Today I picked up my new toy from Bonzai Sports. The 2011 Quintana Roo Chicquilo tri bike. It is B-E-A-U-tiful and badass all at the same time. I'm in love.
Now to the good stuff...the bike fit!
When we got to Bonzai I handed my new tri shoes that Phil got me for my birthday along with extra pedals we had laying around the apartment to Adam (the bike fitter). Its important to do the bike fit with the pedals and shoes you will be using to ride to ensure a proper fit. When the guys at Bonzai saw the pedals, they began to make fun of me for using such crappy pedals (it was all an act!). I was so thrown off guard that I didn't know what to say. Turns out, Phil and my sister, Nikki, called Bonzai the prior week and bought me pink Light Action Speed Play Petals as part of my birthday gift! Woop! The awesome thing about these pedals is that you can clip in from the top or the bottom- perfect for having to clip in quickly for triathlons.
Once Adam set up my pedals and shoes, it was time for me to hop on the bike and begin the adjustments.
The picture below is when I first got on the bike- It was so uncomfortable!You can see that my back is very rounded and I look sort of strained. Not to worry though, Adam would soon fix everything.
The first adjustment Adam made was tilting the seat slightly downward and moving the seat post to a higher position. This allowed for my knees to have the proper angle when my foot was at the bottom of the pedal stroke. The pedaling felt comfortable but Adam measured the angle just to be sure.
Even though my knee angle was good, the saddle that came with the bike was awful! I was only riding for about 10 minutes and my booty was already hurting! If I need to be on that bike for hours on end, my rear needs to be comfy! Adam switched out the saddle to a more lady friendly one. Sadly, the new saddle is not pink, but it feels a ton better to sit on. I would gladly give up the pink for some butt comfort in this situation.
Now that we had my legs and butt squared away, it was time to take care of my torso and arms. Adam watched me pedal for a few minutes and analyzed my position.
I felt as though my elbows were a little close to my chest making it a tiny bit hard to breathe. Adam switched out the stem to a slightly longer one, extending the handlebars ever so slightly. It may have been only a centimeter or so change, but I could really feel the difference. Once I felt comfortable Adam measured the angles in my shoulders to make sure everything was A-ok.
Once my legs, butt and torso were comfy on the bike, Adam did a few final checks to make sure the bike was properly fit to me. One of these tests included a laser beam!
Now to the good stuff...the bike fit!
When we got to Bonzai I handed my new tri shoes that Phil got me for my birthday along with extra pedals we had laying around the apartment to Adam (the bike fitter). Its important to do the bike fit with the pedals and shoes you will be using to ride to ensure a proper fit. When the guys at Bonzai saw the pedals, they began to make fun of me for using such crappy pedals (it was all an act!). I was so thrown off guard that I didn't know what to say. Turns out, Phil and my sister, Nikki, called Bonzai the prior week and bought me pink Light Action Speed Play Petals as part of my birthday gift! Woop! The awesome thing about these pedals is that you can clip in from the top or the bottom- perfect for having to clip in quickly for triathlons.
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| Isn't she pretty! |
The picture below is when I first got on the bike- It was so uncomfortable!You can see that my back is very rounded and I look sort of strained. Not to worry though, Adam would soon fix everything.
The first adjustment Adam made was tilting the seat slightly downward and moving the seat post to a higher position. This allowed for my knees to have the proper angle when my foot was at the bottom of the pedal stroke. The pedaling felt comfortable but Adam measured the angle just to be sure.
Even though my knee angle was good, the saddle that came with the bike was awful! I was only riding for about 10 minutes and my booty was already hurting! If I need to be on that bike for hours on end, my rear needs to be comfy! Adam switched out the saddle to a more lady friendly one. Sadly, the new saddle is not pink, but it feels a ton better to sit on. I would gladly give up the pink for some butt comfort in this situation.
Now that we had my legs and butt squared away, it was time to take care of my torso and arms. Adam watched me pedal for a few minutes and analyzed my position.
I felt as though my elbows were a little close to my chest making it a tiny bit hard to breathe. Adam switched out the stem to a slightly longer one, extending the handlebars ever so slightly. It may have been only a centimeter or so change, but I could really feel the difference. Once I felt comfortable Adam measured the angles in my shoulders to make sure everything was A-ok.
Once my legs, butt and torso were comfy on the bike, Adam did a few final checks to make sure the bike was properly fit to me. One of these tests included a laser beam!
As you do a full pedal stroke, the laser should stay in a straight line from your knee to you ankle. Adam was able to point out that I have flat feet because my arches collapse, causing my knees to flair out a little when I pedal. He tried to put supports on the cleats of my shoes, but they didn't help- they just felt kind of weird.
After almost two hours of adjustments and analyzing my position- we were done! I am now super comfy on the bike and look forward to riding it. Look at how different the ending position is from the beginning. I have a completely flat back and you can just tell I am a ton more comfortable.
Thank you Bonzai for a wonderful experience! Thank you Adam for a thorough fit! and Thank you Phil for taking all the pictures! :)
I love my new bike. She needs a name!
You look so good on that bike that you make me want to take up biking. :)
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