Services for Cyclists

Nothing improves your performance as well as a proper fit. A proper fit sits at the junction of power production, aerodynamics, and comfort. Equipment choices may impact one or maybe even two of these components, but only your position on the bike can affect all three simultaneously. Hence a good bike position will save you over 5 minutes on a 40k time trial course compared to a poor position, while good aerodynamic wheels save you only 1-2 minutes (at a cost of $1800+).

The combination of your own personal joint range of motion, muscle flexibility, strengths, weaknesses, and past history of injury determine your ability to obtain and maintain any given position. The exact target position will vary depending on your own personal goals. The requirements of a leisurely weekend ride of 15 miles, racing 40k time trial, racing Olympic-distance triathlon (with a 40k bike-distance), Ironman (112mile bike) all require different considerations. Putting all the pieces together takes time and experience, because nothing about a bike happens in a vacuum. Changing your saddle position affects more than just the location of your sit bones: it also alters angles at your hip, knee, shoulder, neck, and even you’re your elbow; it alters power production from the gluteals, hamstrings, and quadriceps.; it alters strain on shoulder and neck musculature. A change to the handlebar position can have equally important effects on your ability to sustain your efforts. The knowledge of where to look, what to move, and how far that separate a superior bike fit from a inferior one.

OUR BIKE FIT TECHNICIAN:

Dr. Chris Ramsey relocated to Portland, OR from Boston, MA in 2009. He continues his decade-long tradition of providing instrumental rehabilitation to professional, Olympic, elite, high school, and amateur athletes across a range of sports including triathlon, duathlon, rowing, swimming, cycling, track and field, and Nordic skiing. Dr Ramsey graduated from the Univ. of Colorado in 1996 (Kinesiology), then his Master and Doctoral degrees in Physical Therapy (1999/2004) from Boston’s MGH Institute of Health Professions. He became a certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist in 2009.

Across a decade of physical therapy, Chris has seen too many athletes come in with their bikes in association with an injury. Making changes to their bike position, suggestions for pedaling technique alteration, and exercises for focal muscle weaknesses helped or resolved these problems. The finding that few people had ever had an adequate bike fit spurred Chris to develop professional bike fitting services for both injury prevention and performance maximization, with a specialty in multisport bike fitting.

For 15 years, Chris has coached triathletes and duathletes, novice through world-champion. 2010 marks his 19th competitive triathlon season. He has done 13 Ironman (PR of 9:10), more than 15 half-ironman (PR of 4:10), and numerous triathlons of other distances. He has qualified 6x for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships, and has multiple world championship qualifications in other distances. Nationally he has qualified for the “Best of the US”, Olympic-distance, and Halfmax championships.

Christopher C Ramsey, PT, DPT, OCS
drchrisramsey@gmail.com

Sound physiologic testing is the foundation of any scientifically-based training program. Testing is necessary to establish a starting point, to track the progress of your training program and to make the necessary adjustments to help you accomplish your goals.

We utilize the data collected to provide you with the following:

• Accurate training zones for Heart Rate, Power and Perceived Exertion
• Power Profile outlining:
• The type of rider you tend towards
• Your physiologic strengths & limiters
• Practical explanations of your results
• Coordination of test results with your coach or options for coaching

The aerobic profile test gives cyclists the complete picture of their physiological make up by providing data for their power, heart rate and perceived exertion at aerobic (MLSS) and lactate thresholds (OBLA) and the evaluation of substrate utilization at critical sub maximal intensities combined with their peak oxygen consumption (VO2 max) and maximal lactate accumulation . This test provides the most comprehensive data available for cyclists to assess their current physiological state.

Lactate Threshold is the ultimate determinant of performance in endurance athletics. Finding your lactate threshold power allows us to determine a baseline and track the progress of your training, establish your training zones and help you or your coach design an effective training program. By tracking your blood lactate levels while cycling against progressive resistance on a Computrainer cycling ergometer, we determine your aerobic threshold (MLSS), lactate threshold (OBLA) and oxygen consumption for each stage and the bodies utilization of substrates from carbohydrate and fat at critical submaximal intensities.

Determining your Vo2 max helps outline your potential for the development of your natural abilities as an endurance athlete. We will determine your anaerobic & aerobic thresholds, respiratory exchange ratio, ventilatory thresholds, sub-max and max VO2, and training zones based on heart rate and/or wattage.

Determines the rate and type of calories (fat v. carbohydrate) burned at rest.

Recommended for all athletes interested in optimizing their performance by assessing their energetic needs. Includes analysis of body composition and discussion of weight managment goals.