You don't need to be a bike fitter to observe that these 3 positions all appear to be different. However, these 3 positions all share the exact same fit coordinates - bar and saddle position.
All 3 off these positions would conform to any sort of biomechanical ranges you are choosing to measure. All 3 positions could also be selected or chosen by the rider if given the choice and considered comfortable.
In my opinion, only one of these positions is optimal (the one on the right).
Left: Poor saddle choice creating a long cockpit that is corrected by the rider choking back on the front end.
Middle: Periscope head...either poor posture, or the bars are too low.
No tool or measuring device is going to tell you the difference between any of the above positions.
Good tools don't make a good bike fitter - but a good fitter should have the right tools.
Fit tools and technology...
-Saves time
-Document work
-Allows for quick transitions from one position to the next
-Put a metric or measure to a position
Having said that, a fitters most valuable tool is their eye and understanding of bike positioning.
I continue to see athletes with bad bike positions...and, I'm guessing they don't know it. We are all susceptible to the power of marketing and athletes can put themselves at a competitive disadvantage by choosing the tool over the fitter.
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In November, Dave Ripley and myself will be teaching a one-day fit lecture/workshop - 51 SPEEDSHOP-Guru Mile High TT/Triathlon Course. The classes will be held in Denver, Colorado on Nov 10 & 11and each one-day class is limited to 10 fitters.
Click HERE to register
We will focus on the fundamentals you need to know in order to be a successful time trial/triathlon bike fitter.
Mat