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Thoughts about Fit philosophy, Fit "systems" and value of a Fitter
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Would like to hear discussion on Retul, Guru/DFU/Dorel acquisitions and implications to you as a bike fit professional and as a retailer.

Do 'systems' for fitting work out of the box, be they Specialized, Trek or what have you?

Can anyone take a seminar and charge $350?

We can agree on what make a Mechanic a 'pro', or a 'lead' mechanic who really knows their work. Others, well, they can build a bike out of a box.

What makes a Fitter exceptional, what makes a Fitter a glorified bike builder?

Anne Barnes
ABBikefit, Ltd
FIST/SICI/FIST DOWN DEEP
X/Y Coordinator
abbikefit@gmail.com
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Re: Thoughts about Fit philosophy, Fit "systems" and value of a Fitter [ABarnes] [ In reply to ]
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What makes a Fitter exceptional, what makes a Fitter a glorified bike builder?

Knowledge makes a fitter. Missed you at Interbike.


Swifty

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Re: Thoughts about Fit philosophy, Fit "systems" and value of a Fitter [ABarnes] [ In reply to ]
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systems work out of the box, if they're sound, and if the tools to use the system are owned and used by the fitter. but that's not the end of the story. my wife is a potter. i bought her a wheel, a kiln, and i built her a ceramic studio. she took classes. she's been a potter for about a year and a half. she makes nice pots. but she's been a potter for a year and a half. in 10 more years, she'll be an excellent potter. she's not near there yet. still, what my wife learned, and the tools she has, work "out of the box."

a cert on the wall and a fit bike a fitter does not make. but, if you're a fitter and you don't have a protocol that you can describe, that makes eminent sense, that's a lot more math/science than it is art; and if you don't have a fit bike to execute dynamic fits; then experience a lone won't get it done.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Thoughts about Fit philosophy, Fit "systems" and value of a Fitter [ABarnes] [ In reply to ]
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Big Dan has it right on, in so much as you can't replace experience. In your mechanic/ fitter comparison it takes years of repetitive experience to gain certain levels of expertise. Nothing replaces the pure number of times you have encountered and then dealt with any given situation. The same goes for any professional of any skill, be they mechanic, fitter, potter or surgeon.

As far as the first question as to the implications of recent acquisitions it is far too soon to tell. Really nothing has yet hit the actual market place and so the implications can not yet be realized or even measured with any conclusion.

Any one can take or not take any cert and charge any amount that they want assuming that someone will pay that amount. Is that fit worth $350-, again depends. That is for the consumer to determine. If the fitter can charge $350 and people are willing to pay then the obvious answer is yes.

in regards to systems working out of the box, I would say yes and no. Everything and everyone has limitations. If the system used or the person using it has a customer that fits within that skill set then the system is deemed to "work" but if that customer needs something beyond the system limitations or the fitters skill set, well then no. So it is a matter again of the customers needs and requirements of the system and fitter.

Retul Certified Master Fitter, FIST certified fitter, Owner of Hypercat Racing http://www.hypercat.com, and friend to the animals.
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Re: Thoughts about Fit philosophy, Fit "systems" and value of a Fitter [ABarnes] [ In reply to ]
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Here's my take on it:
http://jbvcoaching.com/BikeFits.asp

Slowman and Swifty have said it multiple times, in multiple ways, all the tools are still just tools. They're not going to make someone a good fitter if they weren't already. Likewise, a week long training won't do it, although maybe that's a good starting point for some.
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Re: Thoughts about Fit philosophy, Fit "systems" and value of a Fitter [vjohn] [ In reply to ]
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As Andy Pruitt once told me being a fit specialist all boils down to the tools of the trade. The most important tool is the fit specialist themselves. So over my 15 years of fitting cyclists to their bikes its all about repetition. Also be diverse, doing road mtn tri and even hybrid bikes. And probably the most vital tool to the fitter is their ears.

Robert Driskell
Certified Master Body Geometry fit Technician
Certified Master Retul Fit Technician
Zipp Service Course Specialist
Bikes Plus Pensacola Florida
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Re: Thoughts about Fit philosophy, Fit "systems" and value of a Fitter [ABarnes] [ In reply to ]
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Funny, just wrote a blog about some of this. As an independent, or as Dan has called us before "just some guy", with no shop or brand loyalty and no focus or interest in the retail aspect, I probably have a different perspective than those fitters based inside a retail shop.

http://imfit-youniquecycles.blogspot.ca/2012/12/fit-bikes-what-are-they-good-for.html

Ian MacLean
http://www.imfit.ca
Success comes when fear of failure goes
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Re: Thoughts about Fit philosophy, Fit "systems" and value of a Fitter [Ian MacLean] [ In reply to ]
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Excellent read, Ian, thank you very much!
Have also read much of your other posts, especially the "happy to finish" but most importantly the "random thoughts" from back in May.

Thanks also to everyone else's comments on this thread too.

Anne Barnes
ABBikefit, Ltd
FIST/SICI/FIST DOWN DEEP
X/Y Coordinator
abbikefit@gmail.com
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Re: Thoughts about Fit philosophy, Fit "systems" and value of a Fitter [ABarnes] [ In reply to ]
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My pleasure.
Thanks for dropping in to give it a read.

Ian MacLean
http://www.imfit.ca
Success comes when fear of failure goes
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