After a disappointing spring training season on a bike fitted by another store, I went to BikeSport Michigan in Dearborn Michigan for help. I had heard great things from several other members of my triathlon team who had purchased bikes there. When I went to the store, I met a very nice man / owner named Tom Demerly. We talked about bikes, performance etc. I will not include his resume of personal accomplishments here, but I fare to say there are few if any that top his lifetime experiences / accomplishments with endurance sports.
I was fitted by multiple measurements of all my body parts. These were put into a computer program and he made several suggestions of bikes that would be best for me. We didn’t necessarily pick the best looking, most, or least expensive bikes. We picked what worked. They built the bike to my geometry and I was put on a trainer with a side view video camera. Pictures were taken, angles measured, and adjustments made (very few). Since then, I have had several personal best paces / times at races up to half-ironman events. I was so satisfied I couldn’t wait to go back to the store and tell them how I had performed.
I have been so impressed by the service and attention I received at this store that I have purchased a second bike from them and will continue to seek advice for all my triathlon and road bike needs. When I was getting fit, a couple had driven from Indiana just to buy a bike and get fit at Bikesport. I have not seen or heard of any service like this from the east coast through the Midwest. If you have a chance to stop by or are in need of THE bike fit, I would recommend you proceed directly to Bikesport Michigan. www.bikesportmichigan.com
Yes I am new to the area. I grew up in West Virginia, and I have lived in Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington DC,Virginia, and the last two years in Michigan. It would not be fair to mention the other stores that I have been to (two stores that I’ve seen jerserys worn from in KONA), but needless to say the fitting and results have been superior. Two thumbs up for bikesport.
I am also new to this forum and triathlons. I bought from Tom earlier this year with very little knowledge about this sport and his operation. I just knew I wasn’t impressed with the local shops…gut feeling. Taking what I thought a “chance”, I went up there and he spent an hour on my fitting. When my bike came in, he spent another hour with the final fitting. After riding it for the summer, I thought it needed an adjustment but wasn’t sure. He worked on my bike last Friday for over an hour and corrected the issue all at no charge.
It turns out that it really wasn’t a chance, I just got lucky happened to find one of the best. Good customer service is hard to find these days…
Hey, man, you are just reminding the people who don’t live in michigan what we are missing We all know what an incredible resource Tom D is but alas, he is around 12-14 hours by car from me.
That’s just 12-14 hours, but by car/airplane/car. So what’s the big deal? Are you suggesting England to Dearborn is a “little” further (total distance travelled) than where ever in the US it takes 12-14 hours by car to get to Dearborn?
Is your case the extreme “I’d walk a mile for a Camel”?
The unanswered question is how was the fit? Is it the best you have ever experienced?
By the way, do you ever wear your Saddlemen jersey?
Hey Ben, my example was an illustration of what I considered to be reasonable to get to Bikesport and have a positive and worthwhile experience. On the face of it, to a lot of people, it may not have been a sensible trip to get a fit or a bike when both could be obtained closer to home but in my opinion I would have not received the same level of service or have finished up with such a good fit.
The fit was most definitely the best I have experienced, more importantly I not longer have a problem with my back (congenital sponylisis, check spelling!) and the bikes disappear beneath me and appear part of me. For me, it was a productive expenditure of time and money.
As for my Saddlemen jersey I have proudly worn it in a number of races where I do not need to race for the team whose kit I wear and it has a lot of the other riders wondering who they are!
We all know what an incredible resource Tom D is but alas, he is around 12-14 hours by car from me.