[Closed] This (new?) trend of people paying for bike fitting services

It depends... for me it was helpful.

The side photos and video camera showed that how I imagine I looked and how I actually looked were two different things.

I've been more comfortable since I had a fitting.

😆

Are you not capable of [s]adjusting your bike yourself based on how it feels?[/s] understanding that plenty of people, especially those new to cycling, aren't sure how it should feel and are happy to pay for an expert to set it up for them?

FTFY 😉

Horses for courses and all that...

I wouldn't think that there's many on here who are new to cycling though. Although reading that last sentence back - i'm now not so certain of it.

I went to BikeScience last year with a mate of mine who was getting himself sorted on a new TT bike. Found the process fascinating and the results worth the cash. Really struggled with neck ache on the road bike but a few tweaks made a massive difference.

MTBs I kind of know what works but Road Bikes were a mystery to me. Wouldn't have any idea where to start nor did I have loads of spare stems/seatposts/saddles/etc I seem to have collected for MTBs.

I wouldn't think that there's many on here who are new to cycling though

Its as bad as paying someone to show you how to ride your bike.

And Alex + 1 - It was a great opportunity to try a whole load of stem / bar combinations that would have cost me a fortune to collect otherwise.

I guess back in the day bikes were made to measure, now the rider has to fit the bike.

Mountain biking appears to attract people who want to spend money, this is just another good area to do it.

Its as bad as paying someone to show you how to ride your bike.

PMSL 😆

It's only experienced cyclists that have this attitude! In just about any other sport, it's fully expected to have lessons to learn how to do something and get the most out of it, before then going off to push yourself on your own.

Pro Golfers have lessons all the time! It's part of maintaining their position at the top...

I don't think it's anything new (especially in Road Cycling) as there are a lot of small gains to be made from getting the optimum bike set-up. Having something which feels right and something which is most efficient and puts least pressure on joints etc are two very different things. A friend who is doing his first Ironman soon went for a bike fitting and said it felt really weird to start with, but now he's got used to it he's much more comfortable for longer and has less aches after a long ride. If I were doing a high number of miles or trying to be competitive I'd certainly consider it, however as I'm not so I won't!

It's as bad as paying people to fix your bike.

Some one will be along in a minute to report that they have paid to breath ! Hooked up to a CV power inclinometer thingymabobgrudgeagainstmoney !

I bet there's no one from Yorkshire paid for this !!!!!

I blame that programme Rob Penn did, all of a sudden bike fitting was exposed to the general public and instead of fitting the person to the bike as they did when they made his bike all they have done is fit the bike to the person and charged for it !
It's ridiculous ! People should be made to stand in public wearing an idiot sign round their neck !
Incapable of riding a bike properly until some one tells you that you look good on a video !

What next,

STATO, I've been riding for years & still post 'What tyre' threads.
Why not?

I wouldn't pay for a bike fitting, but I'd love a free one.

I posted a what tyre thread last night and have been riding since Uncle Johns Farmer tyres with elastic side walls were the only ones a available !

I wouldn't pay for fitting either ! Not when there's cake to be throwing money at !

There were a couple of diagrams that taught you all about fitting in Richards Bicycle Book.

That book was £1.50 or something, so I don't really see the need to pay twice.....

Isn't this just another way of kidding yourself you are a "pro"? I can mibbe see the advantage for folk that are actually racing at a high enough level that incremental gains in performance will make a difference. For everyone else it's surely no different from donning full team kit and throwing gel wrappers around.

Roadbike - definitely.

Mountain bike - wtf. Its feel/preference and you need to be be able to move around the bike. A test ride shows this.

Roadbike is:
Sat/static.
Stood.

New

Scotroutes: definately that !

But don't forget STRAVA ! Every man an emperor ! I mean pro 🙄

It's related to the influx of people with lots of disposable income of late, who want to be super without putting any effort in. Fitting a bike is dead easy, there are loads of guides on the net, there are loads of books in the library (remember those, kiddies?) all of which will allow you to fit a bicycle perfectly well.

Fitting a bike to yourself teaches you about a few basic principles and allows an insight into why things fit they way they do. It also allows you to change your position in a sensible way and to see what those changes offer in terms of comfort and performance.

It's not rocket science, it's not a dark art, it does require you to engage your brain rather than throw money at someone.

It's not that new, I had a bike fitting when I bought my Principia about 10 years ago.

More than worth the £30 - I rode LOTS of miles on the bike with zero injuries or strains, as opposed to the Giant I bought off the shelf before that which instantly gifted me a trapped nerve in my neck.

It's not so much about incremental performance gains, although with Sky and co dribbling on about that I can see why the marketeers go for that angle. For me it was about getting the right position, crank size, bar drop and width etc etc for a small person, and (very successfully) avoiding injury.

I spent a lot more cash on getting that trapped nerve sorted !

Of course, this could just be co-incidence, or the placebo effect.

And to paraphrase Marx - why have a dog and bark yourself ? Just because PCs made PAs obsolete doesn't mean you have to do everything yourself.

Some of the reply's are quite funny !
I was once very sceptical about these so called bike fits but after moving more to the road and getting some issues with back pain, neck pain etc I plumped for one at bike science in Bristol, After more than 20 years being in the bike trade I thought I had a pretty good understanding about fit and the set up of bikes done many a fit for people buying new bikes. Anyway having someone else fit my bike to me has made a massive difference to my road riding no aches and pains and after my shoes were shimmed and cleats wedged I have more power so in my book was worth having it.

#dontknockittillyoutriedit !!!!

I think there are good guys who are into the degree of movement of joints etc, they actually understand how your body works and what sorts different limb ratios (not arms to legs before you lot start 🙂 ) but I think it's the new thing that every shop offers and bob in his shed does, charge folks a few quid or closer to £50 and move stuff around, have seen some horrendous things done in the name of bike fit, aheadset extenders on road bikes when the bike is the right size, it's just they aren't used to be bent over a little for riding. But it's a bit like if you want to see top of the range road bikes look at a sportive if you want to see kit that works and is worth the money look at the road races.

You pays your money, you takes your choice.

Are you not capable of adjusting your bike yourself based on how it feels?

MTB not really needed.
Road, yes if you have any issues that cause discomfort or keep you off the bike. I wouldn't be able to ride for very long if it wasn't for cleat shims/insoles/proper bike fit.

But it's a bit like if you want to see top of the range road bikes look at a sportive if you want to see kit that works and is worth the money look at the road races.

And if you want to see that folk can ride stupid long distances on any old bike look at audaxes.

You pays your money, you takes your choice

It's more like 'You pays your money, you become an advocate of bike fit because to be otherwise would suggest that you are in the habit of paying money for something you don't believe in'.

...and in 6 months, when you've done many miles, and you are more flexible and fitter and faster, do you go back for another fit?

...and in 6 years?

...and in 25 years?

Whereas if you take the time to learn about this stuff, you can alter your position to your hearts content and understand why it changes how the bike and you feel, and you can apply the principles learned to the next bike purchase, and the next.

Or simply pay for one persons set of prejudices regarding fit over another; if it where as scientific as is claimed, every fit from every fitter would be the same for an individual, but I somehow doubt that is the case.

I've had one. I've ridden for 17 years now and got offered one for free. I'd not pay what they actually cost, if they were half that they'd be OK.

Think of it like going on a skills course (the MTB equivalent really)- you may have done it for a long time, but what feels good to you may not be best and having someone look at it differently may make you more comfortable/faster by changing something you thought was fine.

Instead of spending on several different stems and maybe a couple of different seatposts, and still not getting it right,or heaven forbid getting the wrong size frame, you can have someone knowledgeable given you advice.

But no, the STW way is to insist that experts or services must be a waste of money...

The next thing you'll be telling me is that people pay other people to cook food for them. Madness.

I'm kind of torn between the two sides of it to be honest. I've worked in bike shops, fitted hundreds of people out for bikes - it was always just "part of the service" but it was never measured using video or lasers, it was just one saleperson going "yep, that looks about right, how does that feel?"

I don't doubt that there's a lot of snake oil involved now - you're selling an image that the new breed of MAMIL buys into. Sir has bought the carbon frame, the deep section wheels, the scientific energy gels but Sir is not any faster - there's nothing left to buy therefore it must be that Sir simply hasn't got the bike fitted correctly (it couldn't possibly be that Sir hasn't ridden more than 15 miles without the need to shove another pie down...)

But equally, cycling is one of those strange sports/hobbies that seems to exist on handed-down "knowledge" and I STILL hear phrases like "Campag wears in, Shimano wears out" and "steel is real" and all the other associated bollocks and no-one has ever thought to challenge that way of doing things. So people end up in a position that they've seen handed down through generations or some old fart in the cycle club has nodded knowingly and told them that "it's the way of things" and it's totally wrong for them.

I'm all for bikefit for the road bike. Got one thrown in when i bought my road bike. As i ride between 70 and 100 miles regularly it was great at sorting out all the niggles. Ended up with shimmed shoes and shorter stem. Comfortt has been much better and an increase in speed.

But never considers it for mountain bike, as you are always moving about, not static for miles on end i don't suffer the same aches

If you do long rides and can afford it, you'll not regret it.

IMO bike fit is basically pointless. There is no right answer, as a result no one can actually tell you that you are fitted correctly to a bike.

First bike i bought i was sort of fitted, basically does that feel comfortable, it looks about right. That to me is about the limit of what is worth doing.

How flexible are you, what do you intend to do, what is your core strength like, etc. Now throw into the mix getting fitter and the position you can hold changes.

Look at the slammed stem position of many pros, could i use it, maybe, would i be comfortable for 100-150miles i doubt it. So does that mean the position is wrong? does it mean i am wrong for not being able to use a position?

I took to the sport of road cycling last year after being inspired by Sir Bradleys achievements in the tour of France, and after seeing the GB boys ride past my house in Surrey during the London games.

I was stood at the side of the road cheering them on and clapping with all the other fans, the atmosphere was electric and I thought that cycling would be a great sport to be involved with.

Fast forward a year and I'm a new man! I've lost a few pounds around the middle (and a few more from my bank account!) But I'm a totally different character. A few years ago, I didn't know who I was, my head was a mess, I was lost somewhere between an IT Project Manager with a taste for expensive watches, and a German car enthusiast.

But now, I'm a cyclist! I wear cycling related t shirts and I know the difference between a GC contender and a sprinter (even though I thought Cav had won the tour of France in Paris!)

I love telling my non-cycling friends about the distances I can travel and the speeds I can go. I'm now viewed as a bit of an athlete, a real human being, rather than being known as that chubby fella from down the road with a five grand watch and an Audi.

This all brings me on to the point I was trying to make. I bought a new Pinarello since I wanted to support British cycling (it also made me feel warm inside knowing my bike was capable of winning a tour). But upon riding the thing, I was in immense pain after an hour.

So I went to see a BG fitter to get myself fitted to my racing bike. He immediately spotted what was wrong with me - I had a weak wrist (and shoulder) due to years of wearing a heavy five grand watch, and I had a muscle imbalance in my right leg from stretching to reach the "go" pedal on my fifty grand German car that's too big for me.

The fitter then spent four hours methodically moving my saddle so my knee was in the "KOPS" position and my knee angle was at 30 degrees at the bottom of my pedal stroke. He adjusted my bar height so I could see where I was going (rather than having to peer over the frame of my Oakleys like before). I can now ride in absolute comfort.

I was going to pay him in my usual currency of bourbon biscuits, but it was such a long and technical process, I decided to pay the full £150 (which is value for money since I typical earn this in an hour and it would have taken me far more than four hours to adjust the bike in the way the fitter did)

All in all, I'm chuffed to bits and I've signed up for my first sportive this fall.

It's more like 'You pays your money, you become an advocate of bike fit because to be otherwise would suggest that you are in the habit of paying money for something you don't believe in'.

Mine was free. I would have gladly paid for the custom footbeds, cleat shims and bikefit though.

dt is back on form! 😆

I've been wondering about having one as I am not straight on my bike, owing to my hips being a bit out of kilter and a slight leg length discrepancy. As a result I get a saddle sore on one side only, after long road rides.

Sometimes being put in a position that's quite different from the norm and needs some adjusting to is a good thing that brings positive results as we adapt. We may not get there by just adjusting a few things on feel.

Genius DTF!

DT you are a God!

The cost of a bike set up is a hell of a lot cheaper than the physio sessions needed to straighten you back out if you get it wrong.

Surely it's up to people to pay for this stuff if they want?

Yes, but as I have said a couple of times now, not that anyone is listening, if you do it yourself, and [b]learn[/b] about the [b]principles[/b] involved, you can [b]understand[/b] what is going on and [b]use the knowledge you have gained[/b].

Or just chuck some money at someone in true STW fashion.

Do any LBS's still make nice custom road frames any more. I remember being in my early teens and dreaming of owning my own custom sized frame ( just about every local frame builder did them in the 70's 80's.) Now all the local builders round my way are straight off the peg frames, so to some degree that bike has to be fitted around you.

You would hope that when parting with vast sums of money, the bike industry would want to make sure that there £2k lump of metal/plastic would fit you correctly, and therefore you would be happy with your purchase, but no we will charge you £2k for the bike, and then charge you some more to make sure it fits you, and then charge you some more to put the right stem/seat post etc on it.

The cost of a bike set up is a hell of a lot cheaper than the physio sessions needed to straighten you back out if you get it wrong.

This.

A few millimeters out with stem or saddle position, and you risk turning your new racing bike into a deathtrap.

I'm one of the more experienced cyclists at work, and it's almost become my duty to pull the newer guys (and gals) aside and offer them some advice.

If you don't know your arse from your elbow, don't even think about adjusting your setup. Go and get fitted. These aren't toys, they're serious bits of kit. And if you can get yourself on a skills course, then all the better.

Does any still make nice custom road frames any more. I remember being in my early teens and dreaming of owning my own custom sized frame ( just about every local frame builder did them in the 70's 80's. Now all the local builders round my way are straight off the peg frames, so to some degree that bike has to be fitted around you.

yes, just don't expect the "niche" brands to be of any help.

The cost of a bike set up is a hell of a lot cheaper than the physio sessions needed to straighten you back out if you get it wrong.

Utter shite.

crikey - Member
Yes, but as I have said a couple of times now, not that anyone is listening, if you do it yourself, and learn about the principles involved, you can understand what is going on and use the knowledge you have gained.

Or just chuck some money at someone in true STW fashion

links?
actual advice ?

Get your mum or some other grown up to read back through my posts and you will see that I have suggested that you look up bike fitting on the internet or go to the library, which is a big building with books inside.

How much help do you need?

Why not just pay somebody to do it? They will be better qualified than somebody who read lots of spurious advice from the Internet, and its easier for them to see you pedalling and your cleat set-up.

But then I'm a bit odd in that I buy energy bars and recovery drinks instead of saving a few pennies and spending time making my own. 🙄

I don't need any help, ta (I don't ride much so no big deal whether it all fits)

other than in understanding why you ...

a) needed to post on this thread at all - do you think people haven't heard of the internet or libraries (both are quite large and content-rich; what if people find advice of which you disapprove ?) (now, granted, Glupton's started it off all supercilious but he really doesn't need the help in that regard)

b) need to air your ego so actively (hint, this may be related to a)

c) can't find it in your heart to help out a bit (may be related to b)

Mum says I've got to go now - nighty night 😉

glupton1976 - Member
And if you want to see that folk can ride stupid long distances on any old bike look at audaxes.

Says it all.

[img] [/img]

I know a man who rode a 300km audax on one of those. Finished not far behind the first person home either.

Dave t at his best . 😀

😀 @ Mr T

Bike fitting is another one of those things (like skills courses) that i'd never heard of until i joined here. Not for me personally but then i don't take my cycling that seriously.

[img] [/img]

My mum had one of those in the 70s, it became my first [i]mountain [/i]bike.

I can't believe some one else used their Mums bike as a mountain bike !

I did exactly the same thing on my mothers raleigh but hers had a wicker basket on it ! And it was step thro racer not a Raleigh Twenty ?

Anyway

I think I'm going to sack off proper biking and buy a Road Bike, buy some Lycra and put on a few stone to see if a bike fit will reveal the use of a slack bungee in my back ?

Then I can pay some one to tell me I need ramps putting under my cleats, ill get more power my back will stop aching the strain in my neck will disappear, the strength in my legs will busy through my Lycra and I can view all of these magnificent life changing events through my Oakleys "not over the top of them" whilst all the physios pack up shop and go out of business because lo and behold bike fitting has bestowed upon us the miracle we have all been waiting for,

"A fool and his money are easily parted"
Now where did I put my magic beans ?

Behind the tin of snake oil

I had a fit for a custom bike - turned out I'm slightly freaky in terms of measurements (5'10" 34" inside leg) and ended up with a frame that finally fitted properly.

I'd have just carried on being hideously uncomfortable and buying endless different frames to try out, but conversely 85% of people are pretty 'standard' and will fit on most bikes with minimal fuss.

This is all in relation to road bikes though. My fit was an old fashioned by eye job and was free (£50 if you didn't buy a frame/bike afterwards)

I think it's great for another cycling related industry to spring up.
I've never had one but if I ever get into my dark side riding, I'd certainly consider it.
Yes, I could google and read about it but I'd probably find 10 different ways of doing everything.
My spare time is precious- I'd rather spend my time pushing the pedals around rather than fannying about possibly making things worse.

I have ridden road bikes for 30 years and consider myself able to set up a bike fit more by feel than anything else, however with ongoing shoulder/knee problems i threw some money at a bike fit last year. Guess what? My set up was only marginally out, but a tweek of the cleats and positioning to the last mm has made a massive difference to comfort and power. I can comfortably spend 5-6 hours in the saddle, the added bonus is my seated climbing improved.
Money well spent, definitely recommend a fit.

Almost all the discomfort related to bike use is trying to setup up a bike like a racer - which is fine if you are of athletic build and wish to ride fast (I mean racer fast all the time).

When bikes were used as primary transport, riding positions were much more upright. People used to cover tens of thousands of miles on such bikes annually without problems.

The more upright you put yourself the less problem you have with bike comfort.

I can see why if you were a serious roadie, looking to do hundreds of miles a week, in a relatively fixed and stretched position, it would make sense to get fitted. If spending £50 or so could mean the difference between a knackered back/knee and not then it's worth it. Can't see it as being so important for MTB, though skills courses certainly are and a lot of what they teach is about getting your position correct on the bike, as I understand it.
I was getting really bad pains in my knees a few years ago. A mate who worked in a bike shop did an impromptu fit. We changed a few things around and the pains went away. I was (am) a reasonably experienced cyclist, but having someone else look at what I was doing was a huge benefit. In my case the advice was free (other than the usual beers), but I would happily have paid for it if necessary

I found being in a bike club was the best way of getting a good bike fit/set up.
Real experiences passed down made it easier to pin point ways that I could get a better fit or sort out any annoying aches .
Cost me a fair bit in coffee and biscuits mind 😉 .
If people cycle alone ,maybe visiting a [b]good[/b] bike shop ,that gives advice on fitting and set up is the only option .

You can say this about any service industry.

The majority of people pay for cars to be serviced, but they are probably capable of doing it.Only a minority of people pay for ironing to be done, most of them are capable of doing it. why are they any different? culture?

It's about short cutting to the end goal.

Epicyclo: You have hit the nail on the head there my friend !

Fasthaggis: very much like sessioning rock drops at Wharncliffe ! You soon get to grips with your riding when your in a group, the banter ensures you put your weight forwards backwards or side to side, riding each others bikes and trying out new kit was all part of the process, there's some interesting opinions in the for camp and defining opinions in the against, a trip over the bars in a corner or positioning your weight mid air on a jump is something you can learn but its easier to ride with your mates and watch how they do it !

Monkey see Monkey do !

I'm sure by now you all know which camp I'm in !

Just for the record, skills courses are also a waste of time and money 😆

I had a fit for a custom bike - turned out I'm slightly freaky in terms of measurements (5'10" 34" inside leg) and ended up with a frame that finally fitted properly.

Yet I would guess that your position can be replicated on any number of off-the-peg bikes, and your 'custom' frame comes with an adjustable seat post and stem...

The more upright you put yourself the less problem you have with bike comfort.

Until you start riding your upright bike up hills and for long distances; I've ridden a trad Dutch bike around Amsterdam for 4 hours and was uncomfortable after 1 hour.

My point is that fitting a bike is relatively easy, it just requires an hour or two of learning about it and then you have the knowledge to do it again and again. A bit like giving a man a fish might feed him for a meal, but him learning to fish allows him to escape his wife and children for many happy days of solitude.

last time I looked I was unable to see my own position on a bike. I can't get my eyes out on stalks like glupton obviously can but I guess, as he says, it's a bit like dentistry - once you know the principles you can do it yourself.

i agree with both fasthaggis and epicyclo on the grounds that they're right. I've no strong feelings on bike fit but i do think it needs revisited dependent at the very least because as you get older your position changes (and does cost considerably more than physio to fix thatn a bike fit). i got one of my old bikes out of the shed recently having not cycled it for some years - a machine of torture!

last time I looked I was unable to see my own position on a bike.

If you feel the need to do this, mirrors are useful.

My pennies worth. Bought a second hand road bike many years ago. Guessed the size. Top tube reach was ok. Tried different stems and all. Thought the setup was fine until I did a century. My god the pain!

Sold it.

Didn't bother with the dark side for many years until I bought a bike from Planet X. I had a Retul bike fit ( half price with bike purchase) to double check bike fit. New bike spot on. Did the Fred Whitton and a 200km Audax and no problems with pain.

I have been MTBing for donkeys years but knew shite about roadie stuff. My opinion is if you are paying serious money to kit I wanted to make it was spot on and didn't become an excuse for failing to observe the fifth rule!

Edit: double post

Edit: double post

I can't get my eyes out on stalks like glupton obviously can but I guess, as he says, it's a bit like dentistry - once you know the principles you can do it yourself.

WTF are you talking about?

Bike fit = aye - that feels about right. Home Dentistry? You been trying to numb your mouth and gone straight into your brain?

Until you start riding your upright bike up hills and for long distances; I've ridden a trad Dutch bike around Amsterdam for 4 hours and was uncomfortable after 1 hour.

Bike fitting isn't something everyone relates to and there's a lot of conflicting and even BS theory out there to wade through. I find there's a few simple principles that work but that comes from taking a lot of fit system waffle and looking for the basics in it all.
I thought I understood bike frames and fit pretty well but always had one niggling pain, chatting to someone with a different perspective of fit from riding totally different bikes lead to me trying something that cured it. I'd read a lot on fit theory but I doubt I'd have found that tip/link between discomfort and bike set up. If I'd paid for that info as part of a fit review I'd say it was worth £50, just simple consultancy really - there's good ones and there's quacks.
Some find they fit comfortably on bikes easier than others I guess. Few of us are truly open-minded to all possibilities to be able to test out the options that may work so advise from a friend who knows their stuff or fitting as a service, who cares how you do it if it gets you comfy on your bike.

The whole DIY thing certainly can work (and has for the vast majority of people) however it's a hassle and takes a lot longer than getting a decent bike fitter. A lot of fit is about angles and distances, the first is a pig to measure for yourself and the second is difficult to do unless you have an adjustable rig in your garage or access to a range of stems etc. It can also take a fair bit of riding to show up niggles, do you really want to have to cycle 30+ miles to check out each minor adjustment you make?

I actually had a fit myself recently (mostly because I was going to the place to get a fitness test done anyway). I didn't have any niggles pre-fit and wasn't expecting much to need changing but figured it would be a bit of peace of mind if I increased my riding and started getting issues. In the end one bike didn't need anything changing and the other the saddle was 1cm too far forward (I hadn't even bothered to match my bike set-ups myself...). So you could say it was a complete was of money but I'm still happy enough I did it.

do you really want to have to cycle 30+ miles to check out each minor adjustment you make?

It can also take a fair bit of riding to show up niggles, do you really want to have to cycle 30+ miles to check out each minor adjustment you make?

But by the same token, how many bike fits allow you to go out and ride for a week or for 500 miles then go back and repeat the process?

If you learn how to do it yourself, you can adjust things as much as you need to.

I know that of all the pro cyclists I watch on the telly, none will have started their careers by getting a bike fit; they got a bike and they rode it, lots, and refined their position over time.

if you don't want to pay for a bike fit as it's a waste of money then don't pay for a bike fit.
no need to over think your decision.

I've seen plenty of people on a bikes in terrible positions, but it feels right for them because they are used to it.

Its only when an injury comes along that they start to look into it more.

Stem spacers are a prime example, so many more people could benefit from higher bars but aesthetics and fashion dictate otherwise.

A friend of mine (who has a fair bit of cycling experience) put on facebook recently that she'd got a new bike and spent 2.5 hours having it "professionally fitted".

Two and a half hours!! If it's worth it to her then it's money well spent but it sounds to me like someone creating a "problem" she never knew existed and then stretching out the length of time it takes to fix it in order to justify it.

Two and a half hours!! If it's worth it to her then it's money well spent but it sounds to me like someone creating a "problem" she never knew existed and then stretching out the length of time it takes to fix it in order to justify it.

Depends on a few things:

1. does this include picking the bike and having it built
2. it was free anyway
3. how big her tits are and how low the stem can go

Amusing thread 🙂

Are you not capable of adjusting your bike yourself based on how it feels?

Interesting question though. I think most riders can set up a bike based on feel. Probably end up in much the same position as the last bike and the one before. Is that the best position for you to be in though for whatever it is you want to be doing on the bike?

If you're racing where a few watts can make a big difference, or your touring and need to be on the bike for hundreds of miles, then sounds pretty sensible to have a second opinion from someone who has a lot of experience of fitting many different rides to many different bikes.

Not done it myself but have heard enough people praise it to be a bit curious, and a local fitter has agreed to do a free demo, so I'll be popping along to check it out.