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Guests: Mark Van Tongeren; Professor Jim Martin
Today, my guests are Mark Van Tongeren from Michigan Adventure Racing and Professor Jim Martin from the Nutrition and Integrative Physiology and Neuromuscular Function Lab at the University of Utah.
I’m not sure how I didn’t know about Michigan Adventure Racing. The organization seems so together, and Mark Van Tongeren, the founder and producer of these events seems to be the best kind of ride director.
If you are into well organized events that offer up some challenging riding, Michigan Adventure Racing might just have what you’re looking for this summer.
From his website tag line, “Adventurous 
races for those who like to go wild,” to the clever event names, Hurt the Dirt, Lord of the Springs, Coast to Coast Gravel Grinder, there is truly something for everyone at every level.
I was introduced to my second guest, Dr. Jim Martin by bike fitter 
extraordinaire Paul Swift. In my conversation with him back in February, he mentioned the work that Jim is doing and the fact that Jim will be the keynote speaker at a professional fit symposium at the Tour de France next month. I thought I’d nab him first.
World Champion Tadej Pogacar uses relatively short cranks. And that has re-ignited the conversation about crank arm length among a lot of folks – especially bike fitters.
So… going to the horse’s mouth – so to speak – and finding out that a change in crank arm length might be easily discerned by the rider, does not necessarily result in more power output.
Professor Jim Martin has the proof-positive that this is so, and he’s going to explain it and a lot more. Buckle up y’all… it’s a bit techy, and quite fascinating.
You can find out more about Professor Martin’s work at the University of Utah. And here are links to several of the studies we spoke about on the show.
Reprint Determinants of Metabolic Cost JAP
Reprint Determinants of Maximal Cycling Power
Crank Length and Submaximal Biomechanics