Just got home from a 4.5 hour bike fit at 3D Bikefit in Sausalito. I had no idea why it would take that long, but I was eager to try anything to get comfortable on my bike. I signed up for Retul, but Kevin talked me into a video fit instead. I was glad he did; it's amazing to see yourself on screen, watch him draw body angles and point out problem areas, and then compare before & after footage side by side.
The first thing we did was talk for 30 minutes over coffee about cycling and my specific needs and issues. Then I received a very thorough physical assessment and I got an earful of knowledge about the human body: why I am likely having my recurring left-leg problems (knee, hamstring, etc.) and why my right foot goes numb when I ride. My left leg is longer which may be throwing my pelvis/hips out of whack... this, combined rigid feet and high arches, could be the cause of a lot of my problems. He also showed some new stretches that should help my crazy-tight hips.
Then... the saddle. I tried three different Adamo ISM saddles and one of them (the Typhoon) was a "wow." It's not exactly like riding on a cloud, but close. He said this particular one is great for women with wider sitbones like mine. This is the first time I've sat on a bike longer than 15 minutes and not felt the urgent need to dismount. In addition to being wider, it's also softer. If you are having saddle problems you should try this one (and also try it with a pro fitter who knows how to place it correctly.)
One the saddle was squared away we spent a lot of time on the right saddle position; my final position is higher and much farther forward than it was previously. After changes to shoes, insoles and cleats, plus correcting for leg length imbalance, my legs are now tracking nicely and my hips no longer rock. Wider aerobars and my shoulders are more stable.
The last change is crank length; he'd like to take me from a 172 mm to 167.5, but I'll ride this set-up for a couple weeks (and do my stretches) so I can get used to a higher drop before he switches those out. Shorter crank = higher seat = higher drop. I've suspected my cranks were too long, so I'm looking forward to that final modification.
I can't wait to ride this weekend!
How exciting!!! I felt SUCH a difference after my bike fit! It sounds like you are going to have a great ride this weekend!
Posted by: Molly | 03/16/2012 at 07:41 AM
Hmm...I tried a version of the Adamo, and hated it. I have a great fitter, but he doesn't have a variety of saddles for me to try out. I desperately need a new saddle tho. Thanks for the suggestion!
Posted by: Kris | 03/16/2012 at 08:07 AM
yay! Rock and Ride! Can't wait for long ride report!
Posted by: cheryl | 03/17/2012 at 05:50 PM
Very interested to hear about your ride report. Just got my P2 fitted yesterday and I've switched to this type of saddle (although it looks horribly dangerous for a guy) because it is waaaay more comfortable. My fitter put a tie band on the bottom to close the gap a bit - made a huge difference. didn't feel like my thighs were being pushed apart.
Posted by: todd | 03/18/2012 at 12:24 PM
Yes! I remember I used to have that feature in training peaks with the red and green. Don't know what happened to it! Enjoy the saddle- the adamo has helped me soooo much (As has a new fit!)
Posted by: damie | 03/21/2012 at 08:11 PM