Volume 1 / Issue 017

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.

Since KGS Bikes is sponsoring some Red Licorice Events triathlons in Austin this weekend, I thought it appropriate to write about triathletes and their relationship to a bicycle. The bike plays a huge role in the enjoyment and performance of a triathlon. Triathletes are a group that I like to focus on as they make such huge gains when they get dialed in properly.

The next Custom Bike Fit Consulting Trip, May 1st-3rd in Dallas, is at the Cooper Fitness Center cycling studio, depending on demand. Let me know if you need help with planning your next dream bike. The best suggestion is to email me so we can make an appointment. The Cooper Fitness Center is at 12200 Preston Road in Dallas. It is at the back of the Cooper Aerobics Center complex. The cycling studio is the first thing you see when you enter the Fitness Center. They will provide locker facilities and I promise an awesome experience.

In our Q&A section we have two questions. One talks about flat prevention during triathlons and the other talks about learning the fine art of bunny hopping.

Cynthia Heinz will add her woman’s perspective as a new cyclist, discussing her recent introduction to cycling shorts. Veterans take this stuff for granted, so it is interesting to see Cynthia’s take.

Don’t forget to visit our blog as new stuff is posted there almost daily. It is easy to subscribe to the blog so you can get updates sent to you.

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.

Our every other weekend trips to Dallas are getting back on schedule. If you want me to come to your city and do custom bike fit consultations for you and your colleagues, contact me and we can arrange it. To make it cost effective for you, I need to be able to work with a group of people so let’s talk.

Dallas Custom Bike Fit Consulting Trip, May 1st – 3rd. Consultations will be held in the Cooper Fitness Center in the spin classroom.

Dallas Custom Bike Fit Consulting Trip, May 15th – 17th. Consultations will be held in the Cooper Fitness Center in the spin classroom.

This comes from Kim Fredenburg:

Thanks again for meeting me last Friday and tuning up the bike. Everything’s running great now. I did 130 miles last weekend without a hitch. I really appreciate it.

You are very welcome Kim!
Feature Article – Triathlons are for Champions

KGS Bikes is sponsoring the Champions Women’s Triathlon on April 25 at Pace Bend Park in Austin, as well as the Sweet and Twisted Tri on April 26 at the same venue. Both races are promoted by my good friends at Red Licorice Events. It is fitting to write a little about the people that participate in triathlons and make this sport part of their lives.

Triathlon is the fastest growing sport in cycling. In fact, the triathlon sport grew 15% last year when the bike business as a whole did not. I think there are some good reasons for this. I started out cycling for transportation, wound up racing, and now ride fast for fun. I get to see from a different perspective how steep the learning curve is for bike racing as opposed to triathlon. What is funny, I think the learning curve for mastering three sports exceeds that of cycling, but there is one word that trumps learning curve when it comes to gaining new entrants to the sport and that word is, inclusiveness.

Competitive cycling is a brutally tough sport. By design, you figure out a way to make your competitor do all the work and then you sprint around and beat him. Every part of a bike race one is on the lookout for an attack, or one is preparing to mount one. It takes a lot of rejection by peers, people who are better at the sport and of course, the feeling of hopelessness that occurs at the moment one is “dropped” to get over the hump and start to “hang.” This is an exclusive environment and no wonder people describe bike racers as elitist. The mental games that go on in a peloton are tough when you know what is going on, and even tougher when you are learning.

Triathletes, on the other hand, are quite gregarious and want to get everyone on the “swim, bike, run” bandwagon. They somehow manage their schedules and train untold hours but still seem to keep inviting and encouraging others to join them. Where a Category 5 bike race has a mix of people who don’t know how to race or even ride well, mixed with fine athletes who are coming into the sport, a triathlon is much better at supporting all levels of athletes at the same time. One only races themselves and the clock. Everybody wins. All the “character building” elements of a grueling sport exist but they are made palatable and people anticipate the challenge.

When I raced bicycles, the sport of Triathlon was in its infancy. I didn’t know much about it and over the years have gained a tremendous respect for the folks that are up at 4:00 AM to swim, then have a successful day at work, then do a run or a ride. Incredible!

From a business perspective, I discovered that the things I learned about fitting cyclists for time trials, road, mountain and track applied directly, with one exception. I found that triathletes riding the wrong setup on their bicycles suffered twice! First the ride leg is painful, with people having to sit up because the aerobars are too uncomfortable. Second, the transition to the run is painful because muscles are used disproportionately.

Triathlon bikes are very sexy looking. I find, however, that the least aerodynamic part of a tri bike is the rider and that power trumps aerodynamics within reason. Consider your bike setup and ask these questions. Are you comfortable the whole event? Are you stiff and awkward when transitioning to the run? Do you put as much emphasis on the bike as you do the run or swim? What would happen to your times if you did a bike focus and maybe even a bike change?

One other topic is worth adding to this article and that is the age old question, “Should I have a road bike and a tri bike?” My perspective is, you run with the fast runners, swim with the fast swimmers and should be riding a road bike with the fast cyclists. Even though you may not draft in a triathlon, the fact that you are comfortable going over 30 miles an hour in a pack will translate to much more comfort when at your time trial pace. You will have a bigger range of speed and can take better advantage of the terrain and the curves of the road. Additionally, you will ride smoother and in a straight line which we all know is the shortest distance between two points. So, a good road bike is important. A good tri bike that fits perfectly is a tool that can make a huge difference in the performance and enjoyment of a triathlon, so no wonder so many triathletes take pride in owning a nice time trial machine.

Until next time,

Kevin

President

KGS Bikes

Alright you cycle cynics…Based  on your letters, I’ve gotten many of you on a bike, even if it’s just the stationary one at the gym. What I’ve come to realize is that of the remaining cynics, we perhaps have fewer cynics than Spandex-strikers! You know who you are – you’re liking the idea of cycling, you’re loving the idea of what it does for your body AND your career, yet you’re at an impasse because you don’t dare put your legs into Spandex shorts complete with diaper. I mean, to you – those shorts look like a bad combination of Depends, Spanx, & Grandma’s stockings!

Ladies, whether you’re a little overweight and are embarrassed to wear something so tight or you’re in great shape and hate the thought of a tan-line just above your knee, we’re all pretty much in the same boat. We don’t want to look like morons on or off the bike, and those shorts put us in a pretty quasi area.

First things first – do you really need the silly shorts or not? The answer is a resounding ‘YES’! A good, high-quality pair of shorts is key to a good ride. You will feel silly in them at first, but the consequences of not wearing them are too significant to ignore (jock itch, rash, serious chafing, and myriad of other unsightly, uncomfortable…problems).

Here’s the good news – even though you really need to wear cycling shorts from the get-go, you have more options than you might think.

If you are going to start cycling at the gym on a stationary bike or are going to join a spin class regularly but feel uncomfortable walking in with cycling shorts on, wear a loose-fitting pair of shorts over your cycling shorts. You will probably have to go and buy a pair that is a size larger than you usually wear. Otherwise, the ‘diaper-looking’ part of the spandex shorts will press against your actual shorts, making a pretty unsightly sight. I sometimes also wear a light-weight baggy wind-jacket when I walk into the gym and no one even notices the ‘load in my pants’ that I swear I have. I would recommend taking off your jacket when you ride, but in a spin class or on a stationary bike you can almost always keep your outer shorts on. I actually prefer to have some type of spandex shorts on even in an aerobics class so that people don’t take a sneak peak up my shorts! On the road, I highly recommend wearing your cycling shorts sans the outer shorts for maximum efficiency and comfort.

For you sun-babies afraid of getting a farmer tan, even you have a few options. You could always ride in a diaper and bikini top and really change the overall view of women cyclists out there, but most of us don’t feel quite that comfortable with our bodies. As an alternative, many cycling shops sell shorter cycling shorts specifically for women. There are also quite a few options in terms of sleeveless jerseys these days. When I really want to look good on my bike, however, I typically just wear a shorter pair of cycling shorts, a sports bra, and a tank top. Some of the hard-core cyclists may not be in love with your look, but I say there’s nothing wrong with looking hot on your bike!

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

Dear Kevin,

I have a big triathlon coming up and wonder what you recommend regarding spares for my new Zipp tubular wheels. Do I need to bring tires and everything?

Craig

Hi Craig,

Thanks for writing. Sounds like this is your first experience with tubular tires and you are in for a real treat. Tubular tires, or “sew ups” have the tire completely encompassing the tube. The rim is different too, with a slight dish instead of the big flanges. The tire is glued to the rim and when pressurized, is quite stable. If you have a flat, you have two choices now, where previously you only had one.

I use Vittoria Pit Stop, which is a pressurized can of foamed latex. It will inflate and seal a tire that has a thorn or small piece of glass. For races, and this applies to you, I put a can in both front and rear tires before the race! This way if you get a small puncture on the race course it is sealed automatically.

I would still carry one spare tire that has been mounted on a rim, plus a CO2 cartridge. The reason for using a “used” tire as a spare, it will have remnants of glue or tape plus it will be stretched. Both are a good thing.

Speaking of glue or tape, I use Tufo Extreme tape for all my tubulars. If I were racing criteriums, I might still use glue but for most applications the ease and convenience of the tape makes riding tubulars a breeze.

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

I was riding in a group ride recently and we came upon a big pothole. I heard the yelling of “hole!” and sure enough, the person in front of me hopped over the pothole. I did not. In fact, I had two blowouts and I ruined a rim. When I asked, I found out the term is “bunny hop,” which sounds funny. Now that I have seen the effects, I need to learn how to do this. Suggestions?

Cassidy

Dear Cassidy,

Well, you are two steps ahead of the game! First, you know the downside of not being able to “get light” on the bike. Second, you have seen that people can truly jump their bike over obstacles. If you saw a cycle-cross race you would see these folks bunny hopping over 18″ obstacles!

What you need to do is practice when you are alone. This preserves your dignity if you are a bit awkward, plus you won’t bump into someone if you swerve or land wrong.

The first thing to learn is to get comfortable coasting with your feet parallel to the ground, just trying to lift the wheels off the ground for a fraction of a second. The trick is to be going straight before you push up, and then when you lift your feet and hands up after you have “jumped,” the bike will come with you. If you are going in a straight line before, do a clean jump, then the bike will come back to earth going where you want it. Make sure you are balanced on the bike so both wheels come up evenly. Too far forward, only the front wheel comes up. Too far back, only the back wheel will come up.

People usually get the timing wrong and either come down crooked or misjudge the obstacle, getting the front wheel over it, but not the back.

It just takes practice and more practice. Soon you should be able to jump railroad tracks and any potholes. Your wheels and tires will last much longer and your pocketbook will thank you.

Kevin

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.

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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