(01-14-2024, 09:39 AM)meamoantonio Wrote: I'm curious to hear what bike fitters have to say about this, do we have bike fitters here?
I have fit people before. The main issue other than frame size is all about personal preference. If I was to "fit" someone for a bike that is just getting the basic frame height and reach figured out, I only got 1/2 the problem solved. Saddles and handlebars are personal preferences based on physique, riding posture/style, type of terrain, etc. You can set up bike up "perfectly", but if someone changes how they ride, be it posture, road/trail condition, average distance, etc. then the "perfect" set-up is perfect no more. I don't care what type of fit you do, how long it takes, or how much is spent doing it. I would have the same issues myself; but I have my shorter distance road bike, long distance road and touring bikes, hill climbing bike, cross trainer/path racer bike, casual commuter bike, etc., etc.
It not that someone needs ten bikes, but if they are going to ride one bike in vastly different ways then you cannot expect to be able to set up a bike for all conditions unless you want to be changing out parts regularly and/or re-adjusting its set-up.
My road hill climber has slightly longer cranks and a shorter top tube because I want more leverage and a certain position in relation to the cranks and bar when out off the saddle; I would feel a bit cramped if just using it for long distance riding on flats where I like to be stretched out and have a decent drop on my bar for aero effect.
Ergonomic bars are only as good as the person they fit. Most amateur riders don't need to worry about aerodynamics if just going for a 30 minute ride or short commutes, and even if doing longer rides I don't see people in the drops hardly ever. My 1 hour plus rides are about 50% in the drops, most people could use a flat bar and be just fine.
Bar type/rise/drop/width/angle; seat post offset; crank length; saddle type/set-up, stem drop/rise/length, etc. are often going to be needing changes if you do not ride in a fairly consistent manner. I do not even bother with doing a fit anymore for people since I primarily only sell frames with BB's and headsets. If the the buyer gets the wrong size frame it's on them; and its on them to get the specific components to fit their needs and body. I might get a you a perfect frame for your size, but if I put too long or toi short a stem on it or bar type then you might think I sold you a frame not fit for you, and I do not need that headache. Let the buyer deal with it on their own. I may give some advice, but I will not say get this or that, in this or that size, etc. because it is too personal from one rider to the next. Easier to set-up a bike for a serious racer than a casual rider. I fit multiple saddles for a friend's bike I built. He would ride it and everything was fine. Then he started riding it longer distances and I needed to swap out saddles until he was comfortable, changed bar height, changed post offset, changed tires, changed gearing. Heck, I could have built him that "new" bike in the first place considering all the changes I made to it, or just built-up 2 separate bikes had I know that he was planning on using the one for vastly different conditions.
That being said, the only one who can determine that is the rider. Get what you feel serves you not what another person says if it involves one's individual characteristics.
If I say that handlebar is great, I love it, it works for me, etc. and then you buy one and hate it; does it mean the bar is bad, does it mean I was wrong? No! It just means we are different and what suits one person does not necessarily suit another. That is why I think all this "high tech" and costly fitting is ludricrous for casual riders, and serious riders should already know what would generally suit them or not in most cases after being given a basic fit. I ride bikes that are not even close to my optimal size (ST 52cm c-c; TT 54cm c-c) because I can and I kbow how to set them up for me. Can someone else ride from a 49cm to a 60 cm frame? Maybe, maybe not; but I still can based on my personal knowledge and needs.
I won't even get into the psychology I could use on people after fitting them "properly" just to get them gone knowing that no matter what I did, right or wrong, I could steer them into accepting what "I thought" was right for them even knowing they were not getting a correct size, set-up etc. Why do we have "athletes" doing insurance ads, food ads, etc. ? They are not experts, but apparently they know your tastes, and the sheep will follow someone just because they are led. I refuse to do that.
Yes, buy that handlebar, it's perfect for you, I love it, see me use it, it's great. I could probably sell someone a handlebar for a unicycle if I wanted to.
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