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the bottom bracket and is then held in place with Velcro straps and a small
stabilizer bracket that rests on the top tube. A small bubble level
allows the vertical scale to remain square to the frame.
The horizontal
ruler allows one to measure and adjust bar angel, saddle angle, reach
and saddle setback. Once you are familiar with its use, it takes about a
minute or two to set up on a bike.
LIKES: You can't say enough about the importance of fit in
cycling. A $6000 titanium, carbon wonder bike will fee worse than a $100
department store tank if improperly fit. I for one remain convinced that
the majority of saddle-induced ... uhhh... masculine troubles could
instantly be solved by proper bike fit rather than by the plethora of
gelled, channeled and otherwise-altered bike saddles now on the market.
By now , most
of those intent on investing a few grand in a bicycle are also willing
to invest a few bucks getting properly fit to it. The Serotta Size Cycle
or the FitKit are perfect for geting the bike right. I was lucky enough
to be fit by a gray-haired Italian master framebuilder, who I believe
fell into a trance, consulted the Oracle of Delphi, and then handed me a
piece of paper with the relevant numbers scribbled upon it. Even then, I
spent a little time slightly tweaking my saddle angle and for-and-aft
position, just to make the fit perfect. Of course, once dialed, I was
almost afraid to touch it for fear of knocking it out of that perfect
position.
But in this
line of work, I always try out new stuff and once I've changed something
it usually takes a few uncomfortable rides to get my position back to
perfect. That's where the FitStik comes in handy.
For the past
couple of months I used the FitStik as a guide whenever I changed my
pedals, my saddle, tried out a new bike or experimented with crank
length. I also applied the fit of my favorite road bike to almost ever
one of my other bikes, making adjustments afterward for cross-country,
cyclo-cross or fixed gear. This is the first time every one of my bikes
feels just right.
This is an
ideal tool for shops, team mechanics or anyone who owns more than one
bike. It is not a replacement for a professional fitting, but it is a
perfect supplement.
DISLIKES: None
OTHER: Well, one minor complaint: It's a $119 ruler.
CycleMetrics makes these one at a time. This is a specialty item and no
one is going to produce a million of these, so there are very few
economies of scale available in its manufacture. Still, it's worth the
investment.
- Charles Pelkey
Price: $119
Contact:
CycleMetrics, 11100 SW 123rd Place, Tigard, OR 97223
EMAIL:
fitstik@cyclemetrics.com;
web: www.cyclemetrics.com
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