Tailoring a bike to fit its rider
Stefanie Sydlik, 37, of Squirrel Hill, used to be a rower, but she had to give up the sport because of overuse injuries.
But Sydlik, a chemistry professor at Carnegie Mellon University, has had a successful second athletic career as a road racing cyclist, which she credits to the Cycling Performance Program at UPMC Sports Medicine.
She discovered the program several years ago after moving from Boston, and said she has been injury-free-since the program head and lead bike fitter, Matt Tinkey, began working on her bike.
“He gave me a second life,” as an athlete, she said.
Sydlik, a four-time national champion, represented the United States on the National Team for Esport Worlds this year and also competed for the USA in the UCI Gravel World Championships.
“Getting a proper bike fit is critical for performance and injury prevention,” she said in an email. “Since starting to work with Matt, I haven’t had to take a single day off of training because of an overuse injury. I can absolutely say that Matt is a critical reason for that!”
The program, which is based at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Butler County, offers assessments of bike equipment, mechanics and proper bike fit, management and treatment of cycling-related injuries and other cycling performancetips.
Trainers meet with patients to find the ideal on bike position based on their physiology, biomechanics, health history, fitness level and cycling goals.
Tinkey said the program, which began in 2004, sees 400to 500 new people a year.
Some people have an arm or leg shorter than the other, and, for a bicyclist, that can cause problems.
The program is able to adjust a bike for that, as well as for real injuries, making for a longer and faster ride.
“We want the bike to fit the person,” Tinkey said.
Many riders come in complaining of lower back, knee and foot pain, and the program adjusts their bikes to help meet their specific needs.
For example, foot pain, Tinkey said, can be caused by a rider’s cleats not being positioned properly.
“We look at the foot structure,” he said. “They may need arch support, or a new pedal.”
Tinkey said if further treatment is needed, physical therapists are available nearby.
Tinkey, 47, of Ross, a certified athletic trainer who has been with the program for most of its history, said someone he saw six years ago may return seeking adjustments.
The program draws patients ranging from 8 to 93 from across Western Pennsylvania, as well as parts of Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland.
Many learn about the program by word of mouth or internet searches.
Tinkey said when the program shut down for several weeks at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in interest in bicycling, fueling a demandfor it to reopen.
A cyclist himself, Tinkey fancies himself an expert on all things cycling.
“I’m always looking for new products, new trends,” hesaid.
For information, call the program at 724-7203047 or, preferably, email CyclingPerformance@UPMC.edu