Next Season is Here

Shorter days call for a more conscious, reflective approach to training. This time of year invites us to breathe deeply, to pause, and to assess the past season as we anticipate the next. It's a time to reflect on the transition from one season to another, on our relationship with the steady flow of time, with our machines, and with our surroundings.

It's a time to check in with your body and begin establishing healthy movement patterns. It's also an excellent time to reassess your bike fit. By ensuring your off-season rides—both outdoors and indoors—are optimized, you can make this time constructive and enjoyable.

Those long, meditative outdoor rides allow us mental space to focus on form, to cultivate smooth, rhythmic, and consistent power application. Trainer sessions, meanwhile, can be demanding on the body, so establishing a stable, comfortable, and efficient position now will help address any weak spots before more intense training exposes vulnerabilities in your position on the bike.

At R&A Cycles, we focus on the individual relationship between each rider and their bike. Our Sensei Fit service helps guide riders to a deeper understanding of their unique movement patterns, enhancing strengths and cultivating body awareness. This allows for unimpeded deep breathing, smooth power application, and a relaxed upper body.

Now's the time to develop your form, cadence, rhythm, and breathing. Life's too short to ride without purpose.

Fall Form

Optimize Your Bike Fit This Off-Season Through Mindful Pedaling

I've been reflecting a lot on acclimation—how we adapt to changes in environments, seasons, and weather. I've had plenty of time to think lately.

I'm often surprised at how much I enjoy the transition into fall, with its calmer, more meditative rides. It comes quietly, almost imperceptibly. Part of the appeal lies in the shift away from the hectic demands of summer, with its events, races, and ambitious rides that often fill cyclists' calendars. There's always another event on the ever-accelerating horizon.

With fall comes a gentle shift in colors and, with it, the chance to ride without pressure. This season offers the opportunity to turn awareness inward, toward our own inner landscapes.

I recently relocated to New York after many years in Colorado. Leaving my role as a senior bike fitter at a heritage shop near Denver, I followed my partner here for her PhD. It's been turbulent, as moves always are.

Since then, I've found myself exploring upstate New York's backroads—narrow and steep between valleys, lined with apple orchards, cornfields, and forests drenched in fiery reds, oranges, and yellows. Or, after a long day in the fit studio in Park Slope, I unwind with evening rides in Prospect Park, listening to the rhythmic movement of the chain, the shifting air over the tires, and the play of my headlight on the path ahead.

This time of year is perfect for focusing on pedaling form. There's an old racer's adage: in the off-season, stay in the small chainring. (We can ignore that the smallest gear then was a 39-tooth chainring with a 26-tooth cog!)

A cornerstone of my approach to bike fit is an appreciation for the mental clarity that smooth pedaling can bring, even during turbulent times. This didn't come easily for me, but over thousands of hours, I developed a deep understanding of my own body. I see that same spark of recognition in my clients when they experience fluid power application for the first time. Maybe it's through a one-leg dominance drill, with and without a footbed; maybe it's visualizing the foot's force arc over the crank motion, with a counterforce from the pelvis. When pedaling is smooth, the mind is free to focus on other aspects of positioning on the bike.

It might seem counterintuitive, but the off-season is the ideal time for a bike fit. These late-season rides, free from the pressures of hard interval training, provide space to connect with our bodies, to refine rhythmic pedaling, conscious breathing, and smooth power application. Establishing healthy patterns now provides a stable base for fitness gains as the new season approaches.

Indoor training, by contrast, often highlights the limitations of a suboptimal fit. The bike's fixed position on a trainer is less forgiving than the natural freedom of movement outdoors. A rider's compensations for stability can quickly become apparent, making it all the more critical to fine-tune the subtleties of pedaling.

At R&A, our Sensei Fit aims to cultivate a true understanding of the rider's relationship to their body and machine. I help clients take an active role in this process, guiding them toward their most efficient, functional, and comfortable position. This process is grounded in a rigorous approach—observing movement patterns, considering physical history and goals, and applying a methodical understanding of biomechanics. Let me worry about cleat angles, forefoot wedges, and saddle tilt.

Changes to function now often lead to fitness gains later, though this is a byproduct of improved movement. We aim to implement these changes early, giving your nervous system time to adapt, so you feel at home in the new position. When your body is aligned on the bike, you can focus on developing healthy movement patterns and strength.

Take advantage of fall's slower pace to check in with your rhythm on the bike. How well do you and your machine move together?

Have questions about bike fitting? Contact us here. Looking for guidance on buying the right size online? Check out our Bike Fit Guide, fill out this form, and one of our professionals will provide more information to help you find the right size!