Yes, before we had these people, we did indeed get close and adjust as time went on. But we also had no access to wind tunnel data, so it was a hot-or-miss proposition -- we could make adjustments, but it was just guesswork as to whether there were actual aero advantages to the adjustments made. We THOUGHT it was aero, but had no data to work with. It would also take YEARS of tinkering to get it right.

For, what, $200 max, you can put the clock forward those years, not have to go through all the hassle and guesswork, buy all the stems, bars, seatposts, etc. that were necessary in the old days. If I hadn't already gone through those years of pain myself, and figured out what worked for me, I'd GLADLY plunk down the cash. In fact, I may do it ANYWAY, just to make sure what I did actually WAS right.

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Educated GUESS ! I bet if you had these people fit you in a blind fit test that there would 1-3 centimeters differences. I even bet some would suggest different geometries, levels etc. Also they don't wind tunnel each fit test, also every year it seems like the wind tunnel stuff changes. I am not saying that getting fit isn't a good thing but who knows you the best! "know thy self" I also bet that if one person fit you and you went to another and said " I just fit myself how did I do " They would change some things

Depends on what you are measuring. I would not expect more than a few mm difference in seat height, for example, or in reach, from one fitter to the next. I would expect to see a bit more of a difference, say 1-2 cm, in aspects such as bar height, which is harder to figure out and is much more personal preference, you might say. saddle fore/aft position will also depend on the fitter's biases.

I do agree that the most important judge of proper fit is the individual, but often people will need help is translating what they know about themselves into changes on the bike.

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I agree with denewone, that getting fit by one of only (10) people in this business that will charge me several of my green backs is ok but not necessary. when you buy your bike at your LBS they can help fit you, but it probably won't take over 15 mins to do so and won't cost you a thing. later you can adjust things as you get more experince on the bike. I would be willing to bet that most of the triathletes from the elite to the age-grouper has had only one fitting and that is when he bought his bike and the only thing that was adjusted was 1) seat height 2) stem length 3) cleat position. if you really want to get faster on the bike TRAIN YOUR BUTT OFF!! BOYS THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE.

Now this QR guy is very smart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So's his big brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dan Empfield pointed out something critical about our industry: There are no current fit standards. There is no current, accepted methodology in going about fitting. You can go to NECA (New England Cycling Academy, the Fit Kit guys), you can go to Barnett Bicycle Academy, you can go to the Olympic Training Center and other fit resources. None of these offer a current, pragmatic, up to date methodology for systematic triathlon and road bike fitting. Empfield's FIST techniques are a move toward standardization of fitting protocols using systems and algorythms Dan has developed and tested. What we do in our store is a combination of fit techniques from all of the above resources (we're sending two guys to FIST in the next 6 weeks, and maybe a couple more this summer). Is our system perfect? Nope. Is it the state of the art? Probably pretty close but doubtfully the best. Do we produce accurate, repeatable results? Yup, we do. Do we make mistakes sometimes? Yup. Are we accountable for them, absolutely. You are absolutely correct in saying bike fitting is not rocket science. It isn't a "black art" or magic or baloney. It is a relatively straightforward craft currently practiced by a few good retailers (but growing) nationwide who actually care about how their customers bikes fit. It is most important for beginners. I really believe in fitting bicycle precisely. I recently got new skis from a man down the street from me named Bill Anders at Nichol's Ski Shop here in Dearborn. Bill is a skier. I know nothing about current ski technology. Bill looked at my feet, fitted my boots, measured my height, had me step on a scale, adjusted my bindings and asked a lot of questions about my knee injuries, where I'll be skiing, etc. I traded Bill a pair of Hed H3s and some other bike stuff for some Salomon Crossmax skis. I skiied this past weekend in Banff with them. I haven't skied in 7 years. It was incredible. I had never been properly fitted to skis and boots. What a difference. I actually skied in the half-pipe at Lake Louise and got air out of the top. It was like being 14 again. My point: Bill cared about my ski ownership experience. He spent extra time doing a nice job. It paid off. I don't get much non-cycling vacation time so it was impoortant to me my stuff worked well the first time down the mountain. Bill made sure it did. I take this seriously. It isn't a "con" or smoke and mirrors show. Someone comes to me to buy a new triathlon bike and I work as hard as I know how to make it optimal for them. It isn't rocket science, but it is a craft and a developing and worthwhile one. Some athletes can do it on their own. Look at a guy like cerveloguy who posts here often. He has shown substantial aptitude for fitting and critiquing a person's position. But I bet he did a lot of observation and testing and some reading before he tried the first time and even then may have made some goofs. bike fitting is important. It's value is difficult to overstate. Proof of that lies in the incredibly bad positions and bike fits I see at every triathlon. The irony is most of these people will tell you their bike is "just fine".

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Now I agree !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good points.

I was never professionaly fit on bike. I don't know if the way I was set up on a bike would pass Tom D or Dan's standards. I do know that I had good results over the years. I had some help getting set up way back and then after that my best friend was a set of allan keys that I took with me on every training ride or kept close to the indoor bike trainer. I would always fiddle with the position a little bit - with what I could do on the fly, which is quite a bit. A millimetre here and a millimetre there - always striving for more comfort, best power transfer and optimal aerodynamics. And the fit would change from year to year and even within a season.

I have never had this tested in a lab or had the luxury of some one of Tom D or Dan's ability look me over. I could not afford a Computrainer( I don't even think they were around when I was most serious). The best feedback was out on the race course.

I can see how the Fit Folks can be of considerable help to those just starting out or even in the sport for a number of years. Now I stand on the sidelines and watch triathlons and I still see way too many triathletes set up in the wackiest positions! How they arrived at that I have no idea. Clearly help is needed.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I just had a professional fitting done at Bicycle Sports in Shreveport yesterday, so this issue is fresh on my mind. I do not have a strong cycling or mechanical background, but I have been a novice student of bike fitting for a couple of years. The problem I got into trying to do all of this myself was financial--buying new stems, new seatposts, new saddles, new pedals etc. while trying to dial in fit on oneself gets expensive. I paid $200 yesterday for 4 hours of professional attention, and learned more about me and my bike than I had learned in 3 years of reading and experimenting. In my opinion, it is well worth the expense. Now, if I make a change in cleats or something that changes my position on the bike, I will be much more confident in making adjustments to compensate for the change. Less trial-and-error, less self-doubt.