The stars finally aligned for me this February. I needed a new race bike for the season and had no bike sponsor. I was leaving Cyclefit to work for Alpine bike touring company, GPM10, who were sponsored by Serotta. And most importantly, I had saved enough money to buy myself my dream bike. I decided that the only option was a custom Serotta HSG.
This year Team Movistar have employed a biomechanic (Jon Irriberri) to screen all their cyclists for – issues. Team HTC Columbia also have a similar method of pre-empting injury by forseeing problems and correcting them with bike fit and physio. But this is still rare within the racing community. The attitude, íf it ain´t broke don´t fix it´ is all too prevalent. But happens if it does break, or if you are wasting valuable power?
For any repeat visitors, you may have noticed I now have a small online shop selling O-symetric Chainrings. I have decided to start selling a selection of cutting edge products that will make a significant difference to a rider’s performance, comfort, and resistance to injuries. Elliptical chainrings are the breakthrough cycling product of the 2000 decade, comparable to the emergence of tribars in the 1990′s. Due to stringent UCI rules, there have been few profound changes to bike development in the recent past, however Osymetric have managed to do so. The Osymetric chainrings are my first items on sale, however there will be more unique components introduced in the next few months.
Many riders’ initial reaction when introduced to wedges is that they might reduce power. Won’t my foot slide off the pedal? Surely a flat interface is a more direct transmission of power? Well actually, no. For riders with a large amount of varus (forefoot angle), the wedges willl improve the transmission of power and create a more stable platform. Here is some more interesting evidence to back up thousands of positive anecdotal experiences.
In the previous instalment of ‘Cycling Posture’ I explored the advantages of maintaining an effective back and pelvic position. Part II will look at different pedalling techniques and their possible advantages and disadvantages.
If you are reading this website, chances are you will have had aches and pains while riding your bike. This probably led to a visit to the physiotherapist who will have explained the benefits of improved posture and given you several exercises to improve flexibility and core strength. But is the ‘holy grail’ posture that physios and strength & conditioning coaches talk about really relevant to performance cycling?
Here is a selection of the best fitting products from 2010. Although there is always an element of finding what works for you, some products seem to stand out from the rest. This list applies to all types of serious cyclist. It just so happens Carlos Sastre seems to have all of these products. He obviously has superb taste. Do you think any other items deserve a place on this list?
Saddle fore and aft position is something covered in the most basic of bike fitting courses or books. Its easy, you just measure knee over pedal axle, right? Well not quite. This seemingly simple measurement becomes far more mind boggling the more you learn about it. A whole host of different factors and compromises come in to play; femur length, weight distribution, handling, aerodynamics, flexibility, UCI rules, and handlebar position to name a few.
All bike fitters add their own personal touches to a fit, whether they mean to or not. Even within Cyclefit we have small differences. But as with most things in life, there are a few routes to the ultimate goal (in this case, comfort and efficiency).
This is relevant because I occasionally read the bikefitpro blog written by bikefit founder, Paul Swift. He often posts details of his fits showing how many cleat wedges, ITS Wedges, and speedplay extra length spindles he uses. What jumped out at me was how many longer spindles were used on his fits. I very rarely see the need for a longer spindle, but Paul Swift used them quite regularly.
Cycling has changed quite dramatically since the 1990 tour. Doping is apparently eradicated, wages have increased, and technology has advanced rapidly. That includes biomechanical research and of course, the bikes themselves. Here is a look at a selection of the most famous contenders for yellow jersey at the 1990 Tour.
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