Review: ERO Sports Pennsylvania Bike Fit
Missy Erickson flashed a handsaw and lopped off a portion of the seat mast from my Giant TCR without hesitation. The only word I could think of was ‘confidence.’ As quickly as she removed the integrated seatpost (ISP), she reinstalled the mast cap, and said, “Ok. Hop back on.”
I found myself in Missy’s ERO Sports Pennsylvania studio along my mid-life cycling journey. At the end of last year, I was sidelined with a debilitating back injury that was no doubt ushered in by poor bike positioning. As someone who would do bike shop fits, it was hard to get someone to help with on-bike measurements. And when my TCR became an integrated seat post bike, where the seat post is built into the bike, nobody wanted to work with it, and I didn’t blame them.
Year after year, I rode bikes with measurements from previous bikes. Having had a professional fit done in 2007, it was laughable to think nearly twenty years later I was the same rider with the same flexibility, necessitating similar measurements. Here I was, two decades later, riding a bike that made me feel like I was being catapulted over the front but thinking I was all aero. It was the end result of tinkering with cleat positioning, saddle fore and aft, and half a dozen stem sizes. I had to surrender that the shotgun approach was ineffective. The back injury made it painfully obvious a professional bike fit was mandatory.
There are numerous fit options courtesy of ERO Sports. Offering three locations in the United States, those lucky enough to live near the Pennsylvania location - and two California locations - can book an in-person evaluation. Since Missy Erickson’s studio is right down the road from the Trexlertown velodrome, expect confidence with track fits. Her studio also offers road, gravel/ cyclocross, triathlon, and pre-purchase fits for those who haven’t bought a bike yet. No wonder she whipped the saw out without anxiety and went to work on a frame that intimidates many.
The follow-up visit spent time with small changes. The best news is the steerer tube can finally get cut after this ERO Sports visit.
Missy Erickson’s name may sound familiar. Years ago, she was kind enough to do an interview for creakybottombracket. Her cycling background is extensive: BMX, road, mountain, but track is where she settled for a portion of her career that sent her around the world. These days, the ever approachable Missy manages the ERO Sports bike fitting while also offering track coaching. Follow her social media pages to see she knows her way around every cycling event. Confidence from a bike fitter is exactly what is needed for a person who lost confidence in his cycling body.
The road bike fit visit was a relaxed atmosphere. Missy is equally knowledgeable in terms of bike mechanics and body mechanics. She dismissed many of those old beliefs of bike fitting, a positive note as the days of slammed stems get farther into the past. Over two hours we talked, moved the cleats around, moved the seat around, and explored future options as the injury continued to heal. Her Retul fit system gave regular feedback with pedal stroke and body angles. A specific issue I’ve had for years, a little knee wiggle at the top of the pedal stroke, was ironed out almost immediately. When I mentioned that I thought that was just how I was, Missy confidently named the cause of the problem and we moved on to the next issue. One after another the problems were identified and resolved.
At a follow-up appointment, I asked the question of how often a cyclist should get a bike fit. Missy’s answer both surprised me and confirmed my updated beliefs. The bulk of cyclists who should invest in bike fitting are those who have recently gotten into cycling and/ or those who have had major body changes. Cyclists who have gone from a commuter or a recreational bike and have jumped over to performance geometry are candidates for an ERO Sports fit. It’s also the time trialist/ triathlete who has gotten into gravel bikes. It was highlighted that each bike discipline has separate geometry, and trying to emulate a road fit on a gravel bike is not encouraged by Missy. Prioritized fits also include the cyclist who has changed in flexibility, body weight increase or decrease, and/ or post pregnancy. It was also recommended to get a follow-up visit any time a contact area has been altered such as: shoes, saddle, and/ or bars. Any change where your body touches the bike should activate a fitting for proper alignment.
Missy Erickson’s ERO Sports Pennsylvania studio has numerous accolades of her racing career as well as clients she coaches. Aside from the Retul fit system, Erickson has fit devices for aero and track set ups.
That’s not to discount serious cyclists needing fits. While higher end teams usually provide bike fitting, Missy recommends a pre-winter and a pre-season fit for competitive riders. These fits explore the marginal gains territory where competitive riders try to tuck that elbow in, get the helmet to line up just right with the shoulders while in the aero position, or explore if narrower bars can be used comfortably for the upcoming season. Missy applies her years of track racing and road riding to aid in the success of the competitive rider.
Missy did not discount the local bike shop fit option, as ERO Sports supports the small community bike shops. What ERO can do is explore pre-bike purchases, or bike sizing, to find a brand’s geometry that meets the needs of the rider. Sometimes, a bike fitting leads to awkward conversation that the current rig is a size too small or too large. In these situations, it can be beneficial if the person is coming from a second-hand bike and wants to take the sport further. Consider many cyclists started with a second-hand bike and are ready to commit to the next level of bike riding. A visit to ERO Sports can help with the process of finding the right next bike.
Clearly experiences vary. As someone who has been cycling for twenty years, my fit does not look like the next person’s. It would be interesting to see a newer rider come in for an ERO Sports consultation to witness the change that occurs over prescribed visits. And as someone who had to put full trust in Missy’s expertise, I don’t plan to tinker with my geometry. The bike industry makes numerous attempts to match the bell curve of rider fits, but it’s people like Missy Erickson of ERO Sports that match each unique rider’s measurements.
It has been six months since my first appointment at ERO Sports. The new bike setup has proven itself over thousands of miles. The injury was clearly from years of bike fit neglect. The confidence Missy showed when slicing off some seat post was transferred to my confidence on road efforts. Process trusted, confirmed by follow-up appointments, road riding is starting to focus on the seasonal goas again. While the bike fit was a portion of the effort to return to road riding, it can be argued that it was the largest piece of the puzzle. Take it from someone who has worked in the industry and couldn’t settle on a bike fitter to put me back together: Finding Missy at ERO Sports has me back on the bike comfortably and ticking away miles with confidence.
