In this issue:
Volume 1 / Issue 004
Perfectly Fit!
The newsletter for active cycling lifestyles
Volume 1, Issue 4 / ISSN 1945-1776
A Note from Kevin
Welcome to “Perfectly Fit,” our newsletter which is designed to help you get the most out of an active, cycling lifestyle. I have a team of pros from all over the world that will help me provide you with great info and a place for you to find out what you want to know. Your feedback is so important and we will make a place for you to be heard.
I have been all over Virtual Reality training lately. We are the only Tacx Test Center in this part of the country and are getting swamped with calls about the Virtual Reality trainers. I wrote an article for the KGS Bikes website on the subject, called “The Ultimate Spin Bike.” I hope you find it interesting.
One use of the Virtual Reality trainer that I have discovered this year is to assist adults in re-learning to ride a bicycle. The learning curve on a modern high performance bike is a steep one and mastering shifting and gear selection is much easier on a stationary trainer. I will be writing more on this subject as it is going to help many adults re-entering the sport.
Our main article this issue is an essay on my successes and failures in starting to ride a bike again after a long layoff and huge weight gain. I know I am not the only person who has struggled with these issues and am now thankful to be in a place to empathize with others getting back into cycling, or going to the next level. I have been there and felt the pain and thank goodness it is fleeting.
We received comments from a few people which will be published and of course are happy to answer your questions as others certainly have the same desire to know the answer. Thank you for your input and comments.
Thanks again for letting me share with you a little about cycling. I respect your time and will strive to continue to make it worth it.
Upcoming Events
Our every other weekend trips to Dallas have to be modified in the next few weeks to accommodate demand. I am also developing fitting trips to Houston and other locations so stay tuned. If you want me to come to your city and do fittings for you and your colleagues, contact me and we can arrange it.
We are moving our Dallas fittings from the Cooper Guest Lodge to the Cooper Fitness Center in the spin classroom. I am excited about having more room to do fittings and to work more closely with the CFC.
Dallas Fitting Trip, October 31st through November 3rd. Fittings will be held in the Cooper Fitness Center in the spin classroom.
Dallas Fitting Trip, November 21st through November 25th. Fittings will be held in the Cooper Fitness Center in the spin classroom.
Comments
We have gotten more feedback on the subject of mirrors. Ed was kind enough to write,
“Great issue and articles! Thanks much for sending. I hear you about the mirrors, but feel a counterpoint is valid. I use my mirror mostly to keep tabs on the other riders and often their well-being on staying with the group. If my neck worked better, I wouldn’t need the crutch but at least I’m still riding. But more, I think we could argue your same points for the car mirror shouldn’t be necessary, but I wouldn’t want to be without that one.
Same for on a motorcycle. Kind of a knowledge is power type of position. I really like knowing what is going on all around me, regardless of what kind of vehicle I’m driving. In the end, your principles on maintaining your lane and visible position are prime regardless of mirrors, so thanks for the good word on this important issue.”
Thanks Ed, for bringing up an important point. I don’t personally like mirrors but if you have a stiff neck and feel you can handle the trade-off of rearward focus and can actually see behind you, than that is a position I had not considered! I constantly learn from my clients and so appreciate you helping me educate and empower our friends.
Feature Article – Starting Over
I have heard the quote, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor, and rich is better.” My experience with cycling is, “I’ve been fit and I’ve been fat, and fit is better!” For better or for worse, I have had to start over riding a bicycle quite a few times since I am and forever will be a “recovering fatty.”
Riding a bike when fit is easy. You can go anywhere you want, everything works well, the handling skills are honed and you can take for granted how much effort it takes to be a human-powered vehicle. This is not the case when learning to ride a bike as an adult and certainly not when starting to ride after a long layoff.
When I was a full-time bike racer in the 1980s, 125-mile days were common. I didn’t have a car, so I shopped on the bike, commuted on the bike, trained on the bike and, of course, socialized in rides while on the bike. It felt awesome to be proficient on a high-performance bicycle. I could easily beat a car from one end of Dallas to another if the traffic was heavy.
Fast forward to another period in life, 110 pounds heavier. I knew it was time to start riding again as I felt absolutely awful. Well, here goes! I had done 700 mile weeks, right? Not so fast, buster. Not so far, either. I soon found out that 5 miles was a long way when starting over. Not only that, but all the things I had gotten accustomed to had exited stage left. I wasn’t smooth on the bike anymore. The saddle was uncomfortable. I wasn’t used to traffic. Wow, this is not what I signed up for.
As time went by, things started coming back and I regained my friendship with the bike. I still got dropped by faster riders and still had to train hard to get fit again, but it did happen. Nobody was more amazed than me, as I truly felt like it was impossible at first. I remembered how fun cycling was and how tough things were when restarting and knew I could never get it back. I was so wrong, thank goodness.
Since I started KGS Bikes in 1996, I have gotten fit and detrained twice. Each time I get back on the bike I swear that this will be the last time I start over, and every time I get closer. I just want to never take for granted how much one really needs to know to ride a bike well. I also have my mission in life defined, helping others get back on the bike and make it a major part of an active lifestyle rather than a passing fad.
The other part of my discovery is that I am “starting over” many times as I mature and my cycling experience changes. I used to race full-time. Now, I am a recreational cyclist who may race on occasion but racing does not define my life like it used to. My position on the bike has changed and I have learned how “grown-ups” sit on a bike as we have a more mature body. The saddle may have to move aft. The handlebars will need to be raised and moved closer. Our bodies don’t react as well to poor fit or hard rides with poor conditioning. Recovery takes longer.
The things that are changed for the better are also noted. A vista at the top of a hard climb is much more beautiful because it is earned through a great effort. A precision pace line with everyone working together and not against each other is extraordinary. The feeling of accomplishment after a century ride is still there, but seeing all the other people with graying hair is a reminder that Baby Boomers are a tough group of folks that are not taking aging lying down.
I joke with people who come into the KGS Bikes studio, saying “I’ll work with you until you’re 90 and after that you are on your own!” The fact of the matter is, I am seeing more and more people in their prime of life “starting over.” It is beautiful and amazing seeing how adaptive humans are and how much we can turn back the clock simply by getting on a bike and rebuilding ourselves. My hope is that I can continue to start over every day, since yesterday has gone and tomorrow isn’t here yet.
To sum up, starting over on a bike is a challenge, but is one that is worth it. I hope you join me in encouraging others to take charge of their lives, and learn how to really ride a bike. Whether the reason is to be “green,” to lose weight, to regain sanity and get rid of stress in today’s pressure cooker of a society or just to enjoy the feeling of freedom one has on a bicycle, please help spread the word. It’s worth the effort.
Until next time,
Kevin
President
KGS Bikes
Q & A with Kevin
Dear Kevin,
I had a flat last week and it was a disaster! I was riding with two guys who wanted to help but ended up messing up everything and had to remove the quick release to get the wheel out. One of them replaced the tube ok but I had to finally put the wheel in myself, after 20 minutes. I lost the spring thingy in the quick release and got grease all over my cycling clothes, plus broke a nail. Help!
Emily
Dear Emily,
Sorry to hear about your nail and greasy clothes. This is a situation I see all the time and there are three issues here: 1) your need to be self-sufficient, 2) technique to remove and replace a wheel and 3) changing a tube. Let’s start with the first issue.
I strongly believe that women need to be able to fix flats, pump the tires, lube the chain and be able to adjust gears at least a little bit. As often as not, good Samaritans are less knowledgeable about the task at hand and you are at their mercy. Find people that know a lot about bikes and persuade them to help you learn. You may need to practice and take notes but it is really worth it.
The issue of the rear wheel is one which is easy to rectify if you define the steps properly and learn how to do them in order. Here they are:
1. The first thing to do before you stop is shift to the small chainring and the small cog. I cannot stress this enough as you set the stage for a really quick, easy wheel change if you get the chain out of the way.
2. Open the brake caliper release so the calipers will be out of the way when the wheel is reinstalled.
3. Face the left rear of the bike and loosen the quick release skewer. If it is against the chainstay it will be hard to open, and you will discover why I like to close the skewer in between the stays or better yet, facing straight back.
4. Once the skewer is loose, grab the left seatstay with your left hand, pick up the bike a few inches and the rear wheel should fall out. You may need to carefully pull the rear derailleur back or just push the wheel down, but it won’t be a problem.
5. “Unthread the needle” by moving the wheel down to the left so it clears the lower part of the chain.
6. Carefully place the bike on its side and start in on the tire. You’ve done it!
Now that you have the wheel out, you have to get that tire off. Depending on the make of the rim and the tire, this could be easy or hard even for experienced bike mechanics.
1. If you are lucky, you don’t need tire tools to get the tire off. This is the best situation and you can simply grasp the deflated tire and roll it off the rim.
2. If you are less than lucky this day, you will need one or two tire levers. Let’s start with two levers. Use one to lift up the bead of the tire and then the second one to pull the bead off the rim. You do this by carefully inserting the lever under the bead and then when you rotate the lever down it will move a bit of the tire (and hopefully not the tube too!) to the outside of the rim. You can then carefully push the lever away from you to slide it around the rim.
3. Once the first tire bead is off, you can reach in and remove the tube. Inspect the tube to see where the hole is.
4. You really need to inspect the inside of the tire at this point and usually it is easier to just take it off the rim. Take your time and look for thorns, glass or cuts.
5. If you see a big cut, you will need to put a “boot” inside the tire to get you home. I cut a section of an old tire out for this purpose, but a dollar bill or Cliff Shot wrapper will do in a pinch.
6. Remount the tire by putting on the first bead of the tire. I like to line up the tire label with the valve stem but it is not critical, just a habit.
7. Put a little air in the new tube so it will hold its shape and put the valve stem in first.
8. Carefully place the tube inside the tire and behind the rim, so the tire will not pinch the tube when you do the next step.
9. If you have to put a boot in the tire, do it now.
10. I start at the valve stem and roll the last tire bead over the rim and make sure the tube is inside and not pinching. I repeated this statement because you really need to be careful and observant at this point.
11. The last section of tire bead should be able to be mounted by using the palms of your hands to roll it over while holding the tire. It takes a little strength but this technique is a lot safer than using tire tools if you can get away with it.
12. This next step is important. Roll the tire back at the last place you fitted the bead and make sure the tube is not visible. If it is, put a little air in the tire and then let the air out. It will inflate the tube and pull it into the tire cavity.
13. Once you know it is safe to inflate the tire, do so.
You have an inflated tire on the rear wheel and now you need to “Thread the Needle” to replace the wheel.
1. Pick up the bike and make sure the chain is on the inside chainring as it may have fallen off.
2. You already put the bike in the correct gear and opened up the calipers so next hold the bike with your left hand on the left seatstay.
3. Thread the wheel into the dropouts by carefully guiding the cassette in between the upper and lower chain parts, and place the upper chain part on the smallest cog. This is why you put the bike in this gear before you stopped!
4. You may need to pull the rear derailleur back a bit and the bike will plop down onto the wheel unless the tire gets caught in the brake calipers so just be aware that you may need to guide the wheel into the brake.
5. Once the wheel is in place simply tighten the quick release and the job is done. The quick release should be tight enough to leave a little red mark on the palm of your hand.
6. You may need to change to a lower gear prior to starting out.
7. Please don’t litter as old tubes are really ugly and people in cars (and other cyclists) will judge you negatively.
You did it!
The wheel changes should be able to be done with almost no grease getting on your hands. I hope you will practice this with your friends so you will be confident and competent on the road. Good luck, Emily!
Kevin
Dear Kevin,
My gears make noise and don’t shift as smoothly as they did. I have had to take the bike to the local shop to have them adjusted but is there something I can do?
Albert
Dear Albert,
Gears on modern bikes are more prone to maladjustments than in the past. This is because of the number of gears on the cassette which means the cogs are closer together, the greater “chain cross,” or misalignment of the chainrings and cogs, and the flexible, narrow chains used today. You can learn how to adjust gears but you need to first learn how they work.
All derailleurs do is move laterally and “derail” the chain off of one chainring or cog to another. The shifter pulls on a cable which when tightened, moves the front derailleur outboard and the rear derailleur inboard. The adjustment for the derailleurs is done at first by pulling the cable taut and tightening the set screw on the derailleur and then fine tuned by adjusting screws. These are located on the rear derailleur and on the frame near the head tube, or may be on the cable assembly using in-line cable adjusters. There are limit screws on the derailleurs as well that keep the chain from going too far off the chainrings or into the rear wheel.
With this in mind, derailleurs do get out of adjustment while the cables “settle in” and as things wear over time. Usually the rear derailleur is the culprit if the gears are noisy. If you unscrew the cable guide it has the effect of tightening the cable, moving the rear derailleur inboard. This is a critical concept to learn as the indexing of the shifters will locate the rear derailleur over all the cogs exactly if the adjustment is right.
Here is how I do it. If the rear derailleur is making noise, I carefully tighten the cable by moving the shift lever slightly or by pulling on the cable as it goes down the downtube. If the noise goes away with the slightest movement, this means the cable is too loose and I loosen the cable adjuster 1/8 of a turn at a time until the noise goes away after a shift. It is a delicate procedure but this can be done while you are on the bike. Pay attention to your surroundings so you don’t run into something while you are focusing on the gear adjustment!
If the rear derailleur changes gears with the slight movement of the shift lever the cable is too tight and you need to tighten the cable adjuster which will slacken the cable. This stuff seems counter intuitive, so my recommendation is to carefully look at the components and see how they work. It seems complicated but really is quite simple. While bike shops can do this on a repair stand, you can learn to keep your gears perfectly aligned which will make them work better and last longer.
Don’t be frustrated if you over-adjust the gears. You may need the help of your mechanic if everything gets terribly out of whack, but remember the mechanic had to learn sometime and once you get the concept down, a major part of the bike’s workings will be demystified.
Kevin
Kevin Recommends
We only recommend products, services or companies that we have actually tried or worked with personally. A recommendation, like a reputation, is very important and we do not take this responsibility lightly. The following links are to our friends at the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. Dr. Kenneth Cooper is considered “The Father of Aerobics” and has put together a group of world class companies that have a direct impact on us as cyclists and as professional people:
Cooper Complete – We have arranged for 10% off anything you buy from Cooper Complete if you put “KGS” in the coupon link and then “recalculate”.
Cooper Clinic - The world renowned Cooper Clinic is starting to create medical exams and services aimed at professional adults who ride bicycles.
Cooper Fitness Center – The Cooper Fitness Center has a special strength training introductory program for cyclists.
These links are to our frame builders and other providers that make KGS Bikes the premiere fitting studio and cycling boutique in the world:
Co-Motion Cycles – We’ve long enjoyed a reputation for building tandems that simply handle better.
Guru Bikes – Our approach is based on combining the best of both worlds: cutting edge technology delivered by hand and with an old school attention-to-detail.
Lew Racing – Lew Racing has achieved a following among racing cyclists because of the wheel’s tremendously high strength, low weight and the meticulous attention to engineered performance inherent in its design.
Parlee Cycles – Simply put, PARLEE frames are the best built and best riding carbon fiber frames available today, at any price. They are functional works of art.
Rocket 7 – Since 1999, Rocket7 has been handcrafting cycling shoes in the USA with the finest materials available.
Sem Custom Paint – Dave Sem is the best extreme detail painter in the world.
Serotta – Only Serottas have the extensive engineering of our proprietary Colorado Concept tubing design. It’s the foundation behind the unique ride of each and every Serotta.
Storck Bicycles – Numerous innovations in frame and component design that are standard in the industry today were developed, patented, and introduced by Storck Bicycle.
Tacx – Home of the Fortius Virtual Reality trainer. This is the trainer component of our “Ultimate Spin Bike”. Tacx also makes many other fine products. KGS Bikes is an Authorized Tacx Testing Center.
Zinn Cycles – For more than a quarter of a century, Zinn Cycles have been working to make cycling more enjoyable for customers, and that commitment remains at the heart of everything they do.
About KGS Bikes and Kevin
KGS Bikes is known around the world as the premiere bicycle fitting studio and cycling boutique. Kevin Saunders, President, has over 25 years experience in bicycle fitting and high-end bicycles. He also has a broad knowledge of anatomy, structural engineering and industrial design. In addition to fitting services, KGS Bikes sells bicycles from Parlee, Serotta, Zinn, Co-Motion, Storck and Guru. They also feature Lew wheels, custom shoes by Rocket7 and the best available components from around the world. Visit kgsbikes.com for more information, including beautiful photography of the bikes carefully created for their owners.
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KGS Bikes – 16611 Huebner Rd. – San Antonio, TX 78248 – 210-849-2501
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