We are finally coming to New York

Final preparation is in place for us to finally visit New York and offer BikeFit Pro Education in the North East.

Mike Fraysse’s Sports Resorts (http://www.mikefrayssesports.com/ ) will be hosting the event.

Specials for room and board to be included for the students and if you are looking to get a bike fit we will also be offering a special for you.

Tentative dates August 7th and 8th      More information coming soon at http://www.bikefit.com/

BikeFit

Results of a Group Fitting this Weekend

I was in Portales, New Mexico this weekend fitting a group of 11 riders from the area.
Here are the numbers on wedges and 20 mm pedal spacers used for these fits.

A total of 41 cleat spacers were used. 12 on the left and 29 on the right.
A total of 6 -  20 mm pedal spacers were used -  4 on the left and 2 on the right.
Two riders needed a leg length shim due to previous fractures of the hip.
One rider needed +1/2 speedplay zero pedals bilaterally.
Also, almost half the riders need shorter stems, although the actual number is much higher because many of the other riders had already gone to a shorter stem.
Also, 4 of the riders needed a compact handle bar so they could use the drop bar position comfortably.

Paul and Andrew have asked for posts on details about what is being used during fits so thought I would post some of my results from this group.

Michael Irwin    BikeFit Pro
http://www.bicyclefitrx.com/

5 cycling magazine editors were all recently fit with Speedplay pedals at Sea Otter

Here are some of the initial numbers from the cleat/pedal fits. This is a direct reflection of the variance between the 5 fits and the ability of Speedplay and the use of cleat wedges to meet the individual needs.

5 bike fits performed = 10 pedals used
6 pedals needed different length spindles (60 percent)
9 cleats received cleat wedges (90 percent) – No ITS Wedges.
Shorter spindles – 5 (50 percent)
Longer spindles – 1 (10 percent)
3 Received Superfeet insoles.

Without Speedplay Pedals only 40 percent would have been fitted properly. In other words any other pedal system in the world would have netted only a 40 success rate.

Without Cleat Wedges only 10 percent would have been fitted properly. This combination is the best way to fit more cyclists properly.

Four needed shorter right spindles. It is more common we see the left longer than the right so this was not surprising.

This group was fairly typical regarding how many needed different length spindles and wedges. We see the same ratio in our fittings and education classes.......not a good sign for any other pedal.

Atypical of this group was that more often we find longer spindles are needed. This group as whole needed shorter spindles but again the left to right ratio is common.

We share this information not to impress you but the impress upon you the importance of cleat wedges and proper spindle widths. We hope you are able to experience the same success.

Leg Length info - and where to learn more in the UK

http://www.bikefittingtools.com/index.php?page=steve-hoggs-leg-length-shims

Leg Length Discrepancies - Are they common?

The question is how common are leg length discrepancies? So far this week I have seen a 70% of fits requiring the use of leg length shims. I want to thank Steve Hogg for thinking out of the box and making a solution to address this common problem. What do I look for and what does jump out? What really jumps out is how uneven the saddle is; one side is usually more compressed/lower than the other.

In the even the saddle is brand new the other clue I look for is leg extension ... especially when the saddle is new and the client is complaining about lateral lower back pain and or hip pain.
While the Gmeter is marked with a nice green area indicating the range for an ideal saddle height, when the difference is 5 or more degrees I start to thinking about a possible discrepancy.

Testing the assumption is easy; just put a leg length shim under the shoe and ask for feedback. The words you can hear a client scream or utter are " ... I feel even and balanced" or "I feel as I am not reaching as much now" or "I went out for a long ride and for the first time my lower right back and hip has not hurt" or "I am now feeling the same amount of pressure on the saddle !" One client this week had such a good feeling of being balanced that he said "maybe now I can ride without my hands as I have never been able to do so because my bike would veer to the right!" which then led me to think why did he not mention this during the pre-fit interview?

Let's hear how you test for leg length discrepancy on the bike!


Wedge average count thus far this week: 15 wedges in 4 fits = 3.75 wedges/fit

New Patent Pending V V 1 mtn cleat/spd compatible – Hypercat Racing

Feedback: Andrew dropped off a set of the new V V 1 SPD cleats to try, ironically I had a follow-up client that night and in the end with a 1mm spacer on each pedal, 1 ITS per shoe, the V V 1 cleats and some playing around with position, her legs tracked as nice as any of the road systems I have seen. That is very close to a first. Generally I feel I have to call it at close enough, but in the end it was perfect and she felt "connected" to the pedals. I think those little puppies were the icing on the cake and a many times better than the small little SPD Cleat Wedges, especially when making the small adjustments. I am ordering up a few
V V 1 sets to have for some upcoming charity riders I will be fitting.

Thanks again

Phil
Website: http://www.hypercat.com/
Blog: http://www.hypercatcycling.wordpress.com/

Going to Sea Otter? - We will be there walking around!

Bike Fit Education - UK

Learn real bike fitting at CycleFit - one of our oldest and best customers. I have worked personally with Phil and Julian. These guys know bike fit. Recently I had the privilege to work with a former apprentice and employee of CycleFit. I was pleasantly surprised with his knowledge and skills.

These guys are beyond Serotta or Trek or any other so called bike fitting schools - combined!

http://www.bikefittingtools.com/index.php?page=cyclefit-bike-fitting-course

Famous Shoes Belong to........

His name?????

Famous shoes and 7 BikeFit Cleat Wedges

4 Cleat Wedges right and 3 Cleat Wedges left

Do you know who owns these shoes?

Hint- One of the most influential people in the bike fitting world.
How many wedges do you use?

Pain while driving, not riding

Well, the weather finally cleared here in the Bay Area and I am seeing more and more cyclists taking to the roads.
While I was driving my daughter to a rehersal today, in the distance we noticed a cyclist riding on the shoulder (when available) of a road seldom used by cyclists due to a combination of high traffic and bad pavement.

As we approached the cyclist, I couldn't help and notice how bad his knees were tracking, it was so bad that I was feeling pain in my knees. He was riding a brand new Wilier Cento Uno with upgraded carbon wheels and PowerTap. I wish I could have stopped to give him my card but traffic would not permit such desperate measures.

I feel for the owner of that magnificent bike because I am certain he does not know what comfort is on the bike. I also feel for the shop that sold him the bike because they are far from doing a service to the customer and to the brand. I am glad I am trying to save 1 rider at a time but many times I wish I could help more riders get better acquainted with their rides.

Happy riding and Happy Easter everyone!



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