Fitter’s Corner: bike fit and your bike shop

Continuing our series with bike fitting professionals, Wei-Ho Ng is in the hot seat, sharing his education from his time running Foundation Fit and Triathlon Coaching…

How did you get started as a bike fitter?

My bike fit education started in 2007, whilst working at Condor Cycles. Every Condor bike was, and still is, sold with a bike sizing session. To work out the right size frame and components for each individual rider, I was taught how to ‘fit’, using a fit jig, so that I could sell bikes.

Using a fit jig enabled the rider to try out different frame sizes, stem lengths, handlebar widths etc, ensuring bikes were assembled to meet rider’s needs and specifications – building the position this way ensured customers collected a bike which would feel great straight from the off.

All the fitting was done by visually observing a rider on the jig. Looking back now, most of the fit theory was outdated, however, the fundamental concept of ensuring a rider can move well and be comfortable on a bike was, and still is, a cornerstone of my fitting practice.

We had a great team whilst I worked there with a broad range of knowledge and experience. I think Condor were ahead of the game at this time and it shows in their continued success.

The staff took me under their wing and showed me what they knew. Each of us had to take responsibility for the customers we had fitted, so you had to find solutions to help riders enjoy their bikes. In that environment I had a curiosity to try to figure things out and was given the opportunity to pursue my curiosity… as long as we were still selling bikes of course.

Riders would come back to the shop and give feedback on the ride experience and position, which was also an invaluable learning tool.

How long does it take and what does it cost to become a solver of complex bike fit problems?

First and foremost, if you want to solve complex problems, you need to place yourself in an environment that helps you achieve your goals. This might be a supportive bike shop, or where you have access to specific bike fitting equipment, or simply being able to discuss issues and ideas with other experienced fitters or health practitioners.

I think working in a bike shop environment provides crucial product knowledge and experience for a fitter. I am constantly confronted with situations I have not seen before but if you explore beyond your comfort zone and see problems as opportunities for learning and progression, solutions will present themselves.

If bike fitting is about understanding human movement, each bike fit is essentially a unique ‘problem’ to be solved. As a result, bike fitting exists at many different levels. There’ s a time and a place for all of these levels. Not all bike fits exist to solve complex problems. However, if there is the curiosity to explore complex problems, then the solutions require a willingness to get stuck in, experiment and learn from your ‘mistakes’.

Of course, the more fits you see, the more patterns and connections you understand, the more confident you are in finding solutions, the bigger and more effective your toolbox becomes. This is the same for all jobs and skills. Expertise is the accumulation and application of experience.

With this in mind, when someone is interested in learning about bike fitting, the most important factor they need to understand is their attitude towards learning and problem solving.

What does it take to be respected by your customers?

I think customers always appreciate honesty when you are providing a service. This means being honest with yourself, as well as encouraging customers to be honest with themselves. Bike fitting may be described as ‘complex’ because human beings are complex. I don’t always have the answers as a bike fitter, but I’m willing to try to find out, if a customer is willing to go on that journey with me.

Conversely some riders may be trying to achieve unrealistic goals and it’s part of my job to guide them through an honest process so they can make the best decisions for themselves.

If you are trying to set up a rider’s contact points on a bike, it helps to know how you could achieve this with particular products that are available on the market. There’s usually more than one way to achieve the same result e.g. you can achieve an overall longer cockpit reach by installing a longer stem or by using a handlebar with a longer reach or a combination of both. Each solution has different consequences: Having the fundamental product knowledge makes you a better problem solver.

If you’re honest in your work, customers will see that you have done the best job that you can. I think that builds respect.

What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in bike fitting?

The biggest changes I have seen are:

• Less emphasis on the use of technology as an indicator of the quality of a bike fit

Bike fit technology systems were initially developed with the hope of providing this consistency and quality of results, but we’ve seen this dispelled over the last ten years. Technology systems alone cannot provide these results, but they are still useful tools.

I feel most good fitters now focus primarily on understanding the quality of movement of a rider in a similar way to how a physio or personal trainer will assess a person. Have you ever been to a physio who’s used a machine to measure your body angles to assess the pain in your knee? No, they use their eyes, get hands on, feel, ask a lot of questions and then test out some solutions.

• Better understanding of cycling biomechanics, backed by science

Fitting still requires some art, but the growth of sports science and biomechanical studies over the last 15 years has really helped to validate certain fit methods and anchor fitting in the realm of biomechanics.

I feel like the pioneering bike fitters were similar to pioneering coaches. Coaches often know what works best for their athletes, through experience and trial and error. They don’t wait for a scientific study to be published to validate them before applying their methods. Science is often slow and applied after methods of training have been ‘discovered’.

The pioneering bike fitters also knew from intuition and experience what constituted a ‘good fit’ but often struggled to explain why it worked. This is why there are so many bike fit myths and why bike fitting was considered a ‘dark art’ up until fairly recently.

• More awareness and acceptance of bike fit by the public (and industry) as a useful practice

Thinking about points one and two, there is now a greater acceptance by the public, by riders, that bike fitting is relevant practice and resolve problems.

What’s the biggest myth about bike fitting?

I thought I’d offer a myth that might be more relevant for those working within the cycling industry: It is complicated and expensive to get started in bike fitting.

I think bike fitting is often viewed as synonymous with expensive technology or motion capture systems and the myth that it is a ‘dark art’ is confusing and off-putting for both customers and practitioners. In reality, bike fitting doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. All you need to get started is a set of Allen keys, a turbo trainer, some decent bike fit training, and a real drive to learn.

The fundamentals of body positioning in a bike fit can be analysed through visual observation, asking the rider for feedback and a solid understanding of cycling biomechanics. Essential changes to many bikes can be made simply with a set of Allen keys.

I would load my kit onto a cargo bike and travel to rider’s homes, physio practices, club houses and even fitted outdoors. Initially I didn’t know if the service would be successful, but the business has gone from strength to strength and most of our business still comes from referrals.

Of course, as the scope of your fitting grows then you will need to invest in more equipment. If you want to do pre-purchase sizing, or need to fit bikes with integrated cockpits, then you will need to invest in a fit jig.

Even then we’re currently using a modified Wahoo Kickr bike as a fit jig. It’s not the best jig available but it does the job and is three times cheaper than a top-end Purely Custom dedicated fit jig. It can feel off-putting when many bike fit specific products are very expensive, however there are solutions now that put things like jig fitting well within the reach of smaller bike businesses.

When it comes to technology like motion capture systems, they can certainly be useful and help to ‘sell’ a fit, but are not essential to complete a bike fit. They are simply tools and can help to illustrate certain issues or offer reassurance to a fitter but technology systems. They show you what is happening but they don’t offer solutions; these still have to come from the fitter. Two of the most useful technology tools we use on a daily basis are an iPad Pro and BikeCAD software. The iPad camera is superb and the format allows for easy communication with the rider. You can film a rider, from any angle, turn the iPad around and show them instantly what their body is doing on a bike, frame by frame.

How can customers tell which fitters are deeply knowledgeable, not just trained on a piece of technology?

The best way you can determine this is to get in touch. Talk to your prospective bike fitter, in person if possible. Bike fitters come from many different backgrounds, have different experiences. Some may not have the specific knowledge you require; some may have a philosophy which doesn’t match yours.

I think the most important thing for customers is to find a bike fitter who understands their goals and is willing to work with them to achieve those goals. If you’re looking for a fit on your mountain bike, you probably wouldn’t be best served by getting a fit with a time trial specialist. Bike fitting is a collaborative process between rider and fitter, so there has to be agreement and synergy between both to achieve good solutions.

I’d also recommend riders speak to other riders who have had bike fits and understand their experiences. Again, what might have been a good fit for them might not necessarily be the right fit for you. However, you can gain an idea for what different fitters offer and decide which sounds most appealing to you.

Finally, I would check the IBFI website and review listings such as Google. Results often speak for themselves. If a fitter is getting regular, good reviews, it’s probably worth getting in touch. The IBFI is an indicator that bike fitting is a maturing profession. It hopes to certify fitters, somewhat like other health practices, to allow riders to choose a fitter who has demonstrated they are competent to a certain level. However, it’s worth noting that there are definitely some very knowledgeable fitters who are not on the IBFI list.

Do you see repeat customers in bike fitting?

Absolutely. I think it’s the same for most services too. If you find a good mechanic or plumber, you’re likely to stick with them.

If I do a good job as a fitter, riders will want to come back to me when they get a new bike, or when they buy new shoes, or just to see how their body is adapting into a new position.

I also try hard to get riders to come back to see me again after an initial fit, otherwise it’s really hard for me to know if what I have done is working or not. If I don’t have any feedback, I can’t improve. If I can’t improve, I can’t grow myself or my business.

Do retail stores understand the commercial opportunity that comes with a truly skilled bike fitter?

A fitter can deliver on a commercial level everything from loyal customers and repeat customers who will travel, to more footfall into a shop, and ultimately, happy, satisfied customers – because they have a bike that feels amazing to ride.

Cycling is a social and physical sport. People want to ride with other people. People want to feel part of a community. Bike shops can create and care for these communities. A cafe gives riders a reason to stop by. Mechanics will keep your bike running smoothly. Bike fitters ensure you get the most out of body and bike. Bike shops can change from mainly selling products to selling knowledge, expertise and quality of experience.

In the face of forces trying to distance customers from physical shops – pureplay eComm businesses – I believe that bicycle retailers still have a great opportunity to attract riders in-store by providing services which simply cannot be fulfilled online.

I’m lucky enough to work with a bike shop (Cloud 9 Cycles) that has integrated bike fitting into its business model. Although bike fitting and the bike shop run as independent businesses, we work very closely together. I simply hire a space within the shop to use as my fit studio. Cloud 9 focuses on building and servicing custom bikes, so the majority of new builds start with a bike fit. This gives the shop reassurance that once the fit is done, the shop can then order and build the right size bike from the start, there’s no wasted time in trying to get rid of surplus OEM parts or trying to send back an incorrectly sized bike.

On the flip side, if I have a client who needs work done to his bike following fit, I can simply send them to the workshop who can sort it out. This is becoming an increasingly common scenario with the proliferation of integrated cockpits and integrated tri-bikes where changing a stem can add up to being a two-hour job. I don’t have time to do that as a fitter, but it’s bread and butter business for the workshop.

For those keen to book a bike fitting with Wei, or with questions about business integration for shops exploring ‘fitting as a service’ contact Wei via www.foundation.fit