ATA Cycle — Local services in Concord

Stork Fascenario 0.3 Platinum

When I was looking to upgrade my entry level road bike last year, a trusted friend said "if you don't go to ATA you will regret it". I am really glad I took the advice as I couldn't be happier with the two bikes I have purchased there. In addition, their post purchase service is simply outstanding. Husam, Andy, Drew and Shrey are like consultants to help get more out of your biking experience. They are incredibly responsive to the smallest of questions, always willing to help, even researching components, parts or accessories to add to the set up. I will never go anywhere else!

I started riding a few years ago and purchased an entry level bike on sale from a local store. Over time the miles started to add up but I wanted more from the bike I was riding. I had it professionally fit twice but still found it uncomfortable to ride. And once I determined that it would be more economical to buy a whole new bike than try to upgrade piece by piece I went searching, not for a bike to buy, but rather for the person who could fit me for "the" bike I would really love to ride. And I was also looking for a person who would be committed to servicing the bike over time; another friend told me at the outset, "pick a great bike shop with knowledgeable people because you will be back there a lot over time".

Having had a prior bike fit at another shop, it was very clear that the fit at ATA with Husam was a cut above. We were able to work together to simulate the geometry of the bike we would build and I could feel the results in real time. The technology was very impressive. And where previous fits seemed like smoke and mirrors, at ATA I was handed the actual calculations and the data and comparisons against the bike I was riding.

When it came to components, Husam worked with me to create a variety of options within the budget I had set; I never felt pushed to "buy" anything, but rather to build the best we could for what I was looking to achieve. We walked through the pros and cons of every single component. In the end, in a moment of "you only live once", I ended up building a dream bike based on the sage advice that if you love the bike you build will find reasons to ride it.

We built up a Stork Fascenario 0.3 Platinum with Lightweight Millenstein wheels and Shimano Dura Ace Di2. The finished product was everything I could have asked for and more. I was even able to get a frame with a limited edition paint scheme that I think is sportier than the all black. After riding the Stork for six months, I just couldn't believe how fantastic it was. The two most noticeable things about the bike are the weight and the stiffness, particularly in the bottom bracket. When I first handled the frame I had a hard time grasping that it would even hold my weight. The bike is just very light, particularly with carbon wheels.

Coupling the low weight with the incredible stiffness results in astonishing power transfer and acceleration, certainly in comparison to what I had been riding. When you apply pressure to the pedals there is almost no delay in feeling the wheels spin up. This was particularly noticeable uphill. The bike allows for much more aggressive attack in climbs, where maintaining bike speed feels that much easier. The other thing I have felt is that the stiffness offers greater overall control of the bike, whether in a group ride, while standing or generally maneuvering. Coupled with the quality of Di2 shifting I would liken it to the difference between driving a standard transmission in a sports car vs. an automatic. Really responsive and super fun on the road.

In the end, a bike build is a very personal thing. But if you know what you want and you go to the right place you can end up with something that will significantly improve your cycling experience. In my case I was so happy with the Stork Husam built for me and the result I achieved that I went back for a gravel bike. But that is a story...

Let me start by saying I am never going to go to another bike shop besides ATA Cycle! I have a 1986 Basso road bike and used to race back in the day, but life happened and my bike was left sitting and collecting dust for 20 years. I recently dedicated myself to start riding again and to do a 62 mile charity ride for Spaulding Rehab in Cape Cod. I know that bikes have changed a lot since 1986 so I bought newer style handle bars, stem and stem adaptor, brake levers, saddle and even a set of clip-on aero bars in an attempt to make the bike fit me better. It helped a little, but I came to the realization that I really needed to have this bike be professionally refit to me. I began a web search for bike fitting near where I live, and happened upon the ATA Cycle web site. I was amazed at the amount of technical precision that goes into a fitting at ATA. I read people's reviews and articles and was very happy that this shop and what they do is so loved. I decided that if I was going to get a fitting that this is definitely the place to get it done!! I called to ask about the fitting and schedule and appointment. I spoke with the owner Husam and explained my situation to him and what I was looking to get done. I made the appointment for Saturday 9/6/15, but have to say I was a bit nervous that perhaps this shop and the owner may be a bit stuffy or high end since most of the bikes they carry are high end pro bikes. The week went by before my appointment a I had this sense of excitement and trepidation about it but looked forward to it just the same. The day came. I got my bike, shorts and shoes out and went in the front door of the shop. Husam was by the counter speaking with someone, but as soon as I came in and told him who I was he welcomed me. He brought me back into the Fit Lab and set my bike up on the testing stand. He asked me what type of riding I was looking to do. He then placed tracking markers on my ankle, knee and hip, had me get on my bike and pedal in a normal riding position while filming me. He was at the computer and like a scientist was extrapolating data from my riding. He then took all sorts of measurements and put them into the computer. He explained everything in detail and what it meant. He then was able to determine the optimum settings for my current bike and make the changes. I needed a 15 mm shorter stem and my saddle had to go back further because I was to far forward and over extending my reach which was robbing my of power and cutting off blood flow to my legs. WOW, I never even new that was happening! After making the changes, he had me get back on the bike and filmed me once again. He then showed me the differences on the films and with the lasers on the bike frame to demonstrate the positional change. He also showed me the angles of my arm position and leg position on the computer before and after. BIG change! He explained these differences in detail and also told me that I should see about a 1 mph increase in average speed and greater distance in my rides! He then had me take the bike for a ride around the block to see how it felt. I was amazed!! It felt much more comfortable and I didn't feel like I was straining as much. I came back and he asked how it was. I told him it was great!! I had also told him earlier that my rear wheel was a little out of true and that I would leave it to be worked on. When I had come back from the ride around the block he had his mechanic true the wheel for me, which was done very meticulously. Husam then rang me up and told me that he was only going to charge me for the fitting and that the wheel trueing was on the house. Again, WOW!!! This place is great!! Husam is one of the most informative, dedicated and helpful people I have ever met. He truly encompasses what it is to provide great customer service and be a great small business owner! As I started this review with, I will never go to another bike shop other than ATA cycle, you have a customer for life!...

So, what is a long distance runner doing in a bike shop? I was training for a marthon and a running injury had gotten me sidelined for a while, so I was looking for a non-impact sport to stay in high level shape during my recovery. A few friends as well as my girlfriend suggested I check out ATA Cycle where this cycling wizard Husam Sahin would take care of getting a bike that fits me right (so, you just don’t go try a bike and see how it “feels”????). I felt that this group who recommended ATA Cycle had sufficient credibility to check it out, though none of them are pros, they are all hard core cyclists (for example, my girlfriend competed in the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Race four times and podiumed in her age group each time – need I say more?). I visited Husam’s bike shop in Concord, MA for a bike fitting, biking shorts in hand, a T-shirt and my favorite pair of running shoes (yes, the same ones I run with). I was immediately greeted by a smiling Shreyas, one of Husam’s expert team member. I started the fitting process with her, by first getting some cycling shoes. Shreyas got me to step on a device that digitally measured my feet and analyzed the weight distribution. A quick trip to the back of the store and she returned with a couple of pair of shoes that are sized for my feet. A quick try and a swap of insoles to distribute the pressure more evenly and I’ve got a pair of cycling shoes. I make my way to the Fit Lab where I meet Husam. He starts by explaining that to get the most out of a bike, you have to fit a bike to your body and not the other way around. Husam starts by taking a number of measurements, then instructs me to get on “the bike”, a bike that he built himself. It’s a fully articulated machine that can be adjusted in any directions, modify any angles, loaded with sensors and the whole thing mounted on a trainer and connected to a computer. I pedal for a few minutes as data zooms across the screen under Husam’s watchful eye. He ask me to stop pedaling – he has enough data. “You only use one quadrant to generate power and you push too much on the outside of the pedals – we’ll fix that” (translation – I pedal like a runner). He takes me to another room where bare bicycle frames are hanging on the walls. Husam points to a couple of frames that he says fit my body type. He picks up a dark colored one, a Goomah G733 and says “I can build you a nice bike with that”. The carbon frame is hand crafted he tells me. Husam builds bikes that fit right and therefore will be higher end bicycles, and all of them will turn out great. We then discuss budget – mine is decent, but I still have a limit. He indicates that the majority of the budget would go to the frame since that’s the one component of the bike that won’t vary. He then brings over some Reynolds carbon wheels and said that Shimano Dura-Ace groupset components plus Fizik handlebars and an Italian–made saddle would outfit the rest of the bike. “It will be a fast bike” he says. What Husam is known and sought after for, are his meticulously fitted bicycles. Many of Husam’s hand built bicycles can go well, well beyond my budget; however, he worked, and stayed, within mine to get me a bike that fits me which will last a long time as my skills evolve over the next several years. I get a call two days later from Shreyas that my Goomah is ready! So, I go to ATA Cycle and meet with Husam once again. My bike is assembled (it looks awesome!) and it is set on the computerized trainer where there’s a last adjustment with my own bike, including a few sensors which are glued to my hip, knee and ankle to analyze motion and angles. A small tweak to the pedals and the data on Husam’s screen makes him happy. He tells me that he will take care of my bike as I need it as he wants to make customers for life and I know I’m now one of those. And now that I’m back to running, I’ve acquired a new sport and added a new component to my training thanks to Husam and his...