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

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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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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This week I have something a little different for you, an interview with Olly Moore, founder of Chase the Sun...

Which is now a series of rides around 200 miles long where you start at one side of the UK at sunrise and attempt to ride across the country and finish at the opposite coastline by sunset.

I chatted to Olly about cycling, art, creativity & meeting his hero, artist Richard Long... the inception of CTS and why there could be more behind your riding than watts and Strava KOMS.

In fact we didn't talk about bike fitting at all, instead plenty of geeking out about MAPS 🗺️

Love a bit of poetry in motion? Then you'll love this episode...

Show Links:

https://www.chasethesun.org/

https://www.richardlong.org/

Chasing the Sun: The Film

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

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Bike fitting is often seen as process driven by technology, precise measurements and a scientific doctrine. These CAN be part of a bike fit experience but it's all for nothing if a bike fitter fails to communicate the meaning behind the methods, findings and results to their rider in a way that that resonates.

This week I chat with fellow bike fitter Jon Underhill from Core Bike Fit, about the little talked-of 'soft' skills that, I feel, are more important than ever in our modern, digital age. We discuss if fitting is a craft, science or therapy and whether there's ever a good time to use magnets to affect rider symmetry in a bike fit. Let's go!

Show Links:

Core Bike Fit: https://www.corebikefit.co.uk/

Steve Hogg Asymmetry Magnets: https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2021/03/pelvic-kit-info-in-more-detail-than-usual/

Applied Movement Neurology (AMN): https://www.amnacademy.com/

The most confusing thing about a bike fit is knowing what to change in your setup and when to change it.

So this week we’re going to give you a breakdown of a bike fit session we did recently, walking you through the decision making, the low hanging fruit, the marginal gains and why we did everything backwards!

Show Links:

Cleat Positioning 101

Why insoles work for cycling

Ep 68: Foot & Shoe Fit Optimisation PART 4 of 4: Wedges - Bringing the Shoe To Meet The Foot

Ep 47: How To Choose a Saddle

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

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2025 was the year when we saw the AI market explode and offer some genuinely innovative products and services.

If you're a committed endurance athlete trying to balance a demanding work life, busy family and an ambitious training programme, maybe you've turned to AI for some coaching advice.

So what does this mean for human coaches and practitioners - is AI coming for our jobs?

I turned to Colin Norris, triathlon coach and ex pro ironman athlete to help me to explore what good coaching looks like in the age of hyper-information.

And Colin didn't let me down, we had a cracking discussion, which got everyone going, discussing everything from whether or not we feels the nature of coaching is evolving, if the expectations of athletes is changing and what is the hidden opportunity for human coaches in our modern era. Enjoy!

Show Links:

- APB Works: https://www.apbworks.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apbcoachingworks/

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

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