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!

Wells Ave #1 & #2 Wrap-Up

Bike racing has begun! And Base-36 sure did start it off on a good note. The season is officially under way and  early season form (or lack thereof) is showing itself in full light...no shadows to hide in out on the race course. Slipstreams? Yes, but you can't win a race without ever leaving the comfort of a slipstream!

Wells Ave #1 - 3/11/2012 - Jon, Jeff, Liam, & Travis

Jon (on his way to his first race - woohoo!), Liam, Jeff (his 300th Wells Ave), and I carpooled down to Wells Ave on Sunday. Departing the Scarborough Par & Ride at 6:00AM in order to make the C race and support our newest teammate Jon at his first race ever. He definitely has experienced group rides and workouts that trump any C (which is Cat 5) race, but a race is a race and everyone has his or her first. And that is best shared in the company of dear friends and, if you are lucky enough, your daughter!

We made good time and were at Wells Ave with ample time for Jon to warm up. Shortly after we arrived we saw Lauren, Jon's daughter, who made the T trip from Boston to come watch. Jeff, Liam, Lauren, and I huddled in the still running car as it was far chillier out than we anticipated (not fun). Once it got closer to Jon's race we registered for our race and hung outside for a bit. Sadly, I was changing in the car when Jon's race went off. Luckily the guys got a lot of pictures! Jon settled in to the groove of the race within a few laps - those darn C/Cat 5 races can be quite scary. Jon held tight and before he knew it there were less than 5 laps (of a total 12) remaining. Jon has a very strong aerobic base and a very good ability to tempo, but has never had sprint training. Due to these facts, we were positive he would stick the race out fine but were genuinely interested to see how the sprint went for him. By the end of the race there were 3 off the front and it was going to be tight to stick his nose into the top 10 for his first race ever. Coming around to the finish, we could see some of the racers standing - Jon was not immediately visible. But 200m from the finish and he had pulled out, laying the hammer down as best he could have absolutely zero sprinting experience or training (don't worry - Jeff is going to get him up to par very quickly!). Jon took it all the way to the line, giving a last ditch effort to get every inch he could, and happily finished his first race with an 8th place finish! Given that Jon's strength is tempo work and suffering at holding threshold with Cat 3 and better riders who are laying it down, we were all very excited to see him show some good acceleration and push himself into a zone in which he has little experience.

It was a good day in the C race, but the A race was quickly approaching and Jeff, Liam, and I were geared up and warming up for our first real kick in the behind of the season. The race was definitely a bit jittery, as expected from the first race of almost every single cyclist's season. It settled down a bit after 5 laps but never was fully relaxed all-around. Jeff and Liam played it smart and tucked in neatly, conserving energy as needed. This was Liam's second outdoor ride of the season (SMR the previous day was his first). Needless to say, I can't imagine how bad his lungs were bleeding in the race...as I have been training straight through and I was sucking wind here and there. I stayed towards the front, ready to attack with any reasonable break. My efforts were simply a waste of energy on this day, as no break stuck for more than a lap or two, and I cut myself down slightly for the final sprint. Jeff had a mechanical issue, his bars got shaken up from the racing and they slipped forward to the point of danger. He intelligently took a lap to tighten them for had he not he would have risked disaster. He was back in the next lap and smoothly navigating the pack as always. Liam was really digging deep on the surges and stuck it out until a few laps to go - a great effort and a huge workout for him. I am positive that Liam had the most benefit of the three of us that day.

The final lap came along and I did my best to make my way up the right side on the back stretch...too bad the mini-break jammed perfectly in my line. I was already in a pinch and we weren't even into the final turn. My game-plan backfired due to the fact that the break inconveniently landed in my lap. I lost several places and was barely within the top 20 at this point. Unless the sea parted or I utilized the sidewalk, the sprint was going to be mediocre at best. I slid up a few spots in the last turn but found myself in the gutter, so close that my downstroke was vicariously flirting with the undulating and threatening curb. I would have gladly "curb-stomped" the hole I had gotten backed into, but I definitely had no interest in pedaling into the concrete simply to slide up any more positions. With about 250m to go, people finally made a surge to sprint - I thought I would finally get a hole to utilize the fresh 'pop' I felt like I had in my legs. I stomped to accelerate and nearly steamrolled the younger athlete in front of me who had no acceleration whatsoever. I nailed my breaks, swerved left of his rear wheel, and accelerated once more. I could see a group of 7+ already out in full sprint...a few had already started to show their superiority by gaining on the several people working to race to a top 10. I hit the gas full-on and eyed the group that was pulling away. Soon enough they had stopped gaining distance and I did everything to reel them in despite the line being only 50m away with their 15m+ lead. Luckily I continued to accelerate through the finish and passed that secondary group to pull out a 5th place finish. I was moderately disappointed with the place number, but satisfied with the ability to get out of that hole into which I had been backed so deeply. I was happy with 5th, as in a normal race that would still score me 2 points. First race, check. Next race, be in position for the finish and let the legs do the 'leg work'.

The ride home was nice, everyone was in fairly good spirits having gotten through the first race safely and with decent results. Two top-10's to begin the season...and Jon's booties (which he let me borrow as I didn't prepare for the surprisingly colder than expected weather) have never finished out of top-10! 2 for 2!

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Wells Ave #2: 3/18/2012 - Jon & Travis

Jon was very excited to embark on his second race ever, with many fewer nerves and a lot more confidence in his grasp of being in a race and understanding the development within the race. I was looking for a top placing in order to help solidify my Category 3 upgrade. Our plans of Glory shattered during Jon's (and about 10 other athletes') warm up. The race was being canceled due to the Community Center at Wells Ave having a major event. The Wells Ave Criterium officials had apparently made sure this was not going to be happening and were informed of that fact...but sure enough no one informed the BRC (Boston Road Club) that this had, in fact, changed.

We departed Wells Ave with moderate frustration - as Jon's excitement for being able to relax and enjoy a race and my excitement for giving a high placing a shot were crushed. Luckily, with a full day to spare thanks to our 6AM departure from Scarborough, we headed to my house off of RT88 and rode most of the PVC Tuesday Night Ride loop. Focused on hitting the hills hard and we did a repeat of the dirt section off of Depot/Mayall Rd in order to spark some mental excitement for the upcoming Battenkill! We logged a good, strong 44 miles and Jon was strong through the end. Impressive improvements for Jon, I'm surely excited to see his growth as he continues to make massive gains so early in the season and in his cycling career.

I hope it was a big day all around for every athlete in this unheard of New England weather. As my uncle always says: "Go fast, take chances."

Every day is a gift...don't hesitate to open it up like a can of whoop-ass!

VO2 Test to the "Max"

As a quick intro (as this post could get lengthy), a friend showed me a study that is going on at Northeastern University. In essence, it is comparing the response of males (age 18-35) who are healthy and Type I Diabetic in the presence or lack of a carbohydrate as fuel for exercise. The total test took 26 minutes at which point I completely blew up - my VO2 began to drop even though I continued to pedal. Once VO2 drops noticeably, the test is over because, well, you're not going to get a higher VO2 Max! It was done @ 60RPM steady (for ease of calculating power as a resultant, and for the specified repeatable protocol) with 5x2min at increasing resistance, then 3min intervals continually increasing until you bonk or VO2 values drop. This ergometer (AKA a work measuring exercise machine) used resistance units (in kp) as opposed to power (wattage), so VO2 Max power calculations are only estimates.

 Taking it easy. Not a comfortable bike fit by any means though!

"VO2 Max" is a term athletes of all types love to throw out there. You might hear someone say, "If only I could get my VO2 max to 70 or above, I'd be crushing the 5K in under 15 minutes!" Sure, VO2 Max determines the maximal uptake of oxygen of an individual during exercise and is thus a very good predictor of aerobic fitness. But what people really miss is that there are hundreds of other factors that actually play into being fast. The most important things in any sport are efficiency and economy, how much work you put in compared to what you get out. Example: A short paraphrase from Joe Friel's Blog on VO2 Max: Frank Shorter VO2 Max: 72, Bill Rodgers: 78. Who beat whom? Shorter won quite regularly. Basically having a high VO2 Max says that you have a good, solid engine. But if that engine is not well oiled, or the pistons aren't moving smoothly, or the explosions of the combustion are not well isolated then it won't go anywhere. The combination of having a big engine and an efficient engine is what makes and breaks world records. One or the other and you're an aerobic king whose running is a hobble, or you're a silky smooth athlete with perfect form and nothing to power it.

The test  itself was quite well run, as it should be for any scientific research. I had vitals taken while at rest prior to the test: Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and Blood Glucose. John (name changed) briefed me on the procedure and what exactly I would be doing, all the overseers were very helpful - I brought my own pedals for the bike and they allowed me to adjust the seat to something moderately comfortable...I suppose I could have brought my backup saddle haha. They would monitor HR, BP, and all the VO2 values via the breathing mask. The mask was hot, dry, and a bit annoying considering that I usually intake a huge amount of water in training. So I warmed up a little bit cruising easy on the bike just to get the legs alive. I was not prepared for the 60RPM riding, also known as grinding it out, so I did a little of low rpm riding and was struggling to go below 70...this was going to be a blast!

The test started out easy on a 2/7 on their resistance scale, kp. Each level went up 0.5 kp. I indicated relative perceived exertion (RPE) at every stage and my BP was recorded by BP cuff in the middle of every stage, which ended up getting to be a pain one I hit a RPE of 15.

We started the ramp up and it was pretty darn easy, but it's supposed to be. I was aware how hard it would be getting in 15 minutes, but nevertheless was anxious for the 'real' part of the test. At this point my VO2 was in the 30's, as expected when the body is not being taxed - it doesn't need to utilize high oxygen uptake because the amount of oxygen being inhaled far exceeds the oxygen required by the cells, muscles, etc. Once that point is approached and turns is when the fun stuff happens. So we ramp up the resistance, and soon enough my RPE is 15 and we are into the 3 minute stages of the test. I'm still rolling along at a steady 60RPM, but am feeling the toll of the work I am putting in. The continual increase of effort with no rest is like running a race against Pre (if you haven't seen Without Limits...watch it) or climbing a hill at a constant speed but that darn hill's grade keeps increasing - and you're next to Jens Voigt, a man who doesn't know the phrase 'slow down'.

Stage 9, or 19 minutes into the test, things start hurting quite a bit. Any slight increase and my form will become rough and there is no smoothness in my pedal stroke. RPE is 18, heart rate (which was low for me on this day - not sure why) was into the 180's and climbing. John ramped up the resistance to 6.5 for stage 10, telling me that the ergometer could only go up to 7.0. If I continued through that stage, I would just increase RPM's until I bonked. I quickly learned that was not going to be necessary. John and his colleagues were pretty seriously cheering me on at this point, I later processed that it was humorous to think that these people in lab coats were pushing me to go harder. I wasn't sure if I would make it to 7.0 but I was destined to not let up until my body simply gave out. Midway through Stage 10 I saw the HR go into the 190's and my VO2 jump a little. I took this as motivation to hold out longer and push myself harder.

RPE = very high.

Stage 11: 7.0 kp. HOLY HELL. Well at least my BP is still stable...because nothing else was. The very moment they turned up the resistance I felt like molasses. After 5-10 seconds I made the adjustments and was up to 62rpm from getting pushed down to 57. If I didn't get above 60rpm the test would be over, as I would essentially have bonked and thus my body gave out and my Max VO2 value would not get any higher. Everything is completely burning at this point and I feel like I can't breathe - note: this feeling is normal when maxing oneself out, but when you have a mask on you just want to rip the damn thing off!


1 minute at 7.0kp and everything is empty, I am still pedaling above 60rpm but it must be a hideous sight: bouncy, strained, lacking any resemblance to smoothness. I overhear that my VO2 value is not increasing anymore...I look up and it has gone down since 30 seconds prior. I muster up enough strength to press on, but John says that the test is over because my VO2 is starting to decrease and, to my understanding, I have aerobically bonked and my legs are very quickly packing themselves full of lactate.

It hurt. But it was a great workout! Plus, I got all the data of my VO2 Max test, so it's pretty cool stuff. Luckily I have the knowledge to be aware that VO2 values are not the bottom line...so whether it was high or low from what I was expecting, it wasn't going to change a darn thing. Luckily it turned out well and put me right in a range I was thinking I would be.

All in all, I'm looking forward to heading back down to Northeastern for the last two tests - anaerobic wingate, yeehaw!