Mark has been riding, racing and wrenching on bicycles for most of his life. His road racing career started in the late ‘70s and earned him medals at provincial and national junior championships. He took a short hiatus from cycling in the 1980’s and pursued other creative avenues like building handmade custom furniture.
He never lost touch with his passion for bicycles and cycling was again at the forefront in the early to mid 90’s when, in his brother’s barn, he started offering repair services for local cyclists. At the same time he started competing at regional and provincial triathlon, road and cycle cross races.
This got the ball rolling for Mark to realize his dream of opening a bike store and T.I. Cycle, named after the Thousand Islands area where Mark lives, officially opened its doors in 2000. Mark continues to be active in the local cycling community but now his primary goal is to help others enjoy the sport. Mark is committed to pursuing excellence in T.I. Cycle’s fitting, repair and services and is always looking forward to working with the great people he meets through this cycling adventure.
Thank you for your interest in a bicycle fit from T.I. Cycle. There are some things you should know if you are considering having a fit. If you have already booked an appointment you will already have this or similar material.
Fitting Options:
Complete Fitting is designed for anyone who has issues of injury, discomfort or lack of performance on their existing bike. The session will typically last four to five hours, including rider interview, off bike assessment, on bike assessment, changes to position, measurements of pre and post bike fitting positional parameters, cleat and shoe positioning, foot correction, and post fitting discussion.
The fee for a Complete Fitting is $450. A post fit follow up session, if necessary, is included in the price of the original fit and can happen up to eight weeks after the original fit date. Normally, a check up is a good idea to see how you have settled in to your new position. Equipment or supplies provided will incur charges as applicable, i.e. stems, footbeds, bars, shims, wedges, cleat screws, etc. If you suspect that you may need a different option and have it already, please bring it with you.
Additional bikes will incur a charge of $110 up to 1.5 hours. If it runs longer, then the additional bike will be billed at $80 / hr.
Additional shoes will incur a charge of $60 / pair to replicate cleat position and check foot correction.
Hourly fit work can be done at $90 / hr. This may apply to riders who have been fit in the past but have lingering issues that may need additional work, or feel their fit is “dialed” and are in for their yearly checkup.
Payment:
Due at the time the fitting session is completed. Cash, PayPal, direct debit or credit cards are acceptable forms of payment. We prefer cash or direct debit because we take a hit on other payment methods.
Guarantee:
If you are not satisfied with your fit, and we are unable to resolve your issues on the bike with subsequent follow up appointments, I will refund your money. If after an appropriate adjustment time of three to five weeks during which the client follows my post fit recommendations, the client does not agree that I have done a satisfactory job of significantly improving their fit; I will refund the price of the fit not including the cost of parts and components.
Mechanical Services:
Are provided but additional fees may apply (cutting fork steer tubes, seat masts, retaping handlebars, etc.). We are not responsible for bolts or clamps that break or strip during adjustments.
Off The Bike vs On The Bike:
Please keep in mind that there is a difference between “issues on the bike” and physical or structural issues which prevent an athlete from achieving optimal position, or from riding without pain or discomfort. Some of what a client brings to a fit may be out of the domain of my area of expertise and may require additional modalities to improve their function. I have a network of health care professionals in the area including a physical therapist, acupuncturist, osteopaths and massage therapists and may provide referrals. Have confidence that my methodology is not to dodge a bullet by sending you somewhere else, my intent is to work with integrity, help you get comfortable and fast on your bicycle, and help you to become more aware of your current limitations. This requires a holistic approach to the client.
Post Fit Adaptation:
You should expect an adjustment period of up to three to five weeks after your position changes are made. My advice is to ride as often as possible for the first three weeks but at low to moderate intensities only. A heart rate of no higher than 75 percent of your maximum is ideal. This means no racing, no hard efforts, and stay away from steep hills. From the fourth week onwards, ride as hard as you feel the need.
Remember:
Your body adapts far faster and with less discomfort when subjected to moderate loads. Be sensible, understand that even if your new cycling position is superior to your previous one, you may go slower and experience soreness initially as part of your adaptation. If you are a high volume rider or have been cycling for many years, thousands of pedal strokes have contributed to neural programming which has been ingrained in to your movement patterns, and it may take time to find fluidity and efficiency in your new position as those pathways are reprogrammed. Your short term performance may be compromised as a result of changes made to your position. If you are in competition season when your fitting takes place and have concerns, please call to discuss.
Please bring with you:
- Cycling shoes with orthotics or insoles if you have them.
- Cycling clothing including your helmet, and your flat repair kit.
- The sunglasses and/ or Rx eyewear you wear on the bike.
- If you need new cleats, now is the time to bring a fresh pair. We stock most brands of cleats. If your cleats, pedals or other parts are extremely well used it may interfere with the effectiveness of your fit. These worn out parts will need replacing so bring new ones or purchase them here.
- Be prepared to be riding an indoor trainer for up to an hour; a towel, change of clothes, and adequate food / hydration are necessary. We have water at the shop for customers but if you prefer another source of liquid, feel free to bring it. There is also a shower at the store for those clients wishing to use it.
- Women please wear a sports bra under your jersey. Riders will be asked to remove their tops for part of the pre – fit assessment and on-bike observation.
- Please ensure that your bike is reasonably clean and in good working order.
Footbeds: If you don’t have any footbeds or orthotics in your cycling shoes and are planning a fit, you will require a footbed. The basic foam liner which comes with most shoes is not acceptable. Proper arch support is essential to a complete bike fit. Some shoes now come with a moldable liner which may include interchangeable, modular arch supports. If you have these, bring all arches which were included. T.I. Cycle carries G8 arch supports.
Pre-fit Preparation: I will send you some reading material. I may need to ask some questions in advance to gain background information about you.
Post-fit Bike Care: I will make every effort to ensure your bike is ready to ride when you leave, however if we make changes to stems, bars, saddles and posts, it is possible some parts may require additional tightening after the fit. Please know it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure your bike is safe to ride before you ride it.
Thank you for your interest. I look forward to working with you soon.
COMFORT+EFFICIENCY=PERFORMANCE
Mark has retired from bike fitting… The SHBF Team wishes him the best for his future adventures!
In October 2012, Mark arrived in Sydney, Australia, home to Steve and Margaret Hogg’s Pedal Pushers bike shop. This momentous occasion marked the culmination of over 10 years of experimenting and training with different bike fitting methods and systems, searching to provide the best results for him and his clients at TI Cycle.
To Mark, Steve’s theories, methods and techniques seemed far more effective compared to the previous, more formulaic fitting processes that he had been employing. He had noticed that by reading Steve’s material and applying the suggestions to his own position and to that of some trusted clients, the end results were far superior. This was enough to convince Mark that he needed to know more about Steve’s patented methods.
Training with Steve was very taxing; most days Mark was performing two fittings under Steve’s watchful eye and the volume of new information was overwhelming. He found that there were many unique procedures that served to enhance the fitting process. However, three weeks of training with Steve solidified the tools that Mark now employs to provide fittings that emphasize a safe, comfortable and efficient relationship between the rider and the bike. Mark continues to learn and add to his fitting knowledge. His services and techniques are evolving as he gains a deeper understanding of the interaction between the rider and their bicycle through hours of dedicated fitting work. He is also a committed member of the “Steve Hogg approved bike-fitter” team; adding new information and solutions to help him meet the unique challenges presented by each individual fit client.
