ON BEING RETULLED

this year i bit the bullet and acquired di2, and with it, i got a deal on a fancy new set of aerobars, the same ones that many top pros are riding on , the missile evo pro. this led to some tinkering and tankering around and for me to ask myself if my bike position was everything it should be.  anyone who has struggled to get comfortable in the aero position will understand when i say that once you get comfortable, the thought of changing something is like asking yourself if you are married to the right person.

ahh... the problems of the petite bourgeoisie!  the good thing is that changing your aero position is not as complicated as a divorce, although it can feel as dramatic; the cost is less, and if you find the right fitter, not only is it like using the ultimate, personalized dating service, you get coordinates that mean you can always get back your old spouse if you really want to.

enough of metaphor and analogy...for now. on to the point of this blog.

i have been fit by several gurus, and they all have helped me a lot, however, my most recent experience was a return visit to the man who did my first professional fit when i started triathlon, 5 years ago, ian maclean at http://www.imfit.ca/Home.html.

five years ago, ian was the most highly acclaimed and recommended fitter in ontario. in the five years that have elapsed he has not only gained more wisdom and experience, but also access to a new technology, the RETUL fit system, which is the same thing that most of the top pros are using in their fits with fitting guru matt steinmetiz (who used to work for RETUL).

what retul does, is allow the fitter to see a rider's bio-mechanics, in motion and in three dimensions. this gives a perspective that makes the old fashioned watch them pedal and then stop at a certain point in the pedal stroke to make measurements, or even video capture, seem antiquated. it is the closest thing your fitter can get to seeing how you actually look while riding your bike on the road.

still, RETUL, as marvellous as it is, is only a tool that helps, but does not replace the eye of an experienced fitter who has set up 100's of people on their bikes over years. what it does, is allow them to do their job better than ever before.

it was a pleasure to see ian again. his new shop, located on the second floor of a strip mall in milton, is easy to get to, and provides a nice, friendly, professional atmosphere. ian is easy to work with, and takes your feedback and history into account.

in the end, we made some adjustments that brought my saddle height up, and moved me more forward. i feel more aggressive and powerful and my hips are opened up better. the proof is in the pudding. last week, at my first race with the new fit, i made the podium and posted the fastest bike split in my age group. i am sure that ian's great fit and the RETUL helped a great deal.




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