We are now proud to be able to offer Retül fitting services. With our knowledge and experience and the best bike fitting system around we can really offer the ultimate bike fitting experience. I appreciate the below text looks pretty lengthy but it should answer most "what does the fitting involve?" queries we receive!

Our full "Retül bike fitting" consists of various parts, a number of which other bike fitting specialists won't offer, so if you are comparing us to other Retül bike fitters then please read on as the Retül tool is a relatively small part of the equation). The usual format is to get you warmed up on the bike for 10 minutes using the Computrainer and looking at the "Spinscan" pedalling analysis which helps us understand how smooth you are pedalling while we chat to you to find out the type of rider you are, your aims and have an initial look at you on the bike.

While your current bike measurements are taken Filipe performs a flexibility assessment. It seems that not many bike fit specialists do this, which is very odd as it is one of the biggest limiting factors on bike position and efficient pedalling for most athletes! (Perhaps most are lacking the knowledge to perform this correctly...) This along with understanding any previous injuries/operations will help identify various limitations with range of movement and how you sit on the bike which ultimately affect your position.

You will then warm up again on the bike so that you are pedalling naturally before we hook you up to the sensors for the Retül system and get you pedalling at different levels of power and cadence taking the dynamic measurements of your angles in order to gain a better understanding of your position and how you move on the bike at different intensities.

It must be remembered that the Retül system is simply a tool for measuring the athlete's current position/angles dynamically. So after these initial measurements often it is a case of teaching athletes how to sit on the bike properly and relaxation and position advice in conjunction with using the Computrainer Spinscan pedalling analysis rather than simply making tweaks to the bike straight away.

Numerous bike shops and "fitting specialists" are setting themselves up with the Retül measurement tool and putting their staff through basic training but lack the in-depth knowledge and experience required to take into account each athlete's physiology, anatomy, flexibility and performance aims. The art of bike fitting is a much longer term learning and development process than making simple quick changes to the bike. Our often very experienced clients have tried all sorts of position/setup changes themselves as well as visiting other bike fitting specialists without their hoped success so have come to us to build a true picture of themselves as an athlete and develop thier position after realising there are no "quick fixes". Our offering is a lot more complex but you will gain a much deeper understanding about bike position and optimal performance and direction/guidance in how to progress in this critical area.

Even with top class athletes we will often start by taking a step back and putting athletes in a more comfortable position on the bike in order to be able to sit correctly and pedal more efficiently. Combined with a better understanding of optimal bike position and relaxation on the bike we will help the athlete to gradually work towards an optimal position for them over months (and years) as flexibility and miles on the bike increase! Often bike fitters will change all sorts of parts on your bike just to "hit the numbers" such as changing crank and stem length and even use of shims under shoes when the majority of the time the real problem is flexibility, poorly fitting kit such as shoes and cleats or how the athlete is sitting and pedalling, these areas must be identified and worked on first before making major changes to the bike (although we are doing ourselves out of bike upgrades quite often!).

All too often bikes are supplied with saddles which are not suitable for the athlete's build and the way they sit on the bike (and flexibility) so we are fortunate to be able to offer various test saddles (we are a saddle test centre for both Fizik and Selle Italia) so we may try you on a different saddle if needed to see how this affects your position, comfort and pedalling. Once your bike is optimised for your current capabilities we will take all the measurements from your bike (using the Retül Zinn tool) for your record (and ours) which will also help set up any other bikes you have or for making sure you purchase the most suitable bike frame/size in the future. You will go away with this "bike report" as well as a "rider report" from the Retül system but most importantly a deeper understanding of optimal bike position and how to work towards a more natural and optimal position and pedalling technique long-term. Often we will also provide you with flexibility and strengthening exercises and advice for training to help develop your position and comfort.

To re-iterate this is not a one-step, quick-fix process! Most bike fitting specialists do not have 25+ years experience racing and training at a high level as well as the knowledge of how bike setup affects physiology and performance in the real world so simply cannot offer the same level of advice so that you can develop as an athlete. It is this extra level of advice and knowledge which customers find priceless almost as an aside to the actual "Retül bike fitting"!

As you may have gathered by now we are here to help you over the long term so offer a free one hour checkup 2-3 months after your first fitting to see how you are progressing.

Our price for an initial bike fitting session is £200. Please book early as we are often booked up for 2-3 weeks in advance especially for evening and weekend sessions when available. For the local/regulars we are also offering a regular bike fit service so you can come for an initial assessment of around 2 hours then regular 1-2 hours sessions as your position develops over time and on different bikes and race setups during the year. We charge a flat rate of £45/hour for this and general training advice/coaching as with other services offered.

Please email us at info@retulfitting.com for further information and availability or if you have any questions about the process.

(About Retül technology, from their website)
Retül technology is a cycling-specific motion-capture bike fitting system designed to provide qualified bike fitters highly accurate and comprehensive bike fit data. The system incorporates three-dimensional measurement, immediate report capability, and a millimeter-specific digitizing tool to provide the most accurate dynamic fitting solution in the industry.

The goal of Retül technology is to assist bike fitters in making objective and accurate fit decisions, as a proper bike fit is one of the single most important factors for optimal performance and efficiency, injury prevention, and comfort on the bike. A proper bike fit will not only provide a rider with the most economic means of expending energy, but will also prevent pain that is common in the knee, hip, and lower back, particularly with riders who are trying to adapt their bodies to the bike they already have purchased.

The Retül system reads the rider's movements while they are in motion on the bike, and accounts for all three planes of movement (3D). This type of data cannot accurately be captured with 2D video, static fitting, or eyeball fitting. The Retül system eliminates the guesswork and assumptive nature of bike fit. The result is that the rider will have a true fit to his or her bike, maximizing efficiency and performance while avoiding discomfort or injury.

Elite athletes and recreational cyclists alike will benefit from a proper bike fit. Accurate and objective fit data assists retail bike shops, fit studios, PT's, coaches, and performance centers in providing high-quality fit services. Retül promotes and encourages accurate and data-driven decisions for bike fit while considering the goals, individual biomechanics, strengths, and limitations of each rider.

Retül bike fit technology incorporates three main data points in fit theory:

Bike Fits Must be Dynamic
Most bike fitting specialists fit riders in a static position. This is because the traditional tools of the trade - tape measures and plumb bobs - do not allow accurate measurements while the rider is pedaling. Using motion capture technology, Retül records the rider's positions in motion, therefore creating the most realistic picture of the rider's actual pedal strokes and body positions when out on the road and trails.

Measurements Must be Accurate
Measurements made by traditional tools have one thing in common. They are subject to human error and therefore can be devastatingly inaccurate. Even slight inaccuracies can drastically change the rider's feel after a ride. The Retül system is accurate to within less than a millimeter, creating true objective data which can be utilized by the fitter for the perfect biomechanical fit.

Biomechanics are Best Assessed in Three-Dimensional Space
Fit data collected in a traditional two-dimensional plane (i.e. video-based systems) is fairly limited because the fitter can only look at one view at a time, and those views stand as independent reference points. In order to make the best fit recommendations, the fitter must realize that the front and side views are actually interdependent reference points. In other words, the front and side views must be viewed simultaneously in three dimensions in order to see how all the applicable movements of the body are working together. Retül uses a 3D motion sensor to simultaneously gatherdata on multiple angles of the rider.