Due to the current pandemic, people are locked up in their houses. Some have been getting onto their outside bicycles, but for the rest of us, we are spending a lot more time on our indoor trainers. This is both good and bad. GOOD in that we are getting a lot more exercise than we used to, BAD that many are getting injured cycling on ill-fitting bikes and trainers.
One high-end and extremely popular indoor trainer is the PELOTON (figure 1). Recently, numerous PELOTON cyclists have contacted me asking for help. They have been cycling steadily for more than 4 months and just about now, their knees hurt, and their upper back and neck hurts. This is not exercise discomfort, this is actual pain. Addressing knee pain is critical since permanent knee damage can occur continuing to cycle on an ill-fit trainer.
Due to this high demand, I have introduced a new bike fitting service called Peloton Remote Fit. When a client signs up, I send them a detailed process document to follow. They send me photos of their shoes and cleats as well as video of them cycling.
Using Dartfish, I am able to quickly analyze their critical angles and recommend changes which they implement. A second round of videos follow which are analyzed and recommendations returned. After several iterations, they are adjusted as perfect as if they would have come in for a professional bike fit.
Using Dartfish, I look at their knee tracking and recommend solutions. Figure 2 shows this clients right knee move out at the top of the pedal stroke. Their right knee was straight. These facts give me information as to what the potential causes are. From here, we try different solutions to mitigate this knee tracking error.
I also use Dartfish to determine knee angles. Figure 3 shows Max Extension (yellow) and Max Flexion (red) of the knee(s). Again, from here, I can make recommendations so the client can change saddle positions.
One drawback to the Peloton is that there is only one length crankset available. Normally shorter athletes need shorter crankarms while taller athletes need longer crankarms. With Peloton, there is only one option and forcing a cyclist to ride on a crank arm that is too long for them usually results in severe and chronic knee pain. Running these videos through Dartfish, I can quickly determine the cause as well as the actual solution.
One feature that I really like about Dartfish is the persistence of the measurements (see figure 3). I can keep both max extension and max flexion on the same screen while evaluating both. This is a great feature.
All-in-all, Dartfish not only saves me a lot of time by efficiently evaluating videos, but I am able to add services to my business model using Dartfish.
Rick Schultz
Bike Fitness Coaching
Peaks Coaching Group
PCG Elite Coach
Certified Power Based Trainer
Certified Skills Instructor
Leomo Type-R motion capture certified
USAC Beginner Racer Program Instructor
Bike Fit Certified – IBFI (level 3),
Certified Personal Trainer
949-606-2767 cell
Skype: rick.schultz1000
bikefitnesscoaching@gmail.com
www.bikefitnesscoaching.com
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