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The Right Fit: Key to Power on the Bike

December 2, 2004

How do you know whether you are on the right bike? Or whether your current bike is set up for maximum comfort? The process starts in the fitting rooms of Cronometro in Madison, Wisconsin. Cronometro is a bike shop that specializes in fitting the bike to the rider.

A visitor walking into Cronometro will sees the usual saddles, shoes and jerseys displayed in a spotless setting. Vintage cycling posters and jerseys hang among the displays. Among them—and not for sale--is an Enron jersey with the words “integrity” and “honesty” blazoned on the front. Tucked away mid-shop are two bike fitting rooms equipped with trainers where recreational riders, triathletes and roadies go to become one with their machines.

Colin O’Brien, owner of Cronometro and Craig Watson share the work of the biodynamic fittings. Together they will have fit more than 440 riders in 2004. O’Brien’s palmares (race bio) includes holding the American hour record. Still fit but not racing as much O’Brien puts his considerable energy into perfecting fit.

“The methodology we use to fit a rider is the same whether we are working with a recreational rider or a racer,” said O’Brien.

Watson got his start working as a boot fitter in the ski industry, work that has served him well in the cycling arena. “We come into the shop and see all the new super light gear that’s available but I like to remind people that a good fit is ‘lighter.’ Let’s get your bike dialed in so you will notice a difference and go further with less effort,” he notes.


Craig Watson starts by taking measurements

Anna Dierking of the America’s Dairyland team had a touch up fit while this interview was taking place. The purpose of her visit was to make some adjustments to her Waterford. After one and a half hours of fine tuning Anna said she was “pleased with the result.”


Craig working with Anna Dierking.

The next client had some concerns about knee problems and wanted to be sure that her bike was dialed in properly. A few minutes into the fitting both Watson and O’Brien were humming and muttering “did you see that?” and “that could change.” Out came a large plastic compass-like tool used to measure body angle. To an outsider it may have looked like two doctors diagnosing a patient.

After some adjustments and discussion and more adjusting the outcome was a raised saddle, a shim in the left shoe, a saddle moved forward and handlebars moved up. At the end of the fitting the client reported feeling nothing in the knees and more comfort in her hands and seat.

Watson is happy with the result. “If the bike is set up well you don’t have to think about it. If it fits, ride it!”

Want to be sure your bike fits? Give Craig or Colin at call at (608)243-7760 or email craig@cronometro.com.

Sheila McGuirk, Wisconsin’s Tour of Hope Rider

November 29, 2004

Last month Sheila McGuirk (Capitol Velo) of Madison, Wisconsin rode in the Tour of Hope, a ride sponsored by Bristol Meyers Squibb and Lance Armstrong Foundation. Sheila is herself a cancer survivor and was chosen from among 1200 applicants to be one of 20 participants in the Tour of Hope.

Q: What is the Tour of Hope and what does Lance hope to accomplish with it? How long is the tour?

A: The Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) Tour of Hope is an 8-day journey across America by a team of 20 cyclists who have been touched by cancer and who are committed to inform the public about the importance of cancer clinical trials. In partnership with Lance Armstrong, Bristol-Myers Squibb's Tour of Hope team shared their personal cancer stories in hopes of motivating the communities along the ride route to learn more about the benefits of cancer research. Clinical cancer research trials bring us the hope for a cancer cure and therapies that result in a better quality of life for cancer patients undergoing treatment.

The team of 20 riders was divided into 4 smaller teams of 5 riders. Each team rode 4 to 5 hour stages and then relayed to the next team, providing 12 to 15 hours between rides for teams to eat, sleep and be transported to the next transition. The almost 3,600 mile route was completed in 8 days, with a team being on the road continuously, 24 hours a day from midnight Oct 1st to Oct. 9th when all 20 members rode into Washington DC with Lance Armstrong and Peter Dolan, the CEO of BMS company.

Q: Who was on your team?

A: I had 4 incredible teammates - Bernie Scher, a 66 year old prostate cancer survivor and triathlete from Cocoa Beach, FL, who was the oldest member of the team. John Fee, the 34-year old son of a cancer survivor and part of the oncology sales and training group at BMS was a competitive cyclist as a junior and hails from NJ. Brian Highhouse, a 38-year old oncology nurse from NH is an incredible cyclist with mountain biking and road riding experience. Ted Yang is a 41 year old doctor, a radiation oncologist, who has worked hard to bring cancer trials to smaller communities, and is a competitive cyclist from Houston, TX. And then there was me, a cyclist, who competed for the first time as a mountain biker in 1997 and began road racing in 2000. Now, at 52 years of age, I survived colon cancer 8 years ago.

Q: As a cancer survivor, what did this tour do for you, personally?

A: Having worked hard to put cancer behind me and lay to rest those recurring fears that the illness would return or that I would not live to see my children grow up, my involvement in the ToH brought all of those memories back. Surrounded by people touched by cancer in much the same way, however, we found mutual strength in retelling our stories and bonding together in a commitment to make life better for current and future cancer patients by spreading the word about the importance of clinical cancer trials. With an opportunity to frame my survivorship into such a constructive and hopeful mission, the experience was extremely rewarding. For me, it has resulted in a renewed appreciation for my family, friends and the good health I have been given. The opportunity to be a member of the ToH team has changed my life!

Q: Tell us more about clinical trials and how the Tour raises awareness of them.

A: Advances in cancer treatment are the result of research that ultimately leads to clinical trials, the final step before a new therapy is approved for use in patients. More than 1.3 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year and 6% will survive more than 5 years after treatment. The Tour represents the hope that the cure rate will climb and that cancer treatment will provide a better quality of life. But less than 5% of adults participate in clinical trials when they have been diagnosed. The low participation rate reflects a lack of knowledge and understanding about clinical trials. Our goal as ToH members was to spread the word about being informed and about dispelling any myths about involvement in clinical trials.

Q: What would you tell someone who has recently been diagnosed with cancer? Be informed. Bookmark the Tour of Hope website (www.tourofhope.org) and find numerous links that include information on available cancer trials, other links to innovative therapies, care, professional support. counseling and education. You have to be your own best advocate. Arm yourself with knowledge and always ask questions.

Q: What is behind the statement: “the cure to cancer will be in a lab..."

A: From my cancer experience and the Tour of Hope journey, three lessons seem clear to me: 1) It is definitely about the journey! This was so clear during the Tour - we climbed mountains and descending into valleys; there was rain, wind and the darkness of night. But then there was sun and the commitment to make good on the hope for a cure. 2) Act on your doctor's advice when it comes to cancer screening tests - mammograms, blood tests for prostate cancer or colonoscopies. Your greatest chance of successful treatment is with an early diagnosis. And 3) Be informed. As discussed above, it is knowledge that is empowering and together with a positive attitude, you may be the one or the family member or friend that brings the hope for a cancer cure to reality.

Nominations for WCA Board Open

November 29, 2004

Interested in serving on the board of WCA? The WCA board is in the process of updating the nomination forms which will be posted on the website in early December. In the meantime if you’d like to know more about serving on the board please contact Rebecca@tds.net.

Masters Age Categories 2005: Join the E-group Discussion

November 29, 2004

Would you like to participate in an e-group discussion about WCA masters categories? If so, please contact WCA’s Technical Director at wcatech@earthlink.net. WCA reviews its race categories periodically to make sure we are best serving the riders. Do we have the right mix of age groupings for the current and future group of riders? Your thoughts are needed and ideas welcome.