Articles by Kevin Saunders on ArticleSnatch.com

Claim Your Lane!

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:01:34 -0400

I am constantly asked why I ride on the road. My smart alec answer is usually something like "Because it is there," and there is something to this. We have a huge network of roads and precious few trails and bike lanes. The obvious solution to me is to figure out the best way to use what we have, because I want to ride now, not wait until the government gives us another infrastructure. With this said, I see a lot of cyclists on the roads who could do a better job of riding safely and who could have a much better time as well. I also talk to many people who state their biggest fear is traffic and the possibility of getting hit from behind. I continue to lobby for cycling advocacy and tell anybody who will listen (and some that won't!) that cycling is a lot safer than we think, but we need to really look at the situation to demystify things. I liken cycling to flying in airplanes for a couple of reasons. First, both are quite safe if done properly. Second, when bad things happen, they are really bad. **End Summary** Topics: bike]]> bikes]]> exercise]]> biking]]> health]]> fitness]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> KGS Bikes has earned the reputation of the world's premiere bicycle fitting studio and boutique. For over 25 years, Kevin Saunders, President, has sold high end bicycles and has studied bicycle fitting. KGS Bikes sells bicycles from Co-Motion Parlee, Serotta, Zinn, and Guru, in addition to fitting services. For more information visit the KGS Bikes website, http://kgsbikes.com and our KGS Bikes blog, http://blog.kgsbikes.com

Custom Bike Fitting Process - How and Why

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:56:03 -0400

Many people ask us about our fitting protocols and how we have come to be recognized as one of the best in the world. I wrote this article explaining what we doâ€”how to fit a bicycleâ€”so one can have a better idea of the depth we go to in order to find an exact position for a rider. I have studied bicycle fitting for over 25 years and have the expertise and technology to fit bicycles to clients more accurately than was previously possible. I also specialize in fitting people over the age of 40 as well as extremely short and extremely tall individuals. In these years of research, I have studied fitting systems and have discovered the pitfalls of other systems as they relate to the human bicycle rider. While other systems rely on equations and formulas, we are aware of them but place the rider first and create a unique environment for them to develop a unique fitting solution. At KGS Bikes we have proprietary techniques to help the client become aware of the subtle differences in bike fit. By nature, humans are very adaptive and as such will ride any bike within an acceptable range of sizes. **End Summary** Topics: custom made bicycles]]> specialized bikes]]> performance bicycle]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> KGS Bikes is known as the world's premiere bicycle fitting studio and boutique. Kevin Saunders, President, has over 25 years experience in bicycle fitting and high-end bicycles. KGS Bikes sells bicycles from Serotta, Zinn, Parlee, Co-Motion and Guru, in addition to fitting services For more information visit the KGS Bikes blog, http://blog.kgsbikes.com and the KGS Bikes website, http://kgsbikes.com

How Do You Know a Bike Fit is Right?

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:37:46 -0400

How do you know a bike fit is right? This is the second question I usually get, the first one being, "I don't need a bike fit or a new bike, because I fit my bike just fine." The question of whether a bike fits or not has been asked for decades and at the end of the day, the answer does not lie completely in the field of "art" or "science." For me, I feel that there is both a science to determining what is right for a person and an art to working with the person to get the desired results. So the answer to the question is, "You don't know if a bike fit is right unless you find a better way to determine what "right" is." Most bicycle fit programs and protocols revolve around an optimal set of dimensions and angles derived from a large test pool of individuals. The bike fitter then attempts to find the crucial measurements from the rider and then attempts to use the dimensions or angles provided in his or her fitting system to apply those complimentary dimensions to a bicycle. **End Summary** Topics: bike fit]]> bicycle fit]]> bicycle fit programs]]> bike fitter]]> bike fitting system]]> fit me to a bike]]> triathlon]]> good bike fit]]> cycling]]> ]]> About the Author: ]]> KGS Bikes has earned the reputation of the world's premiere bicycle fitting studio and boutique. For over 25 years, Kevin Saunders, President, has sold high end bicycles and has studied bicycle fitting. KGS Bikes sells bicycles from Co-Motion Parlee, Serotta, Zinn, and Guru, in addition to fitting services. For more information visit the KGS Bikes website, http://kgsbikes.com and our KGS Bikes blog, http://blog.kgsbikes.com

Why Do Bike Fits Vary From Shop To Shop?

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:23:29 -0400

The hottest topic in bicycle retail is bike fit. Every shop recognizes the need to properly size a bicycle to the customer, or get the customer to adapt to the bike. It seems that almost every shop now has an expert "fitter" and they advertise perfection to all their clients. Bicycle fitting is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the industry. Since most of it relies on the experience and style of the fitter, or a set of equations defined by a fitting system, the results can vary drastically from shop to shop and from bike brand to bike brand. Another reason that bike fits are so varied across the country is, bicycle fitting is not easy! It takes a very good knowledge of anatomy, kinesiology, physics, geometry and the ability to relate in 3D a person trying their best to adapt to a bike that they want to a manufactured product with many dimensional limitations. The "Holy Grail" of bicycle retail is to get a fitting system that will work for all customers with equal accuracy as well as be usable by all employees. **End Summary** Topics: bike fit]]> bicycle fitting]]> bike fitting system]]> serotta fit]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> KGS Bikes is known as the world's premiere bicycle fitting studio and boutique. Kevin Saunders, President, has over 25 years experience in bicycle fitting and high-end bicycles. KGS Bikes sells bicycles from Serotta, Zinn, Parlee, Co-Motion and Guru, in addition to fitting services For more information visit the KGS Bikes blog, http://blog.kgsbikes.com and the KGS Bikes website, http://kgsbikes.com

You Don't Have To Be a Bike Racer to Ride with Them

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:12:13 -0400

My friend Regina has been hounding me to participate in a Tuesday morning ride and up until this week, I always had an excuse to bail. This week, however, I decided to give it a try as I knew the group would be small, all Masters, and as such the potential for a super ride experience was very high. I think most people have hunkered down the last six months to see what economic curve balls would be thrown at us and I was no exception. Well, enough is enough! The weekend rides are getting faster and longer and there is no time like the present. I had three observations during this ride. First, riding with proficient Masters cyclists is very smooth. Everyone was at least a decent bike handler, but all looked where they were going and made real attempts to ride in a straight line. Second, my Fountain of Youth theory got some major support as I was dropped by a 74 year young cyclist on a longish hill. At 52, it was a great vision for the future, because if George can do it, so can I. **End Summary** Topics: bike racer]]> masters cyclists]]> fountain of youth]]> cycling]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> KGS Bikes is known as the world's premiere bicycle boutique and fitting studio. For over 25 years, Kevin Saunders, President, has studied bicycle fitting and sold high end bicycles. KGS Bikes sells bicycles from Zinn, Parlee, Serotta, Co-Motion and Guru, in addition to fitting services. Visit the KGS Bikes website, http://kgsbikes.com and our blog, http://blog.kgsbikes.com for more information.

How Many Bikes Do I Need?

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:04:05 -0400

At our bike studio, we have many people who come into the showroom and say, "I want to get to the next level in cycling, and I can afford the same equipment that the top professionals use. How many bikes do I need, and what should I get?" When we look at the pros who could get whatever they want, we find that they use a small number of bikes with different roles. Here are the roles we find that work best for them, and we then apply this model to cyclists who wish to have the best: 1) Road bike with powermeter. This is the primary "everyday" bicycle. Almost all of the top racing cyclists and a growing number of active recreational riders use power meters. We recommend either an SRM or a PowerTap to compliment a sturdy road bike. We specify a stiff yet comfortable frame with Campagnolo Record or Chorus components (unless the client insists on Shimano, but that is another story!), and a set of light but sturdy wheels like the Reynolds Alta Race or Spinergy Xero Lite. **End Summary** Topics: bikes]]> cycling]]> bicycles]]> Zinn]]> Parlee]]> bike fitting]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> KGS Bikes has earned the reputation of the world's premiere bicycle fitting studio and boutique. Kevin Saunders, President, has over 25 years experience in high-end bicycles and bicycle fitting. KGS Bikes sells bicycles from Serotta, Parlee, Zinn, Co-Motion and Guru, in addition to fitting services. For more information visit the KGS Bikes blog, http://blog.kgsbikes.com and the KGS Bikes website, http://kgsbikes.com .