Ata Cycles

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abouttimerider

Joined 3 years ago

Still the Best. I'm on my second Ata build up. I upgraded to electronic drive on my first bike and then decided to put the new components on a frame designed for them and return the older bike to a mechanical drive. Husam did a thorough reevaluation of my riding position and tweaked a few things. He also suggested a frame that might be better suited to my weight and proportions. On my first ride I was alongside an experienced racing cyclist who took a look and said 'Nice bike, where did you get it?' When I said 'Ata', he smiled and said 'I should have known. Premium bikes, premium service'. I want to thank Husam and his entire staff who built this stunning BMC and made to every change in the bike I requested. I followed Husam's recommendations and they fulfilled all of my expectations.

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Jack M.

Joined 3 months ago

My wife & I were looking for particular relatively high end bikes when we were visiting Boston seven years ago. We had located a bike store in the outskirts of Cambridge through the yellow pages and decided to take the train there. When we got off near a bustling shopping center we we essentially lost. Then I spotted a young man who was wearing a bike helmut and walking his bike. I asked him if he knew the shop. He said yeah. It was a bit behind that shopping area. Then he quipped that there was a closer store that had better customer service and good selections. Changing course, we walked two short blocks to that shop ATAcycle which was located in Cambridge.

Husam, the owner, greeted us at the door, patiently gave us his undivided attention and educated us in how to choose a bicycle: the most important element is the fit. Just like clothing and shoes you wouldn't purchase it if it did not fit. And yes, "The Fit is it!". Husam's knowledge of everything bicycle - from wheel building to selecting a bike frame that most optimally fits your partuclar anatomy: torso length, leg length, arm length, most comfortable and efficient peddeling including individual angles in motion, for example hip flexion.

Husam, a former pro racer and engineer, not only has a plethora of experience, but has in fact designed and developed the lastest high tech mechanical, computer-based and laser

technology to generate and choose perfect fitting bike frames. Guaranteed.

We have been comfortably riding and enjoying our four bikes, two road bikes and two mountain bikes for almost 10 years now.

ATA cycle is now located at 93 Thoreau St in Concord MA.

As a multitude of bikers from all over the the USA and Europe know from their personal experience Husam's ATA cycle Pro Shop is uniquely superb at fitting for bikers of all ages and unending customer support and satifiaction.

As a New Yorker with a good dose New England and european cycling experience. I can safely say Husam's ATA cycle is THE BEST! It's Insanely Great!

Jack Mayer

Jake J.

Joined 5 months ago

Great experience getting my first comprehensive bike fit! I've been riding seriously since college (cat 2), but never gotten a full fitting because I'd been pretty comfortable just going by feel and some of the "rule-of-thumb" measures. Still, I'd always wanted to get a detailed bike fit, put numbers on paper, and get some professional feedback on how efficient (or inefficient) my position was. When I came across the FitLab I knew it was time. The biggest draw for me initially was to take advantage of the wealth of technologies (I call them toys) being employed at the FitLab. You're simply not going to find these gadgets at your local Specialized concept store. I'm data guy, which by definition means I don't buy into something unless they can prove it with some numbers. The FitLab can get you into a comfortable/efficient/and powerful position on the bike and give you the numbers to back it up. All the "toys" and Husam's fitting expertise make this possible.

Working with Husam and his team was as close to being a pro-cyclist as I'll ever get. I highly recommend checking out ATA cycles if you're serious about understanding the relationship between yourself and your bike!

LA C.

Joined 5 months ago

A Fit Like No Others. I can't say enough wonderful things about Husam and Ata cycles fit lab. While out on a ride one day, I stumbled into Ata to get out of the rain. While in there, Husam graciously gave me a tour of the shop and the amazing fitting lab. He took a look at the bike I was riding and told me I could be faster and more powerful if my position was different.

Not to mention alleviate the pain I was having in my lower back.

Beginning my first season as an elite cyclocross racer, I decided to take him up on his offer.

After the first fitting, I found myself to feel instantly better. I felt stronger and certainly more powerful. I have had a wonderful season thus far and feel it will only get better from here.

Husam and the entire Ata gang are welcoming and helpful from the start. They make you feel right at home.

The fit lab is state of the art and this, combinbed with Husam's knowledge of positioning and power output as it relates to cycling, make this a bike fit like no others.

I am grateful for my chance meeting with Husam and reccommend him highly.

Jon S.

Joined 7 months ago

I’m in love with my new bike! After years of riding with increasing seriousness and many miles on my bike, it was time to upgrade. My old bike was a decent Litespeed, very light and responsive and I was pleased with my comfort and performance. I visited my usual bike shop and several others to see what was available. On a vacation in Oregon I rented a Specialized Roubais and experienced carbon for the first time. When I went to ATA it was clear to me that I was in a very unusual shop. No such thing as picking out a bike, taking it for a short ride and getting it to fit you. No, first pay for the fit, then, based on that, choose the bike. I sat with this idea for a while before deciding that it made the most sense. Hasam, the owner did the fit, measuring every part of my body (except one), evaluating my flexibility, making a video of my pedaling, questioning me about my riding, and so on for over an hour and a half. He uses an adjustable fit bike to find the precise fit based on his many measurements. After all that and more, we looked at frames. After the frame decision they build the bike with the components of your choice. Hasam claimed that I would ride faster and longer with more comfort than ever. I kind of believed him on the comfort issue but wasn’t sure about the speed issue. Either the new bike computer is rigged or I’m riding considerably faster on every ride and that makes me very happy. As I said, I’m in love with my bike, a Museeuw. If you’re just looking for bike at a price you can brag about, this isn’t the shop for you. If you’re serious about riding and care about improving, ATA is the place to get the best pro bike fit and purchase a bike to fall in love with.

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Joe A.

Joined 10 months ago

I'm a cat 1 cyclist and have been competing now 20 years. Over the past two seasons I have developed some repetitive injuries and have had difficulty finding a comfortable, powerful and efficient position on the bike. Any of my efforts to get comfortable on the bike and feel as if I'm sitting square on the saddle only has seemed to transmit strain to some other part of my body. I heard about the ATA Fitlab and had the opportunity to get a fit done by Hussam. Hussam’s knowledge and education around the fitting process was incredible to say the least. Hussam was able to get me sitting squarely on the saddle again and has put me into a position where I am pedaling w/power and ease that has been missing for some time! I would highly recommend ATA cycles

Bruce C.

Joined 10 months ago

I am new to triathlons, and my original intent was to buy a decent road bike that I could use for both racing and recreation. The concern was that I'd be shelling out a lot of money on a time trial bike when I didn't even know if I would stick with competing in triathlons. But when I learned about ATA Cycle and their fitting process, I realized that this was not your average bike shop... Not even close. Having access to such expertise in bike fitting definitely alleviated some of the concerns of investing in a time trial bike.

The owner, Husam Sahin, was very nice to work with. It's clear he is very passionate about his work, which is making every rider as comfortable and efficient as possible. Although he has some very high-end inventory in his shop, he never pressures you to buy something you don't need or can't afford. I ended up with a time trial bike right at my budget, and it has been such a joy to ride. For those of you looking to get a new bike, definitely take the time to get fitted, regardless of what type of bike you're in the market for. If you already have a bike, have Husam take a look at your current fit. Most likely he'll be able to make a few tweaks that make you more comfortable and efficient. Highly recommended.

Christine J.

Joined 10 months ago

I was a little taken with the fitting process at ATA...and being a writer felt compelled to write an article about it. I posted a portion of it here (due to citysearch's word-count limit) and it is on my blog in its entirety at http://irunlikeagrl.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/farewell-maverick/ :

Farewell, Maverick?

It seemed silly to schedule a bike fitting at Husam Sahin’s boutique shop in Concord, Mass. After all, I already possessed the perfect bike— a 54 cm Cannondale SIX. The SIX streaks across the frame as if the bike smeared it by sprinting away from the assembly line while still wet. Mostly pure white, it’s got delicious racy-red highlights—just like me.

My Cannondale has a name—“Maverick,” after Tom Cruise’s “need for speed” character in the Eighties blockbuster Top Gun—and a track record. Mav and I typically average 20?21 MPH in races and often earn one of the day’s top female bike splits. We came within seconds of breaking the bike-course record in our second triathlon ever; in his saddle I was called an “effing speed demon” by a male racer as I effortlessly sprinted past during my first-ever Olympic-distance race.

I thought it would be pretty tough for Sahin’s shop, Ata (pronounced A-T-A) Cycle, to improve on this dangerous duo. Still, a triathlete-friend swore by this accomplished-cyclist-turned-master-fitter who emigrated from Turkey 20 years ago; he called Sahin a “wizard” and said he could increase a cyclist’s wattage with a simple swap of a crank arm. Plus, I knew that none other than Jarrod Shoemaker had once dubbed Sahin his “go-to bike fitter”. Jarrod is a triathlete with whom I share a coach (the Marlborough, Mass.-based Tim Crowley) but little else. I am a two-season F 40-44 age-grouper known to erroneously execute 400s when my training plan calls for 200s simply because I still fumble my way around the track; at 29, Jarrod has graced Wheaties cereal boxes and raced in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

If this wizard, Sahin, could woo both my friend and Jarrod, then certainly I should give him and his FitLab a try. In full cycling regalia and with Maverick in tow as instructed, I followed my GPS system to his Emerald Palace in downtown Concord on an overcast Tuesday a few days short of fall.

Unlike Dorothy and her ragtag heart/brain/courage?craving friends, I harbored no crazy big wish.

On second thought, maybe I did; it was gnawing at me that despite a winter’s worth of Kinetic trainer?induced suffering, my speed hadn’t improved much year over year. While I was quite good on the bike—better than most chicks, even—there remained a handful of women who rode at a level so far beyond mine that it seemed unlikely I’d ever get to bark “on your left!” at one of them. Case in point: At the 2011 Age Group National Championships on Aug. 20, I averaged 20.2 mph on the bike split. Coach Tim called this “very good” and pointed out I was “only” seven minutes behind him on that split. (Trust me, “very good” qualifies as high praise from my coach; in comparison, my swim earned a “solid” and my run a “good”.) But an impressive nine F 40?44 speedsters streaked through the streets of Burlington, Vt, at 22-plus mph that very same day after completing that very same swim. Granted, only eight of them were mere mortals; one was Susie Williams, the only American triathlete to bring home hardware from the Olympics, a bronze in Athens, 2004.

How did those eight do it? More importantly, how could I?

I didn’t expect The Wizard to be able to help me find the answers. From him I expected little more than a nip and tuck to my perfect ride. Maybe a new crank arm.

So I was shocked when the slender-framed Turk in black Danskos that looked to be a size or two smaller than mine delivered his news. (to read on go to http://irunlikeagrl.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/farewell-maverick/ )

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Ducal

Joined 5 years ago

What other bike shops wish they could be. ATA comes through - again. Brought my bike in a week ago for what I thought was a routine headset repair, only to find out that there was a fatal, unrepairable break inside the head tube. After five years and 25,000 miles on my bike, I unhappily had to give it up and purchase a new frame. Coincidentally it was almost to the day five years ago, following a crash, that I had to do the same thing - buying the frame I was now very attached to.

Both times Husam (ATA's owner) knew the right new frame for me, and his team got the components off the old bike and on the new frame quickly, and had the fit perfectly dialed in when I came to pick up the new bike.

My first ride was awesome (just like it was 5 years ago) and I couldn't be more pleased. ATA sets a high standard of personal service and attention that is just not matched anywhere.

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joe a.

Joined 1 year ago

My experience with ATA cycle has been fantastic.

ATA sells high end and custom bicycles. Their typical customer is a hard core bicyclist or triathlete who wants to optimize power and performance.

I am in a very different category. When I was in my teens and 20s I was an avid cyclist, but I had to completely stop because of a combination of injuries including knee problems, shoulder problems, and rebuilt wrist which will be injured if overloaded. By age 32 I had completely stopped cycling, and I did not ride again for around 20 years.

Last year I decided to try again, and was advised by my doctor (who is a cyclist) to go to ATA. Husam did a complete fitting, using his bicycle "simulator" (a stationary bike whose frame geometry can be altered on the fly) and built me the perfect bike -- a carbon fiber road frame with thin clincher wheels to minimize vibration transmission to my wrist and shoulders, with mountain bike style bars, bar extenders to let me ride with a hand position similar to riding on the brakes of road bars, and an unbelievably adjustable stem which allows me to ride in an upright position now, and will later let me make the bike more aerodynamic by lowering the bars and extending them forward as I get into condition to allow this.

The fit is amazing, and despite riding in an upright position that maximizes air resistance I am faster now on this bike than I was when I was in optimal shape in my 20s. Because of this bike, I was able to ride all last summer and now this spring for the first time in 20 years.

By evaluating my multiple orthopedic issues and then fitting me expertly, Husam has given me back my favorite sport. I wholeheartedly recommend ATA cycle to anyone who needs an optimal fit to compensate for injuries, or to make their riding as comfortable, efficient, and fast as possible.