What is a reasonable amount to pay for a tri bike fitting from someone who is “almost” FIST certified? This LBS is one of the few tri specific shops in town so I might have to pay whatever he charges – $100. He does use a power training and is “running a deal” where he’ll do a VO2 max test for an additional $50. I didn’t buy the bike from him, I built it myself.
Will a VO2 max test even be useful unless I track it on a regular basis? I guess I just don’t see the benefit (the $50 benefit) of having this done. Can’t I rely on my PVO2 (perceived VO2; yes, I like to make up terms)?
$100 to $150 sounds reasonable to me for a 1 to 2 hour fitting session but I wanted to make sure I’m not getting shafted.
The certification wouldn’t necessarly be my primary concern. My first question would be, “How many triathletes from the area have you already fitted?”
The biggest issue with newer fitters is a simple lack of experience. Bike fitting is not rocket science but a fitter’s skill inventory should improve with the number of fits they do if they are a good student.
The certification wouldn’t necessarly be my primary concern. My first question would be, “How many triathletes from the area have you already fitted?”
The biggest issue with newer fitters is a simple lack of experience. Bike fitting is not rocket science but a fitter’s skill inventory should improve with the number of fits they do if they are a good student.
I am fairly new to the area (I moved here last April) and they seem to have a fairly strong tri community. Even though it is strong, it is fairly new – most of the people have only been doing tri for 2 to 3 years (mostly sprint & Olympic distances) and very few own dedicated tri bikes. I asked a few members of the local tri club about the fittings done by this LBS and got mixed reviews.
I went to a club meeting where the owner of the LBS (the guy who would actually do the fitting) talked about his fitting philosophy and, for the most part, everything he said seemed to be reasonable. I really can’t say how many fittings he has actually done. And to be honest, the money isn’t the issue; rather I hate giving any shop my business if they are only concerned about making a quick dollar. I know these retail shops operate on thin margins so I have no problem paying full price as long as the LBS builds relationships with its customers. Does that make sense?
My only other option is to go to a shop that specializes in road or mountain bikes. Or… I could always post pictures of my spandex-laden self on ST to be told how high my seat post is.
Hmmm. Well, it sounds like the fella at the bike shop is actually either part of or trying to be part of the triathlon community. That’s good, and he deserves credit for that if it is earned.
Tell him you’ll give him a try, but politely remind him you’ll hold him accountable for his results. That seems like a fair arrangement.