In this issue:

• A Note from Kevin
• Upcoming Events
• Feature Article – From Don Quixote to Del Rio, or The Day I met RAAMBO
• BikeTech Help Desk
• Kevin Recommends
• About KGS Bikes and Kevin

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.

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.

Upcoming Events

These days I am hard at work designing bikes for cyclists and triathletes wanting to get a jump on the season. This time of year I am staying close to home because people are making the trek to San Antonio. Every positioning session is an event and one which you will find most valuable. Don’t forget lead times in these custom bikes. With six to eight week deliveries, you need to factor that into your purchase plans so your season can be best utilized for success. With our Semi Custom Remote program we can slash lead times so contact us to learn more.

Feature Article – From Don Quixote to Del Rio, or The Day I Met RAAMBO

Dex Tooke getting his positioning from KGS Bikes. Photo: Kevin G Saunders

I have been riding bicycles a long time and see great cyclists and incredible individuals from all over the world. Sometimes, however, people really touch my heart and inspire me to take my game to the next level. Let me tell you a story about Dexter “Dex” Tooke.

I have had my share of windmill tilting, from racing bicycles full time, to an Olympic Sailing Campaign that had me racing sailboats all over, to starting an aviation manufacturing business with products that were the right thing at the wrong time. I always believed in setting big goals and then figuring out how to achieve them. Sometimes I achieved my goals and sometimes there were spectacular failures, or “learning experiences,” as I like to call them. I recently had the opportunity to help Dex fine tune his position for a big goal he has set for himself, the Race Across America (RAAM). I may have forgotten to mention that Dex is pushing 60 years old!

I have crossed paths with RAAM riders in the past and knew of the extreme nature of the race. I have also done big campaigns like my sailing program and knew of the difficulty in planning, fund raising, training and execution. Dex had his work cut out for him. Here is a passage from Dex’s website that explains what RAAM really is.

It has been called the toughest race in the world. A non-stop transcontinental battle on bicycle that pits man against competitor, man against nature and ultimately man against himself. Across the wide spread of this majestic continent, an adventure is reborn every year that challenges the brave to find, then crush their physical, emotional and even spiritual limits.

Race Across America is a non-stop bicycle race of over 3000 miles starting in Oceanside, California and ending in Annapolis, Maryland. Competitors come from all over the world with Europe usually dominating the field.

The heart of the race is the solo division. This is where the ultimate challenge lies. Solo riders finish in 9-12 days averaging 250 to 350 miles per day.

Once the starting gun fires in Oceanside, the clock does not stop until each racer crosses the finish line in Annapolis. The race format is essentially a time trial. There is no drafting or hiding from the wind. It is a solo effort.

The route takes competitors from 170 feet below sea level in Death Valley in temperatures of 120 F up to 10,550 feet above sea level and temperatures in the 30’s at Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado. Passing through the Rockies, the Ozarks and the Appalachian Mountains, RAAM has over 110,000 vertical feet of climbing.

The Race Across America is so staggering that merely to finish, is to most, the accomplishment of a lifetime. RAAM is a breeding ground for champions, a testing ground for elite riders and a shining example of the strength of human spirit. Since it’s inception in 1982, less than 300 people have completed the solo division within the required 12 day cut-off.

It has been said that less than one hundredth of 1% of the population is capable of completing an Ironman Triathlon. There are over 70,000 competitors that complete an Ironman each year. Typically, only 15 solo competitors complete RAAM annually.

Now that we know what Dex is up to, let’s consider a few other factors that make the challenge even more interesting. First, he lives in Del Rio, TX. This border town has very few roads and those highways that are ride-able have very short stretches without barriers such as narrow bridges or intolerable chip seal. I am told that there is one 11 mile stretch of highway and one 3.5 stretch. This means that most of the riding in Del Rio is out and back, repeating as necessary. The Del Rio Fitness and Racing Team, or Dr Fart for short, uses tongue in cheek humor to promote cycling in an admittedly inhospitable environment.

Sponsorship is almost non existent so Dex is making do with a minimal amount of equipment and will have a couple of mechanics and drivers for a follow vehicle, but not much else in his solo journey. This is a true life adventure and one that, to me, redefines who we are as athletes and people. The challenge is incredible. Here is a snippet from Dex’s ride journal:

Sleep deprivation training.

I awakened at 2:45 am. My usual time. I did my 5:00 am spin class. Then I commuted to work. I worked all day then commuted home. When I got home I was bushed, dead tired. I felt like I was over-trained, burned out. I didn’t even want to see my bike or think about it. I ate a light supper and by 8:00 pm I was ready to eat my nightly bowl of cereal before headed to bed. It was then I thought to myself, this would be the perfect time to train for RAAM. RAAM is all about fatigue and mental toughness. So I went out to my room and strapped my lights on my bike and I headed out the door by 8:30 pm. The wind was nasty, the weather was drizzly and foggy. But I rode till 4:30 am and got in 105 miles. I showered and was in bed by 5:15. I woke at 8:00. Joni asked me how I felt and I told her I feel like crap. She told me I looked like crap. Then she said, “Go get on your bike.” I looked at her like you have to be kidding me. But I knew she was right. So I geared up and went back out and tacked on another 40 mile ride. So in the end I had been up for about 26 hours. It was some good sleep deprivation training.

So this is what it takes to do the RAAM. Wow. 500 mile qualification rides. 24 hour training rides. Daytime, nighttime, rain or shine. We all have benchmarks for excellence (or craziness) that help us define our lives. I had a real awakening by Dex, who at almost 60 years of youth is redefining what so impresses me about adult cyclists. Cycling does indeed make us younger, tougher and better.

I will be writing more about Dex in his journey to become part of the elite 300 people who have finished the RAAM in under 12 days. I am sure we all can think about him the next time we get a little uncomfortable on our bikes as he will certainly be thinking about the folks who helped him accomplish this incredible effort.

Until next time,

Kevin

President

KGS Bikes

BikeTech Help Desk

Hi Kevin

Speedplay pedal. Photo: Kevin G Saunders

I wonder if you can tell me the pros and cons of clips or no-clips for cyclists?

Laurie

Hi Laurie,

To many this is an obvious question but it is in fact a very good one. While most would agree that road, touring, triathlon and mountain bikers all benefit greatly from clip in pedals, there are some bikes that do not ever use them. BMX bikes have platform pedals and those guys can generate incredible RPM’s somehow. The folks that do tricks on BMX or who do trials riding also forego cleats as the need to detach one’s self from the bike comes too quickly.

The answer you are really looking for is this one, Laurie. The combination of a good cycling shoe and cleats allows one to keep properly aligned on the pedals and also allows one to pull up as well. Other improvements include lessening of hotspots under the feet and more efficient pedaling.

Many novice cyclists think that clip in shoes are difficult to learn to use and as such are fearful. The old school toe straps were difficult to deal with at stop lights, but modern cleats and shoes are remarkably easy to use and after one ride, people wonder how they got along without them.

Thanks for asking a great question.

Kevin

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Flexed foot implies that the relaxed leg is being lifted by the other leg in the downstroke. Photo: Kevin G Saunders

Hi Kevin,

I had a bike racer friend tell me that I need to lift my foot up more when pedaling. I don’t really understand this so thought I would ask you. Isn’t the point to push down on the pedals to go faster?

Bryan

Hi Bryan,

This is something that confuses many people and you ask a great question. Yes, the idea is to push down on the pedals which in turn rotate the crank and pull the chain which drives the rear wheel. The interesting fact is, however, you have to lift your leg back up to the top of the pedal stroke somehow.

A normal human leg weighs approximately 10% of body weight so if you are 150 lbs, you are dealing with a percentage of that leg weight that must be lifted with every stroke. There are two ways to do this. One is to let the opposing leg use gravity to help the pedal push the leg up in the backstroke, and the other is to use your hip flexors to pull the leg up.

It has been proven that the hip flexors are not usually doing much to lift the leg and as such this is an area that you can gain efficiency. The secret is to do “one legged pedal” drills. Before we go into the mechanics of OLP drills, there is a special crankset called PowerCranks that allows one to pedal independently. They have a great reputation for working well but are expensive and heavy plus are not for racing, but for a long term training program. Since this is financially out of the question for most, let’s discuss the way you can build up for free.

One legged pedal (OLP) drills can be done once a week on a relatively easy day to really improve your pedal stroke. Here is what you do. Start in an easy gear on flat ground and simply unclip one foot for 30 seconds, clip back in for 30″, and repeat using the same foot for a set of 4 or 5. Then switch and do the same procedure with the other foot. This set plus a set equals one “set” when a coach describes this drill. You can slowly work up to longer times in the one pedal condition and shorter recovery times so in short order you can do three sets of five, two minutes on and 30 seconds off, with a five to ten minute recovery between sets.

You don’t need to be going fast and you can be up on the brake hoods, not down in the drops, as you slowly build up strength in your hip flexors. A side benefit is your running will improve as well as you will gain strength in throwing your leg forward to make another step. Triathletes will love the results as much if not more than pure bicyclists.

Take it slow and don’t be frustrated if you feel goofy at first. You will be building great handling skills and improving your pedaling at the same time, all while riding on a fairly easy ride. Finally, you should do this drill alone or with one training partner. This is not safe for a big pack and you will get dropped anyway!

Kevin

Kevin Recommends

Go ahead! Give them a tri! Photo: Kevin Saunders

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.
• Kirklee Bicycles – KirkLee is an up and coming great framebuilder from Austin. We are very excited about the quality and performance they bring and are proud to offer KirkLee frames as part of our KGS custom bicycle options.
• 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.
• River Place Country Club – This is our Austin address where we can meet in person to define your custom bike. We arranged with the folks at River Place CC to rent space on an as needed basis to offer a quiet focused environment to determine your ultimate bicycle position and then design a custom bike around that position. The New York Times describes cycling as “the new golf” and River Place CC recognizes that they can offer more than golf to the active lifestyle advocate.
• 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.
• 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 Studio interior view

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.comfor 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