Bike Fit

Meet Marion. She has her bike(s) fit by Paris Bike Co. She’s the French national champion in duathlon and has podiums galore in every duathlon and triathlon she enters. She is totally dialed-in on her bike. You can be like Marion.

A true bike fit is based on your morphology and not a set of measurements. “You are not a number” is what we like to say.

We base each fit on your medical history, morphology, functional-capacities, and proprioception. Your physical capacity to interact with your bike in a way that it becomes an extension of your body and mind is what we strive for with each individual. With over 20 years of experience and multiple state and national champions (both U.S. and France) on the road, duathlon, and triathlon we can guarantee that we want to put you in the best position possible to strive for the podium, or simply make you comfortable and efficient. Above all else we attempt to help you avoid injury. The “rules” of any “true” bike fit are to first avoid injury, help you develop fluid, natural power with little loss of energy, and to have a solid base from which we can move you toward an aerodynamic position if your physical capacity allows.

Once we’ve taken your medical history and taught you the importance of personalized insoles (thermo-mouldable or from a podiatrist) for better proprioceptive response, thus comfort and fluidity, and pelvic stability. While we discuss any issues you have with your current fit, we’ll put you on a hometrainer for a bit of suffering. What good is it if you’re not warmed up a bit! We’ll then observe how you interact with your bike and make adjustments directly to your bike while you’re on it. This way we can see if the changes are positive and if you’re developing fluid power without creating other challenges to your position. We listen, then advise.

Some “classic” issues we’ll help alleviate when you come in for your fit:

• Foot pain / discomfort
• Knee pain
• Tingling hands/fingers
• Lower back pain
• Upper back pain
• Neck pain
• Perineal issues such as loss of sensation in the genital area, difficulty urinating, and overall saddle discomfort to name a few.

Many clients come to us with issues much more profound than the ones listed above. Large, leg length discrepancies, major health problems, dwarfism, and more. We take absolutely everything into account when we’re working together, with you, to find solutions. We’ll even advise you on exercises and stretches which can help you have a more fluid pedal stroke and help avoid injury.

We have a multitude of saddles, stems, and handlebars to completely dial-in your fit. Many bikes are sold with very basic saddles or saddles designed in the 1700’s. Also, many bikes are sold with handlebars which are too wide (or much too wide). We’ll show you how and why it may be important to upgrade to better material. We do not sell saddles without a fit. We test them on your bike during the fit to be sure we’re targeting the correct shape and style. We always ask for feedback and every fit with us is the beginning, not the end, of the process. Studying, listening, and being humble are just a few of the qualities that set us apart.

There are many myths in the bike-fit industry (and especially online) and we’re here to explain to you why we do things, many times, differently. You’ll feel the difference immediately and more so out on the road.

Many clients ask why our fits are only 80€ and hour. We’ve chosen not to spend well over 7000€ on a machine that tells us everything we can observe directly and in conjunction with the right questions, your medical history, and over 20 years of doing this. We want everyone, no matter your income level, to be able to profit from our experience. For those who think that a 350€ fit with a machine (image capture etc.) are a must, please know that it’s the person behind the machine that needs to be at least as knowledgeable as we are before that machine can be put to correct use. Humbly-stated mind you. We have a few experienced friends in the industry who do these types of fits and they’re awesome (with a price). And that’s perfectly cool with us. We have, however, seen many catastrophic “fits” for many unfortunate client’s who thought they had to over-pay for a good bike fit only to have to come to us to “fix” the problem(s) created by the people doing a fit from behind a computer rather than with a scientifically-based, personalized approach. So just be careful.

Regardless of whether you come to us or go to someone else, a bike fit can change your life! Don’t put it off just because you think you can “deal” with the bike setup you have. A professional assessment and help is never a bad thing but something that can mean pain, or no pain, power, or lack thereof, comfort, or no comfort, podium, or 4th place. Be like Marion!