Bike setup in cape town , southern suburbs

[andrecapetown]

My back is killing me during rides, I have a set of strengthening exercises that I'm suppose to follow, but I think me setup has to be checked.

 

I had a bike setup done some years ago, want to do a new complete one, 'ive changed seat / shoes fork etc' since last setup.

 

JS is quite busy + I'm a complete amateur....

 

Which cycle shop has the best setup?

[A Jay]

Try this one, he is in Plumstead.

 

Renay Groustra ErgoFiT consultant 082 7485 120

[SeaBee]

Try Renay Groustra, right in your valley (he does his setups in Epic bike shop) and much easier to get an appointment with (when I last tried!) Don't know if he's taking time off now, though, being in his offseason. Here's his email: renay-at-sciencetosport-dot-com . He really knows his stuff.

 

Also note a lot of the CycleLab shops have also now been getting Ergofit training from Renay, so that may also be an option.

[JGR]

Renay did mine - you wont believe how badly my bike was setup. Nice guy with lots of advice - i think you get a slight discount if you takemore than one bike

[Evobikes]

Renay is pretty good but if you want to spend some money and never go for a bike setup again Dr Jeroen Swart from Sport Science Institude is the best. He has done hundreds of bike setups. Think he and Renay also works together with the bike setups.

[covie]

+1 for Renay, and yeah Jeroen made the ergofit program, but Renay is his no1 boy and he is just as good.

[VT2jp]

+1 for Renay and Ergofit.

[ccc2]

i just had a setup done thru Renay - i highly recommend. i now have fallen in love with my bike again. i changed frames a year back. did the set up myself "KOPS" like always but just did not feel right. with ergo fit , my seat was marginally too high and he lowered my handlebars by 1 spacer. i now ride like a new man. no exaggerations.

Edited January 3, 2013 by ccc2

[covie]

Just as a matter of interest and this is probably not good advise by any measure, but

 

I suffer from servere lower back problems thanks to many years of judo abuse, And when I am fit and strong i dont feel it so much on the bike, but recently i tore the ligaments on my thumb which had me out of commission for about 4 months. So i basically lost all my fitness and strength as a stationary bike just isnt an option on my bike.

 

Anyway long story short, mates of mine played with my bike a leeuwenbosch, a couple weeks back, i didnt realize they changed my ergofit settings. And i started cycling again two weeks back, I thought it odd that I haven't experienced any back pain on three long rides that i did. So i rechecked my settings, and my saddle was dropped by about 1.5cm. So last night i put it back where its supposed to be, and within 10 minutes i had bad back pain again. Dropped it by the 1.5cm again and poof back pain gone.

 

So logically in my case i have to deduce that the ergofit is to maximize all your muscles during your pedal stroke, and my back being weak, i can instantly feel the pain again. (Remember kids its suppose to be the most effective setup to use all your muscles.) but riding pain free is also not bad. So i figure i am going to start with the saddle lower than what its supposed to be and as my fitness and strength pics up, ill incrementally raise it by 5mm every two weeks till its back on the right height.

 

I know this is probably useless info but hey thought i would put it out there.

[SeaBee]

covie - just remember an important part of the ergofit setup is your flexibility. In your situation now, yours won't be same now as it was when you've had your setup done, therefore I'd guess a less aggressive setup will be better for you now.

 

But... if I were you I'd rather play with lifting the bars (to get the same effect on back flex angle) than lowering the seat and buggering with knee angles as well. (But I'm not an expert, that's just my guess...)

[Cippo]

Dr. Swart developed the Ergofit system afaik. +1 for Renay if you cant wait for the doctor.

[covie]

covie - just remember an important part of the ergofit setup is your flexibility. In your situation now, yours won't be same now as it was when you've had your setup done, therefore I'd guess a less aggressive setup will be better for you now.

 

But... if I were you I'd rather play with lifting the bars (to get the same effect on back flex angle) than lowering the seat and buggering with knee angles as well. (But I'm not an expert, that's just my guess...)

 

Yup i go once yearly as your setup changes as you progress, i suspect i can get the same setup (seatpost height wise) if i take about 1cm of my stem, should counter the lack of flexibility in my lower back. But i need to get fit and strong again before i go for the next setup. Have to say so far dropping the seatpost, i havent felt any effects in the legs, I just ride with that feeling where you know your setup is'nt right.