No fitting for a Trek Hybrid?

Badger_South <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Is this true, Hybrids don't require measurement? This is
the only Trek bike shop in town, (one other sells Gary
Fishers), and the ppl seem nice enough, offered me
lifetime adjustments free, etc.

With a normal road bike, riding positions are pretty well
defined, so a good shop can usually give you a good fitting.

Hybrids are used for a wide variety of purposes, from
cruising on flat bike paths, to fairly rough off-road, to
fast road riding. The fitter needs a lot of information
about the rider to do a good job. Maybe that's why your
shop want to leave it up to you. I think they should have
at least tried, especially if the customer knows what
they want.

To me, it shouldn't matter what bike you get, it should be
the correct fit for you. If it's not, you can end up with a
bike that's uncomfortable to ride.

From the description you gave, I'd be walking out of that
shop and *not* buying from the guy. Whilst not expecting the
same level of "fit" as if buying a custom-built jobbie, I
don't think it's unreasonable that it's worked out what will
fit you with a bit more thought & consideration and the
chance to try the bike out before you buy. To me, his
couldn't care less attitude speaks of how he may be less
than willing to work out any probelms you find with the bike
if you buy it.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam-- to get
correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om$

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is switched off--

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 14:53:07 -0400, Badger_South <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I said 'what about measuring me and adjusting the seat
height and the reach and handlebars?'

He says, 'no we'd just adjust the seat height, but that's
it, you can adjust the handlebars with this lever or screw;
with a Hybrid, you just straddle it.'

Sounds like a jerk, no matter how pleasant he was about it.
Either that, or so unknowledgable as to not know what
"reach" means.

Do not buy from them. It doesn't matter that they're the
only game in town; you might as well buy mail order, for
that kind of service.

A more distant bike shop with better service is worth
the drive.
--
Rick Onanian

Quoted message said:

Went by the bike shop today to look at a Trek 7300 Hybrid
and asked the

guy

Quoted message said:

about fitting the bike and taking measurements and stuff
and he just

looked

Quoted message said:

at me. He says 'you should take a 17.5 frame, but there's
no 'fitting', that's for a Road bike'.

I said 'what about measuring me and adjusting the seat
height and the

reach

Quoted message said:

and handlebars?'

He says, 'no we'd just adjust the seat height, but that's
it, you can adjust the handlebars with this lever or
screw; with a Hybrid, you just straddle it.'

Truth be told, there is no objective way to measure "fit"
for a hybrid. Seat height is a given, and this can either be
measured or checked visually enough (with the pedal at the
bottom, foot flat, there should be a slight bend at the
knee, and the cross-check is to place the crank roughly in
line with the downtube and look for a 90-degree included
angle between the upper & lower leg).

But that doesn't mean that fit isn't important. If the shop
suggested that it was *your* job to adjust the handlebars,
that's simply wrong. It's the shop's job to look at you on
the bike (preferably while riding) and check out your
position. They should be looking for how relaxed you are,
and making sure that, if you're going to be riding any
distances, you're not *too* upright (because that puts too
much weight on your tail end, making you more saddle sore).
There are just too many ways that people want to ride a
hybrid... you can't create a hard-and-set group of rules or
measurements to them.

In all cases, whether hybrid or road or mountain bike, the
reach from the saddle to handlebar is really the most
important consideration, and, on a hybrid is no different
from a road bike in that a taller frame size will have a
longer top tube. For that reason, standover height alone is
*not* a singular criteria for determining frame size. It's a
beginning, but from there you have to see how everything
else plays out.

So it's like this. Measurements don't mean so much for a
hybrid, but sizing is a lot more than mesurements. If the
shop said that they'd check you out while riding and make
adjustments, they may very well be doing a decent job of
fitting you. If, on the other hand, they said that the
standover height's OK, go home and play with the handlebar
adjustments... no. It's the shop's responsibility to fit
you, or at least explain how the adjustments affect what
you'll feel.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com

"Badger_South" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Went by the bike shop today to look at a Trek 7300 Hybrid
and asked the

guy

Quoted message said:

about fitting the bike and taking measurements and stuff
and he just

looked

Quoted message said:

at me. He says 'you should take a 17.5 frame, but there's
no 'fitting', that's for a Road bike'.

I said 'what about measuring me and adjusting the seat
height and the

reach

Quoted message said:

and handlebars?'

He says, 'no we'd just adjust the seat height, but that's
it, you can adjust the handlebars with this lever or
screw; with a Hybrid, you just straddle it.'

After all the talk here of getting the bike fitted and
having a good LBS being your best part of the purchase, I
was puzzled.

Is this true, Hybrids don't require measurement? This is
the only Trek

bike

Quoted message said:

shop in town, (one other sells Gary Fishers), and the ppl
seem nice

enough,

Quoted message said:

offered me lifetime adjustments free, etc.

-B

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 22:24:45 GMT, "Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction

Bicycles said:

Measurements don't mean so much for a hybrid, but sizing is
a lot more than mesurements. If the shop said that they'd
check you out while riding and make adjustments, they may
very well be doing a decent job of fitting you. If, on the
other hand, they said that the standover height's OK, go
home and play with the handlebar adjustments... no. It's
the shop's responsibility to fit you, or at least explain
how the adjustments affect what you'll feel.

OK, thanks, all. I'll prob. print out some of the replies
and take them with me when I go back.

'preciate it! ;-)

-B

Badger_South said:

Went by the bike shop today to look at a Trek 7300 Hybrid
and asked the guy about fitting the bike and taking
measurements and stuff and he just looked at me. He says
'you should take a 17.5 frame, but there's no 'fitting',
that's for a Road bike'.

*snork*

Sounds like the experience I had at my local Trek dealer...

I've had several people tell me I should have gone with a
7300 vs. the lowend hybrid I got from Giant... but I'm
happy, and I'm out riding...

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 14:53:07 -0400, Badger_South <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

He says, 'no we'd just adjust the seat height, but that's
it, you can adjust the handlebars with this lever or screw;
with a Hybrid, you just straddle it.'

We usually check the saddle height, adjust the stem, and
check the rough saddle fore/aft adjustment on a hybrid. If
the customer has purchased clipless pedals, we install the
pedals and adjust the release tension, if applicable.

Other than that, we don't do all the steps we would do on
a full-on road bike fitting. Things like handlebar width
are either not as important, or the parts don't come in as
many sizes.

Barry

B a r r y said:

Badger_South said:

He says, 'no we'd just adjust the seat height, but that's
it, you can adjust the handlebars with this lever or
screw; with a Hybrid, you just straddle it.'

We usually check the saddle height, adjust the stem, and
check the rough saddle fore/aft adjustment on a hybrid. If
the customer has purchased clipless pedals, we install the
pedals and adjust the release tension, if applicable.

Other than that, we don't do all the steps we would do on
a full-on road bike fitting. Things like handlebar width
are either not as important, or the parts don't come in as
many sizes.

Barry

Thanks. That sounds reasonable.

On the pedals, I'm planning on getting cages installed, b/c
I tend to pedal with my arch centered on the pedals, instead
of the ball of the foot, and I think cages will help correct
this. Does that make sense on a hybrid?

When measuring the seat height, should the leg be just under
straight but with the ball of the foot on the pedal?

-B

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 08:13:00 -0400, Badger_South <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On the pedals, I'm planning on getting cages installed, b/c
I tend to pedal with my arch centered on the pedals,
instead of the ball of the foot, and I think cages will
help correct this. Does that make sense on a hybrid?

Clipless would work just as well if you'd prefer them.
Either way will be okay. More importantly, do you _want_ to
"correct" it? If you're comfortable with it, don't worry how
you look whilst riding.

Quoted message said:

When measuring the seat height, should the leg be just
under straight but with the ball of the foot on the pedal?

That's fine. A similar method is to have the leg completely
straight with the heel on the pedal. It's not rocket science
until you find that very long rides hurt; and by that time,
you've made your own very minor adjustments anyway.
--
Rick Onanian

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 16:38:14 -0400, Rick Onanian <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Badger_South said:

On the pedals, I'm planning on getting cages installed,
b/c I tend to pedal with my arch centered on the pedals,
instead of the ball of the foot, and I think cages will
help correct this. Does that make sense on a hybrid?

Clipless would work just as well if you'd prefer them.
Either way will be okay. More importantly, do you _want_ to
"correct" it? If you're comfortable with it, don't worry
how you look whilst riding.

Clipless prejudices you to wear clipless shoes.

Toeclips: no such commitment.

If you're going to have only one bicycle, make it one
with toeclips.

-Luigi

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

When measuring the seat height, should the leg be just
under straight but with the ball of the foot on the pedal?

That's fine. A similar method is to have the leg
completely straight with the heel on the pedal. It's not
rocket science until you find that very long rides hurt;
and by that time, you've made your own very minor
adjustments anyway.

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 17:09:08 -0400, Luigi de Guzman <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Toeclips: no such commitment.

If you're going to have only one bicycle, make it one with
toeclips.

-Luigi

Sometimes my left foot is sometimes torqued heel out
slightly due to my bow leggedness, and the toe of my shoe
scrapes the bike a little. Also sometimes my foot slips, or
I just can't get my foot on the pedal right, too far
forwards or too far back, and I struggle to get the position
for the first 30 sec. So I wanna try cages/toe clips to
normalize the foot position.

Plus, I thought pedalling with the foot on the pedal
mid foot was poor ergo and it should be the ball of
the foot; no?

-B

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 20:38:31 -0400, Badger_South <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Luigi de Guzman said:

Toeclips: no such commitment.

If you're going to have only one bicycle, make it one with
toeclips.

-Luigi

Sometimes my left foot is sometimes torqued heel out
slightly due to my bow leggedness, and the toe of my shoe
scrapes the bike a little. Also sometimes my foot slips, or
I just can't get my foot on the pedal right, too far
forwards or too far back, and I struggle to get the
position for the first 30 sec. So I wanna try cages/toe
clips to normalize the foot position.

Plus, I thought pedalling with the foot on the pedal mid
foot was poor ergo and it should be the ball of the
foot; no?

The clips hold it so that the ball of your foot is
positioned over the pedal spindle. They come in sizes
(depths, as it were) to achieve this.

-Luigi

Quoted message said:

-B

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 20:38:31 -0400, Badger_South <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Plus, I thought pedalling with the foot on the pedal mid
foot was poor ergo and it should be the ball of the
foot; no?

That's a guideline. If it feels good a different way, fine.
--
Rick Onanian

About a month ago I posted a message about buying Wal-
mart type bikes. After getting about the same response as
you have from the group, I took their advise. Bought a
Trek 7100.

The shop in Clermont, Fl did a semi fit and the paperwork
that came with the bike did the rest. The owner did a lot of
explaining as to fit and how everything adjusted properly
would make me feel comfortable. He said to ride while there
and to also stop back if I didn't understand.

Could I have done most of it myself? Yes, so long as I kept
reading this news group. I have made slight adjustments
based on what I have read here and for that thanks to you
all. My advise is to read this news group.

As of today, completed 60mi this week with lots of it
hills in the Clermont/Minneola trail. Retired at 65 and
having fun. John

Badger_South said:

Went by the bike shop today to look at a Trek 7300 Hybrid
and asked the guy about fitting the bike and taking
measurements and stuff and he just looked at me. He says
'you should take a 17.5 frame, but there's no 'fitting',
that's for a Road bike'.

I said 'what about measuring me and adjusting the seat
height and the reach and handlebars?'

He says, 'no we'd just adjust the seat height, but that's
it, you can adjust the handlebars with this lever or screw;
with a Hybrid, you just straddle it.'

After all the talk here of getting the bike fitted and
having a good LBS being your best part of the purchase, I
was puzzled.

Is this true, Hybrids don't require measurement? This is
the only Trek bike shop in town, (one other sells Gary
Fishers), and the ppl seem nice enough, offered me lifetime
adjustments free, etc.

-B

Will Wright top-posted:

Quoted message said:

About a month ago I posted a message about buying Wal-
mart type bikes. After getting about the same response as
you have from the group, I took their advise. Bought a
Trek 7100.

The shop in Clermont, Fl did a semi fit and the paperwork
that came with the bike did the rest. The owner did a lot
of explaining as to fit and how everything adjusted
properly would make me feel comfortable. He said to ride
while there and to also stop back if I didn't understand.

Could I have done most of it myself? Yes, so long as I
kept reading this news group. I have made slight
adjustments based on what I have read here and for that
thanks to you all. My advise is to read this news group.

As of today, completed 60mi this week with lots of it
hills in the Clermont/Minneola trail. Retired at 65 and
having fun.

The first one's free.

Bill "prelude to addiction" S.