Monday, 10/30/06 at 7:21 PM
by Sara Jarrell
by Sara Jarrell
W.O.W- Whee
About a year ago while working at Alameda Bicycle I realized that I was a part of a unique work environment in the bike industry. I was working in a shop that was half men and half women. In my experience as a female customer and shop mechanic this was out of the ordinary. The three of us, Kelli, Casey, and myself, realized the potential of our situation so we banded together and started a program, W.O.W, Women on Wheels. This program was designed to cater to female cyclists (extreme novice to super enthusiast) and be taught by women. Since W.O.W’s conception we have held one class a month (excluding December) on topics ranging from emergency roadside repairs to bike fit, sports nutrition and group rides. Most classes are led by Kelli and myself and on occasion we bring in guest speakers to spice things up.
Last week Kelli and I were excited to offer a class on bike fit starring fellow Women’s Council member Jenny Skorcz. It was an exciting moment in WOW history. The class drew a good crowd of ladies all armed with pen and paper ready to scribble down any information they could to make their rides more comfortable. We covered everything from leg extension to torso posture, retroverted pelvises, numbing, saddle soreness, and all of the body’s contact points with the bike and how to alter them affectively. Kelli and her bicycle were used as an example of all the concepts of fit that Jenny covered. After the presentation there was a question and answer period in which many of the women were able to share some of their experiences and tips. Kelli and I both learned a tremendous amount and are both riding much more comfortably and correctly now.
A couple of tips from the class:
- When your pedals are parallel with the ground your knee should be over the axle of your pedal.
- Leg extension around 150 degrees is optimal.
- Stem lengths from 80-100mm allow for best possible handling of your bike.
- The combination of wearing a women’s specific chamois without your underwear and a women’s specific saddle are good ways to avoid saddle soreness. (No underwear under your bike shorts!)
- Regular stretching and core strengthening are super important in having a healthy position on the bike.
- Have a friend help you evaluate your position on the bike using Jenny’s “Getting the Most Out of Your Ride” document in the Training Wheels archive section on this website.
Happy Riding-
Sara and Kelli
Last week Kelli and I were excited to offer a class on bike fit starring fellow Women’s Council member Jenny Skorcz. It was an exciting moment in WOW history. The class drew a good crowd of ladies all armed with pen and paper ready to scribble down any information they could to make their rides more comfortable. We covered everything from leg extension to torso posture, retroverted pelvises, numbing, saddle soreness, and all of the body’s contact points with the bike and how to alter them affectively. Kelli and her bicycle were used as an example of all the concepts of fit that Jenny covered. After the presentation there was a question and answer period in which many of the women were able to share some of their experiences and tips. Kelli and I both learned a tremendous amount and are both riding much more comfortably and correctly now.
A couple of tips from the class:
- When your pedals are parallel with the ground your knee should be over the axle of your pedal.
- Leg extension around 150 degrees is optimal.
- Stem lengths from 80-100mm allow for best possible handling of your bike.
- The combination of wearing a women’s specific chamois without your underwear and a women’s specific saddle are good ways to avoid saddle soreness. (No underwear under your bike shorts!)
- Regular stretching and core strengthening are super important in having a healthy position on the bike.
- Have a friend help you evaluate your position on the bike using Jenny’s “Getting the Most Out of Your Ride” document in the Training Wheels archive section on this website.
Happy Riding-
Sara and Kelli
Comments
We are working on our schedule 2007 and it will be posted on the Alameda Bicycle website www.alamedabicycle.com. This would be the best place to check. We are going to have a clinic early in the season that will be very cool. Happy Riding,
Sara
Dorothy
There is a lot of information out there and it can get overwhelming. You've narrowed your search already by knowing you want a road bike. But what kind? A traditional drop bar, skinny tire, light weight bike? Or maybe something with a bit more comfort, but still fast and efficient, like a hybrid of sorts? What type of riding do you picture yourself doing? Fitness, group rides, a few miles a week, training for centuries, or something in between? Your search will narrow as you answer these types of questions. Then you can travel down to your local bike shop and test ride different bikes to find the one that fits you best. Hope this helps.
Kelli
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