Review: Polar Loop, For the 'Rest' of the time

Cheetahs and greyhounds are built very similarly. Both are built for very high speeds. Both also have very long rest times throughout the day. Due to their high metabolism and low body fat that is crucial to their speed, the longevity of their speed is limited at best. Cheetahs have a max speed of 70-75 mph but a max distance of 1,600 feet. The greyhound has a max speed of 43 mph (second only to the cheetah) and a max distance of 820 feet.
Humans are not built like cheetahs or greyhounds, but many people take their riding with very similar procedures. While a rider may average 20-25 mph for 3 hours, they may also be sitting behind a desk for the rest of the day. This is not how our bodies effectively perform and that rider may be stunting his progress and performance.

I'm sure the initial response everyone is having is "I need to rest!" or "I cannot type while on a treadmill!"

Blue Cross Blue Shield states that the average adult should take 10,000 steps a day to ensure an active lifestyle. This can be achieved by parking farther away, using the restroom on a different floor of your office building, taking the stairs, there are many easy options.
The best tool to keep track of your daily activity is the Polar Loop. I know now-a-days everyone can find a pedometer from Big Lots. And there is a lot of high-end wrist-jewelry that will tell you your heart rate, sleep patterns and what you're about to think. Both these devices are not the best options and I'll tell you why.
Pedometers are based on gyroscopes. Missing key information like time of activity and skewing numbers with improper gyroscope readings from shifting weight while sitting. Walking is not measured from one's hip,

Polar Loop's website. You can't get this kind of
info from a pedometer.

it's measured through actual movement.
The abundance of all-day measurement devices on the market today shows that the technology to produce one is not hard to find. However it is hard to do correctly. infrared heart rate is designed to be used while the body is in a resting position only, and gets more inaccurate the more active the wearer is. It can be up to 30bpm off. When dealing with a number that is anywhere from 40-60 bpm to 170-190, 30 bpm is a pretty huge variable.
Also, there is no combination of technical data and algorithms that can effectively tell anyone about personal sleep patterns without including variables so large, they practically make the information void. If sleep studies could be done without the hundred wires stuck all over the patient's body and the node-covered skull cap, don't you think they would offer that option?

The Polar Loop is an activity monitor that does not promise anything except reliable and effective information. It is to take control of your day, in it's entirety. This makes sense for everyone. For the most active athlete, it is imperative to keep their body in effective shape, which means a healthy level of activity. For the not-so-athletic person, it is helpful to ensure they are being healthy without requiring a sport or too much additional effort. It is also the only method of measurement backed by Blue Cross Blue Shield to improve one's level of daily activity.

When you wear a Polar Loop it uses 3D accelerometers to measure 360 degrees of movement. It also uses a dual-coil system to measure actual movement of travel, not just the back and forth rotation of your arm. Basically, it can tell when you sit, stand, when you are walking, when you're jogging and when you're just standing in an elevator.

Level up by adding medical
grade heart rate.

By combining this information with your age, weight, and height it provides an average of calories you have burned, and how active you have been during that day. It also provides amounts of different activities the wearer can do to complete a healthy level of activity. If you want to really dial your numbers in, you can add a bluetooth equipped H7 heart rate strap to equip the Loop with medical-grade heart rate.

Due to it's simple design and display, it is water proof and holds a long battery life.
The Loop charges via USB and also downloads all of your information to the Polar Loop website. It gives you day-to-day productivity and an ever changing list of many different activities to improve your lifestyle such as badminton, jogging, even doing the dishes.

The app is not only
helpful, but colorful!

I preferred the app to log my progress. With a bluetooth connection, the app can let you know how active you've been on a 5 point scale, from resting to running, and when the activity took place. It also has the ability to remind you when you have been inactive for too long with phone-based alarms.
Working in retail, and biking as a life-consuming hobby, I considered myself to have a fairly healthy lifestyle. But it only took a couple of days wearing the Loop to find out that I was not as healthy throughout my day as I thought. It pushed me to change habits so I would be more active and, in turn, had a happier general outlook as well as a better sleep pattern.

It comes with a cut-to-fit locking strap to ensure a comfortable fit that is not cumbersome. There is even a easy measuring tool that comes with the Loop to guarantee the right fit.

While the person looking for extremely detailed information of their activity, usually provided by equipment like a Garmin 910 or Polar RCX5, may find the Loop a bit lacking, such competition is not Polar's goal. They set out to create an easy, automatic method of tracking and improving one's general activity throughout the day. I'd say that's exactly what they achieved.

Our price for a Polar Loop is $99.99 Not bad when you consider it's $40 - $700 for the few hours with a cycling specific computer. With a Loop you are taking control of the other 9 hours in the day!
For more information about the Polar Loop, Click Here! 

Certified, Level 2 and other Titles You Should Know when getting Fit

Thijs and Neal showing off their expertise

We are proud to announce that Thijs Schutte has passed his Body Geometry Certification Exam!
We are so proud and excited for his hard work and the continuation of our quality bike fit service. For as much as we are excited, many of you are indifferent and confused. Bicycle fit as an educated service is very new, starting around 2005. When people hear somebody is a doctor or surgeon, they understand the level of expertise that comes with said title. A "Master" or Certified fitter does not carry the same understanding. Because of this, many shops say offer a fit service, not only without any training but often times incorrect results. Many cyclists end up paying significant amounts of money and receive debilitating results. So I'm here to clear it up!

Tools of the trade

Body Geometry is the gold standard of bicycle fit. Focusing on a neutral body position based on the rider's flexibility, strength and style of riding. It was not only the first uniform fit system but also the only process focused on a rider's anatomy.

Educating the fit staff in what the rider's body is doing while on the bike is the focus of Body Geometry fit and the only way to know what directions to adjust the bicycle.

Here is a brief history and explanation of the Body Geometry Fit program from the creator, Dr. Andy Pruitt.



Within Body Geometry there are three levels. After completing the first Body Geometry Fit course, one is qualified as a fit technician. Once a substantial amount of fittings have been submitted back to SBCU (Specialized Bicycle Components University), to ensure the quality of service, the fit technician may then go for their Level II education, or his "Masters." This is a more in depth look at the anatomy, common medical complications and solutions.
Now a level II fit technician, after a similar amount of quality monitoring, they can take their certification test. There is no more education to gain at certification, only a rigorous practicum and written exam. The process is so challenging, only 100 fit technicians in the entire world have achieved this title. Only two fit techs in Florida are certified, John B. Hollingsworth and Thijs Schutte and they both work at our shop.


If you are having pains while riding your bike, want to prevent pain from rearing its head, or want to make sure every part of your body is working to go faster, schedule a fit with our knowledgeable and extremely well educated staff!
More  info on our Body Geometry Fit

A is for Aero

Despite the results, I feel the cape makes me faster.

Many cyclists look at the weight of their bike meticulously. Most are in denial of their 'weight weenie' status
but will pay hundreds more for grams of difference. Likewise, there is a large group of riders that could ace many medical tests due to their research and focus on their nutrition. However, when looking at the aerodynamics of a rider, there is a stigma of being a last resort, or "too expensive" to be worth the aid.
Everybody put on your helmets because you're mind is about to be blown:


Aerodynamics is the most effective advancement a rider can make.

Now for the nay-sayers who are yelling things like "Well it only helps above 20 mph!" or "The added weight makes the aero shapes ineffective!" Stop shouting at your computer, I can't hear you.
Myself and Neal were fortunate enough to do some work in Specialized's brand new wind tunnel in Morgan Hill, California. Approximately 4 hours of work, which worked out to roughly $9,000 of time and expertise in the facility.
We were there focusing on change of body position. To see if a more "aero" position was more important to the area of resistance than the loss of power from losing a neutral fit. Working with a caliber of engineers that routinely get called by NASA for help is humbling, to say the least. To say we learned a lot would be an understatement.

Here are a couple of things we learned: Aerodynamic drag is not relative to the rider's speed. While I'm sure many people feel the difference around 20 mph, wind resistance is impeding your performance the same at every speed. In fact, many of the engineers argued that because you are spending more time from A to B in the air-based resistance at lower speeds, it is actually effecting you more.
While aero equipment does end up being slightly heavier than non-winged products, weight resistance is constantly reduced by momentum, where air resistance is actually heightened by acceleration.  
The biggest take home was a staggering number of how much resistance was wind-based.
On average, 70% of a cyclist's resistance is from the air.
As much as 50% (35% of the whole) of that resistance could be from the rider themselves.

What does this tell us?
Aerodynamics is a huge part of what can make you go faster and keep you going faster.  Especially in a state where our hills come as gusts from either coast.

Best Bang for your Buck
With many companies realizing the importance of being "wind-minded," there is very good new on the horizon: equipment upgrades can be more effective for less money. When you hear aero a lot of people think of a full aero frame such as a Specialized Shiv, or carbon wheels like Zipp 404's and their hopes of cutting through wind are dashed by the price tags of these items. But if you're just looking for improvement in performace, you don't have to get the high ticket items.

The Evade, scientifically proven to be effective. 

Specialized Evade
The first upgrade recommended is an aero helmet.  The Specialized Evade has had more wind tunnel tested results than most bikes. Switching your helmet to a less turbulent model, like the Evade, actually helps a rider as much as a set of Zipp 404's. When compared to Zipp 404's price tag of $2700, the Evade's $250 price seems like a steal!

Pearl used the BMC pro team as
tests for their fabrics

Pearl Izumi P.R.O. Fabric
The cut of a rider's apparel, along with the fabric it is composed of is another big factor .Pearl Izumi P.R.O. Aero fabric is dimpled, much like a golf ball, to reduce drag by 8%. A huge advantage for a small
step up in price.

Neal's entire upper body became more aerodynamic after
his Body Geometry Fit

The Most Help You can get
Pertaining more to why we were there, the other major aero difference was made by having the bike correctly fit to the rider. When you are forcing your body to hold a position it isn't happy with, it is visible in the shape of the rider. It shows itself by bulging, contorting and compromising your naturally smooth position. It is of the utmost importance to be fit by somebody who is listening to your body and finding where it is the most aero, not by angles of the bike, but by anatomical construction and flexibility. This is the only way to find your personal level of aerodynamics and, subsequently, comfort.
To learn more about our fit program here at the shop, click here.

If you have any questions about these products, or want to know more about our Body Geometry Fit program please contact us or call the shop!

2014 Specialized S-Works Shiv: The Batman Bike

Few bikes turn heads quite like the Specialized S-Works Shiv. Looking closer to a pedal-powered stealth bomber than a bicycle, there is little mistaking it. The 2014 model does not stop at appearances. We built up the Specialized 2014 S-Works Shiv module as a dream triathlon bike and, not-surprisingly, it ended up almost identical to the complete model.

The first thing that stops everyone is the unique shape of the Shiv. Entirely based on wind tunnel testing, Specialized created a shape optimized for cross winds. The frame is comprised of 11r carbon with FACT IS construction, which means it's as stiff and responsive as the stealth fighter it resembles.

Fuel Cell

Within the main triangle of the bike, the new Fuel Cell keeps nutrition prepped for mid-ride consumption and provides storage that actually adds to the aero shape of the bike, rather than fight it. The commanding down tube houses a water bladder that can be accessed from a camelbak-like tube just behind the cockpit. The more time a triathlete can hold the aero position, the bigger their advantage becomes. These support features help to stay effective through more of the race.

The first TRUE "One size fits all" setup

While many brands lump triathlon-specific frames with designs meant for time trials, Specialized understands that it is a completely different sport, with different requirements of the athlete. The Body Geometry fit staff had a large influence on designing, not only the geometry of the frame but the flexible modulation of the cockpit.
Though comfort rarely seems to be considered for time trials, it is paramount for triathlons. Extra stress caused by a non-comfort based position on the bike can not only rob the rider of speed during the bike section but also impede muscle groups during the run. Passing competition on the swim or bike sections of the race doesn't matter if they pass you during the run.
Every angle of the Shiv cockpit is adjustable to guarantee an effective body placement. Not to mention the reversible set back seat post as well as the second position seat post included with the module. There are so many minor adjustments available each S-Works Shiv comes with a full spread of bolts, risers and shims.
The new Specialized Body Geometry Sitero saddle is the perfect compliment to the "comfort equals effective" position.

This model comes with 11 speed Shimano Dura Ace Di2. It seems to make sense if you've got the best
frame on the market, might as well give it the best components. With it's self trim, automatic crash protections (if you fall, it attempts to save itself!) and the ability to manually adjust while still riding, it's no wonder why Dura Ace Di2 is quickly becoming the new standard of "Top of the line."

The icing on the top of this bike comes in the form of Magura RT8TT brakes. Hydraulic rim brakes with carbon levers that give a brand new level of control. The hydraulic rim system more than compensates for any lack of control due to carbon stopping surfaces in less than optimal conditions. The levers have cutaways, optimizing aero dynamics on the forefront of the bike.

Like all S-Works frames, the Shiv is stocked with the new 2014 S-Works carbon crank, one of the stiffest per weight on the market. We wanted to pair them with their cousins, the Roval Rapide CLX 60 wheel set due to their stock CeramicSpeed bearings and 1,495g weight but had to settle for Zipp (404 Firecrest front and 808 Firescrest rear). I think it came out alright.

Zipp, Di2 and S-Works.
Definitely drool worthy

Saddly, this bike has already left the store. But if you are interested in any level of the Shiv please let us know! Or stop by the shop.

Here's a great video explaining a little more about the Shiv and it's superior technology:

About to Break: are You Prepared for Cold?

"But you live in Florida!" Is the response I always get, each season when conversations regarding cold-weather cycling clothes come around. However, talk to any serious athlete and they would tell you the key to staving off injury and ensuring a healthy expenditure of energy is treating your body right and giving it what it needs. This might not always be what your head convinces you is the best plan of action.

Don't Trust the Weather Man

While all the apps in the world might project the temperature for the morning ride to be 65F, they are not calculating any wind chill from you moving on your bike. Just because you roll your bike out and aren't shivering doesn't mean you are experiencing the actual temperature while riding. Through the colder months it takes experience and listening to your body to know the best way to compensate.

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes 

There are several major places on a cyclists body that can be negatively effected by cold weather riding. Your joints can be negatively effected by the cold, even if your mind tells you it is not cold out. High-stress joints, such as one's patella area (knee cap) do not have much blood flow and take longer to warm up. So even if your core, quads and glutes are feeling great, you could still be adding stress on your body because of how far behind your knee cap is in the warm up process.

In fact, a good rule of thumb is "70 degrees, cover your knees." Don't believe me? Think this is ridiculous? Well let me throw some science at you! The patella tendon goes right over the knee cap. Because of the lack of blood flow and the poor positioning in the wind, it is naturally very tight in the wind and feels much colder due to the wind chill factor. Tendons are like rubber bands, ever stretched a cold rubber band? it doesn't. 

Also, the vastus medialis is a large muscle just under the inner side of the quads. Because of it's angle of connection to the knee cap joint the vastus medialis is crucial in a healthy knee tracking. Because of its size it takes a long time even in optimum weather conditions to warm up, and even longer in the cold. Until it is warmed up, your knee will not be tracking in a healthy rotation. 

Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold

Luckily for us cyclists, there are tons of different weights, wind protections, and body part specific coverings for cold weather riding. This allows everybody to find the exact combination that fits them in all chilly situations.

Arm, Leg & knee Warmers
A very easy way to make sure you are not hurting your body but still be comfortable is using leg, knee or arm warmers. These items are often wind proof and only cover the rider's limbs. This allows you to change your clothing with the weather. All these items are small enough to take off and put in a back pocket. They also provide no warmth to the core, which is often the last part of the body to need help in cold situations.
A great example of these type of products are the Gore Oxygen SC knee warmers. With Windstopper technology they are able to allow the knees to warm up without unnecessary insulation.

Wind Jackets & Vests

A great way to check if you are appropriately protected is if you are cold standing still but warm while riding. Because a rider's body is heating up, there is not a lot of insulation needed, the main focus is stopping the wind from cooling down the body too much.
Wind jackets, like the Cannondale Morphis jacket are perfect for this function. Not only do they provide complete wind protection to the upper body, but the magnetic sleeves detach to become a vest. This allows the body to cool down, because nobody likes being too hot.

Ear Coverings
Everybody is different but for me, my ears are one of the first parts of my body to become uncomfortably cold. It starts a chain reaction, first my ears get cold, then my head starts to hurt, then I curse the excellent ventilation of my helmet, then the ride is no fun. If you've ever been there, you want to look into something to cover your ears. Gore's Bike Headband is a great example of finding warmth without fighting a beanie into your helmet!

Gloves
These items are often overlooked in importance of fighting cold. It is an easy step, many companies provide the same level of padding as their warm weather options in a full finger style. Gloves should be one of the first steps in covering up. When it comes to shifting and braking, fingers that are slowed and stiff due to cold do not work. The Giro Gilman gloves are a great option for cold in the great state of Florida. A insulated covering is not always necessary. Often times it only takes a barrier.

Booties
While your upper body is being hit by wind, your feet are actually being hit by three fronts: wind, and rotational wind from pedaling as well as any water from wet roads or puddles. To make sure you do not throw your very expensive, very ventilated road shoes in anger towards your purple toes, try out some bootie coverings. This allows the fit of your shoes to stay the same but adds wind/water resistance on the outside of the shoe. Pearl Izumi Elite Toe Covers (we call them 'booties' because it's way more fun) are a great example of how to keep your toes as happy as you are on the bike!

Everybody is different when it comes to cold weather riding. Starting the learning process in Florida is a great location due to its timid temperatures when it comes to our "winter." No matter what, don't let the cold dictate your off season. Winter months can be the most enjoyable season for cycling and add yet another facet of how you love riding.  Get educated, get equipped and get riding!

Aero Minded: Helmets that do More than Save your Head

Helmets are a standard on any ride. Many cyclists refuse to ride with anyone not sporting the 'mushroom head' look. For years helmets have been a necessary inconvenience to better your odds of walking away from a crash.
However, This year, at the Tour de France, helmets were on everybody's mind (literally). Every brand seems to come to the realization that in a sport that revolves around effective power and aero positioning, the helmet has been overlooked.
Brands like, Giro, Specialized and even smaller helmet manufacturers like Kask are producing drag-conscious helmets no longer reserved for the TT stages.

Air Attack Shield by Giro

Giro really went back to the basics when designing the Air Attack. Creating prototype after prototype, and only changing to improve function, they came up with the shape we see now on such teams as Rapha-Focus, Garmin-Sharp and the 2013 British Olympic Track Team. With the built-in "shield" that continues the aero profile over the riders eyes, the air attack has become a complete package. Here's a great video on the time and effort put into creating it:




Bambino by Kask
Kask hit the market with a bang during the 2012 Tour de France. Team Sky's TT machine sporting funky looking, bob-tailed, aero helmets. Sky being known for using only equipment scientifically proven to improve the rider's performance, the helmets were not taken lightly. Kask states that the Bambino is more aero than a true, full-tailed aero position helmet because it is still aero if the rider breaks position. While it may look like a sun-powered oven for your head, the two-layer construction keeps air flowing through the infrastructure of the helmet, cooling the head it protects.
Here's why Sky decided to go with Kask:



Coming soon...
Evade by Specialized

While some may think Specialized is late to the party, they have actually been looking at air flow of their helmets for some time now. The S-Works Prevail boasted a drastic improvement on rider's over all speed while still maintaining a level up in ventilation.
The Evade is simply the next impressive step in the S-Works evolution. I could ramble off some numbers and stats, but we would all rather watch the very handsome, Mr. Chris Riekert talk about their newest head piece. Also, here's a picture of Chris when he thought he should have a moustache!



I'm sure there will always be a place for the helmets that sacrifice wind-flow for comfort and ventilation. However, with the type of effective improvements all companies producing aero helmets are boasting, it is not hard to see that this could be a strategy that sticks around for some time.

Popular Trails in Orlando

So you bought a bike, the helmet, the shorts, pedals, shoes, the whole setup, now for the hard part. "Where do I go to use all this stuff!" Or maybe you've got a nice trail close to you that you frequent. But, after memorizing the number of leaves on each tree, you've decided to shake things up with a new riding spot.

A great place to start is Google maps. Now, with their inclusion of bike trails on their directions, you can find out which roads have bike lanes, where paved trails are close to you, and even make a little ride map for your adventure into the unknown. To find out how to do that, check out our post, Google Maps: Your Bike's Best Friend.

Maybe you're like me, and act like a monkey towards a coconut when your technology limit is stretched, here are a couple of great trails to start with.

Appropriate statue at Chapin Station,
a great rest stop on the W.O.T

West Orange Trail
If you've spent any length of time in a bike shop in or around Orlando, I'm sure you've heard of the West Orange Trail. Being the longest paved trail around, and with options to go punish yourself through Clermont it's very popular. The inclines on W.O.T. are mild to moderate and well kept. The only downside is, being so popular, the weekends can be a little congested.
Here is a downloadable map and description of the West Orange Trail

If you're having trouble finding your way around, or worse, back to the car! You may want to look at a Garmin Edge 810. Not only will it record your heart rate, speed, cadence and where you've been but it also displays maps in real time so you can find your way home. If things get really hairy a rider can sync the computer with your phone, allowing for up-to-date weather info for the rider and real-time tracking for loved ones to keep an ear on you.
Click Here for more info on the Garmin Edge 810

Cady Way Trail
While Cady Way is only 6.5mi long, it's the surge protector of trails, plugging into the Cross Seminole, Baldwin Park Trail, and Florida Trail. Some complain that there are too many stop signs and lights, it seems to be a fair trade off for it's inner-city location. From College Park to Baldwin, Cady Way is going to be the longest trail with easy access.
Here is a downloadable map and description of the Cady Way Trail

Shaded Seminole Wekiva Trail

Seminole Wekiva Trail
The Seminole Wekiva is the most shade you will find on any paved trail in the area. Out in Altamonte Springs, it is a beautiful ride, perfect for the summer months when the sun seems closer.

No pain, with all the gain!
With the Gore Power 2's

Make sure to be prepared on all fronts, or backs. Wearing the right shorts can be the difference between a good experience and a sore one. The Gore Power 2 shorts not only have a great chamois, designed to sit on for hours, but also a unique front panel material. Just in case you don't have the chiseled abs of a pro.

If you would like some more info on a few more trails in and around Orlando, check out our Bike Trails and Maps section on our website.

Also, If you want to venture out of the area, click here to check out a few other trails!