We put together a series of stretches that will help warm up the body including the psoas (hip flexors), hamstrings, glutes, lower back, calves and quads. Riders should do these before and after a ride or race to improve flexibility, recovery and performance.
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Adjustments With Cleat Wedges Without First Addressing Pedal Stance Width Can Lead to Long Term Problems
- By
Rick 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.
Tools and Techniques for Addressing Foot Pain or Discomfort While Cycling
- By
Rick 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.
Dynamic vs. Static Bike Fit
- By
Rick 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.
The Hierarchy of Aerodynamic Improvements for Road Riding
- By
Rick 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.
Knee Pain May be Eliminated By Replacing Crankarms
- By
Rick 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.
ATC: Hand Numbness While Riding ? You Aren’t Alone
- By
Rick 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.
ATC: What are the most common problems you see when performing a bike fit?
- By
Rick 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.
ATC: What do the terms BDC and TDC mean in relation to cycling?
- By
Rick 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.
ATC: Fitting 101
- By
Rick 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.
Dual vs. Single: A Survey of Power Meters
- By
Rick Schultz
- October 17, 2019
Power meters can be segmented into two types, single-sided and dual-sided. This can also be considered single-leg or dual-leg. I would typically recommend dual-sided power meters over single-sided.
Best HIIT Workout While Training (or Anticipating) for SoCal Crits
- By
Rick 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.
ATC: Bike Sizing vs. Bike Fitting
- By
Rick 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.
Lower Back Stretches For Before And After Your Ride (Part III)
- By
Rick 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.
The Five Millimeter Difference: A Bike Coach Experience
- By
Rick Schultz
- October 2, 2019
Duban Sanchez, former racer with Team Velosport under 23, relates his experience with knee pain during a performance assessment at Bike Fitness Coaching.
ATC: My lower back is sore during or after a ride. What can I do?
- By
Rick 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.
Stretch it Out For Better Flexibility: Part One
- By
Rick 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.
ATC: How Can I Get Up Hills Faster?
- By
Rick 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.
ATC: How to Pedal Like a Pro
- By
Rick 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.
4 Common Bike Fit Issues Regarding Height, Length, and Alignment
- By
Rick Schultz
- December 17, 2019
Covering the Top 4 most common fitting issues that the Bike Coach encounters including, crankarm length, saddle height, cleat alignment and handlebar placement.
The Fitter FAQ’s: Your Most Frequently Asked Questions – Answered!
- By
Rick 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
How Can Cyclists Protect Themselves Against Harmful UV Rays?
- By
Rick 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.
Fifty Watts for Free
- By
Rick Schultz
- March 18, 2020
Impediments to rotating the pelvis correctly in the saddle are a lack of flexibility and diminished muscular endurance in key muscle groups. As coaches and fitters, it is important to understand pelvic rotation in order to help our teams and clients achieve their FULL potential.
ATC: Why Did I Get Lower Back Pain After a Bike Fit?
- By
Rick 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.
(Zach Nehr) The Free and Legal Performance-Enhancer We’ve All Got Access To
- By
The BAT Radar
- February 5, 2019
Studies have shown that improved sleep correlates with better performance at high intensities. One paper, authored by Cheri Mah, a researcher at Stanford, showed that increased sleep improved sprint times of basketball players by 5%. In the context of elite sports, 5% is much more than a marginal gain.
Reader Suggestions and Tips for Ways Around ‘Getting Doored’
- By
Rick Schultz
- August 30, 2019
The dreaded accident type of riding into a parked car door is often referred to by the frequent colloquial, ‘getting doored.’ The following tips and advice may help you in avoiding careless drivers who don’t pay attention to the bike lane when they are getting out of their cars.
ATC: How To Train For A Gran Fondo In A Time Crunch
- By
Rick 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.
The Essentials to Handle Flats, Sticky Situations, and Rough Roads
- By
Rick 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.
Ask the Coach: 3 Short Answers to Your Burning Bike Questions
- By
BICYCLIST Staff
- November 1, 2017
Sometimes the short answer, is the best answer. The bike coach Rick Schultz answers three common questions, including how to look over your shoulder without varying the line.
Interested in Crit Racing? Start Here, Finish First
- By
Rick 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.
ATC: How Do I Train For a European Cycling Vacation?
- By
Rick 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.
ATC: How Can I Get Better At Climbing Hills?
- By
Rick 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.
A Brief Introduction to the People of Cuba
- By
Victor Prestinary
- December 11, 2016
The people I came across in Cuba were very nice, helpful and humble. They have an awareness of other happenings in the world, but have a very go-with-the-flow demeanor.
Gifts From Nature on Notojima Island in Japan
- By
Wilnelia Recart
- September 28, 2016
Though industrialized fishing has been utilized all over the country, Notojima towns still do small-scale fishing as a community, where many members meet the fisherman before dawn to help process the morning’s catch.