A few years ago Guru introduced a bike fit system which utilized an automated fitting machine paired with an extensive data base of existing bike geometries. Walk into a shop that offers the Guru fitting system and it will not only help you get your current bike setup dialed, but it can generate a list of bikes that will work with your build.
For this year, they’ve updated their impressive database with even more bikes, updated their fitting bike, and packed in even more value for shops and customers. Head past the break to see how it all works…
Bicycle fit begins on screen. From here, a fitter can choose either the Bike Finder option, which allows them to select a bike from a newly expanded databse that includes CX, Tri, and MTB bikes, or do a ground up fit.
The next step is to take your measurements. Rather than using a conventional measuring tape, a Microsoft Kinect quickly determines your measurements by digitally scanning you. Their team of engineers has been working on integrating this system for over 9 months and the end result is that extremely accurate measurements (that are within +/- 1 mm) are taken in a manner of seconds. For bike shops, this makes basic professional bike fits simple and more cost effective.
At the convention, it was tricky getting the system to dial in my reading because of all the people walking behind the staging platform, but in a controlled environment, athletes will experience nothing but pure Sci-Fi awesomeness.
Everything on this bike – down to the length of the cranks is adjustable in seconds.
The centerpiece of the entire system is the Guru Fit Bike. The motors react to each adjustment in a matter of seconds, so fitters can let riders easily test different bike setups back-to-back. Unlike most systems, the front end of the bike is positioned at an angle so it can better expand to accommodate people of different statures. The bike is versatile enough to fit 95% of the population. Anyone from 40″ (3’3″) to 7 ft Patrick Ewing will fit – sorry Yao.
The other big new feature this year is the introduction of elevation simulation. With a rider seated, the entire bike can simulate an incline or decline of 18%. By simulating different riding positions, it’s easy for riders to pinpoint potential problem spots before hitting that weekend club ride. The system also allows you to simulate your personal Strava segments using the smart trainer to dial in the best fit for particular races or stages (or KOM missions).
The Guru Database has measurements for partner Fizik, Zipp, and Truvativ components, but fitters can upload the measurements for whatever components you prefer.
When a bike shop purchases the $17,999 Guru Fit System they receive everything shown above and lots of support. The kit includes a computer, television, Microsoft Kinect, display racks, and an array of components from partners Fizik and Truvativ – whose numbers are already programmed in the system.
In addition to the hardware, the price includes a two day accreditation and training program. although any shop employee can learn to do a warehouse fit. An additional $500 monthly service covers any service or maintenance and gives shops access to online support and updates. The system allows shops to keep an upto date database of all the latest frame geometries and store customers data in the cloud. After a rider has had a Guro fit, their measurements and preferences are available to them through Guro or at any other shop who has purchased the system.
One unique thing about the Guro bike is that each of the motors also has it’s own IP address, so the system can be run or troubleshot from anywhere in the world.
After selecting all the different possible contact point variables, you can also have custom insoles created using the Aline system.
In Practice
I love riding bikes but my passion is for mountain bikes, so I asked my fitter to throw on a set of flat bars and help me dial in my Enduro slaying form. The team pulled up the specs for the Rocky Mountain Altitude we had in for review and put me through the machines paces. Having never sat through an official fitting before, I was impressed by how quickly my measurements and fit dialed in. In under 10 minutes the team had taken my measurements, set up the bike, and walked me through a variety of different positions and allowed me to experience them while standing in my aggressive riding position on a steep descent and while pedaling at in incline. Normally, after you build a bike, it’s not until you get on the trail that you’ve realized the bar rotation is uncomfortable for your wrists downhill or your new saddle is uncomfortable uphill, but you can experience all of those conditions on the Guru Fit Bike in a matter of minutes.
