Best bike fitting options within 30min of DC

[ls1dreams]

Hi all,

If you were shopping for a road bike right now and wanted to get a proper fitting, where would you go?

I searched the threads and found a few places mentioned so far:

1. Bonzai Sports in Falls Church
2. Proteus in Maryland
3. Clovis Anderson from “Conte’s” – but the only Conte’s I see listed is in Virginia Beach or something. Is this guy still in this area at a different shop? Also when googling Conte’s I see a FreshBikes pull up. Not sure if it’s the same place.

Also, it would be great to know of best free. vs paid (I assume $100-$200) options.

[PotomacCyclist]

Freshbikes in Ballston used to be known as Conte’s. It’s the same location.

[vvill]

I don’t know if it’s within 30 miles, but I’ve heard enough good things about Bike Doctor in Waldorf that if I just needed a fit right now I would consider them, and also Haymarket Bicycles.

Many bike shops will offer a basic fitting with the bike sale, but nothing really advanced.

[Emm]

I went to Clovis at fresh bikes and thought he was great. I plan to go back now that I have a new road bike. He charges $190 for a basic “2d” fit, but its 2 sessions, more if needed. Worth every penny. I believe fitting is free if you buy your bike there too.

My neighbor thinks smiley in bethesda is the best thing since sliced bread (http://bikefitbysmiley.com/). Bonus points is the guy only charges $75 if you bring in a second bike. Downside is the starting price point is pretty high at $275.

I have also known a few people to use the Retul fitting from Revolution Cycles in Clarendon. Affordable, and they seemed to like it. I think they start at like $150, $75 if you buy your bike there.

[Tim Kelley]

@Emm 118017 wrote:

I have also known a few people to use the Retul fitting from Revolution Cycles in Clarendon. Affordable, and they seemed to like it. I think they start at like $150, $75 if you buy your bike there.

+1

[tbronder]

Also greater than 30 min away, but I’ve had both road and tri fits with Stu at Parvilla Cycles in Edgewater. He has the full Retül + dynamic fit bike which allows for fit changes while you’re pedaling. I know that’s just a tool and it’s the fitter’s skill that matters most but I don’t think I’ll ever have a “static” fit again. Being able to quickly toggle between two different positions makes it much easier to give feedback on what feels better or not.

Bottom line: both my fits feel incredible plus the experience with the fit bike was a geeky cool time.

Downsides: expensive, can take a while to find an open appointment slot, you need to commit to a few hours of a weekday, and Stu has a cool demeanor that might not be to everybody’s liking.

[kwarkentien]

Gotta chime in for Clovis. He is fantastic! He’s fitted me on my Dogma F8, Shiv, and Diverge and I can’t complain about anything. I actually consult Clovis BEFORE I purchase a new bike to get his take on what will be the best for me in terms of size, style, handling, and the like. And it is true that fittings are included with the purchase after a certain threshold is met (not sure what that number is but I always seem to spend enough to be covered). Clovis does have a Retul setup at his disposal so if you’re really interested in that, I’m sure he could find a way to accommodate you. He got me so dialed in on my Dogma that I don’t even roll around on the saddle anymore like I did on my old Ruby and the position is more forward and power-focused. And for the Shiv, once I’ve gotten my initial early season reacquaintance rides done and have limbered up for the aero position, I can stay on the aero bars and crank for 40 or more miles without shifting or getting up on the base bar. And I expect no less than success with the new Diverge as well. He’s the real deal and a nice guy to boot.

[JorgeGortex]

Reviving a dead thread. My go-to guy was at Revolution, and he got out of the business when they became Trek. Anyone have any good suggestions in the NOVA area? I see Clovis’s name listed but don’t know where to find him. I have the fitting numbers from before for my road bike, but I am getting brand new road shoes and pedals, and installed a new seat post and want to make sure everything is dialed in again before I use this bike for a full century (I hope) this fall. Thanks for any suggestions!

JG

[Emm]

@JorgeGortex 180306 wrote:

I see Clovis’s name listed but don’t know where to find him. I have the fitting numbers from before for my road bike, but I am getting brand new road shoes and pedals, and installed a new seat post and want to make sure everything is dialed in again before I use this bike for a full century (I hope) this fall. Thanks for any suggestions!

JG

He’s at Green Lizard in Herndon. A little further out, but it’s a great shop and I’ve had good experiences getting fittings from him before when he was at Freshbikes.

[hozn]

I’ll also mention Doug @ Sport Fit Lab in Herndon (http://www.sportfit-lab.com/). I’ve gone there for a fitting and then also to do a saddle fitting (pressure maps, etc.), which were both enlightening experiences. But Clovis is certainly a well-respected name, so I’d probably consider using him for a fitting too in the future, if I decide to do that again.

If you just need to adjust your saddle height & fore/aft position, though, you could probably replicate this pretty easily with a measuring tape & plumb line. My saddle height fluctuates by 1-2mm depending on time of year (e.g. which shoes) as well as by how much I’m riding. And when the miles tick up, I’m always looking for a better saddle, so I’ve been experimenting with different saddles recently. If it’s of any value, my adjustment strategy is:
– Fore/aft: measure distance from nose of saddle to center of crank spindle (using plumb line) and set that to within range based on my body measurements (or previous fitting, etc.). That’s right around 8cm for me. Or you could measure to your handlebars if you’re just changing out seatpost and not setting up a bike from scratch. But there’s a correct number for this based on physiology/preference and it’d be relative to the crank spindle, not the handlebars.
– Height: start with a measuring tape to match your known-good setup; then keep raising your saddle 1mm at a time until you start feeling your hips rocking or your body being pulled across your saddle (warning this is a recipe for saddle sores if you keep riding with it too high); and then back it down 1mm.
– Angle: I mostly just set the saddle to be level, though I tweak this a little over time. But if you’re not changing your saddle, I’d just match your previous angle. A level on your phone that provides a quantified angle can be helpful for this sort of thing. Also it can be helpful to find two spots separated by the length of your wheelbase that are level on your floor/patio/driveway/etc. and mark off where to put your wheels with tape.

[JorgeGortex]

Thanks. Sounds like I have to good options to consider.

Also, thanks for the info about seat adjustment. I’d love to try some other seats… mine are OK, but who knows what is actually most comfortable for an individual without trying them, and that is an expensive proposition.

Since I am doing new pedals and shoes, along with have moved the saddle around, I think I want to get a good baseline again from a pro. I’ve definitely been doing more cycling than I ever had before, so I think things will have changed in terms of my flexibility and such.

JG

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