Most commonly asked questions in bike fits
I absolutely love chatting to riders within bike fits, I’ve met all sorts of incredible people over the last 5 years and have been able to be a small part of many athletes journeys in time trial, road race and triathlon.
Throughout this time I get a lot of questions, many riders come equipped with a notebook ready to throw questions at me left, right and center! I love that, the bike fit experience is more than just a bike fit, it’s a learning experience that you should really take advantage of!
So, below are some of the really common questions that I get with some short and to the point answers (we’d be here for hours if I went into depth like I do in the fits!)
Do I need a faster bike than this one?
No, the body is 80-85% of the overall drag for many riders, so you’re doing the right thing coming in for a bike fit!
Have you ever done a triathlon?
No! But, it is a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’ for me. Once I have accomplished what I’d like to from cycling then I’ll be on the start line!
1X or double chainring set up?
If you’re a triathlete and you plan on racing either Bolton, Wales or racing some of the hillier races abroad then I personally would recommend you keep a double setup on. There is nothing stopping you using 55/42T chainrings for example, but the small ring gives you a ‘get out of jail free card’
What bike do you ride?
I get asked this a lot, it changes from year to year like most riders but for 2021 I’ve used a Specialized Shiv TT Disc, this is by far the best bike I have ever owned and I’m yet to really do it justice!
Do I need custom insoles?
At GFCS we use Sidas Custom Carbon Insoles – having used a few different brands I settled with Sidas and the quality is second to none. Do you need them though? The insoles we use (after taking a mold of your foot) are designed for comfort and performance so really there is an argument that everyone would benefit from having quite literally a carbon copy of your foot inside your shoes!
The morale of this story is that if you’re coming for a fit soon then please do prepare some questions ready for your fit! If you ask anybody who has been for a fit over the last few years they’ll testify that when you’re here we really are here to talk bikes all day long!
