How did Parlee Cycles become one of the world's finest builders of custom carbon frames when it was never their intention to build custom frames in the first place?

Join me for this weeks fascinating discussion with Tom Rodi, one of the masterminds behind Parlee Cycles and their current production manager.

Tom's been there for every step of Parlee's journey including their recent rollercoaster and revival post pandemic and Bob Parlee's sad passing back in 2024.

So there's no one better than Tom to answer my questions.

We discuss who benefits most from custom carbon bikes in the modern era, the art of determining what customers really want from their machines, if modern gravel geomtery is really progressive?

And what happens when a bike fitter quizzes a manufacturer about integrated cable routing...

We got through a lot!

So grab a cuppa and some biscuits and settle in for Tom Rodi in conversation! Exciting news about the future of Parlee Cycles!

https://www.parleecycles.com/

https://www.instagram.com/parleecycles/

If you have any further questions for us, join the conversation at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/cyclingdemystified/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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If you want to improve your power and comfort on the bike, you have to build strong foundations to support the performance.

This starts from the feet upwards and last weeks episode explored how insoles can be a critical piece in building your foundations.

But insoles are just the beginning...

Matt the elder returns to explain how to make the most of this opportunity...
The difference between just improving and really optimising your performance.
Links:
Sit to stand test - can you do it?
Improving your single leg stand
What is good foot function? - Gary Ward's 'Wake Your Feet Up'
Kill Bill - 'wiggle you big toe scene'
How To Do Toe CARs (Beginner and Advanced)
I'm The Armless Archer And A Paralympic Silver Medalist
120: Why Bike Fitters Recommend You Rotate Bikes & Bike Positions

If you have any further questions for us, join the conversation at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/cyclingdemystified/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Are you 'bike-fit curious'? Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foundation.fit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to book in for a session and get your fit dialled in at London's premier bike fit studio.

Left unchecked cycling can really ruin your feet. The simple fact is that humans are not designed to ride bikes, we’re born to run and walk so cycling actually proves to be a challenge to our biomechanics.

Thankfully there are solutions to preserve good movement and stability when riding in the form of insoles.

But what type should you use, custom moulded, proprioceptive, off-the shelf or none at all?

Matt and Wei give an overview of why we use insoles in cycling, how this relates to your foot mechanics, and all the questions around the cycling foot. Is pronation a bad thing? Are low arches a bad thing? Are high arches a bad thing? And why everyone would rather buy a new set of wheels that insoles even if insoles gave you more watts ;)

Hopefully this brings some more awareness to why bike fitters love to obsess over your feet, shoes, cleats and insoles.

Show Links:

The Gait Cycle: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/gait-cycle

Windlass Mechanism:

https://ace-pt.org/ace-physical-therapy-and-sports-medicine-institute-windlass-mechanism-of-the-foot/

Why you cannot jump off your heels: https://smarterteamtraining.com/teaching-athletes-to-maximize-the-forefoot-for-explosive-vertical-jumping/#:~:text=They%20also%20do%20this%20with,.7@gmail.com.

What Is Pronation, Overpronation And Supination? https://www.vivobarefoot.com/eu/blog/what-is-pronation-overpronation-supination

G8 insoles:

https://g8performance.com/products/pro-series-2620-insoles

If you have any further questions for us, join the conversation at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/cyclingdemystified/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Are you 'bike-fit curious'? Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foundation.fit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to book in for a session and get your fit dialled in at London's premier bike fit studio.