Volume 1 / Issue 021

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.

The first topic of news is our new website! KGS Bikes website has been completely revamped and a couple of sections bear mentioning.

- About KGS Bikes has a drastically enlarged section called Our Experience that shows pictures of the projects and careers I have done in the past which give added background to my expertise with bicycles.

- Why Custom is a new section that explains why we approach each individual differently, based on their cycling sport, what type of rider and how properly designed custom bikes make such a big difference.

- Specialty Lines and Services both highlight what we offer so you will have a better idea of the things we do well or do not do at all.

- Galleries still show our bicycles in various states of build, plus we have added galleries showing events that I have photographed showing you in action.

- I have written a lot of articles, so Articles and News has lots of content. We also imported the Q&A section from the Ezine so you can refer back with answers to questions.

We received some very nice comments on the new website and thank you for looking.

The main article in this issue addresses the differences between cyclists and the rest of the population. No matter where you are on the learning curve, the cycling lifestyle sets you apart from the rest.

Cynthia Heinz is back from a break from the bike, noticing what’s back after a little time off the bike. I am certain we have all been there!

The next Custom Bike Fit Consulting Trip in Dallas is now “on demand” as I am being spread thinner with demand in Austin and Houston as well. 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. The first deals with noisy wheels and the second in the right way to stand when climbing with a group of riders.

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 Custom Bicycle Consulting trips to Dallas are now demand based. I am also adding Houston and Austin so if you need help, I will get to you somehow. 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.

Other events that I will be attending to either participate or take Facebook photos of you will start showing up here too. Don’t forget to send me invitations if you want me to come to your event. I am able to put together a very nice talk, clinic or even a custom bicycle event.

Thanks to everyone who commented on our new website! Here are a few…

WOW! It looks great at first glance. I’ll definitely explore more when I can take some time.

Congratulations on getting it set up. I think your website is a great plus to your business.

It really shows your dedication and professionalism.

Hope all is well.

Kim Fredenburg

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Hi Kevin,

I think your website is very good indeed!

Beautiful photographs of your bikes!

So much to look at and read.

Well done.

John Peter Anderson

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Great, GREAT, site……my pronouncement even if I’m a small part, and glad I could be!!

Tom Ellis

Feature Article – Delimiting the Limits

I was riding in the Hill Country recently and on a pretty hard section of the course I looked over and observed a 66 year young rider who was hanging tough with the rest of us. It reminded me why my job is not merely designing and creating bicycles, but also helping people expand their limits.

This guy was tough as nails and cycling had a lot to do with it. His capacity for work, tolerance for discomfort and persistence to get the job done is normal for us cyclists, but is so much higher than that of the general population. It also explains to me how cycling is The Fountain of Youth, as a person who until recently would have been considered “too old” for such activity was not only surviving, but thriving while embracing the obstacles that cycling challenges us to overcome. The personal growth that comes from this is what keeps us young.

On the flip side of the coin, I met with a woman today who is quite new to cycling but who is determined to become a truly proficient triathlete. She is in her 30′s and while fit and strong, is intimidated by the type of riding that our 60 something friend above takes for granted. He is both aware of many of his limits but has, over time, pushed and expanded them. Our younger friend has the potential, yet has many more limits at this point because they have not been challenged and conquered.

My job when designing a bicycle is to find the limits of the people I work with and help them determine if that limitation can be addressed or must be accepted. It is on one hand ultimately challenging and at the same time fulfilling, because we all are like onions, and when one layer of limitations is eliminated there are always more.

So while I noticed our elder gent was enjoying the ride, I encouraged the young woman to be patient. In time she will realize that her trepidation is nothing but a part of the learning curve she is on. Over time many perspectives will change, myths will be debunked and limits rendered limitless. I still deal with limits both personally and with others professionally and at best it is a work in process. The results show that the effort is worth it and for that I am thankful that somebody thought we would be better off riding a bicycle.

The question of what limits we place on ourselves, and whether we let those limits control us (or the reverse) will be more of a determining factor for our success as cyclists, triathletes, professionals and as people. The part of cycling that I notice more these days is a pattern of discipline, toughness, adaptability and a strong work ethic. As the world gets more competitive, this separates us from our sedentary colleagues in ways positive for us, maybe not so for them.

While global political and economic changes challenge our workplace, the counterbalancing effect of cycling is validating people’s repurposing of the sport from “hobby” to “success tool.” This would explain why cycling in general and triathlon in particular are becoming more and more popular with today’s professionals. Cycling is easy to learn and hard to master and as such is a great lifelong avocation. The great thing is, your life will be longer and you will be living more as well.

Until next time,

Kevin

President

KGS Bikes

Dear Kevin,

I have a ticking noise in my front wheel and don’t know if the bearing is going bad. Once per revolution, I hear a noise that sounds like a tick, tick, tick and I thought there might be a bearing problem. I know it is once per revolution as I looked at the wheel while riding slowly and every time the valve stem is down, I hear the noise. What should I do? I have Edge Composite rims with a DT Swiss front hub and a PowerTap on the back, if the brand of the wheels makes a difference.

Mark

Hi Mark,

Thanks so much for asking and yes the type of wheel matters greatly. I don’t think you have a bearing problem. If you take the wheel off I suspect the bearings will feel smooth. The clue to your problem lies in your excellent description of when the ticking noise occurred.

The Edge rims are carbon fiber deep dish rims which are going to have two characteristics. One is due to the thinness of the carbon rim material. As the material gets thinner and thinner, it will resonate similar to the head of a drum. The other thing is, deeper dish rims have a hole big enough for the valve stem to easily slide through, but depending on the valve stem the hole may be bigger than the stem, causing the stem to be able to move.

Interestingly, when the tire is moving on the ground, it deforms when the tread hits the ground which deflects the valve stem. The deeper the rim, the less deflection will be needed to cause the stem to tap against the edge of the hole in the rim.

The solution is simple if the tire is mounted. Just use some clear silicone caulk and after using masking tape on the rim to keep from making a mess, just get a little silicone in between the valve stem and the rim. It will quiet the noise and still be easy to remove. If your tire is not mounted, some electrical tape or electrical shrink wrap can do the trick as well. Rims and valve stems are not all the same, so a little judgment on how much tape to use on the valve stem will be easy to find out.

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

I was on a group ride the other day and ruffled some feathers but don’t know why. Here’s what happened. I was at the lead of a group of 8 riders and near the top of a hill the grade got much steeper. When I stood, the guy behind me yelled and said I almost hit him. I didn’t swerve, just stood. Can you explain what happened?

Mary

Hi Mary,

This is a situation where what you think you are doing is not what is actually happening. I think we all have been in a place where things got steep and we had to stand, like it or not. The timing was probably off. What happens when you stand on a bike is this. You are transitioning from a seated position to standing by raising up on your saddle as well as moving forward. Since the bike is lighter than you, it will move backwards underneath you if you don’t increase power on the pedals. You really are standing up and pulling the bike underneath you so you can balance standing on the cranks.

The net effect of this is, the guy on your wheel saw your bike lurch back and though you may not be aware of it, you could have caused a big problem for him had he been too close to begin with and/or not paying attention. We all strive to pay attention when riding but fatigue makes us forget to stay on top of things.

The way to stand properly is to time your stand so you are pushing down on a pedal and actually slightly accelerating. In fact when you time it right, you are accelerating your body while the bike stays perfectly in synch with the other bikes. It’s a finesse thing but one that will win you much respect in the pack because you will be contributing to the safety of the group.

Ride safely and thanks for the great question.

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.

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.

Red Licorice Events – The “Sweet and Twisted” team that promotes Austin’s best athletic events. KGS Bikes is an ongoing sponsor of triathlons produced by our friends Erin and Leilani and we are thrilled with the relationship.

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