Road Cycling - LeMond LeWedges

I'm looking to get fitted for a bike by someone in the know. I found this site and it had something about LeMond LeWedges, does anyone know if their any good? Here's the thing about the LeWedges see what you reckon:

http://www.cyclefit.co.uk/lewedge.htm

Also, anyone know if these guys are good fitters or not? Any way i can tell?

http://www.cyclefit.co.uk/

Cheers

What I can tell you is I was fit with 1.5 degree cant corrections (high side is inside) on both right and left feet. It helped to smooth out my leg's vertical tracking.

Can't comment on your local fitter though.

What I can tell you is I was fit with 1.5 degree cant corrections (high side is inside) on both right and left feet. It helped to smooth out my leg's vertical tracking.

How did your fitter determine the 1.5 degree? Did he use some sort of measurement device? ThanX! :)

How did your fitter determine the 1.5 degree? Did he use some sort of measurement device? ThanX! :)


Trial and error between Q adjustment and cant adjustment. The fit tech used a laser guide aimed at each leg while I pedaled my bike on a trainer. The tech was able to dial in the the right combination of Q and cant in about an hour.

I know that there is a device to measure foot pronation in a non-weighted position that will indicate how much cant to use. I wear an a ski orthodic in my bike shoe, so it's not a cant to correct pronation or supination. It's more of a biomechanical correction like the lemond lewedge site illustrates.

I'm glad thay they didn't use it though. Using just a non-weighted foot analysis/correction is bull. There's more to it than that. But in the end, the object is to stabilize the navicular and talus bones in the foot while providing the most efficient transfer of power through the foot to the pedal. I've spent a lot of time as an alpine bump skier/competitor. It has given me a lot of experience with canting, sport orthotics ...lots of modifications to binding/ski interface. It's not too different with cleat/pedal interface.

Telenick,

How do I find a good anlignment/fitter type person? Both for bike and skiing.

I live in VA. Is there some sort of network you know of or anything like that. I don't even know what to search for on the web. The podiatrist I saw was ignorant. Maybe I just need to see a different doctor.

Thanks,

Sean

Yes, I use those LeMond Wedges. I use them to correct leg length difference however. My right leg is 2.2 cm longer than my left. So I use the wedges to push the cleat farther out, which raises my foot on the pedal. Plus I moved the cleat more forward on the shoe.

I read about this in a book called Medical Guide for Cyclists (forgot the author name, but he's well known in the cycling community). Bascially, it said to make up for a difference in leg lengths you have to know which part of your leg is longer (i.e., your thigh or your lower leg). In my case, it was both. To correct lower leg differences you shim your cleats. To correct thigh length differences you move the cleat forward on the shoe for the shorter leg. It suggested shiimming the cleat half the distance of the lower leg length discrepancy. So if your left lower leg is 1cm shorter, you need to shim your left cleat 5mm. The thigh length discrepancy was by trial and error... basically moving it forward 1 or 2 mm at a time. I think I moved mine about 4 mm forward.

I also put a slight inward angle on my shims because after I shimmed them, it felt like my foot was going too inward. So I raised the outside part of my shoe with the shims.

Telenick,

How do I find a good anlignment/fitter type person? Both for bike and skiing.

I live in VA. Is there some sort of network you know of or anything like that. I don't even know what to search for on the web. The podiatrist I saw was ignorant. Maybe I just need to see a different doctor.

Thanks,

Sean

Hi Sean, I grew up on the shores of the Potomac right across the river from Mt. Vernon. The Natl. Colonial Farm was my neighbor.

As far as finding a someone who can do both bike fitting and ski boot fitting.... I think that's probably a tall order. Is that what you're asking?

Finding a LBS that is competent with fitting bikes to people shouldn't be too difficult in the WaMaVa area. I think looking at the inventory that a shop carries is a good place to start. If they offer frames that are available for custom frame builds then they probably have a degree of competency to do a bike fit. At least you'd hope they do. Serotta certifies people in their fitting process. So you could just ask a shop that carries Serotta if any of their techs are Serotta fit certified. Asking racers who does competent fits in the area is also probably a reliable source. In the Denver area, there's a guy who works with several shops and does just fits by appointment. Bottom line, if you start calling and asking for what you want then you'll probably find it.

As far as fitting ski boots, I would go to EpicSki (http://www.epicski.com) and ask the users in that forum about good fitters in your area. I even think there's a thread in the forum that lists people all over the world who are known for their boot fitting expertise. I personally like the Surefoot system for their orthodic. They are just a boot fitting shop ...no other core specialization... just boots and 'thodics. They use an AMfit machine that is the same machine that many podiatrists use. It takes a mechanical imprint and converts it to a digital file that a milling machine reads to mill the foundation of the foot bed. The rest is finished by hand. They have 21 location around the world and of course guarantee their product/fit. Nope, I don't work for Surefoot. But I have made many 'thodics for myself and others with their system at their Copper Mountain, CO store.

Sorry all, I know that skiing isn't cycling related. Sean, you can PM me if you have other skiing related ???