It was sort of like getting my eyes checked by an optometrist, only I was pedaling a bike and the precise adjustments weren’t in lens prescriptions but rather in saddle and handlebar positions. “Did position one feel better or position two? Two or three?”

Using a wireless keyboard to control the fully automated GURU DFU (dynamic fit unit), James Coudright, manager of Swim Bike Run in Town & Country, made tweaks as small as five millimeters at the push of a button. In some cases it was hard to even differentiate one position from another, but then again, I’m not an elite-level triathlete.

The Dynamic 3 program that I tried provided three sets of bike fit positions to assure I was getting the most power, efficiency, and comfort at a variety of speeds and angles. The whole process took about two hours. (Trust me, you’ll sweat.) The cost for a Dynamic 3 fit is $225, or $100 if you buy a carbon fiber or titanium bike from the store.

Other bike fit programs include Dynamic 1 for $125 (or $50 with bike purchase) or Dynamic 5 for $300 (or $150). And, of course, non-dynamic trainer bike fit is always on the menu.

Once the GURU DFU has found and stored your preferences, Swim Bike Run’s bike fitters can take those measurements and adjust your current bike to fit or can help you choose the new bike that will best match your size and specs.

Swim Bike Run is one of only two places in St. Louis to offer the GURU Fit System right now. (Maplewood Bicycle is the other.) With all the brands, models, and sizes on the market today, the time and money to get a precise fit is worth it.

Or as Coudright put it: “A new bike is a big investment. You deserve to be comfortable.”

Author: Brad Kovach is the editor of Terrain magazine