Slowtwitch Saddle Tour
22 Cities, 39 Partner Locations
An overview of the Slowtwitch Saddle Tour is published elsewhere. What you'll read here are the mechanics of how a saddle "demo" operates, how you go about obtaining a demo for yourself, and how you as a Saddle Tour participant can reap the greatest benefit from this initiative.
To forestall the inevitable question of "Why isn't my LBS a part of this Tour?", the participating retail stores were chosen in this way: They already had in their stores the necessary (and expensive) tooling to execute the saddle demo protocols; their personnel had sufficient and appropriate training; and they each agreed to carry the necessary saddle inventories. It's that simple. These stores did not pay us to participate. We approached each of these stores on the basis of what we knew about them. We asked 40 stores to participate, and 39 said yes.
Scheduling a Saddle Tour Appointment
There is no charge to you for the saddle demo, however there is certainly a limit to how many saddle demos can be executed during the Slowtwitch Saddle Tour window. These demos occur aboard fit bikes, which have as their "day jobs" the task of sitting underneath those who need to be fitted for road or tri bikes. Therefore, because this is a no-charge service does not mean it's an especially available service. If you wait to schedule an appointment you may get your feelings hurt when you discover no appointment slots exist.
What you should bring
You should also bring with you as much as you know about your existing set up: the saddle you're now riding, the aerobars you ride, and so forth.
Is this a bike fit session?
One thing I hope you'll take away from this exercise is a sense of how these new, modern fit bikes work. It is on these tools that fitters execute today's modern dynamic fits. Consider coming back to this shop to avail yourself of a proper fit session.
You may also want to tell the fitter who's executing the Saddle Tour demo what your target race power is, if you know it. The more you can replicate race conditions, the more this demo will bear fruit.
Most Saddle Tour stops are 3 or 4 days in length, that is, it's like when a touring act, or a play, comes to your town for 4 shows. Once those shows are over, they're over. So, the wise and enterprising concert goer plans in advance. You may be able to take a Saddle Tour demo on a walk-in basis. However, most participating shops require an appointment, or some advance notice. On the list of participating shops below is the phone number of every shop. In some cases, the name of the person you should ask for is also listed. Call before you arrive. Allow for a half-hour. Most Saddle Tour demos will take 15 or 20 minutes. Maybe 25. Still, best allow for 30.
Bring cycling shoes, pedals, and your kit, i.e., your bib or shorts and jersey. And socks. Bring your fit coordinates if you want to get the most out of this session, and by "most" I'm talking about a saddle demo while in your aero position. This demo is going to take place on a fit simulator, and you want that simulator set up to match the position in which you'll ride your tri bike. So, what's a fit coordinate? Go to your Slowtwitch Forum User Profile, look at the bottom of that profile, you'll see a utility called Bike Fit Manager. This is the place you archive your bike fit coordinates. This will tell you how to measure your coordinates. If you want to know what this looks like, here's my User Profile, and you can see what my fit coordinates look like. If you bring these fit coordinates in to your Slowtwitch Saddle Tour demo, these participating shops are trained in how to match the fit bike to your coordinates.
No. You're not getting a bike fit. At least not a proper bike fit. If you do not know your coordinates, or if you don't want to bring coordinates because you are certain your bike is not set up even close to properly, the Slowtwitch Saddle Tour participating shop will spend 3 or 4 minutes roughing out a position for you. Getting you close.
• • • • • • List of Metro Areas in Date Order • • • • • •
Atlanta, GA • Aug 15 - 17 • Thur thru Sat
Boston, MA • Aug 15 - 17 • Thur thru Sat
Denver, CO • Aug 15 - 17 • Thur thru Sat
Boulder, CO • Aug 15 - 17 • Thur thru Sat
Washington DC • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Baltimore, MD • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Los Angeles, CA • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Detroit, MI • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Tampa, FL • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Orlando, FL • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
San Francisco, CA • Aug 23 - 24 • Fri thru Sat
Raleigh, NC • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
State of Connecticut • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Minneapolis, MN • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
San Diego, CA • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Houston, TX • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Seattle, WA • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Sacramento, CA • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
New York, NY • Sep 11 - 14 • Wed thru Sat
Philadelphia, PA • Sep 25 - 28 • Wed thru Sat
Chicago, IL • Sep 25 - 28 • Wed thru Sat
• • • • • • List of Participating Shops • • • • • •
Atlanta, GA • Aug 15 - 17 • Thur thru Sat
All3Sports
Brent Pease
8601 Dunwoody Pl #420
Atlanta, GA
770-587-9994
• • • • • •
Boston, MA • Aug 15 - 17 • Thur thru Sat
Fast Splits
Brian Hughes
612 Washington St
Newton, MA 02458
617-630-8500
Fit Werkx
67 Foster St.
Peabody, MA 01960
978-532-7348
• • • • • •
Denver, CO • Aug 15 - 17 • Thur thru Sat
Treads Bicycle Outfitters Aurora
16701 E Iliff Ave
Aurora, CO 80013
303-750-1671
Treads Bicycle Outfitters Lakewood
3234 S Wadsworth Blvd
Lakewood, CO 80227
Treads Bicycle Outfitters Parker
10831 S Crossroads Dr
Parker, CO 80134
303-690-2900
• • • • • •
Boulder, CO • Aug 15 - 17 • Thur thru Sat
Colorado Multisport
2480 Canyon Blvd
Boulder, CO 80302
303-865-4604
• • • • •
Washington DC • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Sportfit Lab
Doug Baumgarten
1041 Sterling Rd #103
Herndon, VA 20170
703-435-5537
• • • • •
Baltimore, MD • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Bike Doctor
Steve Ruck
953 Ritchie Hwy
Arnold, MD 21012
410-544-3532
• • • • •
Los Angeles, CA • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Triathlon Lab
3328 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA
310-581-6100
Bike Religion
34150 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Dana Point, CA
855-433-8806
Hypercat Racing
4160 Market St #3
Ventura, CA 93003
805-477-0353
• • • •
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Knobbies and Slicks
8300 Precinct Line Rd #110
Colleyville, TX
817-281-4957
Tri Shop
6101 Windhaven Parkway #100
Plano, TX 75093
972-378-5476
• • • • • •
Detroit, MI • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Fraser Bicycle
34501 Utica Road
Fraser, MI 48026
586-294-4070
• • • • • • •
Tampa, FL • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Outspokin
3300 S. Dale Mabry Hwy
Tampa, FL
813-831-1414
• • • • • •
Orlando, FL • Aug 21 - 24 • Wed thru Sat
Evolve Bicycles
13 Blake Blvd.
Celebration, FL 34747
321-939-2453
Out-Spoke-N
1061 South Sun Drive #1073
Lake Mary, FL 32746
407-688-1959
• • • • •
San Francisco, CA • Aug 23 - 24 • Fri thru Sat
Sports Basement Presidio
610-Old Mason St.
San Francisco, CA
415-437-0100
Sports Basement Walnut Creek
1881 Ygnacio Valley Rd.
Walnut Creek, CA
925-941-6100
Sports Basement Sunnyvale
1177 Kern Ave
Sunnyvale, CA
408-732-0300
• • • • • •
Raleigh, NC • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Inside Out Sports
8111 Creedmoor Rd
Raleigh, NC
Brennan Station
919-861-9903
• • • • • •
State of Connecticut • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Bethel Cycle
5 Depot Pl
Bethel, CT 06801
203-504-8960
Greenwich Bicycles
35 Amogerone Crossway
Greenwich, CT 06830
203-869-4141
Pacific Swim Bike Run
575 Pacific St.
Stamford, CT 06902
203-504-8960
• • • • • •
Minneapolis, MN • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Now Bikes & Fitness
1201 County Road East, #100
Arden Hills, MN 55112
651-490-7709
Now Bikes & Fitness
75 N Snelling Ave
St. Paul, MN 55104
651-644-2354
• • • • • •
San Diego, CA • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Nytro Multisport
940 S. Coast Hwy 101
Encinitas, CA
760-632-0006
Moment Cycle Sports
2816 Historic Decatur Rd #135
San Diego, CA 92106
619-523-2453
• • • • • •
Houston, TX • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Bicycle World
14536 Memorial Dr.
Houston, TX
281-556-0923
Bicycle World
23233 Kingsland Blvd
Katy, TX 77494
281-665-1016
• • • • • •
Seattle, WA • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Northwest Tri and Bike
15423 SE 272nd St.,
Kent, WA 98042
253-638-2453
• • • • • •
Sacramento, CA • Aug 28 - 31 • Wed thru Sat
Davis Wheelworks
Joe Santos
247 F St.,
Davis, CA 95616
530-753-3186
Rocklin Endurance Sports
Rich Burns
22161 Sunset Blvd., #200
Rocklin, CA 95765
916-259-2820
• • • • • •
New York, NY • Sep 11 - 14 • Wed thru Sat
ACME Bicycle Co.
Jonathan Blyer
597 Degraw Street, Suite 2F
Brooklyn, NY 11217
917-355-3397
Cycle Craft
Brendan Poh
99 U.S. Hwy 46 East
Parsippany, NJ
973-227-4462
• • • • • •
Philadelphia, PA • Sep 25 - 28 • Wed thru Sat
Bell's Bike Shop
Steve Palladinetti
1320 E. Passyunk Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-543-6000
• • • • • •
Chicago, IL • Sep 25 - 28 • Wed thru Sat
EndureIt!
504 W Fifth Ave
Naperville, IL 60563
630-305-6771
Running Away Multisport
2219 N. Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
773-395-2929
Running Away Multisport
800 Waukegan Rd.
Deerfield, IL 60015
847-945-2929
