Canyon Endurance CF SLX Disc 9.0 Review

You know when you see top end bikes on the television, in a bike shop or in a magazine and you think ‘I’d love to have a good go on one of those, just to see what it does for my riding?’

Canyon Endurance CF SLX in Aero Titanium

Having that opportunity recently, the good people at Canyon UK sent me one of their top bikes, the Canyon Endurance CF SLX for review.  Having covered 50,000 or so miles on the road now, I'm getting a good feel for attributes of bikes and practicalities in day to day use.

New Bike Day

The bike arrives well packed and is really easy to set-up.  There is plenty of protective packaging  all you have to do is install the bars and the front wheel in reality.  All in all, it took me about thirty minutes to get the position dialled with seat height, saddle fore/aft, bar height etc.  Bike was delivered by UPS, everything needed to set it up is in the box.  

Once built, I couldn't wait to get out on it to see how a six grand bike performs on the road. By most peoples budget this would be a well considered purchase and not only does it need to look the business but also perform to a very high standard.

30 Second Clip of Bike fully built

A Comfortable and Fast Ride

The Endurance CF SLX has a more relaxed position suitable for long days in the saddle, sportives, and multi-day events.  I have a dodgy disc in my lower back, so always ride with some stack on the stem.  I was able to set the Endurance CF SLX almost spot on with my bike fit measurements leading to a really good position which was comfortable but also quick.  It would be the bike I'd choose out of the range for that reason.

One question that you might ask yourself is - What’s the difference between the Endurance CF SLX and the Canyon Aeroad?

Having ridden an Aeroad from Chester to Cardiff last year, I can answer that, it all lies in the geometry.  The Aeroad has a more aggressive geometry allowing you to get a lower position in the cockpit, ideal for racing.  You’ll see Continental team Canyon Eisberg racing them in 2018.  So, if you’re someone that likes an aero position when you ride, then it’s also a rather good bike.

Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 (Pre Pedal Installation)

The test bike was built with a top spec including full Dura-Ace Di2 electronic groupset, DT Swiss ERC 1400 wheels (21mm profile), coming in at £5,899 including VAT.  (Delivery is £32.99 on top of the bike cost when you order, plus the bikebguard box at £14.99 so the overall bike cost is £5,946.98).

Colour was Aero Titanium, which was very distinctive and invited a lot of comment on the road.  The electronic groupset was sublime with effortless gear changes achieved with a tap of your fingers, trimming being done electronically. Full build details can be found on the Canyon website here.  

DT Swiss Hoops - Very Quick & Responsive on all Surfaces

Riding the bike, the one characteristic that really stood out for me was how quick it was to pick up speed.  At 6.9kg in weight, power just went straight through to the road and you are hurtling along before you know it.  With those characteristics climbing was a joy, easy to find a rhythm and push up anything.  It’s a quick bike and really well balanced at the front.

Descending, it was predictable which is always reassuring. Cornering was grippy on the Continental GP4000 28mm rubber which also soaked up the vibration from the road. Braking was sharp in all weather conditions with the Dura-Ace disc brakes.  

Shot showing the rear end of the bike

On that subject, I know disc brakes divide opinion with many pro riders conveying concern about them in a race environment.  Running a recent twitter poll around disc brakes, I asked peoples opinion about them.  843 people gave their opinion when asked and 71% of people were favourable towards them, results below: -

I currently ride them - 38% of respondents
Will spec them with my next bike - 33% of respondents
Never plan to ride them - 29% of respondents

Disc brakes give a lot of stopping power

So seems disc brakes will likely become more common on the road in the future.  Asking a similar question about groupset choice in another survey (1200 respondents) 69% indicated Shimano as their preferred groupset, so a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 disc brake seems a pretty good bet if you're buying a bike.

Having covered a few hundred miles on the Endurance CF SLX, I can honestly say it was a joy to ride in any conditions.  With the road camber in the UK being in such poor condition, the wide tyres were very forgiving whilst also have the credentials to ride quickly.  Continental GP4000 is a tyre set I've used on my other bikes for some years, they roll well.

Upsides

• Bike comes 95% built, is easy to set-up.
• Top spec out of the box means not having to spend money on upgrades
• Dura-Ace Di2 groupset was absolutely on-point.
• 28mm tyres make the ride very comfortable for UK roads.
• Comfortable geometry make the bike suitable for short fast rides aswell as long days.
• Bike very easy to clean with wide apertures in the frame.
• 30 day exchange period on bikes.
• 6 year guarantee.

Considerations

• Deep section wheels can catch the wind on blowy days, I'd likely buy an additional front wheel for those moments with a shallower section to swap in/out.  Personal preference only.
• You'll need to know your measurements to order the right bike so it's worth taking a few minutes to use their perfect positioning utility on the website.  Link here.  You can use the livechat on their site or drop them an e-mail if any doubt.  
• Standard Garmin mounts wont fit the bars, you'll need to buy one of the Canyon approved out front mounts.  
• Handlebar position is fixed.  If you find your set-up isn't spot on then Canyon offer a cockpit swap within the first 30 days and have different length and width options. 
• If you want mudguards for the winter, you can add Raceblade temporary mudguards for around £35.  Wiggle sell them.  With the 28mm tyres, the bike can easily cope with the winter however I think this would be staying wrapped up warm and the winter hack would be taking the punishment.

Sum Up

• A seriously quick road bike, which comes with a very high specification, direct from Canyon,
• Ideal for riders who want a bike which can handle multiple scenarios from a Sunday spin to a multi-day event with a more relaxed geometry than an out and out road racing bike yet not compromising on top end performance, pick up and handling.
• The 28mm tyres and big frame clearances mean the bike is ideal for all road conditions, handling well as a climber, descender or all day rouler.  The bike is multi-dimensional, not a one trick pony.  
• Dura-Ace Di2 is a stunning groupset, if you're spending this sort of money on a bike you may aswell go all out.
• The Endurance range starts from £799 right up to £6,249 so there's a bike for everyone.  If discs aren't for you, then you can spec/buy without them.  See the website for details.  

Canyon are hosting a number of demo events around the UK between February and March if you want to take a look at the range or test pilot a bike.  More information can be viewed here.

Should I Buy a Wattbike Pro or Wattbike Atom?

Wattbike Atom

Uprgrading my Wattbike Pro to a Wattbike Atom in October, a large number of people contacted me via social media to better understand the differences between the two products.  

Having owned a Wattbike Pro for three years with around 1000 hours of riding on it, I guess I know the product quite intimately and having done some hours on the Atom now, can better understand the reasons why you would or would not buy one and this initial article is to help anyone who may be thinking about which way to go.

What's the difference between a Wattbike Pro and Wattbike Atom?

Below I've highighted a few questions or considerations which may help you narrow things down.

Are you Zwifting?

If you want to invest in a smart trainer which links with new on line riding applications like Zwift, then the answer is pretty straight forward, buy an Atom.  The Wattbike Pro doesn't connect to online virtual ride applications.

The Atom when connected to Zwift can replicate hill climbs, road undulations and descents in your pedal resistance which makes indoor riding very engaging.  You can log on, do an iconic hill climb, a rolling route, ride with a group of others or bash out a flat route riding around the streets or London.

With the spate of poor weather, it offers a really viable alternative to a ride to jump onto Zwift and feel like you're riding with undulating cadence and power as you roll around different routes in the app.

Sat on the bike the cockpit replicates a road bike with time trial extensions and a new holder fan iPad or device which you'll need for your screen (the Atom doesn't come with any screen, the Pro comes with a basic mono screen).

Do you have a coach?

If you are a pretty serious rider with prescribed power intervals or a specific training plan from a coach where your heart rates, power zones and general performance numbers need to be spot-on, then a Wattbike Pro really nails that well.  When pedalling a Wattbike Pro, the pedal stroke sensation feels very similar to a bike. If you're not too bothered about joining Zwift and simply want to bash out internals, then the Pro is likely the product for you. 

Gear Changing/Power Changing

The Wattbike Pro uses two ways to adjust resistance.  A white lever on the left side which adjusts resistance against the air output of the bike and a magnetic resistance adjustment on the right.  Power adjustment is almost instantaneous and it's very easy to find your sweet spots the more you ride the bike in terms of where you slide the left lever.

The Wattbike Atom uses firmware in the application to deliver magnetic resistance which is controlled by buttons on the right of the bars, similar to a road bike.  One button sends the gear harder, the other makes it easier.  

One issue that the Atom has had is the early firmware editions were making the delay between clicking the button and the gear change around 3-4 seconds.  We're used to riding on the road, clicking a button on a groupset and having an almost instantaneous movement of a derailleur (less than one second), so it does seem strange to click the button and then wait.  I had a lot of discussion with the tech support desk at Wattbike as the power measurement also seemed out.

Three firmware updates or so later, things are much improved. There still is a delay between clicking for a gear change and the change of gear (a couple of seconds) but the upsides of the interaction with Zwift etc outweigh this.  You soon get used to it.

Intervals

Due to the issue described above, if you're doing specific HIIT intervals, sprints or bursts where you want to see your numbers, then the issue with the Atom gear change will prove frustrating for you in my opinion and you'll likely be better with a Pro.  

Set-Up/Position

In my opinion, the Atom has a better fit and more options for adjusting the bike to your ideal riding position, particularly if you are replicating your road bike position.  The cockpit looks more like a bike, with bars like road bars and tri-extensions with elbow rests.  From a design point of view, it has a modern look/design.

The Pro is built like a Tonka toy, fit for purpose for the many rugby players and sprinters that use the product to bash out big numbers.  If you buy one, ditch the saddle it comes with straight away and put the same saddle you have on your road bike onto it.  My beef always with the Pro was that the moulded bars didn't allow you to really get into any other position other than on the drops.  

Nevertheless, I happily rode for over a thousand hours on the Pro so it certainly is not a show stopper.

Wattbike Pro

Displays

The Wattbike Pro comes with a basic mono LCD display and I mean basic (think of a large 1980's digital watch).  Still, it only really has one job to do which is to deliver your numbers which is does more than capably.  Switching between screens is pretty easy and data is instantaneous.  The screen has no backlight so if you're training in a place where the light is poor, then you can find yourself adjusting the screen angle a fair bit.

The Wattbike Atom relies on you using a device of some kind, smartphone or iPad for example, with the latest Wattbike app.  This sits in a holder on the tri-bar extensions and is in full colour obviously.  There are a number of pre-installed workouts in the app for you to do.

Both screens deliver the now legendary Wattbike pedal stroke efficiency data alongside the other information you'll need to train.  One thing I have noticed is that the Atom only shows speed data in KM/H, not MPH for UK users.

Working with a Garmin

If you use a Garmin to capture your ride data and want to use it with either product then my experience thus far is that the Wattbike Pro nails it, does the job and captures everything.  What you see on the Wattbike is what ultimately end up on your Garmin (there are some variances but didn't plan for this article to be technical).

I've experienced a number of issues with the Ant+ protocol not working too well with Garmin via the Atom.  In the early firmware updates, speed was permanently being recorded as 18.6mph on the Garmin, the second update reset that to 170mph, which meant nothing was being recorded correctly in Garmin connect where I upload my ride data too.

Knowing my power numbers intimately having being doing intervals for over eighteen months, all my numbers seemed they were down 15-20% when switching to the Atom.  More communication with the Wattbike tech desk and advice than firmware updates would resolve the issue.  Chatting with another owner who attached his Garmin vector pedals to the Atom to validate his numbers highlighted that - in his opinion - the Atom was under recording his actual data.  Wattbike have been improving the issue with firmware updates and whilst I don't think everything is fully resolved yet, progress is being made.

Conclusion

If it's about Zwift and indoor riding then buy an Atom.  The integration with Zwift is superb and if you are a social rider just wanting to put some miles in indoors using a social riding app, it's a great buy.  The drawback of the product for me is the delayed gear change albeit it has been improving with each firmware update.  At present it's improved a lot in three months and I'm sure will continue to be improved.  Looks wise the Atom has it.

If it's all about the intervals, buy the Pro.  The Pro is like a muscle car, it does one job really well without any of the electronics used in many of the most sophisticated speed machines.  It's built well, has a lovely feel on the pedal stroke and tells you what you need to know in real time. 

You can see more information on the Wattbike Atom here.  From £1,499.
You can see more information on the Wattbike Pro here.  From £2,250.

15 Product Recommendations for a Road Cyclist

Having been road cycling for nine years now, from absolute novice turning the cranks for the first time in twenty years to riding around 400 hours a year, I've purchased a lot of products.  Some have been poor, some to expectation and some outstanding.

There is a such a wide variety of clothing, products and services to choose from it can be difficult to distinguish good from bad.  Here's 15 products that I've used which I rate.

Items (Below £50)

• Pocpac Phone Covers (waterproof case for your phone and money).  Around £10.  Link here.
• One Life ID - Emergency ID (wrist band in case of emergency when riding alone).  From £22.99.  Link here.
• Veloforte Natural Energy Bars (so tasty, natural ingredients) -  £6.99 for a pack of 3.  Link here.
• SRAM Out Front Garmin Mount (makes your Garmin easier to view when riding).  Around £13.00.  Link here.
• Veloskin Products - (Moisturiser, Soothing Gel, Post-Shave Lotion, Chamois Cream).  From £12.00.  Link here.
• Condor Pro Socks - (Simply the best, been wearing these for years now. Super comfortable).  £14.99 for a pack of two.  Link here.
• DeFeet Oversocks (Ideal for those days when it's a bit cooler and there may be some road debris which might risk marking your shiny white shoes.  These just slip over your shoes and keep everything looking smart and your feet with an extra layer of insulation if needed).  Around £13.00.  Link here.
• Continental Four Seasons Tyres (best all round, all weather tyre).  From £31.99 each.  Link here.

Items - (£50+)

• Rapha Deep Winter Training Hat - (Warm winter wear for under your helmet when it's cold out there).  £60.  Link here.
• Pro Vision Storm Tech Rain Jacket (Got this off their stand at Eroica Brittania.  Great protection for light rain, just wicks off).  Can't see anywhere to buy it on-line but you'll often see the Pro Vision chaps out at exhibitions and cycling events.  Speak to Steve or Ben ask them for their Gabba equivalent jacket.  Around £100.00
• Oakley Jawbreaker Prizm Glasses.  (Best glasses I've owned.  Comfortable with lenses which adapt to the light conditions.  Worn by lots of the pro's).  Around £165.00.  Link here.
• Le Col Pro B5 Winter Jacket Arancia. (All you'll need on those cold, wet days.  Fantastic design, highly visible and warm).  £250.00.  Link here.
• Pianni Hand Built Wheels by Pete Matthews (Legendary wheel builder.  Got a set of bomb proof, 32 spoke winter hoops for around £400.  Wheels are built to your order, specification taking into account your weight, style of riding etc.  Not the lightest but built for anything).  Link here.
• Campagnolo Zonda Wheels. Phenomenal performance when you want to ride fast.  Around £315.  Link here.
• Pro Tools Cycleworks 50mm carbon deep section wheels (Built on DT Swiss Hubs with Sapim spokes, these wheels are super light and quick.  Ideal for triathlon, Ironman, TT'ing or just going fast).  Around £1300 from Beacon Bikes in Clitheroe.

Manchester BikeFit Review

I've long been a big supporter of the idea of getting your bike fit right.  Before you invest money in upgrades, it's best to invest in getting your position absolutely right on the bike.  A bit like sorting your swing before buying an expensive set of golf clubs.

Having got back into riding in a big way since 2008, it's become evident to me that the quickest ways to go faster on your bike as an amateur are generally: -

1. Losing some weight.
2. Upgrading your wheels.
3. Getting your bike fit right.
4. Employing a coach.  

Buying a carbon bike isn't the be all and end all of going fast as a amateur.  I'm able to put in average speeds within 0.5Mmph on my aluminum winter bike equipped with Mavic Ksyrium wheels.  

So, if you've done (1), spent on (2), then (3) +(4) should definitely be on your list of things to do if you've plateaued as a rider and don't seem to be able to shift your average speed.

Getting Fit and Fitted

The build up to deciding to go for a full on pro fit was driven by recurring tight hamstrings post ride.  Since employing a coach in August year, my volume and load had gone up considerably from 400 or so miles a month to 800+ including turbo interval sessions each evening.  We were both puzzled as to why the hamstring issue was occurring all of a sudden so a process of ruling things in/out ensued.  

First stop was a visit to Foot and Insole in Whalley (great place, review here) whereupon I'd had some custom insoles made to correct a supination issue (not standing straight basically).  Insoles are now worn in all my footwear aswell as cycling shoes and they've helped considerably.

Long story short, after several small tweaks to the on bike position without much luck, I ended up having an MRI scan which diagnosed a degenerating disc in my back.  The hamstring tightness being a related secondary issue due to the volume/load.  

The orthopedic consultant (himself a cyclist) suggested I source a place where all aspects of my on bike position, pedal stroke, cleat positioning, saddle etc could be reviewed to get things absolutely spot on and millimeter perfect.

Cyclefit Manchester

Whilst driving through the Northern Quarter of Manchester, I came across Cyclefit who had recently opened up a studio providing exactly what I needed.  They offer a range of services including a full professional fitting service with camera analysis, saddle pressure mapping, cleat set-up adjustment, physio assessment, the lot.  The main benefit being that you can be reviewed holistically, from feet upwards.  They already fit a number of professional cycling teams and professional riders from World Tour teams to Pro-Continental so they know their stuff.

Behind the Business

The business was started by Julian Wall and Phil Cavell.  You can read more about how and why it started here.  Bottom line was they were both injured, had investigated all sorts of medical interventions to get back on the straight and narrow, then had the epiphany that their on bike positions were critical to their recovery and - spotting a gap in the market in 1996, the rest is history.  

I got to meet both of the owners over a couple of visits and their passion for ensuring that your bike fit is as best as it can be came shining through.  Both highly knowledgeable guys, drilling down into all aspects of my own medical history within seconds of meeting them with eyes going up and down at the same time, sizing you up!

The Fit Itself

I went for the full professional fit with saddle pressure mapping (£225) and shoe/cleat positioning (£95).  Given the issue with my disc, I wanted to be 100% confident that - moving forward - I do everything possible to ensure comfort, performance and that my on bike position doesn't aggravate the situation

Arriving at the studio 

Greeted by fitter - Matt Hallam - we went into the studio where everything is set-up.  You're greeted by a bike rig, cameras, a big screen and all sorts of technical measuring equipment which is put into use during your session.  It's like a lab, full of tech and wizadry, just what you want.

Matt initially took me a through a detailed questionnaire about reasons for the fit, cycling objectives, health issues and general fitness plus flexibility. From there he did a physical assessment including measuring hamstring length, general flexibility, hip and leg length and all the other attributes which determine ultimately how you end up on the bike.  All these are being captured as you go straight into a report which gets e-mailed to you at the end.

Pelvic Measurement

Cyclefit also take all the measurements from your current bike and set up the rig exactly to the same dimensions so as to know the exact start point.  All this is recorded as they go on a record which gets e-mailed to you which explains where all the adjustments have been made and compares old. vs new.

The rig that it used for the fitting process is quite something, around £12K per unit to buy it seems.  The unique thing about it is that adjustments can be made in real time whilst you are riding.  There's no need to keep getting on and off or stop/start, so microscopic adjustments can be made on the fly.

Rig used for Fitting at Cyclefit

On The Rig

When you spin up the rig, all the cameras go on and video is captured of your rotation, front/rear movement, in fact pretty much everything.  Dots are placed on you at key points for the software to track.  From that, several images are captured and the fitter can then determine the optimum angles.  

It's an iterative process.  The rig itself can be adjusted in real time with you on the bike, including saddle height, reach, so everything is done on the fly with your pedal stroke, hip movements, line of spine and overall position being monitored to ensure optimum position relative to your requirements and also the feedback that you gave in the consultation session.

Saddle Pressure Mapping

Cyclefit have a gadget (costs around £6K) which measures in real time where your pressure is loading on your saddle when cycling.  For me this was another key component - given my lower back situation - to get right.  The tool itself is a pressure mat which goes onto your saddle, with data capture software which then captures what's happening as you pedal to then convert into a heatmap (below).

As you can see , my current saddle and position meant I was totally front loading with hardly anything at the back which would have been aggravating the situation with my back/tendons.

Left Image = Current Saddle; Right Image = New Saddle + Position

Left Data= Current Saddle; Right Data= New Saddle + Position

After spinning up on the rig for five to ten minutes and having the saddle adjusted we got to a position where the conclusion was my current saddle (a Selle Italia gel flow) wasn't right for me.  Although I've always found it comfortable, the general design relative to my hips etc was leading to an imbalance in pressure and position.  

I've ridden Selle Italia Gel flow saddles for years, however analysis showed that a saddle change would be helpful and I changed to a Bontrager Montrose which got fitted in store whilst I was there (cost £89.99). The saddle was taking more of the pressure at the rear (desired outcome) which ultimately engaged the glute muscle group more.  

The chart below indicates where I was (left) to where we ended up (right).

Cleat Positioning

During the session, the fitter is also reviewing all elements of your pedal stroke.  When I visited Foot and Insole, we identified what they call a 'leg length discrepancy' which is very common it seems.  That is one leg is marginally shorter than the other.

As the session continued, various permutations of cleat position and packing were tried until an optimum was found.  All this you can see in real time on the TV screens via the cameras in front of you.  

For me it meant, the cleats were adjusted quite significantly with packing put between the footbed and the cleat to balance out power L/R aswell as an adjustment outwards on either side, pushing them away from the cranks.

I could never have got a cleat fit to this level of accuracy on my own. Having someone fully assess you on the rig, make the change, then see - via the data - what that does to your power and stroke is what you end up with.

Bringing It All Together


Walking away, quite a few changes had been made: -

1. Saddle went up 13mm
2. Cleat position was changed with feet pushed out around 10mm either side
3. Saddle fore/aft was changed and put further back to line up my knees better during the pedal stroke.
4. Packing was put underneath my shoes between the shoe bed and cleat.  Different levels were put under each side to compensate for a small leg length discrepancy.

 Results
  
The key thing after all this is what happened afterwards.  It's been a couple of weeks since the fit and I'm getting on very well with the new position.

• Cockpit is comfortable with much more hip support and glute engagement from the new saddle and position.
• I've done four rides, two flat and two lumpy and on each have come back with around 20 Strava personal records on each, so clearly more power is getting to the cranks.
• Post-ride recovery seems to be quicker, with less hamstring tightness and a fresher feeling when doing a Sunday ride after a Saturday ride.   

Final Thoughts


There are a lot of bike fitting services available, no doubt.  

Many of them will do a very good job for you in getting the basics right in terms of your position relative to your goals.

If you are the type of person who wants to get their position totally dialled in for an upcoming event like a sportive, etape, triathlon or ironman then Cyclefit is the place for you.  

Equally if you have a medical issue, it's also for you (as in my case).  

If you've just invested in a fancy new bike, then ensure you get your position spot on to enjoy it.  On the basis that a bike can cost you £2,500 to £3,000 then it's about 10% of that cost in terms of investment.


Overall it was a real intuitive and educational experience, where I learnt a lot and can now ride my bike 100% confident that everything relative to my position, long term health and overall performance is now spot on.

A full price list can be found here.  If you do contact them, please let them know you read the review.

Foot and Insole Whalley Review (@footandinsole).

I recently posted a blog on Linkedin about an on-going niggle that I've been having with my tendons.  With an increase in volume and load in my training since last August last year, it's led to tight hamstrings and - at times - some discomfort.

Investigating - at first - cleat position and overall position on the bike with Peter 'Spike' Taylor at The Fell Bike and Tri store in Clitheroe, everything seemed fine in terms of the overall pedal stroke, saddle position etc.  Spike then asked me to take off my shoes and socks and had his 'aha' moment.

He spotted straight away that I had over supination in my feet (effectively that they were not in an neutral position). He saw tell tales clues in bursars on my back heel and other signposts.  From his persepctive, the increased training load was exaserbating the condition leading to the outcome in the tendon.

His recommendation was to go and see Graham at the Foot and Insole clinic in Whalley.  I'm glad I did.


Review of Foot and Insole

Organising an appointment over the internet for a consultation and to have a pair of insoles made was easy.  A couple of clicks and I was in. 

Arriving at the clinic - which sits within the Whalley Warm and Dry store (clothing and walking boots retailer) - I was directed upstairs to be warmly greeted by Graham who owns the clinic.  

What initially struck me was how much Graham knew.  An engineer by trade who then began to study bio-mechanics, podiatry etc, he is a real subject matter expert who makes insoles for professional sportspeople of all disciplines, walkers, cyclists, footballers, golfers, rugby players, triathletes - you name it, he has made it and makes it.

After an introduction and initial chat about the reason why I had ended up with him, he quickly got to work on some physical inspection and then detailed analysis.  In the clinic he has software tools which allow him to look at all aspects of your foot movement and where pressure is applied within your feet upon movement or standing still.  It's really clever, identifying key hotspots of concern and alignment issues.

Made to Measure

From the physical inspection, Graham quickly identified that I had one leg around 4mm than the other (in the pelvis neutral position) and also confirmed the supination issue.  It seems my right foot particularly was bearing the brunt of it.

With the combination of physical examination and data analysis, a set of customer inserts was then made in-house, whilst you wait.  Using a combination of cushion and carbon for my road shoes and various layered materials for my daytime shoes, each set was hand crafted to fit with Graham taking time and care to ensure that each element of the insert would do the job, such as not making them too deep to ensure they went in my work shoes OK. 

Foot and Insole Preparing Custom Inserts

How much does it all cost?

The overall consultation was £120 including one set of in-soles, I was with Graham for around 90 minutes in total.  Given the amount that I invest in cycling kit, training and other related items, this was money well spent.  As well as diagnosing the root cause of my tendon pain, I walked away with a solution in terms of the insoles which I'll now wear all the time.  

Graham is highly knowledgable, with multi-disciplinary knowledge of various aspects of health then firmly focused on what role the feet plan in terms of your overall stance, stride and physical performance. 

I'll be recommending to lots of people that I know to go and see him.  He's like one of those best kept secrets.  Those that know, know and I wish I'd got to meet him years ago.  

Now you know, I suggest you go get checked out in order to ensure that your overall standing position is as it should be to ensure injury prevention and problems later in life, particularly if you run a lot, ride a lot or are on your feet a lot.

Following Up

If you would like to contact Sole and Insole, their website is here and you can follow them on Twitter here.  Please domention that you saw them via the blog.  More pics below.

Foot Mould

Cycling Inserts with Carbon Base

Stride and Stance Pressure Scanning Pad