Monday, October 29, 2007

Spooktacular Race at Sun Valley, ID & Big Cash!

Seventh heaven "Not"! The area looks like heaven, but it was pure "hell" and for the racers it made their eyes pop out! Spooky! They also made strange sounds gasping for air! Ha!

Note the angle of the ski lift, this was a killer climb at 5'900ft!!!

Action packed racing as Cody Peterson pulls away for the Saturday race. Viewed is Bart hitting the deck after his front end washed out from the leaves!

Then came Sunday when Bart pulled away! Good racing!
Cycling in Sun Valley,Idaho, its hard to do better this time of year. A young racer getting the feel of the course,warming up the early morning.


The winner of the Masters! By the way he also helped mark the course? Perhaps he knew the course? Funny how knowing things makes a difference!


Yes indeed,you have to race up this 12 to 14 times, and yes it's too steep to ride, but think of the view!


We even had center stage for two days! Dik using the Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish to dial in his stroke. Even the younger kids "hanging out" learning the facts.

It was two days of "Out of Body" performance's in Sun Valley, ID. Two-thousand US green for grabs from Wobble-naught & Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish on Saturday before the Idaho State Championships on Sunday.

Oktoberfest in full gear, plus Billy Olson putting on a good show with the bike racing with the support of Sun Valley Company, Smith, Scott, Thomson, Wobble-naught & Myo-facts and many helpers to pull it off.

The whole town was into it. All ages, about 70 kids under age 7 racing as hard as they could move their legs, racing at the base of River Run! A few had ultra low weight high tech bikes, they saved weight by not having cranks! Ha! I think they where under the weight limts
All this as they raced back and forht over the Big Wood river, you could stand and even see rainbows holding in the water. They had a live band in side the lodge, steins of beer, great food and weather!

Saturday night, the streets of down town Ketchum came alive with the for more "Spooktacular" spooks of all kinds, some 9 feet tall. Behind a full moon rising over the snow capped mountain peaks. A sight to behold!

Claudia "popcorn" Soddemann putting on a show as she rode away from the field. Dash for the cash!!! She use to put 10 min. into the field in mtb, but now she has two kids. Ha! Having two kids can really slow you down. That's why she only put a few minutes on the women pros.



Her oldest son, I think age five was racing single speed, so he was on course at the time of this picture.



Everyone said the same thing, this was the best racing and show in the four years its been put on!

Congrats Billy O!

Gould, races mid-field to 2nd in UCI USGP!


Velo News really loves their home state gal "Katie Compton", gives her tons of press and that great, but there are fans every where. It was said that Katie Compton showed total domination? OK guys, come down to earth. Yes Katie Compton (Spike) puts on an impressive display of force in every race, with a 1:20 lead on second-placed Georgia Gould (Luna). But their are also fans of other racers e.g. Ge-or-gi-a! They must be truck drivers from the looks of the tans? Truck drivers love racing! Ha!

Now that we are back on solid ground, it's not so much about who wins, but the race getting fans out for the super effort everyone puts forth. This is good stuff, not just standing watching 100 meters.

One thing that is real they are "Hot" out of the gate, full-speed-ahead and great fun to watch from start to finish. It is about the racer racing the course more than teams working together like road. Action packed!!!

Since we support Georgia with Wobble-naught CAD fits, Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish, you know we are her fan "Georgia on our mind". Not to take away from Katie, but how cool is this! Georgia has fans as well as the other racers. Go watch one of these races! Go women sports!!! Someone will say "Right", but they do and they have fans.
This type of racing is fun to watch, so go out and support it!!!

Georgia was running about the same times as Katie, but had to start mid-field. However her choice to not be early races after her unreal season.Not to take away the win of Katie, but as Georgia said to one of the Velo reporters a year ago, Katie is not super human and can be beaten. That makes for good racing! That is why we have races and not just one race.

Racing is a good story, you never know who will take the win. Look at Vegas!

Racing 101:

How important is getting a hole shot in the first few corners of the race? Compton led an elite group of women who all happened to be Canadian: Wendy Simms, Lyne Bessette and Alison Sydor while Georgia (USA) who has missed a few races, making her start in mid-field.

Katie Compton (USA) - Even after starting slow, "at [the next] corner was so wide I could just pedal through the outside and move to the front." A key move for setting your own race pace! Soon, the UCI points leader and 3-time national champion was clear.

Behind, the Canadians traded pulls while Gould (USA)chased up from her mid-pack, slowed behind slower pace racers she had put the hammer down.

Georgia Gould - "I've only done one UCI race this year and that was in Vegas, so I'm in a little bit of a points deficit,"

GG - "I started in the third row, and really in that first part of the race until the barriers there's nowhere to move up. Even though it's wide, it was four people wide the whole way. So when it started spreading out a little bit and moving into the straightaways I was able to pick people off."

After a good effort, Gould made contact with the chase group, but didn't wait around long. "They were just riding around marking each other, and I want to win the race," Gould said. "So I attacked them, and then just rode around by myself because Katie was so far off the front."

Gould would finish 20 seconds up on the Canadian trio, with Sydor taking the sprint for third.

Lesson here! Starting at the front is key! If you are racing for points, you best show up to each race and have to fight your way back. This is good for Georgia, because at the World Cup level, you might be the best in your country, but then be back in the pack at the big ones.

We know that Georgia focus is on the games in her sport of XC mtb. Go Georgia!!!

Congrats to Katie Compton and the many others that make this so fun to watch.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Crosstoberfest Oct. 27 & 28 - Party Grows as Ketchum's downtown shuts down for more fun in the streets!

Billy Olson had the idea and it is catching on!

His XC race "Crosstoberfest" is really growing! We like how you can watch a good race. So we are helping, Wobble-naught & Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish is providing $2'000 CASH for the race, Sun Valley, Smith, Scott, Thomson and the perfect weekend for the town of Ketchum (Sun Valley), ID is get behind the weekend fun. We understand that main street will be shut down Sat. night for a huge party in the streets. There will be free "beer taxi's" for those who over use their steins!!!

This will perhaps bring more people to the Sun Valley, ID area and that helps everyone who lives there!

Sun Valley area was hit hard by a huge fire in Sept. That fire shut the whole town down the same time they put on a huge event, "Wagon Days", stopping people form attending. The money that comes from shopping, eating, etc... really helps as the area is in the off season.

That went up in flames!!!

If you like this sport, come to have some fun, help support it! It also help the whole town!

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Horsepower! You need more! Trust us!

An open mind collects more riches than an open purse - Will Henry

The best thing you can do is keep a open mind on the subject of horsepower & motors. Keep reading! A good reference of an engine is it's size, 350, 4.8-liters, V8,V10,V12, you name it. Your body is a motor and it's the ratio dynamics that make a difference. There are many sizes and you can't just say the cleats, or move the rise of the stem, slide the saddle this way or that are the same for a given V8. That is what makes this so fun, as you can have a samll block kick the heck out of a large block, provided its been blue-printed.

Most people want high-performance from their cycling and that requires a good motor, plus understanding it. Horsepower does make the game more fun. But on the same note, most cycling fans hate motors, nor do they wish to work on them (theirs). Even going to the point of name calling people "gear heads", etc...? The game of NASCAR, F1, NHRA, etc... , require a strong motor. Like it or not, you are a motor, it needs fuel, and you turn gears!

If you haven't done the math, the engine you're building or driving probably has less power than you think. You can't trust a basic eyeballing and ideas on what everyone needs. To take a device and say you fall into a green or red range is not blue-printing your needs. What about the shape and size of your hips, sit bones, the angle of the neck of the femur.

Blue-printing the engine requires you to know things like fuel lines, piston size, chamber size, gaskets, deck clearance that best tells the story of what suits your needs. No engine block is typical, even the materials vary like body size and that is why a basic fit, just looking at the outside is not best to alter you needs. You need to go within the motor to blue-print it. Even using video to view your stroke is not enough! What about the timing? The firing of the muscles! Are they working against each other? Perhaps the same as riding with your brakes on?

Let's just exchange a few parts of the human motor for a "Hot Rod" engine. A high performance motor is anything over 10.0:1 of compression or greater. Note: high performance means things can wear out quicker and need constant attention to details. That high combustion engine requires that the fuel lines can send fuel. You don't need a bend that reduces that fuel that makes you go! Many in the fitting don't reliaze that you can rob power from a leg just by having the saddle, your sit bones in the wrong location affecting the hip angle, perhaps reducing the flow of blood (fuel). Horsepower means you need fuel and fast!; Being more aero is not going to always make you faster and you can even damage your fuel lines. Think of a garden hose and you grap it and bend on-too itself, "the flow doesn't go". Ha! Now think about the pumping in your hips!
Not to point out the wiring that lies within the body! Stetching the wiring is not good thing!

Compression ration defined is the total volume with the piston at bottom (BDC)divided by cylinder volume with the piston at the top dead center (TDC). Look at the muscles in your legs as pistons and how they fire.

Next, look at the bore, in which most people understand that bore size, or diameter of a cylinder (muscle cross section)affects the total displacement. An after-affect is that, all other things being equal, a larger bore (cross section)will create a higher compression ration (more fibers firing) than a smaller one.

Now for the stroke! The stroke is the distance the piston (bone joint)travels from BDC to TDC. Increasing the stroke and making no other changes will raise the compression ratio(throw)for the same reason that bigger bores (cross section mm) raise compression.

Then you have other things like changing connecting rod length(upper ratio w/ lower leg). Then you have small-block vs large-block (body size)therefore has an affect on the compression ratio. The weight of the motor now starts to come into play for low-end vs. top-end speed.

Even the head gasket specs can alter compression (muscle firing). To perform work, you have to have the muscle fibers in the correct timing. This helps with the throw!

Then come the control systems to run everything (integration and control systems). Without the function organization of (nervous tissue) wiring coordinating all those sensations and activities dialed, the best monitor (powermeter) will not make a difference. You will still be making low rpm/horsepower.

Perhaps you know the term "motor division" of the brain that drives the "motor unit", a single neuron and the muscle fibers it innervates.

If the "motor division" is not open to their truths, the game is over! You can't program it! With that, teach the brain, improve the game!

The cool thing here, is we have the tools to blue-print your motor. You just have to want to be a "HOT ROD". Understand that a "Hot ROD" can use more fuel when you press the gas and the motor that has little horsepower will never make it. Yes they might get better fuel mpg, but can't drag race!

Adding it all up, each example above shows you how you can build on your small block or large block. But don't forget that each of the elements described can be combined with others to make more significant gains.

So if you want a typical smog engine(basic fit)don't come to us, because we are going to "blue-print" your motor and change your computer chips "brain". You will get more O2 to that motor and throw more into your game.

You are responsible for the type of gas and your mileage and speeding tickets.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Foot issues, pronation -why?

Hallux valgus: etiology

The most common forefoot problem encountered by podiatric surgeons is the painful bunion joint. The variety of ways in which this deformity presents, together with the technical considerations and difficulty in its management, pose a significant clinical challenge.

When you think you turn the pedal over about 5,000 times per hour, you can start to see why this is a big deal.



Etiology

There is no one specific cause that might explain the incidence of hallux abducto valgus. However, there are numerous papers detailing the various etiologies which include: pronation, long first metatarsal, muscle imbalance, hyper mobility syndromes, biomechanics and footgear. On the bike, we see a lot of the problems from the wrong pair of shoes, along with the biomechanics of the best pedal stroke for their bones.

Hallux abducto valgus is common within the inflammatory arthropathies that cause discomfort while on the bike. In these cases, the deformity is presumed to be directly due to muscle imbalance, but we find that the muscle imbalanc is due to the saddle being too low. The condition is also more common in women which suggests that the role of high heel footgear may exacerbate a predisposition to hallux abducto valgus (wishing to be taller). My 19 year old dauther came in yesterday wanting to show me how her new high heels made her legs look more tone?

If the underlying biomechanical etiology is not adequately addressed, the deformity will recur. Therefore, an appreciation of the pathomechanics (wear & tear) of hallux abducto valgus is vital. The problem is your heel is in space and you can't know its orbit around the bottom bracket. Keep this simple, its best, taking what parts you already have on the front of the car! We can't change the shape of your bones! You picked your mom & dad!

We are not in health care, but we are in the alignment business! We don't want you to wear your speed rated tires out because you don't have the front-end of the car holding the correct toe-in or toe-out, yaw, etc... Get it right or wear & tear will come.

When we introduced the laser to bike fitting, many fitters simply looked at it as a tool to make your knee follow the line. Is was even written by fitting services that was the best use of the laser. That is the worst think you can do when your bones are a certain shape. Think about the wear and tear on the surface of the bones by doing this. This is one of the problems of just using a line from your knee.

Many people can't use the newer shoes that think eveyrone needs a cant! Products will be found out with time!

Hallux valgus:

Classically, the medial eminence of the first metatarsal is prominent and rubs against the side of the shoe. There may also be a bursa over the joint which becomes periodically inflamed (the use of higher heels). In addition, the lateral deviation of the hallux may compress the second toe contributing to a hammer deformity at the PIP joint.

Some complain of pressure underneath the first MTP joint, which may be related to sesamoid position, whilst others are aware of lesser metatarsalgia with particular pressure under the second MTP joint associated with transfer metatarsalgia and capsulitis of the second MTP joint. Occasionally, there may be a coexisting neuroma in the second or third interspace with characteristic symptoms of forefoot burning. Frequently, there is pain across the dorsal joint line, particularly laterally where the articulating cartilage is eroding. The range of motion of the hallux may be diminished due to early osteoarthrosis and degenerative changes within the joint.

It is important to assess the both weightbearing and non-weightbearing. If it goes too far, surgical correction might be the only fix of a painful hallux abducto valgus, without assessment of the biomechanical cause, may lead to early recurrence of the deformity and further pain, particularly even if you are young.

Our CAD takes into account the many shapes of your body, that is why it works. Don't force your joints into angles they don't go! You will wear them out!

If you have buring feet most of the time, it might be too late, it might be time to go to a podiatric surgeon to see if they can fix the problem.

Monday, October 15, 2007

24 Hour of Moab, UT. Year after year, Results!

It's been a long season for the racers, and many of them are burnt out by now. Wobblenaughts race has been going on since the year 2000, and it never ends. Hunter Allen, a friend of mine, keeps telling me to "write the book". A response recently wondered if "I had lost it." Sometimes I wonder! Ha!

Will our high-tech Wobble-Naught CAD, help to refine your fit needs by providing the blue-print of those needs? Yes! Will our Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish teach you better pedaling by recording the microvolts (1ma of a volt) of your muscles? Yes! Does the Ant. TV provide more "Myo-facts" truth about the actions of your muscles and bones by showing you 3D layers of your body? Yes! There is nothing like seeing this, and many customers don't even realize that they have these certain muscles. Why should they? This is how health care providers learn! You have to have models!

You would think that the best bike setup would allow you to haul it as well as endure for long distances, like the 24 hour reaces. That seems to be the case! These races can be very taxing on the body.

388 Teams, MonaVie/Cannondale 1st and 3rd Overall. Winning both the Coed Pro/Am and the Veteran Expert 35+ Categories. Nat Ross and his teammate take Duo Pro! World 24 hour champ Rebecca Rusch got 12 laps, posting a time of 11:46:20, but she was cooked. She ended the race 2nd, said its been a long season! Time to rest!!!

We had many of our racers setting the fastest laps from the gun till the end. If you decide to race Bart Gillespie (MonaVie/Cannondale Pro), Nat Ross (Gary Fisher/Tokyo Joes), others like Matt Ohran , Ernesto Marenchin, bring your A-Game, because they can keep things moving, even if it is for 12 to 24 hours. This is the real deal and you need the real deal fit to keep up!

Wobble-naught racer's put on a real battle racing each other hard is past weekend. Here is an example or report:
"The MonaVie/Cannondale Pros continued the race much as they started it - tussling with the Gary Fisher / Tokyo Joes Duo Pro team for the distinction of being the fastest in the race. For most of the day and the early part of the night, the Duo Pro riders remained faster. But as the hour passed 2 a.m. and the cold started to set in, the MonaVie/Cannondale Pros were better able to maintain an even pace."

Year after year, we just let the results do the talking!

Many of our people set the fastest laps from the gun or even towards the end of the 24 hour race.
Racing 24 hours is a long time and don't forget it is racing. Many things can go wrong in the course of that time. From what our racers tell us, its nice to be able to put the hammer down when they have the legs.

Some times you will hear people say this is not racing. Well, perhaps they should go give it a try? I think they would be very suprized at the pace!

Check out the results at www.grannygear.com

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Crosstoberfest Oct. 27 & 28 - Loud polka , $2000 Cash w/ Bavarian food, Hip-hop, Free cowebells, Steins, & Fun!

Last year Cody Peterson (3D Racing-SRAM-LFP&CO) who has used Wobble-Naught for his fits and Kris Walker (Intermountain Sports Medicine-LCR) won their respective men's and women's Idaho State Cyclo-Cross Championship races 2006, held at Sun Valley ski resort.

The event, dubbed "Crosstoberfest," had a festival feel. Loud polka music and hip-hop took turns entertaining the large crowds. While, free cowbells and gigantic authentic beer steins filled to the brim kept spectators loud and rowdy. A must if you like to party "German Style", outside.

This year the prize has gone up $2000 cash from Wobble-Naught & Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish. The reason? To get more people to check out this style of racing. Helping to support our sport! Good fun! Good place! Good beer! Good people!

We will also be set up showing how we us the Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish that has made a difference for so many. Come join us for some fun times in Sun Valley, Idaho on October 27th and 28th.


Presented By:

The Sun Valley Company, Sun Valley Road and Dirt, Wobble-naught/Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish, and Powerhouse Inc.

Featuring the 2007 Idaho State Championship Cyclocross Race

Saturday and Sunday October 27th and 28th

Discounted Room rates at the Sun Valley Lodge!
(Call Sun Valley Reservations at 1-800-786-8259)

Discounted Season Passes for 2 days only!

Raffles and Prizes.

Free Kid’s Activities including Face painting, pumpkin decorating, and Sledding on a sledding hill.

For race schedule and registration go to www.roadanddirt.org/index.html?page_id=4

Categories & Start Times for both days:

11:30 Race Registration and packet pick-up opens

12:30 Category B, 40 minutes + 1 lap

1:30 Shimano Youth Series 12 & Under, 10 minutes + 1 lap

2:00 Category A, 60 minutes + 1 lap

Schedule of non-race Events – Saturday and Sunday, October 27th and 28th

10:00am to 5:00pm - Pete Lane’s Mountain Sports Winter Ski & Snowboard Sale

Save $150 off of all new 2007/2008 ski and binding purchases including Stockli, Scott, Volkl, Rossignol, Fischer, and Head

FREE custom footbed ($150 value) with all new 2007/2008 ski boot purchases including Tecnica, Salomon, Dalbello, Head, and Rossignol

Save $150 off all new 2007/2008 snowboard and binding purchases including Never Summer, Rossignol, Union Bindings, and Thirty Two Snowboard Boots.

Junior lease ski packages available NOW!

Pete Lane’s EXTREME SKI Movie Theater – FREE!

Free Ski Tuning Clinics all Day – bring a pair of skis and we will show you how to tune them up at no charge.

Ski Raffle: Win a pair of brand new Stockli Stormrider XXls, Volkl mantra, Head Sweet Fat Thangs, or Scott Punishers. No purchase necessary.

10:00am to 5:00pm - Brass Ranch River Run Winter Sale!

Huge Sale under the Tent.

New Arrivals from Bogner, Prada, Hell is for Heroes, Kjus, Pucci, and more.

Bogner Preview with Bavarian Happy Hour featuring Austrian beer and pretzels provided by Bogner.

11:00am to 6:00pm – Bavarian Food and Beer Gardens!

1:00pm to 7:00pm – Live Music

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Check out 24 Hour World Camp "Rebecca Rusch's" Interview at www.ride424.com!

Rebecca Rusch has been working with us for years, all while heading Team Montrail adventure racing. She knows what it is like to commit to full-time racing, being for the most part, a nomad as a professional athlete. She is very aware of the strain of training, sacrifice, and commitment it takes to get to the top. She is special, and there is more than meets the eye than being 24 hour World Champion.

A fair question is what drives people to the top? Rebecca never knew her dad, as his jet fighter was shot down in southeast Asia near Thialand. I am sure this is part of what drives her, because she is a go-getter, pushing it to the limits, not doing the normal things. She works for herself, not simply working for a wage, letting someone call her shots. Hanging around bars to be seen is not her style, she is doing things, not dreaming about them. Her road has been like many pros "starving", as many would say, being bike bums. One day your a bum, the next your the hero.

When she jumped into the mountain bike game, the only person she knew was Georgia Gould, another girl who understands how much effort is required before success. She took the National Championships that year. Both gals lived in Sun Valley, Idaho at that time. When you live in a ski town, it takes the edge off from trying to become a pro in something. More support for the "free spirits"? Perhaps, but surely less stress from the system saying you can't do that! You can't make a living doing that, you need to go to get a real job.

We know well that people not only want, but will go to every effort to see you fail. There are many forces (people) that want to stop you from doing what you want to.

Rebecca made her mark in many sports, was on front page of Outside Magazine, and has seen the world. She stays the game with the industry that helped her make a living, she is not a "flake" like so many who jump from one resource to another, only to take and not give back. That is what makes her a "Gem". That is why Red Bull is behind her.

We have even had her doing ads on TV with Lyle Pearson Motors with her going up Bogus Basin Road on her bike with the Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish, following her in a 400hp Jaguar with the top down. "Fun." She's worked long and hard to earned her World 24 hour Championship title, and she is Wobble-Naught fast!

Rebecca is one of the few female pros who has stood the test of time and has been able to move from one sport to another sport, just like her friend Mike Tobin (Nike ACG).

There have been scars! There have been times when life had no meaning, as a result from mourning. No one races to risk life or watch friends die. One day in a race, a huge rock in a steep gully dislodged with 8 people below, in its path. Cries of "Rock" from teammates above as the rock just missed her and then the sight of a face that she could not register was a friend who was killed. She plunged into a hermit lifestyle, attempting to find her soul and make sense of it all. She felt lost and alone, her sense of purpose was gone. Rebecca is perhaps her harshest critic, and is not a quitter, she made the right decision, challenged herself, came out of isolation and is now a World Champion. She is a pro.

This year, she even has a light named after her! Light & Motion has a limited 2008 edition "High-Output LED, The Rusch" the same color of her 1975 Ford Bronco named Betty.

Reba almost dropped out of sport after seeing the death of a racer, taken out by a rock hitting him in the back of his head. That was a sad day and time, almost taking her out of sport.

I recall sending her an email, that there are many people in the world who want to see her still race, as she impacts many. Good that her and Betty are reliable.

There is always more to the success than meets the eye.

Congrats,

Reba

Monday, October 08, 2007

Dane Spencer is a True Pro - Back again on the US Ski Team!

How many of you know a real pro in any given sport? I mean a person who has spent 10 to 20 plus years in something and making a living at it. Not retail, not the local pond fish, but someone who takes it to the world, and the world is a very large pond!

Perhaps being a professional at something means being a person who does something for most of your life, at the highest level. Life is hard, and this means that over a period of time, a pro will have many ups and downs. Maybe the best way to determine a real pro is to see someone who has stayed in the game. We respect people who keep at their job/work.

However, we see many mass marketing systems jump into the fitting game to make a quick buck. They know that something is needed, as people are learning more, demanding more truth, but they don't want to purchase and own tools that could really make a difference. Why don't they think it worth it to pay for something that gives the truth, the facts, and realistic answers? Maybe the reason is that they never learned the value of purchasing something worthwhile. They can get you close, thinking it's better than nothing! "After all," they think, "No one can claim anything because it's 'I say vs. you say'. And besides our bike can do this for you!"

I just had a word with a long time friend, US Ski Team member, Dane Spencer. Dane has been on the US Ski Team for 13 years now. Boy, how time turns over. Dane is a true pro, a real go getter, and has stuck to his sport throughout the years. He doesn't waste time with a bunch of small talk or hype.

Why is this so cool? Well Dane broke his neck in a 2006 DH that would have killed almost anyone else. After a year of recovering, he's back and that is what is so cool. He has not abandoned the dream and is still on the US Ski Team, headed across the pond this upcoming Friday.

Dane, at one time wanted to do Wobble-Naught fits while attending CU in Boulder, Colorado. He knows that our system works and knows that we even know a thing or two about snow skiing. You see, we have been working with the best of the best in the ski game for many years.

Dane asked how things are going, and I said, we have earned our keep. He understands! It's hard to get to the bottom of the 'better truth'. I told him we have learned much using the Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish. I asked if the Dartfish has been of help for him. He didn't waste any time sharing what it does for him.

Dane and I both know, that the best are the one's looking to make a difference and that can take many years. Dane, on the US Ski Team for 13 years now, using Wobble-Naught CAD and Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish since 2000. We both stick to what we do and that is what makes the difference.

In sports, there are many ideas and a ton of money pushers selling their mass-market fitting solutions. Many sportsmen can't ride or ski without company funding to pay the bills. So many end up spending their entire sports careers using equipment that doesn't allow them to perform optimally.

Go to a race camp and inform the GM that someone needs something that a company doesn't make or provide and they can very well say "We don't care, just ride the bike". We even see certain brand bikes painted like the brand who pays the bills. Right or wrong this is how it is. So just because some company has the money to promote their products, doesn't mean it is best for you! Please be aware of this the next time you go to buy a bike! It's more about you and meeting your needs, than the brand of any product you have.

With that, Dane has stayed the course, and keeps after it even following wrecks that would have killed others. He never throws in the towel (his history). Many of the brands he has been on did not serve him well, but that is racing. Think about it, after 13 years on a national team, Dane is still looking for that boot that meets his needs.

The same holds true for cycling. You can spend your entire career on a fit that is not going to make any difference. Now that is sad! Why trust your active life style, and racing career on hear-say, when you can get the hard facts using tools like Wobble-naught CAD and Myo-facts sEMG/Dartfish, just like the US Ski Team.

Ask any member of the US Ski Team, if they change their train of thought after leaving their local pond.The problem with the small pond is that most won't go to the effort of providing the tools that make differences. They'll just hang a string from your knee and call it good. How sad!

A sport is not measured by how poorly you perform, but rather how well you perform! Not until it is already over do we learn how well we did, and by then it's history.

Dane Spencer was the #1 US ski racer at age 16. The guy is a true pro and his history backs that fact! He has an understanding of the sport and how hard it can be. Dane, after talking about Dartfish said: "Dartfish makes a huge difference, and I can see where it would help with a finite pedal stroke." Dane unerstands that skiing is about making every turn count and that is what we do. Think of 5,000 bad turns per hour. We can show you what you need, minus the guesswork! How can you set the bike up without knowing what you need? Once the need fact is established, you can make your best strokes/turns!

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Cyclocross, Plus "MONEY" at Sun Valley, ID Oct. 27-28th!

The cyclocross scene is happening!!!

With new stars like Katie Compton and our gal Georgia Gould, the game is growing fast. After the huge turn out at Vegas things are on fire across the land.

Cyclocross is not like other cycling sports, where for the most part you just stand and watch the start or finish. Cyclocross has lots of action, and you'll love it! You can watch much of the race from one area. The continual ups and downs, terrain, and sand make for great viewing and fun.

No questions about it, this is where our Wobble-Naught CAD shines the brightest! Just take a look at our mountain bike results, an area which demands improved bike-handling skills, taxing balance, and perfect pedaling stroke, along with super quick mounts and dismounts. The pace is fast, the heart rate is high, and the fun nonstop, there is no recovery time.

Go see a cyclocross event, or better yet, come to Sun Vally, Idaho on October 27th and 28th to race the "Idaho State Cyclocross Championships", and win $2000 cash!!! That is right, $2000 US Cash from Wobble-Naught at the Idaho State Cyclocross Championships. Cash might help pay for the players to get there and put on a good show.

Wobble-Naught really attempts to give back to the sport we are part of! What business do you know that gives cash to help the local racers? This is not our first time of providing cash, you check our records, as we have in the past shelled out thousands and hope that this will get others started in providing cash for the racers.

Races don't run on products and a t-shirt only. They need the support of local fans and the industry to help keep things rolling. Again, product is nice, but it doesn't pay for the parts that get broken by racers, or for gas to the events, etc.

We hope other's (fans, industry) will step up to the plate and help support the very sports that feed them. If we want to keep the cycling sport alive, we all need to help.

Contact:

Mobile Cycle Repair
Bill Olson
206 Galena Drive
Hailey, ID 83333
(208) 481-0300
bike_camp@msn.com

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Bones vs. Muscles!

Basic Biomechanics: The Spinal Elements

You'll hear everything about the functionality of the body and how software measuring is not used in determining an optimal bike setup. Many dismiss the facts, considering them hype for money and voodoo, simply because they do not have the software. Perhaps one should ask a fitter about his/her education, including the subjects studied, a number mechanical classes taken, degrees held, and how current these qualifying factors are. Perhaps the questions should be about their models, and how they came to terms with the mechanical demands placed on the bone structure during cycling.

Think about it: the industry wants to move bikes, specifically their brands, and they are not interested in changing parts for you, only selling them to you, such as stems and seatposts for example. The industry doesn't make money by fitting you. This fact allows for other companies to move in. The bike store only wants to sell the bike that they've already payed for! You can't blame them, it's simple retail.

Most of us know that muscles will adapt to a certain range of motion and a line of pull. The pulling direction is the key; if miss on this, your game is over.

The next time you visit your local pro shop, or pro bike fitter, ask yourself these important questions: How did they arrive at the fit they are using now? Is this just another basic fit or am I getting the real deal? You don't have to waste your game on guess work, because we have the software and the results. After all, it's your money.

A few facts about bones.

The bony vertebral bodies are the primary load-bearing structures of the spine. Bone is a two-phase composite material comprising of `mineral salts (making the bone harder than muscle) and a matrix of collagen and ground substance (giving the bone flexibility and resilience). Bone is an anisotropic material, exhibiting different mechanical properties when loaded in different directions. It is strongest and stiffest in compression, so you had better get your cockpit right.

Bone fractures usually occur due to complex loading conditions, involving combinations of tension/compression, bending, shear or torsion. Like ligaments, bone exhibits some viscoelastic behavior and is stiffer, can sustain higher loads before failing, and stores more energy (correct fit) when loaded at higher rates.

Bone remodels in response to the mechanical demands placed on it, which are affected by the external loads, as well as the muscle loading. The next time you ride, allow for the compression of the mechanical demands on your spine to adapt, and it will make a difference. Any stem or handlebar setup that extends you too far can hurt you, and also decrease the energy transfer to the drive-train. Cortical bone is the outer dense bone of the vertebral body. Within the cortical bone is a complex structure of cancellous bone, referred to as trabecular bone.

Next time you go into a building, look at its structure, for it is what holds the building up.