I never post on chat boards, or write yelp reviews, or anything like that, but after my fantastic experience with Husam and ATA Cycles, I'm compelled to report on how much they helped me, and to encourage you all to check them out.
I ride about 200 miles a week, and I ride through the winter, but as the days got colder, my chronic icy feet (even in the spring and fall) were just driving me crazy. Nothing, not the right shoe, or the ""technical footbed"", or the right bootie did anything. I was fed up with all the ""fittings"" I'd had at other shops that never were able to solve the problem. And then I went to Husam.
He did the full ""FitLab"" fitting on/for me. I started on the dynamic fit bike that provides real data on what the exact dimensions of my ideal bike are. What a cool tool. Husam got me pedaling with the bike set to my optimum dimensions, and then with a push of a button--while I continued to pedal!--he was able to change all the dimensions. I was able to watch my wattage go up (or down) with each change. He was actually able to give me more power just by getting my body in the right position on the bike. And he was able save all that data on a computer that's connected to the fit bike.
I'd read about stuff like this that pro cyclists use, but...I'm not a pro. I don't even race. I just ride all those miles for stress relief. But I can tell you right now, you don't need to be a pro to feel the joy of a proper fitting bike. I continued to pedal in the ""optimum"" fit and then Husam put the bike to where my current bike set up is. My wattage decreased like it was falling off a cliff, and I felt like I'd just pedaled into quicksand. And nobody wants to pedal in quicksand. I'd already learned a lot but we were just getting started. Husam then spent a good chunk of time with me discussing the options that would not only solve my chronic cold feet problem, but would also dramatically improve my overall comfort (including the chronic cold feet) and performance as well.
I was impressed with his knowledge and how high-tech the Fit Lab fitting was so sophisticated compared to the other “eyeball” fittings I’d had in the past, but what I really, really liked was that Husam treated me with respect. He didn’t look down on me for the old bike I was riding or for the fact that I was pretty ignorant of all bike tech in general. He just saw that I love to ride and he wanted to help me ride better and more comfortably. We agreed that my current bike just doesn’t fit me and he showed a wide range of new bike options, but in the meantime, he did the best he could to adjust my current bike to my optimum dimensions (It’s a radical change. Seat height, stem length, and seat position have all been moved to their absolute limit) until I get the new bike in the spring. And then he had me come back and do the full video analysis (check it out on their website) of the new set up to confirm that everything worked properly. It did and it does. I'm riding 40 miles today in 20 degree temps and I'm not worried about my feet.
I’m so enthusiastic (and verbose) in this review of Husam and ATA because of two things: 1. The Fit Lab fitting is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The ability he has to collect hard data and crunch the numbers into an optimum fit is just outstanding. But data collection alone isn’t enough. 2. Husam knows that cycling involves way more than just number crunching and his real gift lies in his ability to convert that data into joy on the bike for his customers.
If you are serious about cycling, do yourself a favor and go to ATA Cycle in Concord center. They just get it.
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