I like bikes

I've always liked bikes. But this last weekend got me so excited about bikes again that it's pretty much all I can talk about.

I started bike fitting approximately 7 years ago. It's one of the most rewarding things I've learned to do as a physical therapist. There's nothing quite like seeing the smile on someone's face when they bring in that new bike and then seeing that smell get bigger when you fit them in such a way that their low back no longer hurts in their hands stop going numb. This last weekend I took level II, the silver level, of the bike PT certification. This program was started by Erik Moen PT. He has an extensive background in competitive cycling and fits the best of the best in the Pacific Northwest.

So my goal over the next few weeks is to share a bit of what I learned or was reminded of. First off lets talk cleats.

I did a bike fit today and the rider had very worn cleats resulting in more play on the pedal than there should have been.

It reminded me to check and replace my own cleats on my commuter/mtn shoes. These are SPD and they were so rusted in I couldn't get one screw out and had to take a hacksaw to it. The new cleats are working great and I should've replaced them about 8 months ago!

Cleats are cheap and work so much better when they are new. Most cleats have a wear marker on them that you can check. If you let your cleats go too long, it can damage your shoe. A damaged pair of shoes is a lot more expensive than a pair of cleats. This truly is a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Happy riding.