Tom’s solution? Train to be fast so you can be slow. It’s simple math. Tom can change a tube in 2 minutes with a 20% chance of blowing it, or 5 minutes and it’s perfect every time.

World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington says “it’s important to prepare for all eventualities” and you need “a mental plan as well as a physical ‘how to change a puncture’ plan”. (See the 1:50 minute mark in this video). Unfortunately, she blows her C02 cartridge (Kona 2008) because she didn’t attach it to the rim correctly and is left stranded on the side of the road.

Practicing to change a tire quickly is perfect winter-time training. Two suggestions to make it fun:

• Turn it into a competition. Get a few friends together in a garage and give the non-triathlete a stopwatch. Go 8-10 rounds and winner doesn’t have to chip in for the pizza.
• On family movie night practice until you can change a tire during one commercial break.

If you are just getting started do a search on Youtube for “change a bike tire” and you’ll get 1,650 videos showing the mechanics.

The correct answer of course is that removing both your front and rear wheel should be as easy as something you do every day without thinking about it, ie. tying your shoelaces. Flat tires are inevitable; being prepared and able to change it effortlessly is optional. We’ll talk more about changing the tire in a future post, today we’ll just focus on removing the wheels.

Assuming you have quick release tires the front wheel is a no-brainer; undo the brake, pop the lever, and lift the bike off. The messy rear wheel is what most people avoid. The number one complaint is that hands end up full of grease because you need to get the chain off the cassette. There is a very simple solution – gloves! Throw a pair of gardening gloves or a box of disposable medical gloves in the trunk and you’re good to go.

Removing your wheels shouldn’t be a big deal. When that inevitable flat happens you want to have those wheels off without even thinking about it. That’s the first step to an easy tire change and getting back on the road quickly.

Tom’s challenge: For one month remove the wheels from your bike every time you take it out.

The bonus is that if you’re driving to meet friends you’ll be able to put your bike in the trunk instead of using the carrier. This keeps it cleaner, saves gas, and it won’t get contaminated from the elements.

Watch Tom as he demonstrates just how quick and easy it is to remove the wheels and put your bike in the car:

When you’re running out of T1 lift the front end of your bike by the handlebars, if the wheel stops spinning you know the brake is rubbing. Next, lift the rear of the bike by the saddle and check and see if the rear wheel continues spinning. If it slows down you know there is a problem.

Two quick checks you can do while in motion to make sure both wheels are spinning freely and your brakes don’t inadvertently slow you down.

Here’s how it works. Tom is the guy in charge around here and inventor of the Wedgie. He has years of cycling and triathlon experience he loves to share. Depending on how far he’s travelling you’ll need to provide some or all of the following:

- Pick up at the airport. (He’s a tall guy carrying a bike box, you can’t miss him)

- A place to crash for the night

- A home-cooked meal. Whatever that means to you, even if it’s peeling the wrapper off a power bar.

Of course if your club is within driving distance of Southern Ontario Tom will make his own way and you just need to meet him at the ride.

What’s in it for you and your club? The gearheads in your club will get a first-hand look at the Wedgie in action. If that doesn’t turn your crank (pun intended) then it’ll be a day of swapping cycling stories and if all goes well you’ll end up with a new friend on Facebook.

We’ve had a great response to our “request for invitations” and September is pretty booked. We have openings in October and Tom will be on the east coast in mid-November.

If you’d like Tom to join your club for a ride please send us an email with some details about where you’re located and when you ride.

The wooden prototypes turned into fiberglass for field testing, then ultimately carbon fiber for production.

But, of course, we kept searching for ways to improve. We found the storage compartment did not need to be carbon fiber, in fact plastic works better because it makes the Wedgie easier to open and close and wind tunnel testing confirmed it’s every bit as aerodynamic. The switch to plastic reduced manufacturing costs and we’re passing on the cost savings to our customers.

- Wind tunnel testing confirms that it’s every bit as aerodynamic
- Real world testing confirms that it’s more convenient
- It’s still incredibly light (the switch to plastic only added 28 grams)

And with it new price, it is the value leader in aero savings (14.4 average watts savings for $99.95 = $6.94 per watt)

Are there any advantages of a “Aero Fitting” in a wind tunnel?

When should you have a “Aero Fitting” done:  before or after a bike fit?

Let’s ask an expert…

A video interview with Mike Giraud, Bicycle Program Director and Test Engineer at A2 Wind Tunnel where we discuss the advantages of having a proper aero bike fitting for triathletes.

Best regards and fast times.
Tom

The Wedgie went up against the wind at the A2 Wind Tunnel LLC testing facilities in North Carolina and the results were even better than expected.  The findings clearly showed that the Wedgie, the light-weight, aerodynamic, integrated water bottle and tool kit holder, will save the cyclist an average of 14.4 watts and 17.7 watts in a 10 degree (wind angle) cross wind, over the typical race-day set up.  “The results speak for themselves,” says Tom Schopf, Ironman and inventor of the Wedgie.  “Because the Wedgie improves the bicycle’s aerodynamics, the benefits to a triathlete are tremendous.”

The goal of the test was to measure the aerodynamic effectiveness of the Wedgie in real world conditions.  The test ranged from 0 to 25 degrees of yaw, representing the cross wind the bicycle would experience.  In order to get the most comprehensive understanding of the aerodynamic impact of adding equipment to a bicycle, they used the popular Cervelo P2C bike equipped with ZIPP race wheels as the benchmark.  The tests were performed on the “naked” bicycle, (the bicycle with no race-day gear) and again with the typical race-day essentials: one spare tube, three tire irons, two CO2 cartridges, one air chuck and a 28 oz. standard water bottle.  The first series of equipped-bike tests involved the typical set up of the water bottle cage mounted on the bicycle’s down tube and the tool bag behind the saddle at the end of a common aero mounting device.  The tests were then performed on the bike with the Wedgie, conveniently mounted in the lower triangle of the bike frame above the bottom bracket, carrying all the same essentials.

“I’ve been asked by racers if including the water bottle is necessary for the Wedgie,” says Schopf.  “The tests clearly showed that one of the key advantages of the Wedgie is that it’s more aerodynamic with the water bottle than without.  The wind hates sharp angles but loves smooth, rounded surfaces.  By having the water bottle on the Wedgie, any cross winds roll smoothly over the top and continue on the other side.”

The Wedgie has become a “must have” for triathletes and cyclists wanting the aerodynamic advantage of decreased drag.

For more detailed information please see the “Wedgie in the Wind Tunnel” white paper.

At many Ironmans, triathlons and marathons, sponges are available at the aid/water stations to cool you down. But if you’re not at the front of the race with the pros, you’re ‘refreshing’ yourself with recycled water and sponges, and all the sweat, spit, blood, vomit, etc. that comes along with them. Not only is that disgusting, it’s a health hazard. Here’s a quick tip to avoid the nastiness.

1) Purchase a couple of round, flat, cosmetic sponges. They’re sold in packages of two or three at most drug stores and only cost a few dollars. Avoid the latex ones if you have an allergy.

2) The night before the race, take two sponges, soak them in water, put them in zip-lock baggies and place them in the freezer.

3) In the morning, take the frozen sponges: one for your ‘bike special needs bag’, the other for your ‘run special needs bag’.

This way, when you get to your special needs station, there’s a nice cold CLEAN sponge waiting for you. There’s no denying it’s refreshing to wipe your face with a cold sponge on a hot day. Bringing your own means you can use it throughout the race – at each water station, just pour some fresh water on your sponge and you’re good to go!

Have a great race and a great day.
Tom

The psoas muscle is our main hip flexor and is responsible for bringing the knee forward and up during a running (or walking) stride.  The psoas attaches to the front side of the lumbar spine, deep within the abdomen, and runs across the front of the hip joint, also attaching to the top of the femur.

Many runners experience injuries to the lower body, often due to overuse.  These injuries are frequently attributed to muscular weakness or dysfunction of the gluteus muscles (buttocks).  In many cases, however, the psoas muscle is the root cause of the problem and the glutes are a symptom.  Without addressing the original cause of the injury, the runner will continue to experience pain and/or weakness.

So how are these muscles related?  The psoas and glutes are opposing muscles; that is, their functions are opposite.  The psoas flexes the hip and brings the knee forward, while the glutes are responsible for extending the hip and bringing the leg backward.  In this way, the psoas and glutes act to stabilize the sacroiliac and hip joints.  Muscular stability of the pelvis is primarily maintained by the psoas, gluteus maximus (buttocks), and gluteus medius (on the upper outside of the hip), and problems arise when these relationships are not balanced.  Muscular stability is crucially important when preventing and managing injuries.  There are three areas that comprise “pillar stability” (Verstegen and Williams, 2005): pelvis, spine, and the shoulder girdle.  It is these areas from which all movement is produced and controlled.

As we sit at our desk, in our cars, and on our computers, the psoas muscle becomes excessively tightened and shortened.  As described by Dr. Vladimir Janda, a neurologist and physiatrist renowned for his anatomical research, the excessively tight psoas not only restricts movement of the hip, but also lengthens and inhibits the glutes via reciprocal inhibition, a neurological mechanism. This mechanism, first reported in 1907 by Charles Scott Sherrington, is quite simple: when one muscle contracts, its opposing muscle must relax.  So, when the psoas contracts or is excessively tight and shortened, the gluteus maximus (the opposing muscle) is neurologically forced to weaken by this inhibitory reflex.  And voila!  A pelvic muscular instability develops!

The weakened glutes then do not provide the necessary stability and control of the pelvis and leg, thereby overloading the smaller muscles of the lower body.  Working beyond their capabilities, these smaller muscles can become injured and the overtaxed muscles tighten as a protective effect due to the overloading.  These compensations often rear their ugly heads as injuries in hamstrings, quadriceps, piriformis muscles, calves, and lower backs.  This is evidenced in most runners by the excessive tightness, restricted range of motion, and excessive tenderness to pressure.

What to do, what to do?  Keeping the psoas lengthened is crucial- and this is not an easy task in our sitting-dominant society.  Avoid prolonged sitting and take frequent walk/stretching breaks while at work.  Stretch out your psoas muscle via a lunge stretch, whereby you focus on opening up the front of your hip.  Yoga is also a great way for runners to cross-train, improve flexibility, and strengthen pelvic stability.  For many runners, stretching is not enough and manual therapy is also indicated- Active Release Techniques (ART®) or deep-tissue massage can help to keep the psoas loosened.  Strengthening of the glute muscles is also significant, and this can be achieved via exercises that engage in the correct sequence and movement patterns of glute firing, such as glute kickbacks and single-leg extensions.  Lateral movement exercises (side to side) can be incorporated to maximize recovery and optimize function by assisting the glutes in their hip stability role.
In summary, by avoiding psoas tightness, the glutes are able to function properly, thereby preventing overload on the smaller muscles of the lower extremity and decreasing the risk of injury!

Now go stretch your PSOAS!

About the Authors:
Dr. Ashley Worobec and Dr. Joanna Schultz practice at Active Sport & Health Centre.  They are both runners who regularly stretch out their psoas muscles!  You can learn more at www.activesportandhealth.com.

Dr. Ashley Worobec, BSc, CSCS, Clinic Director, Doctor of Chiropractic, ART® Practitioner and Medical Acupuncturist

Ashley received her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Calgary, where she competed for both the U of C Dinos track & field and cross-country teams. While attaining her Doctor of Chiropractic degree at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, Ashley remained actively involved in sport, competing in several marathons and half marathons, including the 2003 Boston marathon, and teaching the marathon clinic.  She has worked with athletes at many events, including football team, Canadian Men’s Amateur Golf Championship, the 2006 Florida Ironman triathlon and the Hamilton Lady Avalanche soccer team.

Dr Joanna Schultz, Honours BPhed, BSc, Doctor of Chiropractic, CCSP, and DICCP

Joanna’s ten+ years of experience have allowed her to gain a vast knowledge in gait training and sports injuries. During her practice time in the U.S., Dr. Joanna gained experience working with near infrared light therapy; a modality used to reduce pain, promote tissue recovery, increase circulation, and speed healing and recovery time.  Joanna specializes in both sports injuries and pediatrics, and has completed over 5 years of post-graduate educational training in these areas in the U.S.  She has worked with professional figure skaters, LPGA players, professional cyclists, Ironman competitors, Illinois fire departments, local run clubs, and amateur athletes.  Her specialty lies in helping to return triathletes and marathoners to their endurance events quickly.