Two day international cycle fitting symposium kicks off in London. Can't be there? Send in questions via Twitter.
74 delegates are attending Cyclefit's first symposium, which started today at the Design Council offices in Covent Garden. Delegates at the International Cyclefit Symposium include physiotherapists, osteopaths, sports scientists, doctors and bike fitters.
There's a large delegation from Pearson's Cycles, the second oldest bike shop in the country. Other bike shops present include Larkfield Cycles and Bridgetown Bikes. There are also delegates from Specialized and Trek.
Serotta and its SICI bike fitting service used to run an annual science symposium in the US but this ceased in 2007. The Cyclefit symposium is the only global bike fitting conference this year. Next year it might be staged in America, said Cyclefit's Phil Cavell.
"We've been surprised by the number of delegates," said Cavell. "We weren't expecting this many. It's an expensive event to organise - we have to fly in the speakers, put them up in hotels and pay for a venue - so it's good that it covers costs."
Speakers include Dr Jeff Broker of the University of Colorado Springs, talking on pedalling kinesiology, and Dr Katrina 'Kit' Vogel, talking on pelvic asymmetry and effects on lower extremity biomechanics of cycling (as well as being a cat 1 racer in the US, Kit is married to Paul Swift of BikeFit.com and wedge fame).
Article continues belowAdvertisement
The first speaker - after Phil Cavell's introduction - was physiotherapist Graham Anderson, pictured above. He's the lead physio for Wimbledon's tennis championships. He started by asking if bike fitting was "bullshit." (Answer: no).
The two day event costs £500 per delegate. "That's good value when you consider the quality of the speakers. These are the most influential and informative individuals in the niche world of bike fitting," said Cavell.
Product designer Keith Bontrager is one of the speakers. Cavell called him a "hand grenade."
"We know what he's supposed to be talking about but he'll go off on tangents, and really shake up the room. Much of what I think he will say is probably at odds with bike fitting - is it an art, is it a science? - but he's guaranteed to be explosive and stimulating."
Those interested in sending in questions or observations to the speakers at the symposium can do so by sending an @ message to @CyclefitUK, using the hashtag #ICS2012.
Cavell said some of the tweets would be read out at the Q&A sessions, with answers posted to Twitter. Reports from the symposium will also be placed on the Cyclefit website. The symposium is also being filmed and highlights will be placed on YouTube.
Magazines and websites will also be covering the event, including Cycling Weekly, Road Cycling UK, and 220 Triathlon Magazine.
Add a new comment
You need to be logged in to post comments. If you do not have an account then please register.
Comments
4 comments
I just asked .. @CyclefitUK #ICS2012 I want an upright bike in town- straight back, good viz over speed+. How do you fit? are all Dutch riders wrong? :-) This is in an attempt to get more blue ocean types riding as well as speed enthusiasts. Maybe I'm out of date with cyclefit ? - but they used concentrate on 'fit' for speed / racing / long distance touring, rather than just 'popping down to the shops' / 'collecting kids form school' ... yet it is the latter where most car journeys could be reduced.. I feel strongly we need to encourage 'blue ocean' everyman/woman to use bikes everyday - rather than just enthusiasts (like us :-) . .. http://issuu.com/mark77a/docs/blue_ocean_chronicles_-_a_trilogy_-_cycling_for_al/1
Mark Sanders Jan 25th 2012 at 2:16PM
0 0Good question. But, in the main, bike fitting is for road bikes. Some sportive-style riders want comfort (many bike companies now make 'comfort' road bikes for long distance riding) and so get a bike fitting with this in mind. Many other bike fits are performance orientated, i.e. which angles and which dangles will make me go faster. Most 'blue ocean' consumers aren't fussed about speed but are fussed about comfort. But they wouldn't want to spend two hundred quid on a pro bike fit! Obviously. Bike fitting is a niche of a niche. And that's fine. It's not compulsory.
Carlton Reid Jan 25th 2012 at 2:26PM
0 1I quite agree, and understand. I just have this dream: where all these high powered professionals focus on everyman/woman .. kind of encouraging and confirming even tentative steps into cycling - eg What would they advise their Mums :-)
Mark Sanders Jan 25th 2012 at 2:35PM
0 0Also Demystifying - what blueocean peeps may have been told (perhaps incorrectly ?) by cycling enthusiasts .. who else do you ask ? . At the Moment its like "want to drive a car ?? .. OK get advice from Jenson Button" Rather than BSM :-)
Mark Sanders Jan 25th 2012 at 2:38PM
0 0