In my training articles, I have often preached the importance of a professional bicycle fitting as the most cost effective way of enhancing performance on the bicycle.  The cyclist basically has four choices: 1.) Self-fitting using the generic formulas widely promulgated in books and on the internet, such as "The Axle should appear under the handlebars when the rider is in the drops," 2.) The all-too-common bicylce shop fitting where only the seat is adjusted, 3.) The static, measured fitting at a bycycle shop using an approach of "one set of measured paraameters fits all," 4.) A fitting in a wind tunnel which from a cost/logistics perspective, is not a practical alternative for most riders, and finally, 5) A dynamic fitting that measures the rider in real-time, and in real-life, three (3) dimensions- the newest and greatest system and my topic for this article.  

I recently had the opportunity to be fitted by this incredibly innovative system that came to market in November of 2007.  The Retul system was recently named one of Entrepreneur Magazine\'s Top 100 Brilliant Dompanies.  Carmichael Training System has three (3) of these and the Garmin Professional Cycling Team actually travels with a Retul fitting system.  I was fitted at Outspokin Bicycles at their beautiful, modern shop in Clearwter, FL by Park Alsop, a certified Retul fitter and an outstanding competitive triathlete.  Park was one of the three original fitters who was factory-certified to use the Retul system.

Most fitting systems rely on static measurements attained through widely accepted formulas.  We are each an experiment of one, and what works for one person might not necessarily work for another.  Often the results attained from a static fitting are about as accurate as determining our maxiumum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 - an often suggested method.  In other words often times totally innacurate.  Frequently, static measurements are subject to human error.

Enter Retul, based in Boulder, CO, which developed a system that is the only motion-capture technology (i.e. not video analysis) on the market that allows cyclists to be dynamically fitted through the use of true 3-D angles of their body to analyze the rider\'s biomechanics in real-time.  The Retul software captures thousands of data points from cycling specific movements using a 3-D spatial model and inputs real-time data into a detailed cusomer fit report.

Click here to download the entire Retul article by Sandy Scott.