The reasons are many for why you should get a professional bike fit and how you value each of them will depend on where you’re coming from. Find the reasons why you need a fit and then come to see a expert bike fitter and ask questions.
Comfort on the Bike
The number one thing with riding a bike is that it has to be comfortable. Whether you’re just riding around town or racing full tilt, no one wants to be in a position on the bike that is uncomfortable. Even a small discomfort, such as a sore butt from the seat, is something that should be corrected because if it isn’t it can lead to other problems as your body will naturally try to correct for the irregularity. Even if it’s performance you’re after, being comfortable comes first as your performance is going to suffer if you can’t get into a comfortable position to achieve your maximum output on the bike.
Personal Anatomy Irregularities
If you have anatomical differences such as a leg length discrepancy (one leg is shorter than the other which is more common than you might think), inflexibility, or other not so normal things going on, getting a professional bike fit is about the only way that you can properly correct for those irregularities. There are a number of approaches and tools that can be used to assess these problems as well as correct them. If you don’t correct these issues or attempt to correct them without the proper knowhow, it can easily result in injury which can be harder to fix than a simple overuse injury.
Prior Injuries
Another big reason to get a professional bike fit is to accommodate past injuries. These injuries can range from knee pain to lower back issues. An expert bike fitter is going to be able to position you as to make sure that there is not any added stress on the problem area. You will be amazed by how much a professional bike fitter knows and how they can change things around to accommodate your specific issues. Also, just having a proper bike fit will help to insure that these injuries don’t come back and to give you piece of mind about it as well.
Maximizing Performance
Everyone rides for different reasons but the majority of us do like to go fast and see just what we can get out of our bodies whether racing for the town line with buddies or for a finish line in front of thousands. Having an optimal fit will ensure that you are generating the most power along with endurance. If your position is even just a little bit off in one area it can significantly impact your power output which can also result in injury because the tendons and muscles are placed under added stress.