Rick Schultz

27 posts

Coach Rick Schultz specializes in coaching cyclists so that they can achieve their best. He is a certified bike fitter and author of Bike Fit 101: Your Toolset for a Great Bike Fit. Send your questions to [email protected] or ask on twitter @BICYCLISTxyz #askthecoach | BAT Coach of Record, Ask the Coach

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The Hierarchy of Aerodynamic Improvements for Road Riding

ByRick Schultz
June 11, 2019

Careful thought of how to make changes to your setup or riding style can provide dramatic improvements to your endurance and average speed. If you want to go faster, more aero rider positioning and component selection far outpace weight reduction efforts.

5 minute read

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Lower Back Stretches For Before And After Your Ride (Part III)

ByRick Schultz
May 2, 2019

The Bike Coach’s final installment in “Stretches for Before and After the Ride”. These two gentle lower back stretches will help to warm the body before a ride, or stretch out the muscles after.

2 minute read

Stretches For Before And After Your Ride To Improve Flexibility, Recovery and Performance (Pt. 2)

ByAmy Schultz, PT, DPT, CSCSandRick Schultz
February 9, 2019

We put together a series of stretches that will help warm up the body including the psoas (hip…

2 minute read

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Stretch it Out For Better Flexibility: Part One

ByRick Schultz
December 20, 2018

Following is a series of stretches that every cyclist should do before and after each ride to improve flexibility, recovery and performance – on and off the bike.

3 minute read

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Dynamic vs. Static Bike Fit

ByRick Schultz
November 8, 2018

Though many have trusted a static fit for their fit needs, a dynamic fit that includes real-world power conditions provides a more accurate portrait of how your body interacts with your bike while riding. The benefit? Comfort and efficiency.

3 minute read

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The Fitter FAQ’s: Your Most Frequently Asked Questions – Answered!

ByRick Schultz
September 24, 2018

The Bike Coach, Rick Schultz, answers our most frequently asked questions! Swollen feet, pains, cramps, hoods vs. drops, pain vs. suffering … ready set – GO

7 minute read

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Best HIIT Workout While Training (or Anticipating) for SoCal Crits

ByRick Schultz
August 20, 2018

The HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout described in this article was my favorite kind of training, and resulted in the most gains for strength (power) and stamina. This total workout, including warmup and cool down is only 51 minutes.

2 minute read

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Adjustments With Cleat Wedges Without First Addressing Pedal Stance Width Can Lead to Long Term Problems

ByRick Schultz
August 1, 2018

After addressing pedal stance, the cyclist ends up with correct cleat placement, knees that track straighter and no accumulated knee pain after steep climbs or long days in the saddle. Wedges are too often used to align displaced knees at the detriment of long-term pain-free cycling.

6 minute read

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Interested in Crit Racing? Start Here, Finish First

ByRick Schultz
July 26, 2018

For those not familiar with BRP, the program is sanctioned by USA Cycling to provide survival skills to new racers through training disseminated by coaches registered as Category 3 or higher.

2 minute read

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Tools and Techniques for Addressing Foot Pain or Discomfort While Cycling

ByRick Schultz
July 18, 2018

If your feet are either valgus or varus, they do not sit flush to your shoes, which can induce muscle fatigue. This can lead to foot pain in the metatarsals, or sesamoids, the delicate tendons that make up the ball and inner area of the foot.

6 minute read

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The Essentials to Handle Flats, Sticky Situations, and Rough Roads

ByRick Schultz
June 11, 2018

The basic carry for any adventure by bicycle should include a phone, your house keys, a drivers license or state issued ID, and optionally a cash or credit card) depending on the destination and distance). Now consider when out on the road, or on your MTB, the number one problem cyclists encounter is a flat tire.

5 minute read

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Knee Pain May be Eliminated By Replacing Crankarms

ByRick Schultz
March 15, 2018

The Bike Coach Rick Schultz has collected crankarm length data from his years of bike fit clients. During the bike fit interview process, most of his clients volunteer that although they have had prior bike fits, and even been to a physical therapist or chiropractor, they are still in pain. Coach Schultz found a viable solution for knee pain, which includes adding shorter crankarms.

5 minute read

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ATC: What are the most common problems you see when performing a bike fit?

ByRick Schultz
February 20, 2018

There are several common problems I see when performing a bike fit, some of the most common include; incorrect cleat alignment, saddle positioning, and handlebar height. This article covers these common mistakes and how they are corrected.

6 minute read

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ATC: Hand Numbness While Riding ? You Aren’t Alone

ByRick Schultz
December 1, 2017

If you suffer from hand numbness while cycling, worry not, you are not alone. During the past 4 years of bike fitting, 75% of my clients have expressed that hand numbness is major issue they deal with while riding.

4 minute read

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ATC: How Do I Train For a European Cycling Vacation?

ByRick Schultz
September 10, 2017

Before you travel, you want to increase your cardio as well as condition your legs. Since most climbs in the France cycling package are 1-3 hours, you want to over train time so that you can easily last the climbing without cramping.

4 minute read

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How Can Cyclists Protect Themselves Against Harmful UV Rays?

ByRick Schultz
August 17, 2017

It seems that cycling apparel in the past few years is increasingly featuring sun protection as a standard feature, especially in “warm weather” gear. Ultraviolet Protection Factor, or UPF, indicates what percentage or fraction of UV rays can penetrate the fabric.

3 minute read

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ATC: How to Pedal Like a Pro

ByRick Schultz
July 10, 2017

Ever wonder why the pros are so fast? They pedal differently than you and me. World Tour professionals start applying power to their pedal stroke much earlier than the rest of us, and they also ‘power off’ much later than the rest of us do too.

3 minute read

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ATC: What do the terms BDC and TDC mean in relation to cycling?

ByRick Schultz
June 25, 2017

Bike Coach Rick Schultz answers one reader question about what the terms BDC, or bottom dead center, and TDC, or top dead center, mean with regards to cycling and pedal stroke. A short answer to that question you never asked, but always wanted to know.

2 minute read

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ATC: My lower back is sore during or after a ride. What can I do?

ByRick Schultz
June 2, 2017

To answer the common question as to why a cyclist may be suffering from lower back pain, I identify four possible common culprits that come to mind, along with a couple of stretching exercises to help with pain and tightness.

4 minute read

Hands On

Recommended for the Bike Fitter and Experienced DIY-er, Ergon Cleat Tool

ByRick Schultz
May 12, 2017

I tested Ergon’s TP1 DIY Cleat-Fitting Tool. Having been trained in correct cleat placement and having fit hundreds of cyclists, this review is based on what I have experienced over many years of bike fitting.

4 minute read

Gear Patrol

Training and Racing with the LEOMO TYPE-R Wearable Technology

ByRick Schultz
March 13, 2017

LEOMO unveiled their new motion capture device called the TYPE-R, a wearable measurement tool for competitive cyclists, triathletes and their coaches that, for the first time allows them to analyze form on the road where they train and compete versus in a lab or studio.

3 minute read

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ATC: How Can I Get Up Hills Faster?

ByRick Schultz
January 22, 2017

In order to move upward faster and more efficiently, you will need to build up your spinning to a higher cadence than the average cyclist, which is around 85rpm, the most efficient being 105rpm. It will take about 6 months to be able to pedal at that rate if you’re doing regular training drills.

3 minute read

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ATC: Why Did I Get Lower Back Pain After a Bike Fit?

ByRick Schultz
December 25, 2016

Your body was used to being in a position in which you sacrificed power, safety and had a higher risk for injury. Since it takes a little time for your body to get used to a new position, give it several weeks of easy cycling after a fit.

3 minute read

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ATC: How To Train For A Gran Fondo In A Time Crunch

ByRick Schultz
November 11, 2016

Coach Rick Schultz get asked quite often, “what should I do to train for an upcoming XYZ event?” In this article, he discusses preparing for a Gran Fondo type event (GF) in under three weeks.

5 minute read

perspective of a steep hill on a road in desert

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ATC: How Can I Get Better At Climbing Hills?

ByRick Schultz
November 5, 2016

Ask The Bike Fitter: How Can I Get Better At Climbing Hills? The answer to this question comes in three parts; change your gearing, change your weight, and change your training.

3 minute read

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ATC: Bike Sizing vs. Bike Fitting

ByRick Schultz
October 3, 2016

Bike sizing generally refers to the size of the frame and is done first and happens before you purchase your bicycle. While getting fitted the bike shop will take 2 measurements, which are then converted into a range of sizes based on current industry accepted formulas.

2 minute read

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ATC: Fitting 101

ByRick Schultz
August 30, 2016

Through his years as a bike fit professional and a product tester, Rick Shultz has seen a lot of bad bike fits disguised as “professional”. In beginning to understand how important the cyclist’s synchronization with the bicycle is, we asked Rick about some of the basics regarding bike fits.

3 minute read