From Katherine, who was commenting on an article I wrote on the blog:

“Thanks for the comment. I actually live right around the corner from your San Antonio store. I have often seen the KGS shop tucked away and thought it was a high-end, snob shop exclusively for professional triathletes and Cat 2 racers rolling in dough. But I’ve enjoyed reading your blog, both to be proven wrong in my assumptions and to know how diligently you work with first-time cyclists. Good for you.”

Hi Katherine,

Thanks so much for your perspective. I guess our parents might have been right, saying “You know what you get when you assume…!” I extend a warm welcome and yes, most all my clients are regular people who have an appreciation for nice things, for things done right and a level of expertise that provides real value. My successes with women and particularly with women getting into cycling is what allows me to keep the lights on. Please feel welcome and I really look forward to meeting you in person.

Thanks again,

Kevin

Rolf commented on a blog article too: ” This is a cool bike! I will definitely consider this summer when I plan to get a new road bike. What is the price?”

Hi Rolf,

Thanks very much. The base price on a Geneo frame and fork is $4,500. This one off paint job is a little over $4,000. When this frame shows up, I will build it with different parts than shown in the rendering. I look forward to hearing any questions from you. Don’t forget the real value of a bike from me; the peace of mind that your custom frame is designed around a fitting system that works for you. It will truly be an extension of yourself.

Thanks again,

Kevin

Cynthia Speaks for Women

In the technologically advanced world we live in today, it’s so easy to keep up with others. From emails and text messages to Facebook and Flickr, we can choose to stay in touch every now and then or follow someone’s every move. I am a big fan of Facebook as a way for me to connect with old friends, meet new ones, and just stay in touch with people. Moreover, I really like it because it gives you ‘inside’ information about people, their lives, and what they’re really feeling. As a woman, I love to know the ‘real’ side of someone, and I find that people really seem to like getting to know the ‘real’ side of me too. After my morning rides I often post a little something about my ride, sometimes “Cynthia is…so excited that she made it to the top of P. Hill ahead of the pack,” other times “Cynthia is…pretty sure her legs won’t work the rest of the day,” and quite regularly “Cynthia is…simply amazed at how cycling changes so much more than just your body.” It is this last comment, and similar ones to it, that elicit the most responses and questions, especially from women. So it is this that I would like to expound upon today.

What exactly does cycling do for you that other sports don’t?

There are five main things:

1. Cycling increases your capacity for work
2. Cycling increases your mental acuity
3. Cycling catapults women’s careers by helping them overcome fears
4. Cyclists are more successful
5. Cycling changes the shape of your butt and thighs like nothing else

First of all, cycling increases your capacity for work on and off the bike. I get together with friends at 6 am every day for our morning ride. We count on each other to be there and encourage each other on cold mornings or after late nights when we’d all rather stay in bed than face the day. Together, we tackle early mornings, traffic, bad weather, grumpy drivers, and steep hills. After about 20 miles we head back to our cars and go our separate ways. By 8 am each morning I have accomplished more than most people accomplish in a day. And on many days, I come back from my ride having accomplished something that I never thought I would be able to do. Whether it be keep my cool in a stressful situation or push harder than I’ve ever pushed before. Further, by the time I get to the office at 9 am I am charged and ready to attack the day. While everyone else in the office is trying to wake themselves up with coffee and water-cooler talk, I am in my office on the phone taking care of the items on my “to do” list that will have the biggest impact on my bottom line. By the time everyone else settles in and checks email, I have made all my cold calls for the day, set appointments for the following week, and am proactively creating a strategy to bring my firm to the next level.

Before I started cycling, I would find my mind wandering. If I needed to write an article, editorial piece or newsletter, it would take me hours. Mostly I would just sit there in front of my computer staring at a blank screen, typing a little, and then deleting a lot. I would see an email come in so I would go to my inbox and sort through mail, then respond to a phone call or text message. Before I knew it, lunch was upon me and I needed to head out. When our minds are focused it is amazing what we can accomplish. Cycling focuses your mind better than any other sport because it forces your mind to concentrate on one task and one task only…when you are clipped in to the pedals pushing up a hill, your brain is in fight or flight mode, blocking out every thought other than ‘get her up this hill or she will fall over’. I love running, swimming, aerobics, and lifting weights, but none of these sports were able to get my mind off of my ‘to do’ list, none of them ever made me able to just stop thinking! Cycling forces that and thus is often compared to meditating. In meditation, we try to clear our minds of all thought. As women, it’s almost impossible to clear our minds of our thoughts. Are you kidding? In one 10-second span of time, we think about the task at hand, then what we need to do the rest of the week, our ‘to do’ list for today, needing to get a b-day card for our cousin, what we’re going to make for dinner…This is what makes us women and it’s what makes us so amazing, but it’s also our greatest challenge – how do we block out all the noise without forgetting everything we need to do and still accomplish more than we could have ever imagined?

Writing an article now is child’s play for me. I decide to do it, I sit down, I remind myself that I need to focus, and voila! My fingers take over and before I know it my article is done and I’ve only spent 20 minutes doing it. The same thing applies to sales calls or other activities that need to be done that we drag our feet doing. For those of you in sales (which in my opinion is most everyone out there – doctors & lawyers have to sell themselves, business owners, etc), making 10 cold calls a day will at least double our income and bottom-line results over the course of a year. Yet very few of us do it. I tell myself every day when I walk in to my office…I have one hour. In one hour I need to call 10 people I don’t know and set appointments with them. If I can accomplish this I will then reward myself with Starbucks, a new pair of shoes, jewelry, etc. Everyone asks me how I consistently come in top sales, how I consistently put out more work than others, and how I still have time to work out and have a very active social life. Well, this is it. This is my key to success. I cycle every morning and then I am able to focus all of my attention on the tasks that will make me the most money at the end of the day. Then I go home and enjoy those people that I love the most, knowing that I gave them my best and that I have time for them.

Feel free to drop me a line anytime or send questions to: cynthia@kgsbikes.com

Feature Article – “Size Matters” – Big Idea to Mark Cuban about Big Bikes for Big Athletes

I look at a lot of blogs and Mark Cuban is posting a blog entry called, The Mark Cuban Stimulus Plan – Open Source Funding which really got my attention. He is asking people to submit their ideas for companies that could cash flow quickly and make a difference and he may in fact fund them. I had developed a program called “Size Matters” last year and have had no luck submitting it through my network to either the Spurs or the Mavericks, so I figured I had nothing to lose by submitting it to him.

For some reason the submission button didn’t work so I used the contact page to submit it. Here is the text of that submission as I feel it is appropriate to tell you what I am doing to get cycling into influential people’s hands, so the trickle down will help us all.

Hi Mark,

Thanks so much for the opportunity. I own KGS Bikes, the world’s premiere ultra high end bicycle fitting studio and boutique. I have developed a program that lends itself to growth as a separate JV although you may have better ideas to get it going. Here is the concept.

I have found that professional athletes, mainly basketball and football, use spin bikes to rehab and to warm up during events. Additionally, as these athletes age they become more susceptible to injury and after they retire, many have big problems with a newfound sedentary lifestyle.

Cycling is the Fountain of Youth. That is my mission in life and as it applies to some of these huge individuals, cycling is something that may never have been an option prior to now. The mechanics of really big bikes are unique and because of this, many poorly designed bikes have a speed wobble, which makes them very dangerous.

I have put together a four stage concept which addresses these problems and provides you with a tremendous PR opportunity, as well as the likelihood of changing the sport for the good. The trickledown effect of this can be remarkable given the role models these great athletes are.

Here are the four components:

1. I have developed a bicycle fitting system that is just as effective for a 7’6″ professional basketball player as it is for a 5’10″ recreational cyclist or a 4’10″ female triathlete. It defines the balance points that are needed to biomechanically line up one’s muscles so they are efficient. Coincidentally, this is the most comfortable position on a bicycle! Here is my protocol http://www.kgsbikes.com/go/news/kgs-bikes-fitting-process-how-and-why and here is a press release outlining my relationship to the Cooper Aerobics Center, http://www.kgsbikes.com/go/news/cooper-fitness-center-adds-bicycle-fittings-to-improve-cyclists-lives
2. The data set created by this fitting is used to create a custom bicycle that is truly an extension of the individual. This technology is what is used by the likes of Lance Armstrong and I have made it available to all.
3. Combine this custom bicycle with a Virtual Reality trainer and you now have an Ultimate Stationary bike. This not only fits the athlete perfectly but allows mental stimulation as well. The net result is more compliance for rehab and more likelihood of better aerobic conditioning during a career and a sustainable active lifestyle after the career. http://www.kgsbikes.com/go/news/the-ultimate-stationary-bike
4. Finally, I am an expert in cycling technique. My consulting services would teach the rider how to properly, safely and confidently how to ride a high performance bike, and to teach the techniques that the pros use to safely ride on our current roads. This allows the freedom to ride anywhere and become a marvelous role model for sedentary fans, while keeping the stationary trainer for in-season use or other times when riding outside is not possible.

The program is self funding. I need access and a partner to help with a massive PR campaign to jump start the program. I also need a partner who wants to change the face of professional sports to address the following issues:

1. Team owners are facing flack for the fate of many professional athletes whose lives disintegrate after they are on their own. The trainers can keep structure in their lives but when they retire things get difficult. We can make a huge difference here.
2. Existing athletes can reduce injury due to fatigue.
3. Better aerobic fitness could result in more minutes of play before fatigue.
4. Rehab time could be reduced as their personal bikes would match their structure more accurately, eliminating secondary injuries.

My program is called “Size Matters” and is ready to deploy. I have plenty of other data to back up my proposal.

Thanks so much for the opportunity and your concept is incredible.

Best Regards,

KGS Bikes, Inc.

While we posted this article on the Blog Maverick weblog, we are not in control of their moderation. Whether or not the comment is posted on their website is up to them.

I don’t know if the submission will make it to Mr. Cuban’s desk, but one never knows!

Until next time,

Kevin

President

KGS Bikes

Q & A with Kevin

Dear Kevin,

I just picked up my Parlee from you and the shifter cable has frayed inside the Dura Ace right shifter. It works fine for a few months and then the shifting messes up, usually when I am in the hills. Did you forget how to replace cables? What gives?

Regina

Dear Regina,

You know I haven’t forgotten how to replace a cable, but when the cable is a rat’s nest inside your shifter it is not easy! I see this on Dura Ace 10 speed shifters and have heard others have the same problem. I believe it is a design issue. What is happening is this: when you shift gears, you are actually tightening or loosening the cable by rotating a little spool inside the shifter. The levers move it one way or the other, but it is not unlike a spool of thread from your sewing kit.

The cables on bicycles are made up of many strands of wire, wrapped around each other to make a strong yet flexible cable. The problem is, when you bend a cable like this it compresses the wires on one side while stretching them on the other. After awhile metal fatigue sets in. Technically it is called “work hardening” and the wire, once bent, is actually harder and more brittle than before. This is why when you try to straighten out a coat hanger you can’t get it smooth, because that kink is work hardened.

Bigger cables are less flexible and there are two different ways to make them, with two different names. Cable, is what we have on bikes and even though it bends, it is pretty inflexible for it’s thickness. Wire Rope is much more flexible and can be bent more than cable. We can’t use wire rope on a bike because the cable cannot stretch or the shifting doesn’t work accurately. Also, the cables for bikes are ground down smooth so there is less friction.

The net result is, Shimano has designed a spool that is small enough to tax that cable and over time it will break. The bad news is you have to bring the bike back for me to replace the cable. The good news is I get to see you and the opportunity to catch up with any of my cycling friends is a treat.

Kevin

Dear Kevin

I have a problem on my triathlon bike. I got a fitting (from somebody else, sorry!) and I am much more aerodynamic than before. My aerobars are lower and I can go really fast as I have proven it while coasting down a hill I ride a lot. The problem is this. I can’t see! I am so low now, that I can barely look ahead with my neck craned back all the way and it hurts after just a few miles. What I end up doing is looking down, and I get scared because I can’t see in front of me. Also I have an aero helmet and the cone part in back is sticking straight up! That can’t be aerodynamic. I am afraid to change positions because the season has started but, OUCH! It hurts. Help.

Theresa

Dear Theresa,

You are not alone. Raise your aerobars! Two things are critical to triathlon performance on the bike. First, you have to be comfortable enough to stay in the aerobars the entire event. Every time you sit up it turns you into a parachute. Second, you need to be able to see and to be comfortable doing so. If you have to strain in any area on a tri bike, you will pay in two ways, on the bike and also on the run.

I address these things and more in a tri fitting session so recommend you give me a call and we can discuss your particular situation in greater detail. Everyone is different so you should have your own setup. We can then adjust your bike to fit you (not what you are doing now!) or you can get another bike. What is more valuable, you or the bike?

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.

Source Endurance – They are teaming with us to provide physiological testing, data analysis, training consultation and long-term coaching. They have two state-of-the art labs, one in Austin and one in San Marcus. We are proud to recommend them and invite you to check them out.

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.

Topolino Technology – Our wheels embody this ethic: A fundamental redesign of wheel construction to take advantage of extraordinary materials with amazing properties, yielding a wheelset that performs like no other.

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.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends! We appreciate your time and interest.

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up for our Ezine, “Perfectly Fit” and get our free report: “The Big Three – What Every Cyclist Needs” by signing up at the top right hand corner of our website at kgsbikes.com.

Also visit our KGS Bikes BLOG and check out new and exciting things happening in the bicycling community every week!

KGS Bikes – 16611 Huebner Rd. – San Antonio, TX 78248 – 210-849-2501