The Bike Medicine Corporate Cycling Program is Unique
Let’s be clear, Bike Medicine Coaching is setting the new standard in training corporate cycling groups!
With the rising popularity of corporate cycling groups around the country, there is a great need for a more thorough approach to training and safety than ever before.
For years, corporate team cyclists have been seeking someone to guide them through a season of successful riding and events. That need is the reason for the Bike Medicine Corporate Cycling Program.
To our knowledge there is no similar program anywhere in the country. This program will put the corporate team rider into contact with some world-class coaches, bike fitters, race team support practitioners, industry representatives, and nutrition experts, all on a one to one basis. Ordinarily, the recreational cyclist would only be able to read about this caliber of individuals.
Fully implemented, the Bike Medicine Corporate Cycling Program puts a serious power tool into a company’s ability to train, maintain, sustain and grow the bike team. It can be a perfect addition to a thriving corporate culture, or a way to kick start morale and outreach.
We have formed a strategic alliance with two top level cycling coaches and past national and international champions. John Howard is a member of the Cycling Hall of Fame and an internationally recognized cycling coach. Mark Marshall is a national champion and top level coach in Cycling and Triathlon. Both have contributed vital input for the new content, techniques and methods for the Bike Medicine Corporate Cycling Program
Advanced Safety, Handling and Skills Courses
Basic safety is taught by organizations like the League of American Bicyclists. Their course that is delivered to the corporate teams gives the riders a rudimentary, barely workable set of skills, and not enough time to practice to competency. Race team training employs a similar skills package, but goes much further in both the knowledge base and execution. If the corporate team rider is able to acquire a similar set of skills, with enough practice, safety is tremendously enhanced, thereby lowering the incident of accidents.
We offer a multi-day highly comprehensive course to teach bike skills and handling, along with coached team training rides to hone and enforce the skills training. The Bike Medicine Program features 16 hours of intense hands-on skills, safety and handling training. Our goal is to train riders far beyond the normal skill range for most cyclists. That enhances safety and helps keep everyone riding on a long-term basis.
Coached Team Rides and Training Events
The ultimate goal in having a corporate team is to develop a cohesive group of cyclists who ride together frequently and safely. Along with that, all of the knowledge, skills, training and safety needs to be both demonstrated and reinforced. Inviting others who are not from the company can be a great way to involve family, friends and individuals from other firms.
Today, cycling is much like golf in the way networking opportunities abound. The general demographic of the cycling population is professional, technical, managerial, executive, upper income individuals.
Having a strong team that is professionally coached can be great for a company’s public image. Those types of teams usually have a very distinct riding style and are quite noticeable even in a large ride like the MS150.
As part of the Bike Medicine Program, each team rider gets one on one instruction, on the bike. Group rides are closely supervised learning experiences, Riders get to practice techniques until they are second nature. We rigidly enforce a no rider dropped policy. We employ a ride management system in which faster riders are required to turn around after a speed interval in order to return to the slower group. That way, everyone gets the workout that they need. Everyone leaves together, everyone returns together. This method prevents frustration while building team cooperation.
Indoor Training Sessions
During the shorter days and inclement weather of the colder months, we hold indoor stationary trainer workouts. When it is dark, wet or cold outside, riding a bike is less than a pleasant experience. Plus, wet roads are simply not safe to ride on. We will start the training cycle at the same time as the racers do, mid-November.
All winter long, fitness, power, strength and aerobic capacity build up until the very early spring rides when the team first begins to test themselves. The indoor workouts are a vital component of an annual training program. If there is room at the company facility, indoor trainer workouts may be a great idea for an after work activity. The convenience of staying in the building for an hour after (or before) work can prove to be a successful way to get more of the company’s riders together for a daily group training event.
Equipment Configuration and Setup
All too often, riders show up at an event with rather badly set up bikes and improperly configured equipment. By having a professional mechanic at the team’s disposal, that situation should never have a chance to even get started.
Buying a new bike for a beginner can be confusing. Shop personnel may not always act in the customer’s favor, selling incorrectly fitting or inappropriate types of bikes. Much of that occurs when the customer has a preconceived notion about what will be the correct bike for them. Educating the team early into the selection process will go a long way toward preventing any poor purchase decisions and subsequent buyer’s remorse. Having a neutral professional to consult with before buying can be a great relief, transforming the process from a nervous decision into a really enjoyable occasion.
Coached Team Rides and Training Events
The ultimate goal in having a corporate team is to develop a cohesive group of cyclists who ride together frequently and safely. Along with that, all of the knowledge, skills, training and safety needs to be both demonstrated and reinforced. Inviting others who are not from the company can be a great way to involve family, friends and individuals from other firms.
Today, cycling is much like golf in the way networking opportunities abound. The general demographic of the cycling population is professional, technical, managerial, executive, upper income individuals.
Having a strong team that is professionally coached can be great for a company’s public image. Those types of teams usually have a very distinct riding style and are quite noticeable even in a large ride like the MS150.
As part of the Bike Medicine Program, each team rider gets one on one instruction, on the bike. Group rides are closely supervised learning experiences, Riders get to practice techniques until they are second nature. We rigidly enforce a no rider dropped policy. We employ a ride management system in which faster riders are required to turn around after a speed interval in order to return to the slower group. That way, everyone gets the workout that they need. Everyone leaves together, everyone returns together. This method prevents frustration while building team cooperation.
Repair and Mechanical Training
We do not intend to turn the team into professional mechanics. However, teaching and enforcing routine maintenance, mechanical inspection, emergency roadside repairs, dealing with a flat tire, or any other minor mechanical incident is at the core of producing a safe rider. Our mechanical training regimen encompasses how to a bike from scratch, wheel truing, tuning derailleurs, component inspection for wear and roadside repairs. After the training, most of our riders can do a complete bike overhaul by themselves.
Having a simple flat tire on a ride should not require calling for a car ride home. Most flats can be dealt with in under 5 minutes. We never want any of our riders stranded on the side of the road helpless, not knowing what to do.
Seminar Learning in a Relaxed Classroom Environment
Using the popular lunch & learn format, the Bike Medicine Program delivers 10 knowledge packed sessions on a wide range of cycling topics. By combining an expert speaker and a PowerPoint presentation, a huge amount of information and practical knowledge is delivered.
The lunchtime sessions are generally held at the company’s facility and the team members go right back to work after it is concluded. We have found this format to be the most time efficient and convenient method of providing the training.
Team members can link in remotely by using a WebX or Citrix program and phone. That way, nobody misses the seminars. The program content is also stored on the company’s server for instant access at a later time.
Corporate Team Program Details
- Monthly master training schedules addressing training patterns, detailed workouts, fitness, weight loss, power, speed and endurance. Training is sequenced around a periodized annual program.
- Professional training manual provided as a PDF document.
- Library of professionally developed training information and documents provided.
- One (1) coached road training ride per weekend (weather permitting) – this ride will be held on Saturdays or Sundays and may be combined with other corporate groups we coach.
- Two (2) weekday indoor training workouts or road rides per week. Indoor workouts may occasionally need to be moved to different days to accommodate schedules.
- Ten (10) classroom teaching sessions (16 hours)
- Eight (8) two-hour sessions of advanced skills & handling classes (16 hours)
- Two (2) hands-on mechanical training sessions (4 hours)
- Design assistance, production supervision and discount on clothing for the team.
Bike Medicine Cycling Coaching
10511A Windsor Lane, Suite 103
Houston, TX 77031
(281) 561-7499 Local or non-order calls
(866) 286-5823 Toll Free for orders only
bruce@bikemedicine.org For general email contact
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, CST
Saturday & Sunday By Appointment
