Me & my orthotics: Better biking with better feet

Do you know what an orthotic is? I do. Dr. Scholl is the Doctor of orthotics. It’s a piece of plastic. It helps your feet. Sometimes they are expensive. Other times they are really expensive. I now own a pair of really expensive orthotics. I got them from my local Specialized dealer -- Mountain Bike Specialists (MBS) in Durango, Colorado.

OK. Actually, I got a bike fit. You know, that thing you’ve been putting off since you purchased your bike. I was like you. I buy a bike, ride it and adjust when necessary. Mostly, my seat height, for and aft positions have been the work of Zen -- or trial and error. I hadn’t much considered going to get a real bike fit, until last Wednesday.

I decided to take my road bike into MBS. They measured it, me, the air. The attendant, Sue Grandjean, measured pretty much everything her tape measure and ruler could, um, measure. They calculated my watts, and, whether my left side produced the same as my right. Then Sue stood back. She put her hand over her mouth and pondered. Then, she set me up with Specialized’s body geometry system and custom orthotics.

Once she finished, she turned to me and gave me the news. She had analyzed during the two-hour session that my feet were screaming for a standard orthotic. She told me that my pelvis seems to tilt to the right when I ride. Furthermore, I dip a little to the left -- in the shoulder. Meaning, I’m crouched and lopsided. Thankfully, Sue gave me the good news: she had assisted my body with Body Geometry. I was healed!

The shoes, orthotics and the bike have hit the roads and there is definitely more power per stroke. My feet are damned comfortable, as well. It is like a Serta freaking Sleeper in there. However, does one need to spend the money (+/- $100) for a bike fit from a certified Specialized dealer? No.

I think there are alternatives. I ride with SuperFeet. What I mean is I have Super Feet orthotics in my mountain bike shoes. I feel just fine. No, they probably aren’t as custom, but I’m playing the guessing game for now. I guess the do-it-yourself method can work. However, if you can spend the money think about it this way: you should always have someone look at you on your new bike -- it’s like a second opinion.