Training with the Pros, it sounds like fun but it can’t be. Pros are genetic freaks; they put more kilometers on their bikes than any of us civilians do on our cars each year, they ride around whole countries at an average speed greater than 40km/hour and they can dish out such Rule V style day-after-day-after-day. We all dream about it but we don’t have it.
In an earlier life I came close to landing my dream job in Monaco with the IAEA. Serious people counseled me not to take the job, they said it was a bad career move. How could I explain to them I didn’t give a shiet if it was a bad career move, the chance to live, and more importantly to be a cyclist near San Remo and La Madone was all I cared about? Yet I knew if I even saw Tom Boonen or one of the many Aussies who call Monaco their home out on a training ride, I would only be seeing their lycra-clad asses disappearing up the road. Could I at least catch up to Stuart O’Grady to chat him up for a minute before my inability to talk and breathe would force me to lie and say I was turning right HERE? Maybe I could drink beers with the Aussies, I could keep that professional pace, actually no, I would get dropped there too.
Oh that job fell through and my dreams of commuting into work on Merlin on the Cote d’Azure disappeared like those watery mirages on a hot highway, but I digress. I have some good and funny direct video evidence why training with the Pros would be a cruel lesson in our mortal failings. One such Pro is Ted King, an American racer living the dream; he is based in Lucca, riding for Liquigas, riding in support of Ivan Basso and Peter Sagan. He is tough, he has finished every Giro d’Italia he has started. He broke his collarbone this summer racing in Philadelphia when his front wheel dropped into an inexcusably lame drain grate (thank you very much, oh third-world infrastructure that defines the USA).
To bring his training back up to speed he did the 200 on 100 with fellow Pro Tim Johnson and amateur racer Ryan Kelly. The 200 on 100 means 200 miles on Route 100, riding North to South from the top to the bottom of the state of Vermont, the Green Mountain State. Unless you are Marcus, 333 km seems like an impossibly long ride to do at once, I would be in broom wagon long before the end of such madness.
And by madness I refer to the 338 km at 34.1 km/hr average speed with 3,197 meters of climbing thrown in for good measure.
Video credit to Chandler Delinks
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Having a Fit Like a Pro
Saturday was one of those days sent by Merckx. Up 2 hours before sunrise, temperature hovering around 6C, packing up the bike and gear for an organized 100k ride west of Houston, Swamptown, USA on the edge of the hill country - nothing but smiles and espresso. It finally was cool enough to put on the Castelli tights and Campy long sleeve jersey. Gives me that much more of the "Pro" feel to have the guns and arms wrapped, not sure why. It was an hour drive in darkness to the start, then the usual standing around wondering if you have enough or too much on. One rider had the Casually Deliberate vibe going - short sleeve jersey, riding shorts, sitting against his top tube, just another day at the beach for him.
The sun peaked up above the horizon, the temperature shot up to 8C, and the ride began. Mostly smooth pavement, rolling hills, almost no wind. An absolutely beautiful day. Sky so blue it will probably be banned in the future, some white tail deer tifosi along the route, and some unannounced chase dog sprints along the way. I was feeling so good that I purposely rode solo instead of joining a group. It ended up being a game of tag between me and a 5 person pace line. They would stop at a break point, I would continue, then they would slowly reel me back in - I had Phil and Paul commenting on my reckless breakaways in my head. Rode non-stop for the 100k, the last 10k on the rivet. Guns were shaking at the end - the way it should be. In my own amateur, non-racing way - "I was flying today". I hope to capture another ride like that again this year.
So, what does this have to do with having a fit like a pro? I went for a dynamic motion bike fit in the middle of last week. Captured in the Rules is great guidance (and jest) for the proper setup of your machine, but it is just that - guidance. If I totally slammed my stem, jacked up my seat, and shoved it all the way back I wouldn't be able to reach my pedals or bars. I grant that the bike would look more pro, but only without me perched on top flailing wildly with all four limbs before falling over.
The fit took about two hours and consisted of:
1) interview of cycling activities - in other words - time trialist, hard core racer, serious distance rider, etc
2) a flexibility assessment
3) motion capture and measurement of the current state of things
4) adjustment of cleats
5) seat adjustment
6) handlebar adjustment
7) final cleat adjustment
My "current state":
Oh the embarrassment. My Magnificent Stroke was an Anemic Egg. Instead of smooth power throughout the stroke in a Circle of Dominance, I had glaring gaps. Some of the causes - My feet weren't level on the pedals, my guns weren't in alignment with my pedals through the stroke, and the guns were extending a bit too far because my seat was a bit too high. I was also reaching too far for the bars.
The remedies:
Shimmed both cleats to have my feet absolutely level on the pedals and adjusted the cleats to have the guns squarely over the pedals for the whole stroke. I'm OCD about cleat position. Actually, OCD about everything, but sometimes that is good. I spend a great deal of time adjusting them when I get new shoes. In the relatively short time these adjustments took during the fit, my feet have never felt better on the pedals. Much more connected.
The seat adjustment surprised me - my guns were a bit too extended, right? I assumed the obvious answer was to lower the seat. Wrong. I was also too far back. The seat was actually raised 1 cm and moved forward to place me optimally over the pedals.
The handlebar adjustment - I had been reaching too far, but now with the seat in the right place I needed a 110 instead of a 100 stem. After that was in place, the bar rotation and hood placements were tweaked for comfort.
With the bike newly adjusted, a final cleat tweak brought the whole thing together.
It took 2 hours.
The end result, and the only result that makes getting a fit worth it, small adjustments made in the right way can make huge differences. My hamstrings are fully engaged throughout the stroke and it feels like more of my quads are used. This means more power from the same amount of effort and was definitely a big contributor to the great ride I had on Saturday. My stroke was better, my climbing was better, my recovery was faster. I am much more comfortable on the bike, which I didn't think was possible, because I was very comfortable before. I highly recommend a fit from someone that knows what they are doing and aren't just trying to sell you another bike. Plus, motion capture with laser beam sighting? Too cool.
@Marko
I'm a Snickers man, myself. Not even heard of the "chunky" kit kats. Maybe something to try out after my self exile from chocolate ends next weekend.
You only eat that crap once you've cracked right? Limping home from the service station crying, trying to choke down a snickers knowing that it tastes like weakness?
@Minion
nipple lube
@Marko
@Buck Rogers
Not sure what the science behind it is, but I suspect the ratio of wafer sandwich to chocolate may be lower with the chunky Kat, where the standard Kat is just too high in chocolate - I'd estimate 0.177 for the chunky vs. 0.232 for the standard 4 stick Kat - (applying same level of scientific accuracy here as was used in the Beer in the Bidon testing) - I positively roared up my local unnecessary extra pain at the end of an otherwise satisfactory ride climb, though actually in retrospect it was only my third fastest ascent on this climb ( downside to Strava, confirming I am now well past peaking, even though I wasn't actually aware of peaking at any point over the summer - disappointing)
Anyway, clearly this is the new EPO ........... in mind if nothing else
@Dr C
Gents, for a switch up on long ride food, try Oatmeal to Go. Perfect squares of tasty stuff and comparatively just as good compared to Clif bars etc. Way cheaper too. Give them a try.
@ChrisO @Blah
More better and interesting answers than my frivolous post deserved. Strike while the zeitgeist is hot.
@wiscot
Is there any chocolate on them?
@Minion
probably, but actually works if you just keep stuffing your face with them as you ride
Somehow I have to figure out how to put Huevos Rancheros in my jersey pockets and not get messy. I could do RAAM on that dish.