Without consulting the Chinese zodiac, we’re going to go out on a limb and call 2015 the year of bike fitting.  From our perspective, it was a big year.  The Fit Symposium offered on two separate days at Interbike in Las Vegas, gathered nearly 200 participants on each day to hear from featured fit experts from across the industry like Ben Serotta, Any Pruitt, Dan Empfield, Paraic McGlynn, Paul Swift, Lotte Kraus, and more.  This interactive summit included the following topics:  the origins of modern bike fitting, how to prescribe bikes for purchase from a fit session, what’s common and what’s different about bike protocols, how pedal/shoe interface analysis yields retail sales that cannot be duplicated outside the bicycle dealers shop.

BIKE FITTING & IBD BUSINESS

“It’s no secret that dynamic fit has become an incredibly important aspect of the IBD’s business over the past 15 years,” according to Pat Hus, Vice President of Interbike.  “We view fit as one of the biggest advantages IBD’s have over online retailers and therefore wanted to help elevate this aspect of our show.”  There are staggering predictions of bicycle dealers forced to close their doors with the increase of on-line sales and many agree that the personal experience of bike fitting is what will make the connection with customers and keep them coming back.  Bike fitting has been receiving a lot of attention recently and the Fit Symposium at interbike was a great way for bike dealers to see what is out there, what makes sense, and the financial and educational investment that may be necessary.  Although attendees were exposed to some of the top bike fitters in the business, the real goal was to help them ask the right questions as they research the different fit systems on the market.

PURELY CUSTOM’S ROLE

There are many levels and types of bike fitting just as there are many levels and types of cyclists.  Countless experienced fitters will tell you they can accomplish a sufficient fit using the X/Y tool, a goniometer and a plumb bob.  A serious rider is going to demand a little more.  Before we get into the tools too far, it’s important to note that Purely Custom has always stressed the investment in a fitter’s knowledge as paramount.  All of our tools and products are thoughtfully engineered to integrate and complement the fit tools and systems a bike fitter or dealer may already have in their fit studios.  As the only unrestricted, non-proprietary company of fit tools on the market, we offer a comprehensive suite of tools, documentation, analysis and education to bike dealers, no matter what their philosophy or brand preference.

NOW WHAT

So as a bike dealer returns from Interbike and the Fit Symposium, they may be excited about new opportunities and quite possibly a little overwhelmed.  Like most things in business, there isn’t a silver bullet, so building your arsenal of fit tools around your knowledge base and potential customers is a great way to begin.  For those seeking education, Cyclologic offers programs on how to incorporate in-depth evidence-based cycling analysis into their daily business.  Students also learn the business essentials of fitting and how to promote their analysis capabilities.  The most important component about bike fitting is that you must deliver results or the information to achieve results, or your customers may not be coming back.  When you think about, there was probably a compelling reason why you entered into the bicycle business.  You most likely loved cycling and wanted to share that love of cycling with others and it’s easy to accomplish this when your customers are comfortable on their bikes and pedaling efficiently.  We’re sure you can do it, and we want to make it easier for you to succeed.