OMG, I simply can't hold my excitement.

Wait, did that come out right? Please forgive me, I lost the script you sent me yesterday. You're still going to send me the $20, right? My family needs that $20. Please.

Sounds pretty interesting to me

YAAAAAAHHHOOOOOOOOO! This has been on my Xmas list for years.

I'm intrigued, but I'm a little afraid of a machine with all those servos.

Last I heard it was going to be a $10k, with lease payments? I have a motion capture set-up for that much, will this deliver that kind of value?

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Boring finance guy now

Picasso_Bull

$20? Wait. What did I miss? Do I owe you money? :)

Realize that despite the high tech gollygeewhiz factor, it's probably not doing anything that can't be done by more time consuming methods. It sounds like they're using technology to make the job easier and faster, by my verdict is out until I actually see one in action.

I agree with what you are saying but in my FIST Fit... after 2 hours I could tell my guy was getting tired of making adjustments and I was also sick of being so "fussy".

This should eliminate the need for such feelings.

Yeah, I can barely restrain myself.

Just what the world needs; a super-gadgetized gee-whiz device that replaces an Allen wrench with a computer and 10k worth of servos. Great.

Even better, I can't wait for the first fit customer to ask why I don't have one...


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Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/

yeah, heaven forbid you would have what the customer would want.

"yeah, heaven forbid you would have what the customer would want."

I am not, in theory, opposed to devices which have as a main design criteria a gee-whiz factor intended primarily to raise the amount of money that one can charge for a basic service; that doesn't mean I need to feign enthusiasm for such a device.

If a customer wants a bike fit, I can give them that.

If they want a virtual reality, computer-controlled arcade game experience, they can go visit someone with the Guru device.

I will 100% guarantee, however, that sometime in the next couple of months, I will be asked by at least one customer why I don't have one of these, and whether it is actually possible to do a successful bike fit with a fit bike that isn't connected to a computer-controlled servo set.


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Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/

Hey fredly, why don't you have an order for one of these? Is it actually possible to do a successful bike fit with a fit bike that isn't connected to a computer-controlled servo set?

It really looks like an impressive fit tool. I do feel we can accomplish as much with a less expensive fit bike. Me being the world's biggest cheapskate I would never part with the cash for one.

A really great alternative for about $2000 is the Calfee Fit bike which is fully adjustable while the rider is on the bike and pedalling. We also use a Serotta Size Cycle which we've had for years and works quite well.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

True. Things are a changin though. I am amazed at what the "younger" generation is demanding in terms of electronic services. i believe this likely will spill over to all areas of industry. So as much as you may hate it, you may need something like this in the near future for the younger folks to even consider shopping in your store. As right or wrong as that may be. I am amazed by the trends of these folks...

If I were a fitter this would all be a matter of two things:

1. The number of fits that my shop does, and
2. The time saved by being able to adjust the bike mechanically while the rider is still on the bike.

If the number of fits done in my shop and the time saved on each fit make it economically feasible for the person who does the fitting to either do something else to offset the cost (sell bikes or accessories, etc.) or to do more fits in the same amount of time, then it would be a good option.

My guess is that once someone uses a tool like that a couple of times the old way would seem slow, time consuming and out of date. Technological advances are usually a good thing.

All of the heart rate, spin scan and other features don't seem to make a lot of sense since the benefit of a new position won't show up for a while until the body has a chance to adapt.

My lbs fitter, who sells a number of custom (and non-custom) Guru and Serotta road and tri bikes, would love to have one, but, cannot see shelling out $10k when he has a perfectly good Serotta fit cycle and a laptop on which to manually enter the measurements.

Personally, it seems like an incredible device. However, I have a hard time seeing how a dealer could recoup the cost.

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

Couldn't he recoup the costs by sales of the bikes?

Obviously, he could. The question is, how many bikes would he have to sell to justify the $10k for the new fit system? More appropriately, how many more bikes would he have to sell with the new fit system, as opposed to the number he is selling with the Serotta fit cycle, to justify the $10k investment.

Do you think this device would bring that many more people through the door?

If it was a case of having a back log of people waiting to be fit and this device could speed the process, thus more people in shorter amount of time, I could see it. Otherwise, I think it is hard to justify the cost.

However, it is pretty cool and we all know triathletes will spend significant money on stuff simply b/c it is pretty cool ... ;-)

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

Just as an aside High Peaks Cyclery in Lake Placid, NY is getting one. That is what spawned my thread. I'm so freakin excited that I had to ask if you guys were too. The best part is that with my new TitanFlex (when I get it) I will be able to duplicate whatever that computer gizmo tells me! Awsome man!

I would be charging a heck of a lot more if I were trying to pay for a beast like that, admittedly it's something I had thought about making but didn't think it was worth the hassle. I'm buying more techo stuff at the moment so I can add the appearance of high tech to my fitting and justify a higher price.

I'm getting a fit bike made that will reduce the adjustment time to be absolutely minimal (though it won't look much like a bike) and the Guru would offer very little advantage in that respect, plus I'll be able to repair mine easily.

I agree that technology helps, I could do fittings with a pen, paper, trigonometry tables and a tape measure but it is much nicer having goniometers, lasers, computers etc.

[reply][reply]
Couldn't he recoup the costs by sales of the bikes? [/reply]
Obviously, he could. The question is, how many bikes would he have to sell to justify the $10k for the new fit system? More appropriately, how many [i]more[/i] bikes would he have to sell with the new fit system, as opposed to the number he is selling with the Serotta fit cycle, to justify the $10k investment.
Do you think this device would bring that many more people through the door?
If it was a case of having a back log of people waiting to be fit and this device could speed the process, thus more people in shorter amount of time, I could see it. Otherwise, I think it is hard to justify the cost.
[i]However[/i], it is pretty cool and we all know triathletes will spend significant money on stuff simply b/c it is pretty cool ... ;-)[/reply]

Some diclosure up front: JSA and I have the same LBS and purchased the same type of custom Guru from them in the last 12 months.

If the LBS came to me for advice (and they were smart enough not to!!) I would say stick with the Serotta fit cycle. $10,000 is a bit steep on the front end.

If Guru came to me for advice (and they were smart enough not to!!) I would say sell the unit to non-dealers for $10,000 but for your existing good dealers and as an incentive for new dealers provide a program to pay it off over time and via usage (ie. X dollars to Guru for a non-sale or other type bike sale, and Y dollars off the price for a fit that results in the sale of a Guru bike). Some time period with either minimal annual payments (ie. $2000/yr + above until paid) or a balance due after 4-5 years etc.

It is a cool piece of equipment and Guru should use it as a tool/springboard towards the LBS selling more of their cool bikes. Also an incentive to get into the good LBS's they are looking for.

Same as the razor business; give them the razor and sell them the replacement razor blades for years.