Mike McClusky of Wired has gone through a few of the different ways of fitting a new bike.  He has tried and tested the “data driven approach of the Specialized fit, which used my body’s measurements and flexibility as a starting point, to the experience-driven fit I was given by the late, great Clay Mankin at San Francisco’s City Cycle, I’ve seen most of the ways that a rider and machine can be brought together.” The only thing left for Mike to try out was the Retul fitting system.

From the Retul website:

Readings taken throughout the Dynamic 3D motion capture process are immediately processed and a report generated. The fitter then analyzes the date from this sample and evaluates th

e need for position change. Once the changes are made, the process is repeated to verify effectiveness. This new data then becomes part of the final report, in addition to post-fit bike and equipment measurements.

Probably the most interesting part of the Retul system is that it measures both sides of your body separately.  “Ideally, the mechanics would be very very close from the right and left sides, so that you’re working symmetrically. But we found that the numbers were pretty far off on my left from my right, and that it looked like my left leg is shorter than my right. Almost no one has legs that are exactly the same length, but in my case, the discrepancy was enough to be reflected in the motion capture. Incidentally, the difference wasn’t noticeable to the naked eye; a good argument for the Retul system.”

So, is it worth the several hundred dollars just for the test?  If you are trying to knock a second off of your time trial on your new $8,000+ bike, probably.  But for the most of us, it probably makes more sense to trust your LBS.  Also, don’t hesitate to shop around.  One bike shop may spend 60 seconds fitting you to a bike, and the next may spend an hour.  I will let you decide which shop to buy your new bike from.

Read the full Wired article.

RETUL’s website.