Bikes change faster than computers or smartphones, which makes buying a new bike challenging. New materials, better engineering, and new designs all propel the sport forward. In 2003 we could divide the world into road bikes and mountain bikes. Today those categories have exploded. The road category includes, tri bikes, aero racers, road bikes, gravel bikes, cross bikes, and more. Fitness bikes abound, along with comfort bikes and cruisers. Mountain bikes have had a similar evolution.

I’ve ignored these advances for quite some time because 1) I’m not fond of shopping, and 2) my bike was working just fine. Two factors changed my mind. First, a friend upgraded to a new bike a year ago, and I’ve observed that he is probably 15% quicker than before, and much less tired at the end of a ride. Perhaps more important, my own flexibility and comfort on the bike have been decreasing over time (likely cause: grandchildren). Each spring it seems the handlebars have grown out half an inch or more.

Because of this, I’ve been planning this process  for several months. Here are my thoughts on research and buying a new bike.

It took about 25 minutes before she knew the proper bike geometry for me, ruling out about 85% of the bikes on the market! Entire brands were tossed aside due to a combination of height of the handlebars and length of the top tube. Her first choice for me was something in the Trek  Domane line, road and gravel bikes known for a taller handlebar height, shorter top tube, and more upright riding position.

Jessica impressed me with her method of identifying my physical quirks, adjusting the test bike to get the data, and then looking to see which bikes fit (and which bikes should be left for others). Jessica also sells bikes, but not the Trek line. She could have recommended something in her store and swapped seat posts and handlebar stems, but she didn’t. Her desire is first to find the right bike for the rider. In this regard I believe her advice is independent and true.

For the doubters in the crowd,  Jessica  backs up her claim to fame with training certificates from  Serotta Cycling Institute and from  Slowtwitch.com 

Can you get a good fit at your local bike store? Of course you can. It’s likely you will show up with fewer issues than I have, and there are many bike stores with excellent fitting service. I’m a big believer in a long-term relationship between you and your local bike shop, especially when contemplating a major purchase. Please take the advice to get the fitting first, then you can turn your attention to the fun of buying a new bike- colors, features, frame styles, etc.

Jessica is bright and talented, and eager to share her knowledge with you. I interviewed her after my fitting, covering many topics. UPDATE APRIL 16: Listen to our voice recording with Jessica. Three weeks after the recording and I’m still impressed with her excitement about bike fittings. You can also read the  full transcript here,  but please check out the 5 questions below:

JP: How’d you get into this business, and why?

Jessica: I got into college and fell in love with the idea of living my life on a bicycle, that was very attractive to me. After graduating from U of M with a linguistics degree, I decided the first logical step was to work at a bike store. So I worked at Two Wheel Tango and it quickly became apparent that I was there to stay. I was good at my job, and the store sent me to bike fit school.

JP: Are you a coach?

Jessica: No, that’s a separate profession. Really it’s my job to fit the bike to how the body presents. It’s much easier to adjust the bike than it is to adjust the body.

JP: Where do your customers come from?

Jess: Well… most of my customers come from the Ann Arbor area. But lately I’m getting a lot of clients from Grand Rapids area, and further out in Detroit, more like Grosse Point Area north of Detroit, versus the Novi and Livonia crowd. I see a lot of people from Lansing, and pretty regularly since I started. There’s a large triathlon community there, and I see a lot of those people. Typically I’ll fit one or two people from a team or a club, and then the word gets out…

JP: So, 10 cycles go by on the street, can you spot (fit issues) from up here (2nd floor window)?

Jess: (shouts) YES, absolutely!

JP: Final thoughts?

Jessica: If I could yell one thing out from the mountain tops it would be to get a fit before you buy a bike! So yeah, it’s really nice to be in a position where I can be 100% honest and open and look at all of the brands out there equally as contenders and rule them out if they’re not the best fit for you.

Your comments on this are always welcome, and I’d love to hear some success stories on your new bike from your local bike shop. Please drop a  note , we read them all. If we publish your item, you’ll get one of our tee shirts! And remember you can find some of the best tours right  here!

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