Lance Armstrong Radio Shack
Posted on by Gary Land
RadioShack team works with Retul Bike Fit System
by VeloNews.com
- May 22, 2010
- Comments
PRESS RELEASE
Crucial Innovation, Inc., makers of Retul 3D bike fit technology, has announced a strategic partnership with the RadioShack professional cycling team to supply bike fit technology and bike fitting services. The Retul Bike Fit System uses infrared light emitting diodes (LEDs) borrowed from the surgical navigation industry to track very accurate movements of a rider on a bike. A qualified fitting expert can then see data about the way a rider pedals the bike and thus optimize the rider’s position. Newly formed in 2010, Team RadioShack plans to compete in 50 races this year. For these pro cyclists, proper bike fit is essential for performance, as well as avoiding injury throughout the cycling season.
For Team RadioShack, key benefits of the Retul system are rider repeatability, accuracy, and portability. Most importantly, the technology gathers rider data in three dimensions (3D), making it the most advanced bike fit technology on the market. The Retul system offers immediate report capabilities, and biomechanical fit data of the rider is archived for future reference. Part of the Retul fit process includes a “digitization” of the bicycle itself, which gives the rider the exact setup of the bicycle (for example, the position of the seat, handlebars, and pedals) by a handheld, wand-like attachment called the Zin.
Bike fitting has long been an industry standard for competitive cyclists, but historically much of bike fitting has been subjective. Many methodologies exist among bike fit experts, but it is generally agreed that dynamic analysis (viewing the rider while pedaling) of a rider’s movements provides the most accurate picture of the rider’s biomechanical motion on the bike. “Retul looks at the way a cyclist rides the bike, versus the old way of bike fitting which could only view the way a cyclist sits on the bike. Better data helps bike fitters make better positional decisions – it’s that simple,” said Retul co-founder Franko Vatterott.
