I'd consider the fitter far before the tool they use. I've had both and the fitter made a much, much larger impact. One doesn't ask the mechanic if he uses Craftsman or Snap On......same applies with fit.

I realize they are both fitting protocols. Guru is FIST and Retul is a close approximation of FIST. (Some who attended both schools and understand the genesis of Retul might even call it a rip-off, but I digress).

What they really are is two different fit bikes that are going to provide you with an output commensurate with the skill level of the user. The output has nothing to do with the tools or really even the protocol. I was driving back and forth doing fits on a Guru DFU and a Retul Muv for the last year and half, and while I personally prefer to work on the Retul, my fits were the same regardless of which bike I was using. The Guru is impressive to the consumer for sure, but it actually slowed me down and had some annoying glitches in the software.

You should ask to see the portfolios of the two fitters and see who is adhering to bike fit orthodoxy better.

I'd take an excellent fitter with a trainer any day over a hack with a 50k fit studio. And there are plenty of those. Sad really. What we need is some sort of testing protocol that fitters could take. Like a bike fit aptitude and competency test or something....

Great point, actually.
My previous fitter was the co-owner of the tri shop, and is no longer in town. I'm not too familiar with any local fitters otherwise, and am a neophyte as to fitting orthodoxy. Maybe I'll ask a new question, relating to a good local fitter in the Seattle area.
Thanks!

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Only those who risk going too far can find out how far they can go...

I didn't assume he was asking about the variance between two different fit bikes. Perhaps it is Retul Motion Capture only vs the Guru fit bike only. Would your response still be the same?

The ST database of fitters may help you, or even Dan could have some suggestions. I'm sure in that area you will have great choices.

Thank you.

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Only those who risk going too far can find out how far they can go...

Certainly. It does make a huge difference to find the person, not the tool. You're pretty fortunate to be in a cycling hotbed, so I have no doubt you'll be in good hands.

I'd recommend Brad Williams owner at Northwest Tri and Bike

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

Retul motion capture is an awesome technology that would not change the outcome of my fits one bit. I was trained on it once it by the Retul employee who invented it when it was brand new, and more recently at Retul school in Boulder. It provides a very slight bit of usefully increased granularity for knee tracking, and nothing else for me. Excellent fitters love the motion capture. I'll take a vertical laser and my goni, thank you very much.

There is no equipment or technology that compensates for even a mild difference in fitter skill.

I had a fit this past weekend - my first in 4.5 years. I have 2 tri bikes, each fit by a different person. The bike with an excellent fit, I purchased after a fit on a Retul Muve and after a discussion on ST where I got the fitter engaged with Dan. This time, I selected a fitter with 30 yrs experience, and he has both the Guru fit bike and Retul Motion Capture. He asked me to bring both bikes in and set me up with Retul on both sides. We spent 3 hours but he never had me on the Guru and said that there was no need although he had been prepared to use it if necessary. He confirmed that I had an aggressive fit on both bikes but that the one I perceived to feel better was, in fact, better. Anyway, waiting for his bike recommendation between the two options I provided (he wanted to contact both mfg's for more info than is on the published geometry charts).

just curious what more info would he need then Stack and Reach of the frame.

He wanted a lot more information on the aero bar and arm pad adjustments. It was beyond my knowledge but he received it after I posted.

Did you find a fitter? Im looking as well.
Thanks

Yes. I'm using Edge and Spoke in Redmond, WA. Got the suggestion from the fitter search function here on ST.

Goo luck!

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Only those who risk going too far can find out how far they can go...

As a neophyte, before following FindinFreestyle's advice, you might want to read Dan's fit articles. I think they're still accessible from the home page.

Full disclosure - FindinFreestyle did my original TT fit and I would heartily recommend him.

Edge and Spoke is not a fitter... some person is. Who did you go with?

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”