I have known Husam for nearly a decade. Over the years he has seen me ride a number of bikes, and occasionally, in an understated way, he has kindly mentioned that he thought I was riding too large a frame. Well, I finally sat down with Husam had had a fitting, and what an eye opener it was.
I am sure many of us have through the years settled on a frame size and fit that might feel right now, after years of adaptation, but when you go back to the roots of why you ride the size bike you ride, you might wonder about its correctness. In my case, I decided I was a certain frame size back in college, when a friend working at a bike shop looked me up and down and said ""you are about a 56cm."" And ever since then I have ridden 56cm bikes. One Boston-area frame manufacturer even put me on a 58cm bike once. But I have always felt like my bikes were just a little too big. Sure, though the years I dropped a plumb line now and again to see where my knee was over the pedal, and friends commented on how good they thought my leg extension was, but that was the extent of my fitting. Until now.
Laser jigs, video cameras, power meters--Husam has an impressive array of technology at his shop to evaluate your most powerful and comfortable position on a bike. I watched in amazement as he approximated my existing position on the Argon size-cycle, measured power output, and then with the flick of a switch made a few adjustments that resulted in 60 watts of additional power. Husam found me sixty watts in not as many minutes. And my bike feels better, more comfortable, and faster than ever.
Take the time, get fit.
Oh, and my new frame size? 54cm.
For fifteen years I have been riding a frame 2cm too large. Wish I had done this earlier.
Pros: Expert fitting
Cons: Wish I had done it sooner
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