ABOUT...

Bike Fit Systems' (BFS) origins date back to 1995 in Los Angeles, CA. One of the original products was called "Big Meats", or what we today call Cleat Wedges, which Paul Swift helped develop. After the launch of the Cleat Wedges came the Inside The Shoe (ITS) Wedges, originally called "Soul Power." Today, companies like Specialized have recognized the value of such ideas and make their own version of ITS Wedges.

In the early years, the Wedges did not always receive a warm reception because they were a product that people did not understand or did not know how to use. Paul Swift knew then that Bike Fitting had a long way to go and while the Cleat Wedges helped identify a huge void; the ITS Wedge was put on the back burner as cycling shoes were still hanging onto old world ideals that you bought your shoes small and stretched them to fit your foot. Simply put, there was not enough room Inside The Shoe at this time in cycling.

Back in the 1980s, while Paul was living at the Olympic Training Center, the only bike fitting adjustment being done was the foot-cleat fore/aft and then cleat rotation (newly introduced via Fit Kit) positioning. Knee tracking was never even considered, other than the idea was to bring your knees in while pedaling. Paul watched some of America's best talent go to the wayside with knee issues and he knew something was amiss but could not identify it at the time.

The Wedges contributed much more to Bike Fitting and cycling than most people realize. It was during the study and evaluation of the Wedges that the cycling world began asking more and more questions. A company called Fit Kit had introduced some important basic concepts to bike fitting which was partially driven by a formula. In spite of Fit Kit's unique product, - at the time called The Rotational Adjustment Device - it missed several key components at the foot/pedal interface.

During this time, a company by the name of Serotta began to enter the Bike Fitting arena but their presence focused more on bike sizing. Serotta's and Fit Kit's product offerings still left cyclists with unaddressed discomforts and less than optimal positions. For the most part, these discomforts and shortcomings were commonly accepted as normal.

These pains and discomforts are what drove the development of the first commercially available bike fit system that addressed the connection or contact points in much more detail. Never before had the front view been recognized which brought about side-to-side cleat adjustment and observation of knee patterns during pedaling. The Wedge not only addressed forefoot tilt but it could also be stacked to help for leg length issues. Here is where the pelvis and hands (more contact points)-- in addition to the feet -- finally started getting attention, and more importantly a solution that was desperately needed. BFS helped people realize that better was possible by bringing bike fit education to a new level and offering a comprehensive course that is taught hands-on, you learn how to do a bike fit. Another unique BFS offering was that "we came to you" and your facility vs. "you come to us" and spend a day each way traveling away from your business.

Between 2001 and 2006, BFS products were distributed by a company called LeMond Fitness, LLC. Unfortunately, during this time the products took a distant back seat and were basically suppressed by the attention paid to other products and services offered by LeMond Fitness, LLC. BFS regained direct distribution late in 2006 and the business doubled in size within a year, with its primary focus on teaching BFS's philosophy and approach to bike fit. By focusing on education, BFS is able to get their products in the hands of the end-users and get valuable feedback, while also gaining information for developing new products.

BFS's products are used by cyclists and triathletes in every major cycling and triathlon event around the world, from the Spring Classics to the three Grand Tours, from long distance triathlon to Ironman World Championships and have won countless national titles, world championships and Olympic Gold medals.

Based in the Seattle WA area, Bike Fit Systems has a global reach with the recent addition of its European distribution center. BFS's products are being used throughout the world by the most influential and recognized bike fitters, as well as in the medical community. For the future, BFS is going to continue to grow its unique relationships in the bicycle business and the medical community by making its bike fit education and lectures available on a global scale.