Bike Fitting: Is It A Waste Of Money?

Have you ever had a bike fit and did it help you? Let us know your experiences! 👇

We tackled assembling the bike as a family project. youtube.com/post/Ugkxzg0clhbtRf2gGxPkVETFKJJKGqdso… The package is heavy, but I have 2 teen boys that were able to move it. The written instructions were great- we didn't need to watch the videos, but it was good knowing that the option was there if we needed it. After we were able to get it set up, the boys each rode 3 miles and I rode 8 and the bike stayed quiet. The display is easy to reset, and you can put it on whichever setting you are using (time, distance, calories, etc). I will say that my butt is a little sore from the seat, but that could be because I haven't rode in a while. While it is comfortable for me, it was not comfortable with the seat position for my friend (could not move the seat back far enough and he slightly looked like a kid riding a tricycle that he had outgrown). He also said that the seat hurt his manly parts. We are going to look for a different seat that will be compatible with this bike for him.I did purchase the Wahoo Cadence sensor and strapped it to the crank of one of the pedals. This will sync with my Apple Watch, iPhone and will import data in to my Health app. Wahoo does have other sensors available other than cadence. I can also keep either my phone or my iPad on the display and they both feel pretty secure.

When I turned 70 I started to get a lot of overuse injuries....did a lot of physio etc but couldn't get rid of the injuries...went to a bike fit by a reputable fitter (did research) and now I can ride without pain and hopefully continue riding into my 80s. Made a lot of little adjustments in stem length, seat height, cleats etc...Definitely worth it to be able to keep riding as long as you can....

You can never have too much Phil Burt. Getting world class experts like him is a great move by the channel to bring credibility on technical subjects. Great work GCN.

Confessions from a former bike fitter here: I would say Phil is spot on, it all depends on what you need from the fit. I have no medical background and learnt how to bike fit by doing the two 3-day courses at a bike brand. I felt woefully under qualified in a fair few fits where customers would present with existing medical conditions that would affect their position on the bike, I would be honest with people and say they may be better off seeking help from a medical professional. For the majority of people however you can get them into a great comfortable position following the basic principles, which I also feel most people can probably do themselves. My advice would be to try it yourself and if you are still having pain/issues, see a medically trained professional such as Phil. If you have no idea what you are doing by all means get a bike fit at your local bike shop but bear in mind there is usually a reason they are cheaper than the likes of Phil.

I had a bike fit after suffering reoccurring knee problems that almost completely stopped me from cycling for years. My bike did seem to be very badly wrong, but the issue was supposedly my wonky high arched feet. I was sold freefloat pedals and various insoles…. Same problems kept happening for 10 years. The same knee problem stopped me from being able to run too. I went to a private running specialist physio who immediately diagnosed my week and lopsided hip muscles. The within a year of doing strength exercises - running 10 miles with little issues, but cycling 100+ mile sportives with no issues. Physio was the better spent money for me.

Had a bike fit after resisting it for a year. It has completely changed my level of comfort on the bike. As a 55 year old this is not about performance, though that improved, it’s about Being able to cycle longer and more efficiently. Highly recommended.

I've had a bike fit, after I had massive knee problems. It got way better! But I was still uncomfortable on very long rides. Then I found a women who was specialized on female ergonomics , she helped a lot (saddle height and angle). And finally thanks to Phil Burt!!! My bike came with a 172,5mm. After seeing him in a Katie Kookaburra vlog I changed them to 165mm. Since then, I haven't had knee problems. Even after climbing Sa Calobra (very slowly). Thank you soooo much 🙏

Had a bikefit here in Denmark with the goal to buy a new bike. Didn't feel comfortable about the result afterwards. Went to a second bikefit, this time in the UK with James from bicycle in Richmond. Great result and so much more ease of mind now, and have ordered the bike part. Let me just say that there was a massive difference in frame size and stem length. So glad I got a second opinion, even if it cost a bit more.

Yeah, I had a bike fit. From the same guy that sold me my bike. Put me on a frame that is obviously too large for me and I didn't know at the time. Fast forward a few years and I've replaced the cranks, the bars, the stem, the seat post, and the saddle all in the name of getting 51cm geometry out of a 54cm bike. Horrid experience that left me not trusting the bike industry at all.

Super video again! Love this no nonsense approach both of you, especially appreciative of Phil's obvious expertise and professionalism! Coming from a multi disciplinary clinic where I was a registered massage therapist amongst multiple physiotherapists and chiropractors, I ALWAYS did a thorough assessment so asn ot to waste the client's time/money. I was adamant that IF it was mine to fix, the client should feel a significant shift by the first or second session! Love the triaging of qualifications to determine the appropriateness of a bike fit! Love the no BS, direct approach! Thanks Phil, Si and gcn!

As a Retul certified bike fitter with a medical background, though limited, I have fit hundreds of people at this point. I am a firm believer that unless you’re comfortable on your bike you won’t enjoy the ride. Whether your trying to podium, trying to do your first charity century, or just trying to have a nice ride, you won’t succeed if you’re thinking about why your bumm hurts. The idea of a bike fit is to get you thinking about the ride, not what you’re riding. Does everyone need a fit? No. Just those who don’t feel good while on the ride. Best GCN video in a while!

Hi Si,yes I enjoyed it. Phil seems to talk sense. After your last video with Phil I took his advice and set the bikes up on the turbo with camera on a tripod to one side. Recumbent no problem the knee/ankle angles were about right just as I had adjusted by "what felt right". The upright was too low (it felt a bit low) and it is so much better about 40 mm up from what it was. That was the bike fit I could afford. Thanks Phil, great advice.

Got a bike fit after having total hip replacement to give me optimal power from a compromised range of motion. Totally worth the money and time. And we can never have enough of Phil Burt.

Good Vid. Well done GCN and Phil. It is such a cowboy industry... A GCN investigates vid.... Go and get a secret bike fit, then go to another bike fitter the next day. I bet you they will change something. We do offer a bike fit service, kind of reluctantly. For most people they would get a similar outcome from a phone app. Generally more work on becoming a macro absorber with strength & conditioning training would be more useful to everyone than a £200 bike fit. For riders in pain and diagnosed conditions from a physio we call in sports therapists or podiatrists to help guide the fit process.

A big issue with bike fitting for me are the quick fixes and not working on the athlete. It's hard, takes longer but it's the way to go. Focusing on the symptoms should be the last resort, for example when a rider has a big problem and a deadline coming (an event) but for most cases this should be a process of constant and steady work to achieve a good biomechanical compromise for the athlete. E.g. if a rider comes with knee pain and has weak glutes or hamstrings, you don't start changing cleats or height and call it a day, you have to address the underlining issue. I do think most bike fitting related issues are caused by not working on strengthening neglected muscle groups and also trying to adopt positions without the required flexibility and stability to do so

Great video and super important! I'm 49 and been cycling for 37 years in all disciplines. 10 years ago after feeling back pain solved by a bikefit, I've been doing a bikefit every 2 years, plus yoga (Or core, or mobility) and swimming. My position on the road bike even got more aggressive in the last couple of years! Would love more yoga/ mobility videos in the GCN training channel if possible <3

Had a bike fit - 4-hour process which focused on me to start with and then my interactions with the bike. Fabulous and certainly improved my confidence about doing some epic rides. What the older and injured need is probably not a million miles away from what the rest of us need before we reach that state.

Totally agree with Phil. I’ve met him on a few occasions & our path cross via our clients. The experience of time served over shadows lots of the high tech equipment out there. We both use very expensive equipment in our sessions but this only validates for the client what we are advising. There is no blueprint to “the perfect fit” however we can narrow down options. Well done Si for this video.

I’m fairly new to cycling but fell in love with it. After doing my first metric century, I had a Guru bike fit to increase my comfort over riding longer distances and it made things worse. The fitter set my bars too low which caused a lot of neck pain; the pain in my knees got worse. Lucky one if the guys at my LBS was able to get me somewhat comfortable. I feel like I could be more comfortable on the bike but I’m hesitant to get another fit. I think Phil made a good point about researching a bike fitter, something I will definitely do