Questions about getting fitted for a road bike

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

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In my mind, I think my business is better off at shop#1, where they took the time to fit the bike
just right for me. Also, the free tune-ups for life are definitley worth something as well. My
only concern is that a 43cm bike seems really small, even for someone with a 30" inseam. I mean,
they did spend alot of time fitting me, I really can't see where they would have made a mistake.

For a beginner, fit is much more important than any other feature. You're not going to find a
signicant performance difference between similarly priced low-to-mid-range road bikes.

On the other hand, getting a good fit is difficult if you don't have any experience, so you'd be
wise to get alot of advise from experts (shop owners, friends, etc.). 43cm does seem very small,
but I don't know what your body is like or even if you are male or female. A male with a 30"
inseam would normally ride a 50-52cm bike. Sometimes women (with shorter torsos) prefer much
smaller bikes to get a desired top tube length or more upright riding position. I believe the
Giant bike you saw was a compact frame (sloped top tube) model, which is another way for smaller
riders to get a good fit.

Personally, I would drag one of your bike rider friends out to the bike shop to get a second opinion
on the fit, but if you think it's comfortable, it's probably right for you.

Ken

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Any thoughts? Any advice? I didn't mean for this to be as long a post as it ended up being. Thanks
in advance.

That model also comes in a 50 cm frame size. I'd have to see you on the bike to make a meaningful
comment about that, though. Frame size isn't the only variable in fit, often a minor fit mismatch
can be fixed by changing stem length and/or height.

The first shop sounds like it's willing to work harder for your business, ask your friends about its
reputation. Local bicycling communities tend to be relatively close-knit and honest about these
things (on the other hand, those that ride the most may not buy a new bike very often).

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Is Bianchi going to be THAT different from a Trek?

Not significantly, I'm guessing it's the Brava you're talking about. The feel is probably going to
be different due to frame geometry differences (not materials). You'll need to test ride the Bianchi
as well as the Trek.

Either one is a good deal in an entry level road bike, provided it fits.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email hidden]__________

#1: Easier to read & respond to messages if you break them up into
paragraphs. Some of us don't have the eyes we used to...

#2: The TREK 1000 43cm isn't that much different from their next-larger
size, aside from a sloping top tube. Kind of like a "compact" frame that allows someone with shorter
legs to fit, although the front/back reach isn't short enough for someone with a short torso or
arms. You've told us you've got a 30" inseam; how tall are you over all?

#3: Sounds like shop #1 has a somewhat more egalitarian view towards their
customers than shop #2 (meaning that they're willing to spend the same amount of time & effort
towards properly fitting someone on a $500 bike as a $3000 one). That's generally a good thing,
although I'm somewhat biased since it's closer to our business model. Other customers, those
buying $3000 bikes, may be annoyed that the extra money isn't buying them six times as much
extra attention. I figure if you treat everyone as though they deserve a bike that fits, who's
gonna complain?

#4: Don't get too hung up on "free tune-ups." The realities of the
business world are such that a shop actually giving free "tune-ups" for life isn't going to be in
business too long. There are two other possibilities, though. One is that the so-called "tune-up"
is done so quickly and shoddily that it's not something you'd come back for (we've seen some of
those 'round these parts). However, it seems that the manner in which you were treated so far would
make that seem unlikely. Another possibility is that you may have misunderstood the meaning of
"tune-up." For example, we offer free minor adjustments for life. Minor adjustments are those
things that I can take care of quickly in a stand, without having to write up a service ticket and
bring the bike in. Small brake, gear & wheel adjustments, for example. I like doing those things
because, while I'm taking care of them, the customer is typically buying stuff in the store. Such a
deal! And I can often work minor miracles in a couple minutes that seem to be beyond what others
charge an arm and a leg for.

#5: You might take a look at a page on our website about what to look for
when test-riding a road bike. It's found at chainreaction.comroadbiketestrides.htmOpen ↗.

#6: Keep in mind that the most expensive bike you can buy is the one that
sits in the garage, unridden. If one bike costs a couple hundred dollars more than another, but
there are things about it (or the shop behind it) that are going to help you enjoy riding more,
that's more relevant than the cost savings. Of course, in your case, it sounds like it's the
less-expensive bike that you might enjoy more!

Hope this helps-

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

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

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Newbie alert. Don't quite know if this is the proper board for this but

here

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goes. As the weather gets warmer, I'm looking into getting into road biking.

Went

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to a couple of highly recommended local shops to get fitted for a bike.

The

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first place, I dealt with the owner directly. Told him directly, I wasn't looking to buy a bike
that day and that as I was just getting into road biking, didn't know what I was looking for. He
asked me a few questions like, how many miles a year I plan on riding, in town vs. long road
trips, etc. I told him, I was just looking for something I would enjoy getting

some

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exercise on. Maybe in a year or so, do a century ride. As for miles a

year,

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I have NO clue. =) So we eventually made our way to what he called an

entry

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level road bike. A Trek 1000. All stock parts. He and two others spent

about

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an hour with me adjusting this and that, taking measurements and such up

on

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a trainer. We started on a 52cm Trek but eventually settled on a 43cm

Trek.

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I have a 30" inseam. They moved me to a smaller frame because I guess I

was

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reaching out too far on the larger bike. Also swapped out the bar for a wider one as the stock one
was too narrow. They even let me take it for a test drive. A very positive experience. Absolutely
no pressure to buy either, I really appreciated that. I wish buying a car was that nice. Shop #2.
I go in and repeat my situation. Tell them my situation and my goals for biking. Guy takes me to
some Bianchi bikes. Tells me to hop on

one

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and ask if I can see the front hub in relation to the bar. I told him I could see the hub just in
front of the bar. He asked me to pedal a bit as

he

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held the front wheel. He said the bike was a pretty good fit. It was a

52cm

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bike. I felt I was reaching out just a little bit. My legs felt like I was having to stretch a
little as well. The Bianchi was a 530 Cro-molly frame and better suited for absorbing road shock I
was told. The salesperson

then

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pulled out a Giant OCR-1 bike I believe was the model. Aluminum frame with carbon front fork. This
bike was about $400 more than the Bianchi and the bike that the salesperson was more leaning
towards selling me. The second shop had a whole room devoted to fitting, but the salesperson
didn't offer to fit me. The Giant felt more comfortable, but I wouldn't say $400 more comfy. The
salesperson was trying to get me to buy a bike that day, something that I don't take well to. He
said that if I didn't like it, I could always exchange it for something else. At this point I
thought I should just think about it. Another factor, shop #1 has free tune-ups for life. As many
as I want.

Shop

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#2 only has 2. End of story and they have to be in the first year.

I talked to a couple of my friends that had been biking for years and related them my experiences.
The first things they said were "You sure

they

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told you it was a 43cm bike at the first shop???" Seems that really seems small. Their other
comment is that spending about $1K just to "try-out"

this

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sport is insane, which I agree whole-heartedly.

In my mind, I think my business is better off at shop#1, where they took

the

Quoted message said:

time to fit the bike just right for me. Also, the free tune-ups for life are definitley worth
something as well. My only concern is that a 43cm

bike

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seems really small, even for someone with a 30" inseam. I mean, they did spend alot of time
fitting me, I really can't see where they would have

made

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a mistake. And bottom line, I did feel very comfy on the bike when I took

it

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for a test drive. I wasn't afforded the same test drive on the bikes from shop #2 so couldn't
really tell how they fit. Is Bianchi going to be THAT different from a Trek?

Any thoughts? Any advice? I didn't mean for this to be as long a post as

it

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ended up being. Thanks in advance.

Nospam said:

The first place, I dealt with the owner directly. Told him directly, I wasn't looking to buy a
bike that day and that as I was just getting into road biking, didn't know what I was looking for.

Quoted message said:

He asked me a few questions

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A Trek 1000. All stock parts. He and two others spent about an hour with me adjusting this and
that, taking measurements and such up

on

Quoted message said:

We started on a 52cm Trek but eventually settled on a 43cm Trek. I have a 30" inseam. They moved
me to a smaller frame because I guess I

was

Quoted message said:

reaching out too far on the larger bike. Also swapped out the bar for a wider one as the stock one
was too narrow.

They are obviously interested in helping you get the right bike rather than making a quick sale.
That's good. My concern with the 43 cm frame is that you may not be able to get the handlebars up
high enough. As a beginner, you may want the bars nearly at the same height as the saddle. I checked
the Trek website, and found that the top tube length on the 43cm frame is only .2 cm shorter than on
the 52cm frame. And both have the same seat tube angle. How much standover clearance did you have on
the 52 cm? This bike is also available in a 50 cm (which they could order for you). If the bars are
too bar forward, they can replace the stem with a shorter one.

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Shop #2. I go in and repeat my situation. Tell them my situation and my goals for biking. Guy
takes me to some Bianchi bikes. Tells me to hop on

one

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and ask if I can see the front hub in relation to the bar.

This is an old wive's tale, and tells me they don't know what they're doing. The first thing they
need to do is set up the saddle height and fore/aft position for you. Then YOU determine if the
handlebar height and reach feels comfortable. With your hands on the brake hoods and your elbows
bent, you should not feel cramped or overly stretched out/bent over.

Quoted message said:

He said the bike was a pretty good fit. It was a 52cm bike. I felt I was reaching out just a
little bit. My legs felt like I was having to stretch a little as well.

Anything that feels slightly uncomfortable in the showroom will probably be unbearable on a century
ride. It sounds like they didn't even adjust the seat height. I'd stay away from this place.

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I talked to a couple of my friends that had been biking for years

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Their other comment is that spending about $1K just to "try-out" this sport is insane, which I
agree whole-heartedly.

The suggested retail price for the Trek 1000 is $600. You're not going to get a decent road bike for
less than that. You will have to buy a few other items (helmet, gloves, shorts, etc.).

Art Harris

To all that replied. Thanks!

To answer some of your questions... I'm a 5'6" tall guy. The bike shop guys said I have short legs,
but normal size torso and arms.

Ken - Yes, the Giant had a sloped top tube. I think I will just have to drag one of my buddies out
to the shop to look for bikes with me.

Eric - The guy at the second shop didn't even tell me what kind of Bianchi it was. I guess I
shoulda asked.

Harris - When I stood over the 52, I was JUST touching the top bar. I had the slightest bit of
clearance.

Mike - Thanks for the link and the advice about paragraphs! I tried to break it up into sections,
but it was late. ;-)

Thanks to all that replied! Hopefully I will be out on the road very shortly! =)

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

Quoted message said:

I'm a 5'6" tall guy. The bike shop guys said I have short legs, but normal size torso and arms.

If you're 5'6" tall and have a real 30" inseam (your leg length, not your pants size), then yes, you
do have short legs for your height. That also means you have a longer body, so for century riding
you'll probably want a bike with a longer top tube and lower handlebars than your typical entry
level bike. The Trek you described sounds reasonable, especially since the fitting sounded very
competent.

Ken

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

Quoted message said:

The Bianchi was a 530 Cro-molly frame and better suited for absorbing road shock I was told.

This is mis-information. The thing that most affects the road shock you'll feel is tire size. Ask
the salespersons what the largest size tire that you'll be able to use is. Anything less than a 28
mm might cause you to regret the purchase down the road.

It's hard to know how much to spend on a first bike. If you don't like it, you'll lose a lot of
money on resale. If you really get into it, you may wish you spent more.

Proper fit will determine how comfortable you are on the bike. The more comfortable, the more likely
that you will ride it and enjoy it. The first shop took the time to make certain that you were fit
properly and comfortable. Its a no-brainer to me: shop #1.

Good luck,

Dave

Quoted message said:

To all that replied. Thanks!

To answer some of your questions... I'm a 5'6" tall guy. The bike shop guys said I have short legs,
but normal size torso and arms.

My concern here is that as you spend more time on your road bike, you will become more accustomed to
the stretched out road bike fit so that the frame which seemed comfortable at first actually is soon
too small.

It is my view that frames shoud be sized by effective top tube length rather than seat tube height,
the seat post and stem go up and down nicely but a short top tube is more difficult to compensate
for. This topic has been discussed here and on RBT rather extensively and I think there is a
consensus that TT length is really more important than seat tube height.

With a longer than normal upper torso this indicates to be that in the long run you may well be more
comfortable with a larger frame.

Definite ride some bikes for a while. This might be a time when buying an inexpensive but decent
used bike might be a good choice. A 7 speed model from the late 80s may be missing the STI but it
will otherwise be functionally identical and would provide an inexpensive way to really know what
you find most comfortable.

As others have said, fit is most important. There is a huge difference between a bike that really
does fit and one that "kinda" fits.

A bike that "kinda" of fits is like a shoe that "kinda" fits, OK for short walks but not too fun for
those hikes in the mountains.

jon isaacs

Quoted message said:

Definite ride some bikes for a while. This might be a time when buying an inexpensive but decent
used bike might be a good choice. A 7 speed model

from

Quoted message said:

the late 80s may be missing the STI but it will otherwise be functionally identical and would
provide an inexpensive way to really know what you

find

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most comfortable.

Thanks for the advice! Very good point. Makes alot of sense and I will definitely keep it in mind.
One question though, what's "STI"? Time for increasing my vocab I think. ;-) I've seen that term
alot, but I don't know what it means. Does it have something to do with the shifters?

Quoted message said:

I've seen that term alot, but I don't know what it means. Does it have something to do with the
shifters?

Shimano Total Integration. It means the parts don't work unless you have the right parts, and the
right year and model parts.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email hidden]__________

In article <[email hidden]>,

Eric S. Sande said:

Quoted message said:

I've seen that term alot, but I don't know what it means. Does it have something to do with the
shifters?

Shimano Total Integration. It means the parts don't work unless you have the right parts, and the
right year and model parts.

Wiseacre.

STI stands for Shimano something whatever, but means that the shifters are part of the brake levers,
generically known as "brifteurs" to lump in the Campy "Ergo" version. This is good because putting
the shifters where your hands are is just a really good idea. This is bad because brifteurs are
expensive and slightly heavier than individual DT shifters and normal ("aero"😉 brake levers.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousineOpen ↗ President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

Terry Morse at [email hidden] wrote on 2/19/03 7:43 AM:

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Then there's the inability to trim the front derailleur as you ride. I get a chuckle out of
brifter users as they get out of the saddle and climb, letting their derailleur rub on every
donwstroke. That would drive me nuts.

IIRC, the only non-trimable STI front shifter is the Tiagra (or whichever is the least expensive one
these days...)

-- Jim (riding silent DA/Ultegra drivetrains, even up hills)

Ryan Cousineau said:

This is bad because brifteurs are expensive and slightly heavier than individual DT shifters and
normal ("aero"😉 brake levers.

Besides being more expensive, brifters are more delicate and finicky than the alternatives (DT
shifters and barcons).

Then there's the inability to trim the front derailleur as you ride. I get a chuckle out of brifter
users as they get out of the saddle and climb, letting their derailleur rub on every donwstroke.
That would drive me nuts.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

"Terry Morse" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:tmorse->

Quoted message said:

Besides being more expensive, brifters are more delicate and finicky than the alternatives (DT
shifters and barcons).

Downtube shifters are no longer an alternative, believe me you wouldn't want to be caught riding
around on some old frameset that still uses those silly things.

[email hidden] (Hunrobe) wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Seriously though a 30" true inseam is not at all outside the norm for a male that is 5'6". I've
heard the "you have short legs for your height" comments all my life but according to the
orthopedic surgeon that treated me back in '77 my leg bones are not disproportionate to the rest

Different people define "normal" in different ways. To a doctor, "normal" usually means able to live
without special accomodations.

From a practical point of view, the question is what size bike to buy. My leg length is 31 inches
and my height is 5'6". The last couple of times I bought a road bike, I searched long and hard for
the stock bikes with the longest top tubes (with a 52cm c-t seat tube). Then I replaced the seat
with an extra long seat and slid it all the way back on the rails. I also replaced the stem with one
4cm longer than the stock stem. I think these body dimensions are pretty much the extreme of what
can be fitted comfortably on a modern road bike without going custom.