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G Fit Studio matches riders and their bikes in a whole new way
Fit Studio matches riders and their bikes in a whole new way G
G Fit Studio matches riders and their bikes in a whole new way
Fit Studio matches riders and their bikes in a whole new way
Joe Jaszewski / Idaho StatesmanExercise Physiologist Corey Hart performs an advanced fitting at G Fit Studio on new cyclist Dave Self. It's a service
that seeks to optimize performance and comfort by evaluating the athlete's physiology and equipment.
Riding a poorly fitted bike causes problems - control issues, numb body parts, off-kilter hip rotation, lower back twinges.
G Fit Studio, tucked into Boise's Linen District, looking more like an art gallery than a bike shop, has been fitting Boiseans to their bikes since October.
The studio is a joint project between George's Cycles and Physio Therapy, an Eagle physical therapy office.
It's a two-man shop. Corey Hart does the fitting. Jason Bauer is the shop mechanic.
G Fit's advanced fitting program, which runs $200, is intense and cutting edge - two hours of interviews and flexibility tests, notation of past injuries, videos,
sensors attached to pivot points on the body, an analysis of a rider and their bike in motion.
Computer data helps a mechanic adjust a bike perfectly for a rider's body. The end result: a comfortable ride for amateurs, increased speed for racers.
Bauer is a Boise native with 14 years in the saddle as a professional bike mechanic.
He's currently the race mechanic for two-time World Champion 24 Hour Mountain Bike Racer Rebecca Rusch.
While some of G Fit's clients are racers trying to "tweak every bit of speed" out of each tiny bike adjustment, the majority are not, Bauer said.
They're cyclists interested in local events like 100-mile "century rides," Boise Co-op fundraiser rides and others. "Or they're people who just want to be comfortable.
One of our jobs is to demystify that," Bauer said.
He also gets a lot of physician referrals - clients whose physical limitations require a well-fit bike.
John Hauck, 60, of Boise, spends about 50 hours a month on his bike, and competes in time trials. He's had a few of his bikes fitted at G Fit.
"I ride enough that if I'm not sitting on bike correctly, it creates serious problems," he said, noting that professional cycling teams use the same fitting system as G Fit.
"But even if you go out once or twice a week, and it's not comfortable, you'll do it less," Hauck said. "And if you're going to spend $1,000-$2,000 on a bike, it's
worth the money to have it fit."
The studio also offers a basic, or "commuter" fit for riders ($100). In addition to fitting, Hart, who has coached and developed training programs for athletes in many
sports, can do metabolic testing to help athletes - elite and otherwise - train smart.
Bauer said the "studio" concept for cycling is catching on around the country.
"As an all-encompassing 'steer you in the right direction kind of place,' " he said.
Anna Webb: 377-6431