custom frame fitting

Many better shops can get you properly fit on a bike, and make recommendations for which will fit
you best. In our case, there are some people who really aren't going to fit on a Klein (due to
rather long top tubes) but fit perfectly on a TREK or even a LeMond (whose top tube isn't actually
as long as people think, since some of the extra length is created by using a slack seat tube... put
the seat forward where you might want it, and all of a sudden some of that length has disappeared).

Measurements are a great place to start, but there's no substitute for actually riding a bike set up
that way, and having someone observe you.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

"JJ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Would anyone know of an internet source which explains the procedure used to measure a rider and
translate those measurments into bicycle frame dimensions?

I notice most if not all manufactures include their frame dimensions on their web sites. My idea
is to discover what a custom frame would measure out to be and then compare to what is available
off the shelf.

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Many better shops can get you properly fit on a bike, and make recommendations for which will fit
you best. In our case, there are some people who really aren't going to fit on a Klein (due to
rather long top tubes) but fit perfectly on a TREK or even a LeMond (whose top tube isn't actually
as long as people think, since some of the extra length is

created

Quoted message said:

by using a slack seat tube... put the seat forward where you might want

it,

Quoted message said:

and all of a sudden some of that length has disappeared).

Measurements are a great place to start, but there's no substitute for actually riding a bike set
up that way, and having someone observe you.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

I'll ditto the personal touch fitting comment. When I worked at a shop, I could generally eyeball
people to within .5cm or so of where the measurements said they were "supposed" to be. Made the
customers that much happier with their new bike purchases.

If you go look up Cyfac either by google, or thru their www.cyclingnews.com ad, it should have a
page for fitting. www.russdennybicycles.com/ is someone to consider. He's built some awesome
bikes for me.

Eileen at [email hidden] may be able to help out too. She's a cycling coach, and has fit many of
the guys I used to ride with.

Mike

Quoted message said:

"JJ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Would anyone know of an internet source which explains the procedure used to measure a rider and
translate those measurments into bicycle frame dimensions?

I notice most if not all manufactures include their frame dimensions on their web sites. My idea
is to discover what a custom frame would measure out to be and then compare to what is available
off the shelf.

Quoted message said:

I'll ditto the personal touch fitting comment. When I worked at a shop, I could generally eyeball
people to within .5cm or so of where the measurements said they were "supposed" to be. Made the
customers that

much

Quoted message said:

happier with their new bike purchases.

Funny how, after a few thousand fittings, you get to the point where you can just look at someone
and get a pretty good idea how they're going to end up being fit. Funny also how, after having done
fits for many many years, you still learn things... like 10 or so years ago, when I recognized how
important it was for me to be looking at their back as an indication of what was going on. Not the
angle of the back, but if it was straight or arched.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

sheldonbrown.comframe sizing.htmlOpen ↗

"JJ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Would anyone know of an internet source which explains the procedure used to measure a rider and
translate those measurments into bicycle frame dimensions?

I notice most if not all manufactures include their frame dimensions on their web sites. My idea
is to discover what a custom frame would measure out to be and then compare to what is available
off the shelf.

JJ said:

Would anyone know of an internet source which explains the procedure used to measure a rider and
translate those measurments into bicycle frame dimensions?

bikefitting.combikefitting.comOpen ↗

Derk

jimmy-<< Would anyone know of an internet source which explains the procedure used to measure a
rider and translate those measurments into bicycle frame dimensions?

Few if any internet sources include femur length determination which is essential in determining
the seat tube angle, one of the two(the other being top tube length) most important dimensions of
any frameset.

Inseam alone means little w/o finding seattube angle.

<< My idea is to discover what a custom frame would measure out to be and then compare to what is
available off the shelf.

Go see somebody with a fit cycle and knowledge of bike fit-

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Few if any internet sources include femur length determination which is essential in determining
the seat tube angle, one of the two(the other being top tube length) most important dimensions of
any frameset.

While I agree that top tube length and seat tube angle are probably the most important (perhaps only
really important) frame dimensions, I don't get the connection to femur length. It seems to me that
the overriding variable is the desired angle of the back, which then determines the necessary combo
of st angle and tt length to locate the hands (without weird stem lengths).

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'll ditto the personal touch fitting comment. When I worked at a shop,

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

could generally eyeball people to within .5cm or so of where the measurements said they were
"supposed" to be. Made the customers that

much

Quoted message said:

happier with their new bike purchases.

Funny how, after a few thousand fittings, you get to the point where you

can

Quoted message said:

just look at someone and get a pretty good idea how they're going to end

up

Quoted message said:

being fit. Funny also how, after having done fits for many many years,

you

Quoted message said:

still learn things... like 10 or so years ago, when I recognized how important it was for me to be
looking at their back as an indication of

what

Quoted message said:

was going on. Not the angle of the back, but if it was straight or

arched.

Quoted message said:

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

And knees rotating in that figure 8 arc to see if the saddle is the right height, or the hip bones
moving around, or...

I am one of those anal retentive [censored] when it comes to bike fit so I'm constantly amazed that I
see so many cyclists (and triathletes) that are so badly fit on their bikes. I have a friend that
refuses to listen when I tell him he needs to adjust his position, and at the same time he wonders
why he isn't getting any faster...

Quickest way to get faster, have a bike that fits! I've seen friends fit by Eileen Olson gain 2-3mph
just by moving their position around, getting to the most efficient spot for them.

Mike

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

peter-<< I don't get the connection to femur length.

I have a long torso, short legs. I know that I need a steep seat angle to get my legs over the BB,
and a long TT to bring me to my optimum position. I have a custom 853 steel frame that has slacker
angles than I can ride, so I'm too far back over the BB. TT is right, but the seat angle precludes
me from riding it comfortably.

Quoted message said:

At the end of the femur is the knee which 'should' be in a proper place

with

Quoted message said:

reference to the BB and crank arms.

Long femur and some steep seat tube angles may not allow for the saddle to

be

Quoted message said:

far enough back to get the knee in the proper place..opposite is also

true.

Quoted message said:

<< It seems to me that the overriding variable is the desired angle of the back, which then
determines the necessary combo of st angle and tt length to locate the hands (without weird stem
lengths).

The angle of the back changs as you move the knee forward/back, via the

saddle.

Quoted message said:

Altho the KOPS is a 'soft' constant, the place to start.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

I got myself measured by this system last spring. It basically confirmed what I thought I knew
already but gave me the confidence to go with it. I set my bike up as close to the suggested
measurements as I could (seat pin and bars up nearly 1cm)and it feels fantastic.My clubmates all
started saying how good I looked on the bike... well gawsh. I am currently riding a 56cm c-c square
but my next frame will be custom built 57cm seat tube 58cm top tube as per the measurements. Well
worth the cash. All the best.

Stan Cox

"Derk Drukker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JJ said:

Would anyone know of an internet source which explains the procedure used to measure a rider and
translate those measurments into bicycle frame dimensions?

bikefitting.combikefitting.comOpen ↗

Derk

(Qui si parla Campagnolo) said:

jimmy-<< Would anyone know of an internet source which explains the procedure used to measure a
rider and translate those measurments into bicycle frame dimensions?

Few if any internet sources include femur length determination which is essential in determining
the seat tube angle, one of the two(the other being top tube length) most important dimensions of
any frameset.

Inseam alone means little w/o finding seattube angle.

<< My idea is to discover what a custom frame would measure out to be and then compare to what is
available off the shelf.

Go see somebody with a fit cycle and knowledge of bike fit-

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Can someone explain how to determine head and seattube angles on a given bicycle? I tried to use a
protractor, pushed up against the frame but that was way too inaccurate. For most bikes with level
top tubes, it would seem to be more accurate to measure the tubes and use trig. Would I form the
main triangle by running a ruler from the seattube, past the head tube until it hits the point where
the down tube theoretically passes the headtube and intersects the downtube? Or is there an easier
and/or more accurate way?

cv