Fit To Ride

Fit Bit: Cleat Replacement

Fit to Ride — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:28:34 +0000

When replacing the cleat on your cycling shoe be sure to out line the cleat shape with a Sharpie or a similar marker before you remove the screws. This will save you some frustration and make sure you install the new cleat in precisely the same position.

$100 Offer for Best Buddies Hyannisport 2012 Riders

Fit to Ride — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:11:10 +0000

We are getting ready to ride in this year’s Best Buddies Hyannisport Challenge. To help our fellow participants prepare we’re offering $100 to Hyannisport riders who schedule a dynamic bike fit with us before June 1, 2012.

Here’s how it works – when you schedule your fitting appointment with us, mention that you will be participating in the 2012 Best Buddies Hyannisport Challenge. You will save $50 on your fitting (normally $300 but offered for $250 to Best Buddies riders). When we complete your fit, Fit To Ride will donate $50 to your Hyannisport Challenge fundraising.

Fit To Ride owners Jamie, Brian, and Matt completed the 2011 Best Buddies Hyannisport Challenge with Team Western Mass. We are happy to be riding again this year and looking forward to riding with new team members and another great event.

Ready to schedule an appointment?
Request an Appointment
Interested in joining us on Team Western MA? We welcome you to check out our team page.

Collin Schmitt: Local Bike and Build Rider

Fit to Ride — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:24:02 +0000

Fit To Ride is helping a local young man with his Cross Country Cycling Trip with the Non-Profit Organization Bike & Build.

We recently were introduced to a local young man looking for help preparing for his cross country cycling trip with the non-profit organization Bike and Build. After meeting Collin Schmitt and learning about the organization he is riding for, we decided to help him out however we could. As Collin mentions in is writing below he was a very “green” cyclist.

We spent time with Collin teaching him about basic bike maintenance and repair, equipment, and accessories he will need for the trip. We gave Collin a complete fitting so he could determine what size bike to order. We will help Collin assemble his bike and adjust the components and fit for him. A proper fit is necessary for the long days he will be spending in the saddle. We are also helping Collin get proper shoes, shorts, helmet (the works) for his ride.

Here is what Collin had to say about his trip and his time spent with us:

“Last month I got selected by a non-profit organization called Bike & Build to lead a group of 26 young adults on a 3,865 mile cross-country cycling trip from Portland, Maine to Santa Barbara, California during this coming summer. The most I’ve ever rode in a day was 24 miles on my sisters mountain bike. Needless to say the sport of cycling is completely new to me.

My high school football coach referred me to the Fit To Ride shop to get a crash course in cycling. Jamie and Brian were more than happy to introduce me to everything bike and showed me all the high-tech gear they use to get perfect fittings for their customers.

I was under the impression that bikes were generally one-size-fits-all but it turns out to be quite the opposite. Each bike can (and should) be altered to fit the specifications of the rider. There are a lot of little details in the way your body is positioned on a bike that can improve the quality of your ride and prevent future injuries.

Part of my job includes being able to conduct general maintenance and bike repairs on the road. Jamie talked me through a couple bike assemblies to better understand how each part works and how to properly install bike components. These will be good things to know how to do while riding through the Grand Canyon in mid August.

The Bike & Build organization is committed to supporting affordable housing efforts in the United States. Along our journey we will be stopping to team up with Habitat For Humanity and Rebuild Together to help build affordable homes for families in need.

Each rider is required to raise $4,500 before the trip to support affordable housing organizations as well as to cover the costs of food and a bike. If you’re interested in making a contribution to my fundraising efforts and want to help get me off my sisters mountain bike, please visit www.bikeandbuild.org/donate and select my Collin Schmitt in the drop-down menu.” –Collin Schmitt

If you’d like to learn more about Collin here is a link to his page http://bikeandbuild.org/rider/5550

IF (that’s Independent Fabrication) at FTR

Fit to Ride — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 00:22:24 +0000

A super sweet IF "Dream Bike" -- but it's real

How do you like that bike? Bicycling Magazine calls it a “dream bike” but we happen to know it’s real. And now you can get one at Fit To Ride. That’s right, we are now a certified Independent Fabrication dealer. We are very pleased to be able to offer these superb bikes among our custom options. Talk to us about the right options to suit your needs, but take a look at the eye candy on IF’s website to get some ideas.

Fit Bit: Pedaling Foot Angle

Fit to Ride — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:01:13 +0000

In the 3 o’clock position of your normal pedal stroke, the foot angle should be in the range of 7 to 15 degrees with respect to the ground. Excessive plantar flexion of the foot (pointing of the toe) will stress the calve muscle. Excessive dorsiflexion of the foot (heel dropping/driving) will force the quadriceps to do a disproportionate amount of the work in the power phase of the pedal stroke. Both lead to premature fatigue – and nobody likes that. Getting your foot angle right allows the quads, glutes and calves to work together effectively and puts your energy into moving forward.

Triathlete.com – keep your fit measurements

Fit to Ride — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:45:25 +0000

Sharing a great article on Triathlete.com about avoiding cycling injuries. We particularly like #4 that states “Assuming that a professional bike fit has been done, keep well-documented measurements of saddle height and fore/aft position. Always check measurements when traveling with the bike and after a bike crash.” Well, maybe not the part about a crash, but otherwise it’s great advice. Enjoy more of Triathlete.com’s tips.

We provide every fitting client with an easy to understand (and carry) copy of their fit measurements.

Fit Bit: Wrist Comfort

Fit to Ride — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:51:53 +0000

The position of your handlebars and shift hoods should be comfortable for your wrists. Seated on your road bike with hands on the hoods your wrists should be in a neutral position. Overly extending or closing the wrist angle will put excessive stress and strain on the ligaments and tendons in your wrist, potentially leading to injury over time, but definitely making your ride uncomfortable.

Special Order For You

Fit to Ride — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:18:50 +0000

We are always glad to help you select and special order parts and accessories. Now we can get most parts in two days without expedited shipping. Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) is a major distributor of bicycle parts and accessories in the US – you can see their selection in the online catalog. We get most of our components and accessories from QBP. They’ve now opened a distribution center in Pennsylvania (in addition to centers in Wisconsin and Utah). Now most parts that you need, or that we don’t have in stock, can be ordered and delivered fast. So before you go looking on-line for parts or accessories that we may not stock, give us a call and we can order it for you. You’ll get the item(s) sooner then you would from most mail order companies without the added expense of expedited shipping costs.

Fit Bit: Tri Crank Arms

Fit to Ride — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:43:41 +0000

Triathletes should use a crank arm length that is 2.5 – 5 mm shorter than their road bike crank. The shorter crank will require increasing the saddle height (with respect to bottom bracket) in order to maintain the same leg extension at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Raising the saddle along with the shorter crank arm length will open up the hip angle at the top of the pedal stroke, which will increase comfort (for someone with clearance problems) or allow the aero bars to be lowered to get into a more aerodynamic position.

Cobb Saddles: Speed + Comfort + Guarantee

Fit to Ride — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:19:09 +0000

Fit To Ride is excited to be a Cobb Cycling dealer and it is because they offer a great product with a guarantee. Cobb’s innovative designs are developing quite a following in the tri and mountain saddle markets. Cobb is putting forward new options for folks who haven’t been able to get comfortable on traditional designs.

The best part is that their saddles have a 180 day comfort guarantee. If after you ride it for a while, you decide you don’t like, bring it back and we’ll give you a full refund or credit towards a different saddle (any brand). Your choice.

We have the Cobb test ride kit (to test before you test) including six different models. Give us a call to make an appointment to take one of these saddles for a test ride.