RETÜL

We all have that one friend who is always up for a challenge, no matter how big or small. For Sarah Sturm, that means taking on the Lifetime Grand Prix – an exclusive off-road event where riders must apply and are selected based on a range of criteria. Sarah was one of those lucky riders who checked all the boxes. Naturally, with a big event coming up this Summer, and two new bikes to get dialed and ready for the season, Sarah could not pass up the opportunity for a Retül Premium Fit session.

With her new Specialized Epic Evo, S-Works Crux and all the riding gear in tow (except for a forgotten pair of shoes, oops!), Sarah headed out of the house before dawn and drove a grueling seven hours to the Retül Fit studio headquarters in Boulder, CO (talk about dedication!). Despite the long journey, Sarah was still all smiles when she arrived eager to get her fit session underway.

This is her Premium Fit story…

When did you get into the sport of cycling and how did that lead you to where you are today?

I first got into cycling through my college team, Fort Lewis Cycling. I had moved to Durango, CO for school and decided that I didn't want to play college soccer, so I tried something new! What I found on the bike team was not only a new group of friends but a pivotal life change. Riding and racing bikes kept me in the mountains and ultimately became my passion and career.

What are your goals on the bike and how do you think a Retül Premium fit would you help reach those goals?

This coming season is both intimidating and exciting, I'll be racing the Lifetime Grand Prix, a new off-road series of 6 endurance gravel and MTB events over the summer. It's an exciting opportunity that I want to take full advantage of. Step one was getting a Retül Premium fit to help me stay as comfortable as possible on the bike during my training and racing. These endurance events means that I'll be on the bike for over 5 hours at a time, so finding a position that keeps me as free of fatigue as possible is so important!

Was there anything specific that you wanted the fitter to focus on before coming into the session?

Going into the fit I knew I wanted to prioritize comfort. I wasn't looking to be as aero as possible, but as ergonomic as possible. For me, if I'm in a super aggressive position for hours and hours I feel like my overall performance declines because I'm uncomfortable. Todd [Carver, Head of Specialized Human Performance] helped me find a balance of it all.

What were the changes made to your bike and how did those changes affect your position?

We shortened and lowered my stem on my Epic Evo, raised my seat and lessened the angle of the saddle. All of this helped me stay nice and neutral on the MTB both on long flat sections and also steep climbs. The theme of my fits was "long game".

What did you find most interesting about your Retül Premium fit session? Did you learn anything new about yourself?

I found that my seat height had been too low on my cyclocross fits, I had previously assumed that a lower seat height was better for getting on and off the bike as well as putting out more power (for shorter races like cross). I learned that more power is possible with an appropriate seat height, in addition to a cockpit position that is between an aero and a comfortable fit.

Do you think a bike fit is important as part of an overall training strategy?

Absolutely. I think about how much time I spend on the bike, small tweaks can make a huge impact both positive and negative over time. And since your bike is a tool, the most important tool other than yourself, making sure it's dialed in is equally as important as training the legs and body.

How was your Retül Premium fit experience overall and would you recommend a Retül fit to other athletes/ riders?

I really appreciated the questions and care put into the goals portion of the fit. I think it's so important to learn about why people ride, what they want to achieve and how they want to achieve their goals. I hadn't thought about how important that was to my fit and how it would change the outcome, but it really helped dictate what we did and why we did it. It's a really nice personal touch to the fit in addition to the specific physiological assessment and application of information.

Is there anything else you want riders to know about your Premium Fit experience?

I've realized that it's an ongoing experience, every time I get a bike fit with Retül I learn something new and that's extremely valuable. I find myself taking notice in how I ride, what is comfortable and uncomfortable and getting great feedback on how to fix or adapt to the micro changes we make during a session. With the Premium Fit I have complete and full confidence in how I ride my bikes now, I know that every detail has been looked at and addressed, from my physiological strengths and weaknesses to my personal comforts and goals. Taking all of that information and translating it to a bike fit is one of the most valuable things as an athlete!

We are so stoked to have had the opportunity to work with Sarah again to get her dialed in for the 2022 season, and cannot wait to see her absolutely crush the Grand Prix this Summer!

Real Rider Stories: Premium Fit Edition - Sarah Goes Grand Prix