OUR FIT PHILOSOPHY

Riding your bike should be fun! We firmly believe that you should be able to ride your bike comfortably and pain free while still being able to meet your cycling goals. As your local bike shop, we offer a full-time, dedicated staff of Certified fit specialist who can tailor your bike to fit you. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist, casual rider or commuter, we offer a fit process that allows you to become one with your bike.

COMPREHENSIVE FIT LEVELS

We offer different levels of fit service to ensure you get exactly what you're looking for with professionally trained fit technicians and access to the most advanced bicycle fit technology available. In addition, our fit studios offer a private and professional, one-on-one experience so we can help you achieve your cycling goals. Our fitters will give you the most complete and up to date fitting methods and tools used in the industry.

LEVEL 1

(All Rider Types)

$150

A necessity for getting on the road or trails with all-day comfort. Level 1 fit will start by aligning your cleats to remove any potential issues with your pedal stroke. Then, positions your saddle for proper leg extension and ensures the handlebar is comfortably within reach for any ride.

LEVEL 2

(Road, Cyclocross, MTB, & Fitness)

$300

Expanding on Level 1 fit, Level 2 will start by assessing and understanding your body's physical limits and then develop the best position for you. Level 2 Fit will also address any side-to-side movement in your knees and body to ensure your pedal stroke is comfortable and as efficient as possible.

LEVEL 3

(Triathlon & Time Trial)

$450

Level 3 fit provides a detailed 3D digital analysis (Retul) that tracks your body's motion in real-time. Your fit technician will document the changes made to bring your position to the most comfortable and efficient position possible while monitoring the changes so you can follow along as your fit evolves.

TIME

Basic Posture Analysis

Saddle Position Setting

Saddle Selection

Handlebar and Stem Setting

Fore/Aft Cleat Setting

Lateral and Rotational Cleat Setting

30-Point Physical Assessment

Knee Tracking Analysis

Foot and Insole Analysis

Custom Insoles

Aerodynamic Analysis

Retül Vantage 3D Motion Capture

1 Hour
2 Hours
3 Hours

LEVEL 1

(All Rider Types)

$150

A necessity for getting on the road or trails with all-day comfort. Level 1 fit will start by aligning your cleats to remove any potential issues with your pedal stroke. Then, positions your saddle for proper leg extension and ensures the handlebar is comfortably within reach for any ride.

What's included?

• Basic Posture Analysis

• Saddle Position Setting

• Saddle Selection

• Handlebar and Stem Setting

• Fore/Aft Cleat Setting

 

LEVEL 2

(Road, Cyclocross, MTB, & Fitness)

$300

Expanding on Level 1 fit, Level 2 will start by assessing and understanding your body's physical limits and then develop the best position for you. Level 2 Fit will also address any side-to-side movement in your knees and body to ensure your pedal stroke is comfortable and as efficient as possible.

What's included?

• Includes all items from Comp Tune, plus:

• Lateral and Rotational Cleat Setting

• 30-Point Physical Assessment

• Knee Tracking Analysis

• Foot and Insole Analysis

 

LEVEL 3

(Triathlon & Time Trial)

$450

Level 3 fit provides a detailed 3D digital analysis (Retul) that tracks your body's motion in real-time. Your fit technician will document the changes made to bring your position to the most comfortable and efficient position possible while monitoring the changes so you can follow along as your fit evolves.

What's included?

• Includes all items from Pro Tune, plus:

• Custom Insoles

• Aerodynamic Analysis

• Retül Vantage 3D Motion Capture

 


MEET THE FIT TEAM

Tamara Marsh

Tamara has been fitting for 4 years, and fits out of our San Francisco and San Rafael fit studios. Tamara grew up riding in the Bay Area and watched mountain biking explode in Marin, hence she loves mountain biking and cyclocross. She's a fan of road cycling and loves watching all things in the road race world or assisting rides sponsored by Mikes Bikes. When Tamara isn’t fitting or riding, she’s usually fulfilling her other passions of diving, surfing, or paddle boarding.

Dante LoBue

Dante started riding bikes recreationally in 2011, his passion for the sport grew quickly as he rode local trails in the South Bay area exploring its beautiful nature. After years of doing local group rides, Dante wanted to give racing a go and did his first race in 2016. Racing locally sparked his immersion in following World Tour racing and riders, his idols are Peter Sagan, Filippo Ganna, Demi Vollering and Kasper Asgreen. Craving to get more involved in the industry and always tinkering he sought out training to become fit certified, Dante has now been fitting for 3 years at Mikes and continually looking for more resources to add to his fit knowledge. Dante loves talking and helping folks out. The big goal is to get more people on bikes.

Daood Larsen

Daood fell in love with racing on the Velodrome in 1996, and grew up racing road and cyclocross in Marin, San Francisco, and the East Bay. After two decades of racing Daood now prefers the science behind the scenes, providing neutral support at race events, or using his experience to provide custom fits in the studio. Daood can usually be found getting everyone lost on their gravel bikes, luring friends on remote adventures through the former Yugoslavia, or cycling around town with his wife and two sons.

Jack Duncan

Jack began cycling as cross-training during the ski off-season. Already a trusted ski boot fitter in the Seattle area, bike fitting was a natural progression. Since he began bike fitting in 2014, Jack has received from Specialized and Retül the highest level of fit training and certification. As a cyclist, he has spent time in many disciplines, achieving his highest level of success on the road, racing professionally for a number of years. He is also a certified cycling coach, helping cyclists progress their performance. He enjoys working with riders of all ability levels and spreading the contagious passion of cycling.


FAQs

Q: I'm not a racer, will I benefit from fit?

Any rider can benefit from proper bicycle fit! Whether you're riding on your local group ride or just getting back into riding after years away from the bike, no one should ride in pain. If you want to be more comfortable on the bike and be as injury preventative as possible, we'd love to help.

Q: What's the difference between a fitting and a sizing?

A fitting will allow for a custom-tailored position on your bike, taking into account the unique and subtle biomechanical nuances of your riding position and solving basic and complex issues; a fitting will cover every aspect of your relationship with your bike. It will address any equipment or position-related ailments and optimize your position for comfort, efficiency, and power. It's like getting a tailored suit!

A bike sizing will take you through some of the basics of bike positioning while using averages. A sizing typically does not consider most of the rider-specific considerations (such as flexibility, knee tracking, and core strength). A sizing is like getting a new suit and having the pants hemmed. Enough to get you going in comfort.

Q: Which service do I need?

Typically, if you are running into more complex issues such as knee pain, inconsistent or asymmetrical saddle issues, or numbness issues, then a fitting is truly more appropriate a fitting is the best option. This will allow your Fit Specialist to find the root cause of the issue(s) and put appropriate solutions into place. If your questions and concerns are more basic, a sizing may offer everything you are looking for. If you have any questions on this before signing up for a service, please contact any one of our fitters.

Q: I have an injury, will a fitting fix it?

While bike fit is incredibly important to not aggravate current injuries or cause repetitive motion injuries, it's probably not going to cure you. However, proper bike fit can work to accommodate limits in motion or limits in flexibility as a result of injuries making your experience on the bike more comfortable.

Q: What type of bikes to you fit?

We fit nearly all kinds of bikes including road, MTB, Fitness, Cyclocross, Triathlon, and Time Trial bikes (Unfortunately we cannot accommodate recumbents or tandems.)

Q: Is a Bike Fit included with the purchase of a new bike?

No. Due to the complex nature and the time required in order to complete a Fitting we are unable to provide this service at no charge. We do however offer a $50 Fit Credit that can be applied at the time of any new bike purchase toward any of our Fitting or Sizing services.

Q: What if i bought my bike somewhere else? Will you still fit me?

No problem! We fit all types of bikes from any vendor. If you have a specific seat post or stem that is proprietary to a manufacturer, please do make sure and bring all required pieces as our relationships limit some of our ability to order small parts from all vendors.

Q: Can my fit credit be used towards a studio sizing or fitting at any of the Mike's Bikes Fit studios?

Yes! Absolutely. We operate as a family, and as such you are able to use your credit at any of our studio locations.

Q: What if it turns out that my bike is the wrong size for me?

On occasion we do run into a bike that is too far from a sound position that it may not make sense to invest any further into that particular bike. In these cases, your Fit Specialist will either work with you to find a reasonable solution on your current bike or recommend you work with one of our knowledgeable Sales Advisors to find that perfect fitting new ride.

Q: How often should I have my bike fit?

We like to think about fit like holiday pant size. While the pants don't change size, they do start to fit different around those times of both joy and stress. As your biomechanics change, as your weight varies, as your strength grows and fades, your position on the bike is subject to change. Re-evaluating your position on a yearly basis is a great idea to consider if you are serious about your cycling ventures.

Q: What if I have a bike fit from Mike's Bikes and something doesn't feel right when I get on the road or trail?

With the purchase of a Mike's Bikes Fit, you also receive a complimentary follow-up appointment in the first 6 months! This allows us to adjust the position as needed as you start to ride your bike after your fitting.

Q: Will a bike fit make me faster?

Possibly! While we really want to say everyone will get faster through a fitting, it will completely depend on where you are currently with your bike position and fitting experience and how much your position changes during the service.

Q: What is Retul?

Retül is our 3D analysis system that allows us to better tailor the bike to you. LED markers are strategically placed on eight anatomical points of the rider: the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, heel, and toe. As the rider pedals, Retül's sensor bar gathers real-time, three-dimensional data of the rider's pedal strokes and movements. The rider's data is compiled into a reader-friendly report for analysis by the fitter. The fitter can then assess the rider's position and make necessary adjustments. The "Zin", Retül's handheld digitizer, allows the fitter to digitally measure the rider's bike at 13-15 points, depending on the bike. The Zin can measure fixed points, contours, and curves, and provides a complete digital map of the bike.

Q: Is Cleat Fitting part of the process?

Yes! We refer to our cleat portion of the fitting as a "z-plane" analysis. As we assess rider position, our z-plane analysis considers knee tracking as a result of cleat adjustment and rider rotations on the saddle, which can create abnormal knee, hip, and upper body positioning.

Q What should I bring with me to a bike fit?

Yes! We refer to our cleat portion of the fitting as a "z-plane" analysis. As we assess rider position, our z-plane analysis considers knee tracking as a result of cleat adjustment and rider rotations on the saddle, which can create abnormal knee, hip, and upper body positioning.

Q: It's the Day of my Fitting what should I do?

Please bring the following items to your session:

  • Your bike – During your session, your bike will be placed in a trainer to allow for your cycling biomechanics to be recreated inside the studio.
  • Your shoes - If you are hoping to purchase new shoes at the time of the fitting, please let us know prior to making an appointment, as we will want to allot a slightly longer timeframe to accommodate the sizing of this purchase.
  • Your pedals - we stock cleats for most pedal systems should your cleats need replacing..
  • Cycling shorts or tri suit - These need to fit well to ensure we can take accurate measurements
  • YJersey or base layer - we need to be able to see your shoulders for the most accurate measurement.
  • Headwear and Sunglasses - In some cases, something as simple as the bill on your cycling cap or the rim on the top of your sunglasses may be leading to that nagging neck pain.
  • Proprietary bits - If your bike has any kind of "integrated" stem, seat post, or tri bar set up, please bring all spacers and fittings provided with the bike.

Please also check stem bolts, seat post, saddle clamps and seat post clamps for corrosion prior to your fit to ensure that these parts can be easily adjusted during the fit process.

Q: Can I ride my bike to the session?

Please arrive 15-20 minutes early to give yourself ample opportunity to find parking, change clothing if needed, and unload your equipment into the store. During the summer our fit appointments book incredibly tightly so please do arrive on time. If you are more than 15 minutes late, you may be subject to reschedule.

Q: Do you use "Wedge" shims in the fit process?

Yes. We use Varus and Valgus wedging (both internally and externally) and/or leg length shims where appropriate after thorough assessment of each rider's strength, flexibility, foot structure and z-plane movement patterns.

Q: Do you stock stems of different lengths and sizes?

Absolutely! While we hope to carry all of your needs on hand, we may need to special order a part required for your position or for bikes requiring unique parts.

Q: Do you offer test saddles?

Each of our studios are stocked with a wide variety of saddles for purchase. While we don't have a "test" saddle program, our Fit Specialists will work with you with our sit bone measuring equipment and on-hand product to find the perfect saddle solution. Additionally, we have a 30-day refund policy on any product you and your Fit Specialist decide on during your session.

Q: I’m thinking about getting new equipment during the fit session how should we address these upgrades?

Great! Your fitter can help you find all the new equipment that you need. Because our fitters can have multiple appointments in the day, we highly recommend that you reach out to your scheduled fitter to set some extra time aside for this process.

Q: What is your cancelation policy?

If you do need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, our policy is as follows: Less than 48 hour cancellation - 25% No Show - 50% Less than 24 hour reschedule – 15% (at our discretion) More than 15 minutes Late – Reschedule (at our discretion).