Bike-fitting in Chicago?

November 15, 2010 12:57 PM

I am looking for the best place in Chicago to be fit (measured) for a bicycle.

I'm starting to look now for a bicycle for next Spring, but I would like to be professionally fit for one first, partly because I do a lot of indoor riding and want to make sure I'm not hurting myself. Does it make sense to be fit for a bicycle before buying one, and if so, is there are great person in Chicago for this? Thanks very much.

posted by facetious to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

I think you really want to be fit for the bike that you are buying. You are unlikely to get a frame that absolutely perfect for your body unless you are having it custom made. Think of a bike fit as getting an off the rack suit, then getting it altered by a tailor to fit you perfectly. A good bike store will measure your limbs and torso and establish a frame geometry that will fit you, probably have you ride several bikes within that range, and then adjust/swap fit parts like saddles, handlebars, and stems as needed to get it perfect. A lot of shops will do this free if you're buying an expensive (~$1500+) bike.
posted by ghharr at 1:10 PM on November 15, 2010

Village Cycle? That's where I was fit for my bike. 1337 N. Wells.
posted by marimeko at 3:00 PM on November 15, 2010

Think of a bike fit as getting an off the rack suit, then getting it altered by a tailor to fit you perfectly. A good bike store will measure your limbs and torso and establish a frame geometry that will fit you, probably have you ride several bikes within that range, and then adjust/swap fit parts like saddles, handlebars, and stems as needed to get it perfect.

QFT. If you don't want to be fit by the place from which you're buying the bike, find a fitter you like (sorry, no suggestions for Chicagoland), have them tell you what size you need (I prefer stack and reach as the ultimate fit parameters), and then take the new bike back to them for tweaks to the bars, stem, and saddle.
posted by The Michael The at 4:14 PM on November 15, 2010

I've never had it done, but off the top of my head I can think of two shops that market themselves as fitting experts: Get a Grip Cycles and Turin Bicycles in Evanston.
posted by hydrophonic at 4:26 PM on November 15, 2010

It's not going to help you like you think it will. Right now you just need a size, or sizes that you're between. It's either going to be a matter of custom, in which fitting will be a part of the process, or retail, where it's a matter of inventory and you only need to be fine-tune capital-F Fitted for a bike you own. It's OK to be in the ballpark and it's OK to get fitted at a different shop than the one where you bought the bike.
posted by rhizome at 5:01 PM on November 15, 2010

Best answer: Iron Cycles has a fitting machine and the best advice in the city. The owners are mechanics there and they are great guys, very informative and patient. They will go out of their way to help you.
posted by lee at 6:20 PM on November 15, 2010

Response by poster: I got in touch with Brandon at Iron Cycles, who told me pretty much what everyone kind enough to reply here has said - better to wait and do it on the bike I eventually pick up. So there it is. Thanks!
posted by facetious at 8:13 PM on November 16, 2010