Holiday 2017

Elevate Cycles is happy to continue our age old tradition. Christmas Eve Holiday beverages and snacks. Please join us in celebration of continued success with special service deals. RSVP below to unlock deals. RSVP link to event page Holiday Hours will be as follows: Christmas Eve: 10-3 Christmas Day: Closed Tuesday 12/26:  Closed New Years Eve & New Years Day: Closed RSVP What's coming for 2018 Elevate Cycles has been raising the knowledge of cyclist since 1994. Keep an eye open for what Elevate has in store in the future.

Shop Small 2017

Shop Small!

What does it mean for bike shops across the US?

It means get your but into your local bike shop and take advantage of what they have to offer.

• Deals they don't advertise
• Knowledge of repairing your bike
• Optimizing your bike position to make you as efficient and comfortable as possible
• Setting up your smart trainer with your training apps 
• Non biased advise on your purchases

OK. The last one might be stretching it a bit but we do give honest advise.

Stop in Elevate Cycles today to visit and see what type of deals we have going on. Whether it is in stock or not. We have some fantastic options to save!

The top ten reasons to elevate your training.

elevate your performance, and power train with Elevate Cycles this winter.

Hint: one of the reasons is beer.

1. No more starting over from scratch in the springtime!

Our outdoor season is one of the shortest in the country. If you spend all "off season" off of your bike you're never going to get any faster year to year, because you're going to spend the first half of the outdoor season playing catch up with your fitness. Instead, hit the road when the snow melts stronger than you've ever been before. 

2. Because you already signed up for that big event, and now the countdown is on!

If you're trying to accomplish something you've never done before, you need to train in a way you've never trained before. Training at Elevate Cycles is individualized for each athlete's specific goals.

3. The opportunity to train on some of the most advanced, comprehensive technology available!

Come on, do you really think that spinning for endless hours on a magnetic or fluid trainer is really giving you a road-realistic training session? Make your time in the saddle count for more with electronically controlled power trainers with both power meters and load generators.

4. Train on your own bike!

There is no such thing as one size fits all, and there is no spin bike that is going to fit you the same way that your own bike does. Train on the same exact machine you'll be riding and racing on when you get outside in the spring.

5. This training studio!

Top of the line trainers and cyclocomputers, two giant screens, a great sound system, and enough storage space for your bike for the winter. 

6. Store your bike for free!

No more loading up your bike on a rack and your trainer in the trunk to drive through the snow and show up at training with a snow covered frozen bike-cicle on the back of your car and lug it in through a slushy parking lot. Show up to the studio to find your bike ready for you, clean and dry, with your computer set up and your tires pumped. Every time. 

7. Data, data, data!

The extent of the metrics we track and analyze for each athlete at Elevate Cycles is immense. Get more feedback from your training than ever before. Track specific, quantitative progress over the course of your off season to see precisely how much stronger you're getting. No guess work. We also use all of this data to custom tailor the zones you work in for each training session.

8. Train with like minded, motivated athletes!

Elevate Cycles power training is for anyone and everyone who enjoys riding and wants to be the best cyclist they can be. But it has also been a driving force behind countless PRs, podiums, ironman finish line moments, national and world championship qualifying results - and it can push you to the next level as well.

9. Beer!

Guys at the end of the day this is still Elevate Cycles, so yeah, there's going to be beer. I mean come on. We just prefer that you wait until after training to partake..most of the time. And, I mean, you burned how many calories? You earned it.

10. Workouts professionally designed for progress and proven time and time again!

No more wondering if the mind-numbing hours you've spent on your trainer in front of your tv during the winter are really keeping your fitness where it needs to be. These sessions work. You're going to know they work. You're going to feel it in your legs and your chest, and you're going to see it in the data collected that's going to show you exactly the gains that are coming from the pain.

Secure your spot. Sign up today - and Elevate your performance.

Time!

I always run out of it, day after day.

Confronting myself with the fact that I seem to manage time very poorly and want to be better at it. Here we sit, another day that I say to myself that I will be better about blog entries, social media posts, returning emails, making phone calls and keeping in touch with friends and loved ones.

I will be better! 

With that said, WOW have we been busy over the past year.  With the move and the decision to downsize and stay in the game (what else would I do), things have been good!  Not gonna lie, if anyone out there says its easy and business is through the roof, they are the biggest BS artist out there. Bicycle retail is difficult and going to become even more difficult. Bike companies will allow you to purchase direct and in some cases even ship direct to your home.

Good for them! Less inventory we have to stock. We have embraced this model to the fullest. All our bikes are special order now.

Fit First.

With this model of fitting a customer first, there is no trying to sell them what we have in stock. We get exactly what is going to work for them in the correct size. Not just something we had in stock and jam down their throat because we need to unload it.

So there it is. A quick entry get things started for the journey of Elevate Cycles managing time better and keeping things up to date.

EC

Cycling Analysis

Cycling Analysis.  

What is that? 

It's analyzing clients position on their bike, squeaking out more power while producing a more efficient position for them. Testing all of our clients FTP (functional threshold power) to lead them down a path of gaining power output on the bike. And there is no better time to fix on the bike issues than now. 

With twenty years of fit experience and cycling knowledge available to my clients; apprenticed under the best Cycling Analysis Professionals in the business, Elevate Cycles offers our the highest level of knowledge and experience in the region.   

Using the SICI fit cycle and Dartfish Motion Capture for Dynamic fitting process. 

It's a 2D system. We use two camera angles with our motion capture system (side and front camera angles). Even the Retul system that claims to be 3D is actually 2D .  In order to achieve a true 3D bicycle fit, you must have at least 10 cameras.  With that number of cameras, you achieve data like the photo below. 

This data would be the same that would be captured for animation in Pixar studio.

With all the tools out there that one can purchase (for the right amount of money), anyone can set up a very nice studio.  Question is, does that "Master Bike Fitter" have the eye for it?  

Fancy tools and computers aren't going to fix a problem if you cannot see it. The risk of using these tools is that the fitter becomes dependent upon the computer generated angles to determine the end position. Fitting is more than computers and camera's.

That's why we do not bury ourselves in the computer when with clients.  It is not going to tell us how to fix what is being recorded. Nor does it ask the client the right questions to fix what they feel.  There is no better tool than one on one, hands on interaction with each client.  This ongoing dialogue between the fitter and client create the most reliable end results.

We have learned from the best bicycle fitters in the cycling world-and with that knowledge and experience, we pride ourselves on giving client's the best fit in the Region.   

Client referrals are the best gauge for the ability of a bike fit specialist.  

Elevate Cycles introduced "Elevate Ride Club Pro" last year. Our Fit process is far and above what anyone offers in the area. 

Follow the link to our Fit Page. Annual fee with doors always open for questions and adjustments to fit on bike.  No better time than now to work on any fit issues to be ready for spring. More to come!


Thank you for the use of the picture "Faster". 

Our main tool for fit analysis along with Dartfish motion and SpinScan.

Three different SpinScan outputs shows the difference between levels of experience.

Stretching....Is REALLY important.

So when I began this journey into Ironman territory, I was itching to get started right away (this was back in August), but my coach had other ideas.

The first thing he said to me was "You need to stretch, spend at least the first 3 weeks just stretching, getting your muscles ready for what was coming up".  Um, what?  Boring!

 I was so ready to just get going, I wanted to start  training, not stretch, that's hardly training.  Ah, but what I have learned thus far is, it is training, and a very important part of your training.

I found this out the hard way, simply because sometimes (ok always) I think I know everything about my body.  But it turns out, I don't.

After stretching for the first 3 weeks, I was ready to start getting my base miles in with running, I was doing really well, running, swimming, biking (on the power trainer) and stretching (everyday) and using my Trigger Point system for all my muscles.

By early November I was feeling great- aches and pains were subsiding, muscles feeling great....so I slacked off and stopped stretching everyday.  Bad move Sue.

 I quickly noticed my muscles rebelling against their constant usage without releif; stiffness began and soon after the aches.  I felt bummed out, that I let myself "slack" from the daily routine.

 I find myself stretching at work, in the shower, pretty much any place I can grab a few minutes to ease my muscles;  it sure does make a difference in my workouts. My muscles don't fatigue as easily and I feel more limber.  So remember to stretch, even for  just a few minutes each day, your muscles will thank you for it!



  

Break from Reality

Took a break last Sunday and went on a short hike with the family.  Just a few miles from home is the Wood Hollow Preserve in Ballston Spa.  Have only rode the trails on the cross bike before so this was the first time on foot.  There are times that you do not realize what is around you until you slow down and take it in.  Just a few things we captured when we slowed down.

Horizontal Shrooms.

Last Flower.

Fairy Steps!