Changes: The Most Underrated Thing in Cycling (Post 1 of 3)

This post is #1 of a three post series regarding some 'changes' I've made in cycling recently. This is the first, as it is the most necessary and will tie in very well to the others.

You probably are expecting some "secret" that I discovered recently and hope that it might work for you as well. Sorry to say, it is no secret per se. However, to say that it is absolutely underutilized in the sport of cycling is 100% accurate. I'm not going to lecture about what workouts are best: VO2 max intervals, threshold, blah blah blah. Train hard and smart and you get fast. Go harder than you would ever consider thinking and rest when you need it. If you can suck up and challenge yourself more than your competitors would dare to during a race, I can promise you've got an edge.

Back to the entire point of this post: Fit. No, not being a fit athlete. Being fit to your bike. It's more than that though. With a proper fit, you and your bike are simply extensions of one another. The pro's have not even realized the potential gains of a proper bike fit until the last decade. They would grow up racing as Juniors, know their bike size, and stick with it. The only other adjustments were handlebars, saddle, and getting the seat high as a kite and the handlebars as low to the ground as possible. That might be oversimplified...but in a nutshell is not far off. They would be used to racing in pain, and thus got used to the cumulative pain of a non-optimized bike fit and excessively high effort. At some point the "lack of proper fit pain" might subside due to extreme effort, but it would still hurt overall performance - in lowered efficiency and unnecessarily stressed muscles.

People like you and me hear about rider-specified fits and think "Yeah, that'd be nice. But I will keep the $250+ price tag places will throw at you." Plus, what's wrong with making sure it feels 'fine' and doesn't overstress your calves (seat too high) or jam up your quads (seat too low). Then drop your handlebars and you're a bit more aero, your back may cramp up at first but you get used to it.

I was one of those people. Mainly because I couldn't rationalize to myself forking over $250. So I never got fitted properly. I had a couple people 'fit' me, which consisted of checking to make sure of the things I listed above and did well enough on my own.

Why the sudden change in heart? Because I have an amazing bike shop and they convinced me that if I was planning to get a new bike, there were many critical considerations. Before even considering what tier of bike or the components, you need to know how a given bike would fit you. So, a few weeks ago I went into Gorham Bike and Ski and met with Dave Palese. He put me on a Small Giant TCR frame and took some basic measurements just to be sure that all the dimensions would fit properly. Pretty basic procedure, but I know my current bike is not optimal for me - to start, I should be on a 50 vs. a 52. Not a big difference, but in a race or longer ride these things matter quite a lot. The Small Giant TCR would fit me quite well, and all adjustments could easily be made to make the fit excellent.

Fast forward to this past Tuesday: My bike has arrived, fully built up, and the only thing not completed is the final cuts made to cable housings as I would be doing the fit with Dave that day. Once the fit was set: trim, trim, trim and make it as smooth and sleek as imaginable. I could give the step-by-step of the whole fit (which honestly was very interesting and flat out awesome), but that would take some time. So I will highlight aspects of my bike fit. Click the link to see a quick segment on BG FIT. To see a bit of Levi Leipheimer's fit: click here. He talks about pain, and the differentiation of pain when suffering on the bike.

First off, Dave went to Specialized to learn their BG FIT process. BG FIT = Body Geometry Fit Integration Technology. Specialized was the first company out there to not just build bikes, but to have the knowledge of a super-intensive fit process in mind when it came to putting an athlete on a bike. Pretty much every bike out there has the sufficient adjust-ability that will allow a cyclist to fit on his or her proper size frame, especially with the new integration of companies introducing WSD (Women's Specific Design) models and companies like Giant having added the Medium/Large size to their XS-XL line-up. Specialized took it to another level - they made humans and bicycles a single, efficient, unstoppable machine. Now that their fitting is available (somewhat) widely. Not every bike shop has it - Dave @ GBS is the only BG FIT certified individual in the Portland area...no go at CycleMania or Back Bay Bicycle. If you check Specialized's website you can see all available BG FIT centers.

Boom. Awesomeness.

To the FIT: (Note: this is a very intensive process and you should expect a minimum of 2 hours. Including the pre-purchase consult we did, I spent upwards of 3 awesome hours with Dave!)

• Pre-fit interview: Dave and I went over past injuries, needs, and goals within cycling.
• I have minimal leg injuries, broke my collarbone (full strength and flexibility are back)
• Needs: Comfort so I can push longer, faster, and harder
• Goals: High-level competition. Everything from stage races to criteriums.
• Flexibility Assessment: Result: I'm not quite as horribly inflexible as I expected, but still pretty bad
• Looks at: Platar/Dorsiflexion, hip flexor, hamstrings, quadriceps, natural leg position
• Dave did a pretty cool thing to assess muscle tension, where he looks at the quickness by which your muscles 'recoil'
• Bonus (quasi-fight-inducing) Step: Thanks to my bike having an Integrated Seat Post (ISP) - don't worry, you will all be hearing A LOT about this soon, there is a critical little part where you chop a chunk of carbon fiber off of the seat post. Yes, that is right, you take a saw to carbon fiber. Thus, Dave and I spent some extra time on his Giant TCR Small to perfectly tune-in what seat height I will be needing. This data was shortly thereafter used to cut the seat post.

Dave (saw in hand) at the very moment he asks "Trust me?" My response: "Only if you'd do it to your own bike!" Without hesitation, he began officially making my bike into my bike.

...and yes, the ISP was cut perfectly. No shims needed!

• Onto the Bike!
• Using markers on your tibia, lateral knee, ankle, and hip, Dave helped hone-in my knee/hip flexion and extension during my pedal stroke.


• BIG NOTE: Anyone can say "145-152° is the optimal" and just adjust the bike to hit that mark. But what is critical is that if my flexibility pushes me outside of the range, then guess what? 145-152° is not optimal.
• Taking into account my specific body and needs, we honed in the fit in the side-view, focusing on seat height, stem length/height, cleat position.
• Going onto focus on the handlebars, which is a massively important aspect. So important it is obnoxious, as it has caused me difficulty in the past with numbness and back/neck/arm fatigue. First thing, we switched out my stock 40cm bars for some awesome 42cm Ergo bars. I like the bent Ergo fit as opposed to the smoother classic bend. Thus I have a beautiful set of full carbon Giant Contact SLR 40cm bars for sale!! I really wish they had come in 42cm Ergo bend. Oh well, I'll have to live with my new Ritchey Super Logic II's :). Hehe.
• We went over the tilt of the bars, location and tilt of the hoods, drop/hood position comfort and performance. We even went as far to hone in what level of brake level tightness I prefer and how that fits into the equation of comfort. One other thing, I LOVE SRAM! I've struggled forever with the lever position of my Shimano shifters. I have somewhat short fingers and I lose ability to have quick access to shifting/braking when in my drops. Normally I get over it fine. But descending at 40MPH+ you want quick access to brakes, at 50MPH+ you need this...or you come off the drops where you have lower center of gravity and are thus more stable. So now your blasting downhill at 50MPH in a not-so-stable position just so you can maybe hit the brakes if you need it. Is it too much to ask for to have brake access in the drops? Not anymore. SRAM has a mechanical system by which you can rotate the shifter/brake level closer to the handlebars. Dave kept playing with the distance and we were able to settle on a distance that felt perfect in both the hoods and the drops. I'm very excited to descend in complete comfort, confidence, and safety now.
• Going to the front-view: Dave checked my alignment of knee/hip/foot/everythingandthensome to make sure that I was pedaling in the most efficient manner.
• Once everything was set (never set in stone) Dave had me ride for a few minutes to ensure the short-term comfort derived from our process. I already felt as if I were riding completely differently...because I was. It was much more natural, I don't really have a great explanation aside from when I finally got outside (and have since done a hard - read: deathly challenging - workout):

"It is a beautiful thing to be riding along and think that you're taking it easy simply because you are so damn comfortable. Seriously, it is absurd. Why should you not be biomechanically comfortable regardless of if you are or are not on the rivet. Your muscles may burn - but let them burn because they are working hard to go fast, not to overcome the inefficiencies of your pedal stroke or anatomical alignment with your bike."

•  A coolest (there is no single coolest part - except the feeling) part is that I get to go back in a week or two to check back in, get some solid miles/effort on the bike, and touch upon fit issues that can only be foreseen when out on the roads for hours and days.
• Dave keeps the "log" of any and all changes we make to the bike fit, from that day going forward. If I switch my shoes/pedals (which is likely going to happen as mine come un-velcro'd pretty regularly now), I will make sure it doesn't affect the fit. If it does, adjustments will be made. If I feel I can get more aggressive (and drop the handlebars), then the change will be noted.

That's it...your new secret to cycling better, faster, more comfortably, and more happily. Dave did a great job working with me, helping assure me of why we were doing certain things, and making the process smooth and interesting. I cannot wait to take my new fit to the test on Sunday's 4+ hour ride, and then in a few weeks as I race Tour of the Battenkill.

My 100% honest advice to you. If you seriously care about your performance, comfort, or just general bio-mechanical health on your bike then go see Dave at Gorham Bike and Ski and go get fitted properly. Become one with your bike...the difference is both scary and beautiful. At least go over and chat about it, see if it is why it is right for you.

Big thanks to both Dave Palese and Gorham Bike and Ski for the fit, advice, and continued support as both friends and sponsors for the Base-36 Cycling Team. Here's to a very good start to 2012!