By Brandon Storrs, Director of Visual Communications & Production, AutoNetTV Media, Inc.

I love to ride bikes.  My co-workers often have the pleasure of seeing me ride into work dressed like a “superhero” in my spandex and sunglasses.  “It’s all about wind resistance and aerodynamics” I tell them.  They ask if all those logos on my jersey are my sponsors and I begrudgingly reply that I actually pay for the jersey AND give free advertising for all these wonderful companies that are plastered all over it.  

Okay, I’m getting off the point here.  I recently bought a new bike.  I really enjoy this new bike but the fit is a little different than I’m used to.  Because of that, I’ve actually developed an injury in my Achilles tendon.  I found that if the seat’s position is off by even a couple millimeters it can cause your ankle to work a little harder, thus stressing it to the point of injury.

A few weeks ago I went to see a professional bike fitter.  He put all these little diodes all over my body and tracked my every move in 3D space on his computer.  He was able to precisely get me fitted on my bike for maximum efficiency and performance.  Now I am riding stronger and faster like every superhero should.

The point I’m making here is we don’t always know what needs to be done to our cars but a car care professional does.  They have the expensive equipment and expertise to diagnose a problem - sometimes before it leads to serious damage or repair.  

Just as with my bike fit, the fancy equipment was nice but it was the professional using it to assist him in his already mastered trade that got the job done right.  I came to find out that the real superhero was the professional, whether it be in bike fitting or in automotive repair: and somehow they do it all without the help of super tight spandex outfits.  Go figure.