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Bike fitting services

Can anyone recommend a good bike fitting service in the Swansea/ S.Wales area please? An idea of what I should expect on the day, and what I should pay for it would be appreciated, as I've never tried one before!

Thanks!

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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9 comments

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swansfan | 11 years ago
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Thank you!  1

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swansfan | 11 years ago
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Thank you for all the advice! I'll keep Bristol in mind, but as you say, it is a bit far so I'll try more locally first. That said, if I don't feel happy with what I get then travelling to Bristol and getting sorted will be well worth it - won't it!

Thanks to all once again, it's much appreciated!

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Jon Burrage | 11 years ago
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sorry, posted that twice! Retul etc fits have their fans, I just think that they miss out some fairly fundamental stuff.

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Jon Burrage | 11 years ago
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I expect Bristol is too far to travel but if you can stretch to coming over the bridge then we (the triathlon shop) offer a 'newfit' bike fit service in 4 guises. Starting with a by eye assessment and going right up to a level 4 service which is £150 and takes up to 3 hours and includes a follow up consultation a month or so down the line. We dont rely on computer feedback to tell us how the bike should fit, we use a joint 30+ years of experience on all types of bike. SHD super slow motion video capture, HD replay and analysis, full interview and feedback sessions. £300 seems extortionate until you realise that the majority is to pay for expensive software that isnt all that necessary.

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swansfan | 11 years ago
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OK guys, thanks for the advice it's much appreciated!

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Valleys cyclist replied to swansfan | 11 years ago
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Read a recent blog post by a guy Rob Crabtree from Swansea (doing Ironman to raise money for Help for Heros) who did a review of a company based in Aberdare that does bike fit and a whole host of other services in relation top performance testing, nutrition and coaching plans.

Think they were called total cycling performance.

Guessing this may help you as only around 20 minutes north of Swansea.

Hope this helps

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scottac | 11 years ago
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Agree with Alihisgreat, except that wedges need to be carefully considered as knees may be tracking incorrectly due to muscular/fascial imbalance. Putting a wedge in does not necessarily address the actual issue where soft tissue imbalance is indicated.
If the fitter is going to offer advice on exercises, fitting wedges, injuries etc they should be appropriately medically qualified to do so, i.e. physio, podiatrist, osteopath, PT etc

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ALIHISGREAT | 11 years ago
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Prices range from £50-£300 from my experience.

On the day you'll turn up, generally be interviewed first about goals, fitness, injuries, what you want to get from the fit etc.

Secondly they will probably put you on the turbo to see your current position, and take measurements in case you want to return to it.

Then you will be measured up; Inside leg, flexibility etc. They usually do a visual inspection on and off the bike looking for things like leg length discrepancy etc. (I found out one of my knees is about 1cm higher than the other!), you might find that your knee tracking is out and you need a wedge in your shoes or something.

You'll then be put on the bike and they will put some theoretical values as saddle height etc. and dial you in to get good leg extension, saddle fore/aft, reach etc.

Cleat position will be looked at, and modified throughout the process if required.

Generally you will come away in at least bio-mechanically ideal position... but its up to you to voice how much comfort you want and a good fitter will set it up for you.

These steps are pretty much the same across the board, but with a more expensive fit you should expect something like the Retul system which fits and measures you dynamically with motion capture. At the top end of the price range you may find that you get some time with the fitter or a coach to discuss training plans, or some places do performance testing in a bundle with a bike fit.

At the end of the day the quality of the fit is really down to the experience of the fitter.. but you do need to make sure you give the fitter info to work with.

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rascal6000 | 11 years ago
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Speak to Urban Cyclery in Caer Street. What to expect....... well once you are riding a bike the right size and tuned to your measurements, riding style etc you should have a more comfortable ride with higher power output, longer ride comfort and less likelihood of injuries like trapped nerves from incorrect saddle position. Cost can be anywhere from £150 to £300 depending on the level of service offered, often this is refundable if you go on to purchase a bike from the dealer.

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