[Frankie]

I need a little help here folks. After buying my first road bike, a Trek 2.3 and having made the move to clipless pedals, he is my question. Should I go ahead and get a full fitting at this time? I have close to 1000 miles in the saddle now. My LBS where I bought it will do a full fitting for $150.00. They also offer a $50.00 evaluation also. After 20 miles or so, the saddle is not kind to my behind and my arms are tired and aching a bit. No hurting in the knees, back, ankles at all, even after 50 miles, just sore butt and hurting arms. I move my arms around on the bars every now and again and it helps some and I stand up every 15 or 20 minutes to rest my butt. Any advise will help, thank you.

[rich88]

Frankie,

I have mixed feelings about fittings. I have had a few over the years and pretty much none of the guys doing the fitting in retrospect new what they were doing. Anybody can get out charts and graphs and take measurements of your body body but what really matters is that you get set up so that you are most efficient and have no comfort issues.

Years ago I decided to educate myself about proper bike fit and learned about how all the changes you can make would impact my fit. Stuff like seat height, bar drop, stem length, reach, etc. A. competent fitter will get you close but its really up to you to really dial in your fit.

[Industry_Hack]

What was your mileage base before you got the bike? If you're sore because you don't ride regularly, you'll still be sore after the fitting. If you have actual pain, that's another story.

Any decent bike shop should have set you up with seat height and fore/aft, as well as the correct stem, before you left the store.

[Frankie]

I have increased my miles a tad, but I did and still do ride app. 50 to 75 miles per week. I still ride my mountain bike with road tires some, due to me feeling more comfortable on wider tires in wet weather. Totally different bikes all together. I realize the bikes are different, but with a fitting if I need one should put me on the 2.3 90% of the time. I can't really say I am sore, just uncomfortable to the point of almost becoming painful, if that makes any sense. I went and talked to the LBS people today and the fitter will be in tomorrow, I am going back out to talk with him. If I need a fitting, I need one, I just don't understand what would take 3 hours to do. I hear he video tapes the rider, uses a plumb bob. Another concern is this: if I need more parts to make me ride,feel better, I am going to have a ton of money tied up in this bike as a recreational rider. With all that said, I will not be a racer, but I do want to ride as comfortable as possible. Maybe I'm going about this all wrong, but as a new rider, I find these forums are very helpful and almost all the advise I have received has been 100% good. Thanks again.

[Industry_Hack]

If they sold you the correct size frame, the only part you should have to replace is the stem.

Fitting consists of getting the correct seat height, moving it fore/aft (Google KOPS, which isn't even taken as the gospel any more) and making sure the seat is not tilted up or down too much. After that, it's a matter of making sure your stem is the correct length, and your stack height is correct - your bars are not too low. I don't recall anyone ever having a comfort issue with bars too high.

If you don't want to pony up the money, read up on fitting, and find a friend with an indoor trainer you can put your bike on. Block the front wheel to bring the bike level, then check the items mentioned above.

[Frankie]

All righty then, thanks for the help, I'll try it!!

[bmohan55]

I always felt fitting was an ongoing process, I am still (slightly) adjusting the settings on my bike after 15 years...especially in the Spring!

[whyeyebike]

I got my Allez fitted, but that was because I was suffering from some serious knee pain...my Lemond I tweaked with on my own, based on the fitting of my Allez, and I have had no problems. That bike is just as comfortable as the one I had fitted.

Frankie....what type of clothing are you wearing? I would assume that you are wearing some type of bike short/bib with a good chamois if your riding longer distances. I am curious if your pain is do to poor clothing. Bad chamois can cause all kinds of problems. As far as arm pain, that could be due to your core strength. If your core is weak (and I am the first to fess to this one) then you end up putting a lot more pressure on 1 of 2 places, either your back to keep your positioning, or your arms (resting your body weight on them). You could be using your arms to support more weight then you should, causing arm soreness.

Just suggestions....hope you find the problem soon!!!

[Frankie]

bmohan55, that is a great point, but I realize after a few years I will know what I am doing. With just a couple of months under my belt, I am not up on what I need to know.

[Frankie]

I am wearing very good clothing, bought from the clerk at my LBS. Jersey's are good as well. You did make a great point, I find myself needing to relax my arms while I am riding most of the time and no matter how hard I try to remember, in a few minutes, I am in my tensed up state again. I do feel better when I relax my arms. Maybe I just need to pratice relaxation. Easier said than done though.