a formula or cookie cutter one-size-fits-all approach. Your body is unique and we respect that through your personalized bike fit process.

A. If you’re a competitive cyclist or triathlete, you need a custom bike fit to maximize your aerodynamic positioning, pedaling efficiency, and increase your ability to maintain those optimal positions on the bike.

If you’re a recreational cyclist, a proper bike fit can increase your overall enjoyment of riding by eliminating pressure points and improving comfort.

If you’re a long-distance cyclist or love taking multi-day cycling vacations and tours, you’ll avoid common problems like saddle soreness, stiff neck, tight shoulders, sore lower back, and tired arms that can rob you of an enjoyable and memorable ride.

Even if you use your bike to commute to work or for short shopping trips, a bike fit can help you improve your bike handling skills and load carrying abilities by properly positioning your body and distributing your weight on the bike.

A. Improvement can range from 1% (if you’ve been racing a long time) to 100% (for those starting out). That’s because differences exist due to:

• Body types, dimensions and fitness levels
• Varying levels of cycling abilities (beginner to pro racer)
• Varying styles of cycling (road racing, mountain biking, triathlon, touring and commuting)

We recommend you schedule an appointment so we can evaluate your current bike fit, determine possible changes for improvement, and discuss estimated improvements.

A. That depends. The answer is “YES” if you’ve:

• Increased your overall fitness and body conditioning because you may be strong enough to handle a more efficient position or aggressive adjustment for racing.
• Been recuperating from an injury and you want to avoid aggravating it or prolonging its recovery.
• Recovered from an injury and want to avoid a recurrence.
• Been off the bike for awhile and have lost some fitness and strength.
• Lost or gained a significant amount of weight.
• Bought a new bike even though it’s similar in size and dimensions as your previous bike.

The answer may be “NO” if you haven’t experienced any discomfort since your last bike fit while maintaining your current level of riding or training.

• Feel free to contact me if you’re unsure or have questions.

A. Unless you weren’t involved in selecting your bike (like it was given to you as a present), chances are your bike is suitable. Adjustments can be made to make you feel more comfortable on the bike:

• Saddle – you want to make sure your pelvic “sit bones” are positioned correctly on the saddle for maximum comfort and pedaling efficiency. Sometimes cyclists replace the saddle that came with their bike (an option that is much cheaper than buying a new bike!).
• Handlebars & Stems – hand position and handlebar placement are crucial to your riding comfort and bike handling ability. I’ll help you determine the type of handlebar to use (i.e. drop, straight, aero) and its position on the frame.
• Pedals – how your foot connects to the bike is critical for pedaling efficiency, power transfer from your legs to the pedals, and avoiding injury caused by stress on the feet, ankles, knees and hips.

Often these adjustments will solve any issues or at least give you time to shop (and save) for a new bike.

A. Yes! By using many of the steps involved in a bike fit, we can determine the types, sizes and specifications of bikes most suited to you. Then you can visit local bike shops to shop and go for test rides.

And yes, we can accompany you to check out your final selections. Ask us about my bike fit package with local shopping option.

A. The initial customized bike fit or re-fit takes between 1 and 2 hours, depending on what needs to be done. When new parts are needed, it can take longer.

A mini bike fit – ideal for minor adjustments and review of current fit – can be done in 30 minutes or less.

A. No. Minor adjustments are often needed after the initial set up. This is a normal part of the bike fit process as major changes should not be made all at once. Radical changes made at once, even when they are for the better, often leave athletes injured or so uncomfortable they do not wish to train.

We are confident that if we do your bike fit, you’ll be riding MORE, not less!

A. It usually doesn’t take much time to fit you to a second bike if we did the bike fit. If your bike fit was done by someone else or outside of the Las Vegas area, then a new bike fit may be needed. Call us to discuss this in greater detail.