Zen and the Art of Triathlon

Apart from paying £200 (330 dollars) what our the general rules for bike fitting and tweeking for best performance and comfort???

That's a lot of money for a bike fitting, no matter how good it is.

Yeap it sure is but thats the cost at our local outlet. Its £150 for road bike fitting and £200 if you want tri bike fitting....... Hence the reason I thought i'd ask if anyone had any tips...

Jeez, that's expensive. I'd say go to youtube and look for videos. And start talking to friends that are experts and listen closely when they tell you details. Set up a trainer and bike in place, video it, and post it to the web and ask people what to change.

Hi,
last year I too was looking to do a home bike fit. I've had professional fits done, but after watching the guys that do it, they seemed in a hurry, and not focused on details, so I thought I'd see what I could do. Now on the internet there are a few good documents, and lots of sites wanting you to enrol in their bike fit program (and pay - avoid those). The "How to Fit a Bicycle" by Peter Jon White was good (was at http://www.peterwhitecycles.com.fitting.htm) also the "Bike Fitting Formulas" (was at http://cyclemetrics.com/Pages/Docs/6-BikeFitting/LemondSystem/fit_formulas...). A great reference to the measurements with clear pictures "Bike Fitting Information - Body Measurements" (was at http://cherry.dcwi.com/cherry/info/fitting), and finally "Bike Fit 101" by Coach Al Lyman is great (no link, sorry you'll have to Google it).
After all that, I found that a clearer and more consise and really focused on Triathlon information in Lennards Zinn's "Zinn & the Art of Triathlon Bikes". The whole of Chapter 3 is about positing on the bike. I highly recomend it. I particularly used the section on saddle height. To measure the knee flexion I used a digital video camera, and after warming up, I video'ed my cycling, and then uploaded it, and took a still image when my foot was at the bottom, and then was able to get a real accurate angle measurement using a protractor against the image. I then moved the seat up and down to alter the flexion angle, and re-video'ed to check. I found when the bike shops measure you, you aren't always warm, and this affects your position, and thus the bike fit. Also, but making minor ajustments yourself, you can really hone your bike to suit you.
A lot said, but it works for me, hope it helps.
Cheers
Tom.

Cheers Tom some really helpful advice...

My latest bike fit was done in Austin and was spectacular. The guy was knowledgeable, but the best part was that he took his time. PLENTY of time. Great stuff. And don't be afraid to ask questions.

Finally got hold of a trainer will be setting it up soon and posting the results to you tube, I would really appreciate all of your input please.. After a 50 mile ride at the weekend my left knee was in really hurting at the ear of the joint and light swelling at the front?
I will post a link to video soon.
Thanks in advance..
Simon..

Hi one and all please check out my bike video.. I would welcome any sensible comments - other videos to follow on you tube s1monwr1ght...........

Thank you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcsfwA65krY

Hi Simon,
I've had a look at your Utube video. I'm by no means an expert. I'll just give some comments based on what I do, and have read. Now firstly I took a snapshot of your video with your right-leg in the lowest position. I then measure what I consider your "knee flexion angle". Now for performance, you want reduce the angle, yet for removal of pain or disconfort you want to increase the angle. The angle is changed by moving the seatpost up and down. For me when I had my seat tube at 11cm, I had an angle of 40deg. I moved the seat up a cm to 12cm, I then had an angle of 35deg. I based this largerly on the Photo 3.1 in "Zinn & The Art of Triathlon Bikes", where they also say "...simply lowering the saddle so that the knee bend at bottom dead center is 30-35 degrees rather than 25-30 degrees could reduce the pull on the hamstrings.." Perhaps more relevant to you, since you mention knee pain, is the Pro Tip on page 47 - Andy Pruitt's, EdD rule of thumb on knee pain - "If your knee hurts in the front, raise the saddle; if it hurts in the back, lower it. If you are hurting on a ride, raising or lowering the saddle with this rule of thumb will get you home; don't leave it in that position forever." So based on the comment that your pain is in the back of the knee, and that lowering the seat a little will give a less stressful angle, I'd try lowering your seat 1 cm or half an inch. Scribe a mark at the current position on your seat post, and then measure relative to this.
Now your forward tilt of your back I measure to be about 68deg. This isn't optimal, yet if I were you I'd leave this angle unless you work on the flexibility of your hips so that a more agressive angle doesn't hurt, and how uncomfortable you can tolerate the compression of the belly. Over time as you loose more weight, you will be able to tollerate more. No critisim here intented, I have a greater girth than I'd like as well. I spend months doing 10mins in the prone postion, 10 mins off to slowly work my body into being able to stay down on the tribars for an extended period. A phiso of mine years ago said "Tom your as flexible as a ceramic tile..."
Now looking at your arm reach, you look comfortable, but I would tilt your handlebars towards you, to have an almost flat topline. This I believe will make less stress on your hands, make it so you don't have to change your body postion to use the brakes, and should improve shoulders stress on long rides.
You might already know, but I'll mention it anyway, that the Wind-trainners create an un-natural downward angle due to the raising of the rear wheel. This is usaully offset by raising the front wheel a couple of inches - typically by resting the front tyre on a phone-book. Minor, but beter to mimic the feel of the road.
Using your Wind-trainner, you should be able to make -small- adjustments to your seat tube, and then ride for 30-40 mins to gauge the feel.
Hope this helps. I rode a yellow Giant bike like yours (a few years older than yours) in the 2002 Ironman NZ. Great bike!
Cheers
Tom.

Cheers Tom thank you so muh that is really useful info that I am now going to go and act on... Thanks again. Simon Wright