Fit to ride

After long rides I regularly hear my fellow riders complain of lower back pain, fatigue in the shoulders, elbows, or worse the knees. First question I always ask; when you bought your bike did the shop fit you on it; followed by; have you been refitted since?

Most of the time the answer is "no" followed by another "no"; usually with they didn't offer or I it was to much money...and a number of other excuses.

First; when planning on buying a bike; budget for a fitting; even the basic fitting; you will be happier and your rides will start off on a good note. In the past year; I've been fitted and have had the bike readjusted four times on both my road and mountain bike; due to physical changes in my body's flexibility and conditioning.

My responsiveness and performance improved immediately; rides have been pain free; and I can tell or more so my body can tell when the bike needs to be readjusted.

You don't need to be spending a lot on a bike for this to pay off. I recommend that when buying a bike; ask the sales person if they offer fittings and whether the person who does it has been trained.