Bike Fitting – a Hewitt Speciality
Hewitt Cycles know how crucial the fit of your bicycle is: Paul Hewitt has personally tailored the positions of countless cyclists over the last 20 years, the last thirteen from our own shop.
Proper bike-fit cannot be overstressed – you can’t be as efficient or as comfortable with an incorrect set-up. FACT.
Today, an international clientele acknowledge us as one of the very best bike fitters available anywhere: experts in the art of analysing and tweaking measurements to optimise your position – indeed, such is it’s importance that a proper fitting is provided with every bike we sell, allowing you to squeeze the every last drop of enjoyment from your purchase.
To us the art of bike fitting, in it’s simplest form, refers to the relationship between you, your saddle, your handlebars and your frame – but it’s so much more than that. So a word of warning: if you buy the wrong frame, no amount of expertise correct this error……get it wrong at the frame purchase stage and no one can give you your optimum position – not even us.
There are a number of ways to determine your correct position and we know them all. But whilst they’re all subtly different, they all have one thing in common – beneficial evaluation on our frame fitting jig. The process takes around 45 minutes, so that does mean a visit to our new shop in Leyland, with it’s enhanced workshop, equipment range, frames and clothing.
Many now know it’s a trip worth taking. Furthermore, although it’s not our ideal, you could take measurements off your body to enable us to calculate a good bike-fit should you so choose. Or, if you’re one of the rare few who are truly happy with their current position, we’re more than happy to transpose that onto the new bike for you. We’re always here to advise but ultimately the choice is yours.
Our specialist fitting service costs just £50: fully refundable against a bicycle purchased from us and we know it will be the best £50 you ever invest in cycling.
To book an appointment or to chat more about bike fitting, please call 01772 424773
More about our fitting procedeure. Click here
Arrange Appointment
Please remember to bring cycling shoes and pedals if not Look, Look Keo, Shimano SPD-SL, SPD or standard flat pedals, cycles clothing although not essential is preferable.
First a brief discussion about you intended use and personal preferences related to position and to determine there are any aches or pains, or any other issues that may be caused by poor cycling position.
The jig is then roughly set up, at this stage we are primarily interested in the positional set up, by positional set up we mean, where the saddle is relative to the pedals/bottom bracket, and then where the handlebars are relative to the saddle, at this stage the frame dimensions are not relevant.
The customer then gets on the jig and the height and setback of the saddle are adjusted to suit leg length, thigh length and riding style/usage. Once the saddle position has been set then the handlebar set up can be adjusted, initially to a position that appears correct to us, we can then adjust this position within certain parameters until the customer is happy with the position.
Once the relevant positions of the saddle and handlebars have been determined then the positional dimensions can be taken, the frame dimensions are also taken and any other relevant dimensions, i.e. stem length, stem height.
Once we have determined the positional dimensions, (saddle position and handlebar position) , then , and only then is it possible to determine the frame dimensions.
What we are aiming for, is for the bicycle once built to fit exactly the same as the jig did. Please be aware that the positional dimensions are the important ones, the frame dimensions are not as crucial but have to be such, that they will allow the position to be achieved.
Two things to bear in mind are that, the position is what determines how the bike is going to fit you, from a comfort and efficiency point of view, the frame and stem have to be of a dimension that enables you to achieve you required position. Since the position is what determines the fit of the bike it is this that needs to be determined first, it is not possible to know what frame dimensions are going to allow you to obtain your correct position if you do not know what your correct position is.
The next stage is to assess the options with regards to a suitable frame, it is at this point that the frame dimensions are taken into account, namely the effective seat tube length, the effective top tube length and the seat angle, (by effective seat tube length, we mean what the virtual length of the seat tube would be if the top tube was level, and by effective top tube length we mean the length of the top tube would be if it was level).
The frame dimensions that are suitable, i.e. those determined by the jig, can then be compared to the dimensions of a chosen make and model of frame, there are two different approaches custom built or off the peg. With off the peg it is a matter of choosing the frame size that allow you to obtain your positional dimensions and appears best aesthetically once built, with custom build, the frame is built (within reason) to frame dimensions that enable the bike to be built so that it has you desired stem length and spacing, the amount of exposed seat post you prefer and you ideal position for the saddle on the seat post, essentially the frame can be built so that the bike will fit you correctly and look as you want it to look.
