Retul Bike Fitting System

Bike fitting can be a really complicated thing. Y’all know what they say, “you’re only as good as your bike fit”. A 200k bike is useless without the proper fit. Fit first before everything. Yup! That includes before you buy a bike.

A lot of riders complain about back pain, neck pain, knee pain everytime they ride. Honestly, a lot can be attributed to a simple bad bike fit. The good news is, all of this is easily fixable. For triathletes, we all know that in order to go faster, it is a must that you stay on your aerobars as long as you can to reduce aero drag. But you can only do that if you’re fitted properly on your bike.

I was lucky enough to be invited by Light N’ Up marketing, the company who brought Retul here in the Philippines, to try and experience this new technology first hand at Primo Cycles in Burgos Circle, the fort.

What is Retul? Retul 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. Simply put, Retul is a bike fitters ultimate weapon of choice.

I won’t go into specifics anymore as to how you can get properly fitted on your bike (we’ll leave that to the experts and have a separate article just for that soon) as I think I’m not a qualified fitter yet. For those interested though, you can always visit www.slowtwitch.com and click the bike fit tab. I spent a lot of time reading the articles there, which ultimately led me to my current fit. Take note of this two words while you’re reading the articles, stack and reach ;)

My current fit is the result of years of experience, research, adjustments, consultations with fellow fit geeks, and a LOT of tweaking. Do note though that I’ve been riding the same bike for almost 5 years. Right now, I feel that I’m fitted correctly on my bike. But there is just no way for me to confirm whether or not I’m on my most optimal position. That is where Retul came in handy for me.

Unlike other fitting procedures, Retul uses probes that are strategically placed on eight anatomical points of the rider: the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, heel, and toe. As the rider pedals, Retul’s sensor bar gathers real-time, three-dimensional data of the rider’s pedal strokes and movements. Retul’s rotating platform allows the fitter to collect data for both sides of the rider without the rider leaving the bike. The rider’s data is then compiled into a reader-friendly report for analysis by the fitter. The fitter can then assess the rider’s position and make necessary adjustments.

One of the things I liked the most about Retul is its Zin feature. Wherein the fitter will run a probe on all the important sections of your bike to record it’s measurements down to the millimeter. The Zin, Retul’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. This is a very important feature because if ever you decide to change bikes, you now have a copy of your original fit measurements from your previous ride. Meaning you can now change everything on your bike, upgrade the frame, and have it set up EXACTLY like your previous one. No adjustments required on your part! Except to pedal harder to justify the cost of your new ride :)

The regular price of a Retul bike fit is P8,000. The good news is that right now, it’s on an introductory promo at only P4,000. Try having a Retul fit. You won’t regret it.

To schedule a fit, contact Glenn of Primo Cycles at 02-8367455. To make sure you get free coffee, just mention you got to know about Retul on SBR.ph :)

Photos courtesy of Ias Bernardo.

Retul info taken from Retul website : www.retul.com

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