Featured Bike Fitter

Gosh, they were all so long ago! I think I peaked in 1998 and it has been all downhill from there! Truthfully, though, things were a lot simpler back BK (before kids). I regularly was able to put in 250-350-mile training weeks, and I excelled at criteriums. With each new job I enter into, I am taking on higher levels of responsibility, which further limits my training time. Also, let's face it, I'm not getting any younger (whenever I say that, though, I think of Laura Van Gilder kicking everyone's ass at age 47, she has 6 years on me, so she kind of negates my excuse).

I grew up in western Massachusetts in a small hill town (Chester). I started cycling as an infant on the back of my Mom's bike! Riding has always been a big part of my life, since both of my parents enjoyed it. When I was in my mid-teens, my Dad and I did a few Tour de Cure rides (kind of ironic, since my Dad ended up passing away from complications related to Diabetes that he did not have when we were doing these rides). I cycled a lot as a young adult for fitness, usually solo (because of living in the middle of nowhere, MA). When I moved to San Antonio, TX in 1994, was when I really got going. I started Physical Therapy school in San Antonio, and I was introduced to Britton's Bike Shop, and Jim Britton. The group rides from the bike shop were blazingly fast, and I was keeping up with the big boys who were dropping folks like mad (I had to keep up, I had no idea where I was!). When I graduated from PT school I moved to Columbia, SC to work. I really got strong at racing in SC, and had some of my best results in Greensboro, NC (Carolina Cup), and the Tour de Moore (also in NC).

My Physical Therapy career has taken me from SC to VA to HI (yes, that is Hawaii), and then to Maryland where I spent 4 years before heading to NY to complete my doctorate in Sports Medicine. As my PT career has picked up, my cycling "career" has diminished over time. I began my bike fitting career while I was in a Sports Medicine residency in NY and working on my dissertation. The two things went together very well! Recently we have moved back to TX, to an area in central TX that falls between San Antonio to the south, and Dallas to the north. I am excited to report that the move has been a big positive spin on the bike fitting business.

My international status is the result of an invite to Iceland a couple of years back. A friend of mine recommended me to a friend of his (Brad) who was working in Iceland at the time in the US Embassy. I spent the next week doing fit after fit each day. The final day I went sightseeing with some of the guys and it was some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever had the good fortune to witness. The photographs I took there are some of the most beautiful photographs I have seen--simply because of the landscape. I made some lasting friendships in Iceland, had an amazing educational experience, and fitted approximately 25 people during the week. It was the best opportunity I was ever given as a bike fitter. Nothing compares to that week. Other travels have taken me to Ft. Benning, GA (where I went to fit about 15 Ranger qualified soldiers who were also cyclists and triathletes), and multiple trips to the DC metro region where I hope to live again someday.

Technically, since 2008. But I was dabbling in bike fitting prior to my certification. As a Physical Therapist and a competitive cyclist, how could I not? I was always seeing what changes made what differences with my own fit, I was my own guinea pig for years!

"Big Meat" wedges. My goodness, what is this interview rated, anyhow? I think we just hit PG-13 status.

The short and sweet answer is, "because they work". The longer reason is that most people need wedging. The majority of folks (about 80%) have some degree of forefoot varus which causes an imbalance in the pressure gradient across the pedal platform; more pressure is exerted on the lateral, or outside, portion of the pedal and shoe. This causes a loss of efficiency in the pedal stroke and is the cause of many different types of foot pain in cyclists. By wedging under the cleat, with the thick portion(s) to the inside of the pedal, a stable platform is created. Even pressure can be applied to the pedal, and efficiency and comfort will be increased.

I had to look, it's been a while. In my road shoes I have two cleat wedges on the right, one cleat wedge on the left and one ITS (In The Shoe) wedge in each shoe.

Absolutely.

Steve Hogg--what an amazing man! I have learned so much from him, and I respect him so highly as a bike fitter. Most of what he says and does is for a reason, and his experience is truly unmatched. I have never used anything BUT BikeFit Cleat Wedges with my fits. They work; why would I entertain a different brand?

I've always been interested in bike fitting since I've been riding and a Physical Therapist...but what flipped the trigger was that one of my teammates (and fellow PTs) told me of a fitting course she was attending. It was then that I made the decision to go, and while I was there (at the course) I realized it was something I needed to pursue throughout my career.

My clients. Trial and error. Understanding that not everyone will thrive immediately after a bike fit, and some people will ultimately not improve. I have an unwritten policy that if someone isn't adapting to the changes that I have made in a couple of weeks with some decent miles in - I will have them come back if possible to "tweak" things.

When I attended the Serotta International Cycling Institute and was certified as an advanced fitter, some of the components from the Bicycle Fitting System were introduced (the FFMD for instance). When I went online looking for it, I found www.bikefit.com and then happened upon the BFS. It was a great way to give me a bunch of components that I needed for my business.

LOTS!

• FFMD
• Shoe Cleat Screw Kit--everything in it including the 20mm pedal spacers and the infamous "screw pick"
• The New VV1 SPD-compatible cleat (wasn't included way back when I bought the kit, but I have since added them to my stock!)
• Cleat Wedge, for Look, SPD and Speedplay
• Leg Length Shims
• ITS (In-The-Shoe) Wedges

I would have to say it is my experience as a physical therapist. The 14, going on 15, years that I have been practicing as a Physical Therapist give me particular insight into body mechanics and overuse injury mechanisms that the non-clinician fitter won't necessarily have. I also have the insight, experience, and legal right as a licensed PT to diagnose injuries. I am able to determine what issues I can help with a proper fit, and what issues are unrelated to bike position (i.e, things I can't help with a bike fit). When this happens, I ask the client to follow up with their Primary Care Manager for further studies, labs, etc, depending on the severity of the situation. Often, however, I am able to develop a home exercise program for the client to work on that will assist in their recovery. I do this for most of my clients who have overuse injuries that bother them on AND off of the bike.

Off topic: my kids. My ten year old, Tyler, and my 7 year old daughter, Cadence. They fill my life.

Everything would have some kind of quick release connection--bars to stem, pedals to cranks, seat posts, saddles--ahhh, bliss!

Gosh, there have been so many... The one that springs to mind is a gentleman named Dave M. that I fit recently when I moved to my new location in Harker Heights, TX. He was the 200th "like" on my my facebook page at the time, and I offered him a free bike fit. Luckily he was local and could accept the offer. Dave was a great client because he had only been riding 18 months and had never had a professional bike fit. He had just celebrated his 59th birthday by riding 118 miles! Because Dave hadn't been riding for 10 or 20 years, he wasn't set in his ways, and was very open to change. In the end, Dave's position was significantly different from the start, and he looked SO much more comfortable and efficient while pedaling!

You know I have to go a little awry here. I know you are expecting an answer like Alberto, or Jens Voigt (damn, he is amazing!)...but I have to stay true to my roots: women's criterium racing. Laura Van Gilder is the most amazing cyclist I know. We were teammates for a short time during cyclocross season (C3-Sollay.com, now C3 Athletes Serving Athletes). I met Laura at her first UCI cyclocross race (shout out to the first Nittany Lion Cyclocross race venue that I loved!). She was asking for my advice on how to ride certain sections. I don't know if she took my advice or not, after I took the whole shot, she rocketed past me shortly into the first lap. Of course she won. The first of many to come.

Both! Seriously, what an amazing impression both have left on the sport. Wait, is that a cop out? If pushed--Lance. I am captivated by the severity of the cancer that he not only "came back" from, but completely vanquished. His imprint is left not only on cycling, but has raised millions for cancer research. How can that be bad?

More TdF wins.

LISTEN to your clients! They are telling you what works and what doesn't. If they aren't, then you aren't asking enough questions.

The pedals. I think if the time is given to properly aligning the cleat and properly interfacing the cleat on the pedal (i.e., wedging), this will make the biggest difference in a person's performance AND comfort on the bike. I think that the other connection points (saddle and bars) will influence comfort much more than performance, but comfort is obviously key to performance, so they certainly have to be addressed as well.