likely because it really does matter. would you rather have a fitted cap or an adjustable one with a sliding strap? both work, but what is made for YOU.

I guess you could also apply this to helmets, get a BIG one and THICK helmet pads to fit your MEDIUM size head.

That said, I owned a Giant hardtail MTB bike which fit me like a glove ... and my current bike, while compact, is a 58 cm ... so Giant could size their bikes like, say, specialized and make many ... but if they can make 4 sizes and get rich doing it..................

gary, you are stuck in the snow up there in south dakota. A cm or two, get real. this fit stuff has gone waaay overboard, you find a bike you like ask your local bike store a few fit questions and get on and ride the damn thing period.

Companies that offer one size, two sizes (Kestrel KM40, 52 or 56), or "T-Shirt" sizes still have a viable product, but they offer less fit options. Even a bike sold in every centimeter increments does not (will not) fit everyone. If you don't think that one centimeter is the difference between a bike fitting and not fitting may I respectfully say that you are wrong.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

...yep, and end up with a bad knee(s), aching back and/or neck...not to mention potential ankle or wrist problems.

Your right, it's not about cm's. It's also about body angles and center of gravity points (i.e., balance). It's naive to think you can just grab a bike and ride... period.

FWIW Joe Moya

i could ride my wifes bike and dust you butt.

Maybe you know Joe M.I learned real soon after I started visiting this forum not to get too cocky.There many big time studs that are regular posters.Many State and National champions.Somtimes it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.By the way, does your wifes bike fit you.

   

Well, Mr. User Profile: QR guy
Status: Registered User Registered: Jan 7, 2003, 6:58 PM Last Logon: Feb 19, 2003, 5:40 PM Posts: 8 (0.2 per day) Real Name: No name entered. Location: No location entered. Local Time: Feb 19, 2003, 7:09 PM Email: No email entered.

O.K. ...I believe you... but, (trust me when I say) your not saying much.

And, I truely didn't mean for my comments to be taken personal... If I had known you were sensitive (and, I'm not being sarcastic), I would have not used such a harsh word as "Naive". For that I apologize, but for gawd sake don't start swinging until ya' know whose butt ya think you can kick... that kind of tact can get REALLY embarrassing. What if I'm a paraplegic athlete? ...hmmm, enough said.

Joe Moya

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" - Eleanor Roosevelt

QR GUY is an animal , I won't say who he is but he's very fast! I guess that most of you think that if you put a 100 stem on a bike vs a 110 then it's all wrong??????? Thats all he's saying you can make your own adjustments. Who's to say the pro fit won't still hurt your knees? Knees hurt get fit?

Joe I agree BUT I really don't think that even trained pro fitters could fit the same person exactly the same in a blind or double blind fit test.

I agree with the limitation of pro-fitters. However, I think the original post was referring to a one size fit all... that, I think has limited potential. Just as it would be unlikely that one size shoe would fit all.

As to your statement about... "would only a few cm' make a difference." Don't know... it seems tolerance is dependent upon what is incorrectly fitted and whom it fitted. (IMHO) The tolerance level for errors are dependent upon where the error is made and what are the physical limitations of the athlete. Some riders can tolerate a wider range of fitting error. While others can tolerate a wide range of fitting error in some locates but can't in other locations. As for myself, I can tolerate a large difference between stem height and seat height, but have little tolerance for incorrect seat height and position of seat - a few cm's off and the comfort level goes down significantly.

As for the little differences, I agree, sometimes their importance is a bit overrated... but one riders little difference is another bikers major difference in quality of bike fit. Whether or not a pro-fitter can see the difference is not defined by matching there fit exactly isn't the point. (IMHO) The pro-fitter should be able to determine the tolerance levels and margin's for error for the same biker under different circumstances. And, quite honestly, I don't believe a bike fit can be determine in just one fitting. It's really a learning process that occurs between the rider and the fitter. The rider defines what is working and what is not. The fitter's job is to use his experience to find a solution to those problems or improve on those attributes. And during that process, sometimes only a few cm's does make a difference... and sometimes, it is a useless detail.

FWIW Joe Moya

Joe you are so correct. It is a process. When I had my shop we would fit, ride, adjust, fit then over the season we would tweak the process. A one time thing is SILLY. I wonder how many spend the money get home and say OH I wish I had mentioned........