Please see my new website http://www.hp-3.co.uk for all future posts.
Smarter shopping for your new bike
Before you walk into a bike shop and look for your new dream ride for next season, consider this; there is no easier way to be deceived by a bike than to judge it from just a test ride.
A short ride on the bike will not give you the same information as a long training ride for obvious reasons.
Unanimously the most important factor in choosing a new bike is making sure it is the right ‘fit’ for you. One option is to get your stack and reach data from a fit on an adjustable rig or your old bike, and from that you can start to narrow down your selection.
Slowtwitch.com have a comprehensive list of stack and reach data at http://www.slowtwitch.com/stackreach/index.php
Another option is to use Frame Finder in conjunction with your Certified Retül Fitter.
Then you can start test riding different bikes. However you want to standardize the components and wheel sets. The reasons being that differences in these can significantly alter the feel of the ride. Lower tyre pressures and softer more supple tyres will feel smooth and great, whereas higher psi’s and more robust tyres will be harsher but more responsive. Is the stock saddle correct for you anatomy? Do the bars match your anatomy? Is the drive chain well tuned? A well tuned bike will give a better impression than an out of tune bike.
So once you’ve standardized a selection of bikes which suit you from your stack and reach data ask the shop to set those bikes to your fit data with the same wheelset to neutralize the difference between tyres.
This process will ensure you spend your hard earned cash wisely and provide you with a steed which will help you achieve your performance goals in comfort and with reduced injury risk.
New Retül software demo for Training Peaks University UK
Yesterday I was lucky enough to support John Dennis and Ivan O’Gorman from Retül demonstrating the system and new software to the Training Peaks University UK coaches at the Manchester Velodrome led by Dirk Friel. Impressive to see the GB track cycling team going through their paces on the track while we were there as well.
British Triathlon Under 20’s Festival – ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup / Inter-Regional Championships
Saturday 31st of August saw the North East Regional Academy and IRC squad head down to Eaton Dorney for the ETU / IRC’s to defend our title held for the past 2 years. A change to the format of the IRC’s saw the youths race being held separately and only the T2’s and T3’s counting for the team points.
Our region had struggled at the start of the season with races being cancelled due to the poor weather, including our selection race. A revised selection process included a 6 week training camp at last years IRC venue, Hetton Lyons Country Park. With a number of our athletes carrying injuries and recovering from ilness we went into the race knowing we had a fight on our hands but confident we could still perform.
Friday we set up our ‘base camp’ at Eaton, with physio/massage, bike mechanic and camping stove providing everything needed to prepare the squad for the next days race. A short swim and dive start practice (the pontoon start being a new experience for a number of the athletes) and a loop of the bike course helped familarise the squad with the course before retiring for a relaxed evening.
Saturday then saw the most talented TriStar 2’s and 3’s in each region race each other at the iconic Olympic rowing venue.
In the T2 girls race Rhianna had a solid swim but then unfortunately suffered on the bike with an asthma attack, she put in a gutsy performance to finish but was unable to realise her potential on the day. Lisa and Sophie were within a few seconds of each other until the run when Lisa managed to pull away. The T2 boys showed great potential with James battling it to the line to come in 8th place, unfortunately his chip came off in the swim and he was recorded as 10th (this is currently being reviewed as there are photographs of him finishing just behind the 7th place athlete). Will put in a great performance and while he was disappointed he now knows what racing on the national scene is like. Daniel did himself proud and again has learned what it’s like in the ‘big pond’. For all the T2’s it was a fantastic learning experience and fired them up for moving up the ladder.
The T3 girls was won by our Kate Waugh with a solid performance from start to finish. The starting positions on the pontoon made Charlottes job harder than expected, but that’s the luck of the draw, but she came through for a strong finish on the run. Rhianna is an incredibly strong cyclist, but starting at the far end of the pontoon and a short flat bike didn’t allow her to demonstrate her true ability on a more ‘sporting’ course, a future xterra champion in the making though.
In the T3 boys Jake put in an all round solid performance in tough competition for 15th place. Christopher unfortunately had a mechanical as he started the bike course and DNF’d which was a shame as he’d had a great swim and was in a good position to set off on the bike. Daniel was here to learn about racing at the next level and put in good performances on the bike and run, which he did, now it’s a solid winters swim training to bring him up to speed.
The IRC squad was then treated to the spectical of watching the elite youth and junior races. In the youth race our star athletes, Jack Willis and Jordan Hull, demonstrated their experience and strength throughout the race. Jordan was unfortunately ill building up to the race and struggled on the run slipping to 4th but Jack was able to kick free and win with a fantastic sprint finish.
For the Jack and Jordan this rounded off a fantastic season and secured 1st and 2nd for the elite youth series.
In the elite junior race Calum suffered from a detrimental placing on the pontoon to miss the chase pack out the swim. The effort needed on the bike to make up the deficit resulted in cramping on the run and unfortunately had to pull out. While disappointed with this race it doesn’t distract from his British Championship win at Liverpool and World Duathlon Championship Bronze in Canada this year.
Where’s Tim- Week beginning 26th Aug
Monday – Bank Holiday = Rest day!
Tuesday – Physiohaüs bike fitting while John is at Eurobike in Germany
Wednesday – AM Physiohaüs PM coaching final prep for the IRC’s
Thursday – Worsley Physio Clinic
Friday – set up / recce for the IRC’s at Eaton Dorney
Saturday – Inter-Regional Championships for the TriStar 2’s and 3’s, plus our Elite Junior and Youth races.
Sunday – visiting family and returning back up North!
Why 3?
What does the 3 refer to in the company name?
HP3 has 3 core areas of business; Physiotherapy (and allied health professions), Retül bike fitting, and Education (coaching, workshops, seminars).
We ensure our work with you incorporates all elements of the human form as defined by St Bernard; Corpus (body), Animus (mind) and Spiritus (spirit).
Two of the main sports specialised by the HP3 are triathlon and equestrian sports; swim, bike, run, and dressage, cross country, and show jumping.
The number 3 is a recurring number in science and the arts; our genetic information is encoded using a triplet codon system in DNA and RNA. Our universe is perceived in three dimensions. The rule of three is a very general rule in speaking, in writing, and in music, that states that concepts or ideas presented in threes are inherently more interesting, more enjoyable, and more memorable. “The first time you say something, it’s an incident, the second time you say something, it’s a co-incidence, but the third time you say something, it becomes a pattern”. In fact, three is the smallest number of elements you need to create a pattern (or break a pattern).
According to Pythagoras the number 3 is the noblest of all digits, as it is the only number to equal the sum of all the terms below it, and the only number whose sum with those below equals the product of them and itself. We are only as strong as our component parts.
Bike Fit reports.
Whether you are going for a traditional or Retül bike fit you will be provided with a report of a few key metrics. But which are the most important? While the fitter will adjust you to the most optimum position for your body and performance goals, you must also ensure you are provided with a number of ‘fit coordinates’ so that you can adjust any other bikes you may have and gain further understanding about the whole bike fitting procedure.
Retül fits will automatically provide you with a report with a number of different metrics:
But at a minimum you should be provided with just 4 or 5 numbers:
Saddle height
Simply the distance from the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle (halfway between the tip and the tail). Certain saddles this is adjusted to the rideable flat section, such as ISM Adamo.
Saddle fore/aft
– the nose of the saddle relative to the bottom bracket. This is a plumb line measurement. This number will vary between road and TT bikes and whether it has to be UCI legal.
Cockpit
– This depends on whether it is a road or TT set up. For road bikes the two measurements of interest are; saddle nose forward to the centre of the handlebar clamp, and nose forward to the hood trough. This second measurement is an angular measure. On a TT set up the first measurement is saddle nose to the back of the armrest, and nose forward to the shifter pivot.
Handlebar elevation
– For road it’s the elevation of the top of the saddle down to the handlebar, the top of the bar.
These are the key fit coordinates. There are many more, but they are minor in comparison to these key numbers. As shown above, the Retül system automatically generates these numbers and provides you with the stack and reach data to guide your purchase of an appropriate new frame. If you are looking to purchase a new bike/frame then the Retül Müve fit bike is a fully adjustable rig to find your optimum position, and then generate these numbers to guide your purchase decision making process, or adjust your existing bike accordingly if you can’t bring your own bike to the studio.
Where’s Tim – WB 19th August
Monday to Thursday – coaching / physio’ing / Retül bike fitting for the North East and Midlands Regional Academy triathlon squads at Welbeck College. It’s going to be a fantastic week with some very talented youngsters.
Friday – normal clinic in Manchester at Worsley Physio Clinic.
Those needing appointments in Newcastle, John Dennis is available Tuesday and Wednesday this week after he gets back from racing Ironman Copenhagen and before he jets off again to Eurobike.
Why cheetahs don’t stretch
Following on from the previous post regarding stretching, here is a link to a Frontline magazine article I was interviewed for on the topic.
Get your move on
a great little video by the Australian Physiotherapy Association on the benefits of movements…..
Tim Pigott - Health and Performance 3 