Bicycle Fitting
Chester County Bicycles is a certified bicycle fit center. Serotta International Cycling Institute (SICI) certification.
Who needs a bicycle fitting?
Everyone who rides a bike should get a bike fit! Whether you are a recreational rider or a serious racer, ride a mountain bike or road bike or TT / Triathlon bike – your bicycle must fit. Just like your cycling shoes and shorts, your bike must fit properly in order for you to be comfortable, perform well and prevent injuries. Set up properly, every cyclist will have a better experience.
What is the ideal fit?
The ideal fit is comfortable. It facilitates efficiency of movement and the ability to generate power and speed. It allows you to easily breathe and deliver oxygen to your muscles. In the proper position on the right bike, you can effectively balance, stabilize and easily handle the bike. The body and bike become one. Every cyclist deserves to be comfortable on their bike – and a bike fit can help make that happen.
How is the perfect fit achieved?
Most systems designed to position individuals on bikes apply static body measurements to a formula or computer software to come up with an “ideal position.” This position is typically based on averages; not unlike “ideal body weights” published by insurance firms. At Chester County Bicycles, we utilize a method of fitting that treats every cyclist as unique. You will bring your own “personal blueprint” to the bike determined by your unique history: lifestyle, goals, fitness level, body type, flexibility, range of motion, riding experience, past injuries, surgeries and current physical concerns. We will work with you to achieve a position that allows you to meet your goals, while taking into consideration your abilities and limitations.
The fitting process begins with an extensive interview and then progresses to measurements, a physical assessment, and dynamic, on-bike positioning utilizing the latest generation fully adjustable Serotta Size Cycle. The Size Cycle can be set up as a standard road bike, or can easily be set up as a Time Trial (TT bike) or Triathlon bike (Tri-bike).
With the Serotta Size Cycle we can adjust the rider’s position with minimal effort, and with the rider on the bike. This allows us to experiment with different positions, and assess the impact on power output and rider comfort. The on-bike positioning begins with the feet and travels up the body to the hands. We apply principles of physiology and biomechanics to your unique blueprint, and tailor a position just for you. We then transfer the results of the fit process from the size cycle to your bike (to the extent possible), or communicate the information to a custom frame builder.
The fit process is not over when you leave our fit studio. We recognize that we cannot duplicate road conditions or trail conditions in our fit studio. Furthermore, we know that it takes several hours in the saddle to really determine the results of the fit process. With this in mind, we request and expect feedback from each of our clients after they have had an opportunity to spend some time on the bike in the new position.
