Custom-Fit Bikes Are Worth It
Topic: Good gear bad gear
Bike shops are full of great equipment, mostly stuff from the BIG brands like Trek, Giant, Specialized. These are made by very large companies that compete intensely to make a sale, and as a rule the local bike shop has to keep his suppliers happy. One way they do that is buy inventory they don't need. Another way is to discount last year's bike to get rid of that inventory they don't need.

And so on ad nauseam. You get the picture. Fit the person to the bike by showing them the specs and the bits and pieces that are supposed to be so "cool."

But bikes like that are like notebook PCs. They keep adding faster drives and brighter screens, but that stuff all comes from the same component vendors, except in PCs there are few more than in the bike industry. But like Intel and MS, Shimano takes the lion's share of the value of your bike.

So why not consider the alternative: A craftman's bike, made locally in Tokyo, and fitted exactly to your shape and your needs? Get only the components you need, get some riding shoes with cleats, and learn to ride your new bike. It will fit like a custom made suit, and you will be so happy that you won't need to fool yourself by putting all those carbon components you don't need on it. It fits and that is 90% of the story. Put on a good suit and your shirt and tie will automatically look good. Swing the right golf club and your game will automatically get better.

So my advice is "get a fitting, and then get yourself fit - in shape on a bike that is like second skin."

Make it a mantra: Get fit!!


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