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Thread: The Lounge of Terrestrial Wheelmen

  1. #4511
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    We had a setback with Michele riding a couple of weeks ago - we did an 18 mile round trip to go see Pandas 3D IMAX (it. is. amazing.), and she ended up in a lot of pain on the return trip, but today we did CicLAvia out in Pomona and she did almost 14 miles completely pain free.

    I have a theory that part of it comes from stopping and starting - for some reason she doesn't like to get off the saddle, so she tries to put a foot down while staying clipped in with the other foot and on the saddle, which leads to a weird hip shift. We're going to try to keep testing that theory by doing a few rides of increasing distance on things like dedicated bike paths where you rarely have to stop.

    Still, another positive step (and another fun CicLAvia).

  2. #4512
    Jedi Cam's Avatar
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  3. #4513
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Servo View Post
    We're going to try to keep testing that theory by doing a few rides of increasing distance on things like dedicated bike paths where you rarely have to stop.
    Cycling dockonomics?
    acket.

  4. #4514
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    More duckonomics, they tend to be near bodies of water.

  5. #4515
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    On the one hand, staying on the saddle while stopped is awkward and uncomfortable for many people, and could cause the stress and possibly a desire to fudge the bike-fit. (I.e. there's no real bike-fit reason why you should be able to touch, especially firmly, the ground while on the saddle). On the other hand, the process of getting back onto a saddle while starting could be stressful to the hip area, too.

    That is, it could be that starting-and-stopping will be stressful whichever strategy she adopts.

    Improve trackstand skillz? (Actually one might imagine the back muscles work hard then, and could cause stress).

    Is riding standing up hard for her to do? Would consciously standing up for a little while before stopping, and while starting help? Or hurt? (Or is it nearly impossible?)

    Just hoping to perhaps twig a thought, you obviously know the relevant details better.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Servo View Post
    The bar end shifters were a lot better for the triple, but they also hit me in the knees all the time, so...
    Just saw that.

    Ha ha! Creates a strange image. (I.e. Actually, your knees hit the shifters...)

    "triple". Reminds me of the early 1980's when I used to ride with this bicycle-store owner who had a Santana three-seater tandem.
    Last edited by SportWagon; April 23rd, 2018 at 09:31 AM.

  6. #4516
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    Re the bar ends: it usually happened in turns. There just wasn't a ton of clearance between my knees and the bars, so if I pedaled in a turn sometimes I'd hit it with my knee, which was sometimes painful but more often I'd suddenly and unexpectedly change gears mid corner, which can be a little startling.. Also, whenever I stopped, I'd usually leave my left foot clipped in and the shifter would stab me in the thigh. Just weren't for me.

    Re the wife: She definitely isn't much for the trackstanding, and she's only gotten sorta comfortable riding standing up. There are some balance issues there that she thinks are due to her having scoliosis and the corrective back surgery she got years ago. I think she could stand up while coming to a stop, but I'm not sure about starting. As is, I was trying to teach her the way I think most of us start - one pedal at 2 o'clock, other foot on the ground, out of the saddle, then push off with the ground foot while riding the other pedal down to get some speed and lifting yourself onto the saddle, and she was not particularly comfortable with that. As much as I like to make fun of people who ride in circles waiting for the light to change (the floor is lava!!), I think that might be something that could help when there's room to do it. I'm assuming it's the balance issues I mentioned, but it's always interesting to me how she's done multiple centuries and has many miles under her belt, but things I take for granted as being easy to do are really tough for her, like standing up while pedaling or riding no-handed.

    That said, she also really doesn't like having anyone explain to her how to do something unless she actively asks for that advice, so there might be an element of that too.

    At least we know the fit isn't compromised due to her wanting to stay on the saddle when she stops, the shop where we had the fit done wouldn't take that into consideration.

  7. #4517
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    Yes, the "coaching" problem is often an issue. Sometimes you need to make people think of their own ideas, but often that's difficult.


    Our tandem had bar-ends and the front cockpit was about the right length for me, or perhaps a tad long, so the bar-ends never got close to me. My wife's compartment, however, was severely shortened length-wise. Wonder now how I used to shift appropriately while controlling brakes, too. If I was stopping from underneath (more positive power), I guess it made it easy to slip back right near the stop and do a preparatory shift. Old-style brake levers couldn't always be controlled sufficiently or powerfully enough from the tops.

    Actually, not sure how easily I could start a bicycle standing on the pedals for the first few feet, either.
    Last edited by SportWagon; April 23rd, 2018 at 11:00 AM.

  8. #4518
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    This weekend I was eyeing my seldom-ridden Specialized Allez on the ceiling in my garage and wondering what it would bring on craigslist. It is bike-buying season, after all.

    Now I'm thinking of riding it fifty miles at this event: www.denvercenturyride.com. I'm not ready for their 85 and 100 mile courses, but I know I could do fifty miles if I started preparing for it now. It would be my first organized bike ride.

    I mentioned it to my wife this morning and she was very encouraging, which is probably her way of agreeing that I could stand to lose a few pounds.

  9. #4519
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Servo View Post
    That Ascent was my first real, non-Huffy bike growing up. Went to a real bike shop and everything. I rode the hell out of that thing for years. Even had it in that color.
    Here's another Diamondback Ascent in green, but this one is even nicer. The frame isn't all scratched up like that other one was.

    If I needed a bike today, I'd grab this one, change stems, and put some dirt drop bars on it. Maybe even some white bar tape, too

    Diamondback DB Ascent trail hybrid bike with large frame - $150




  10. #4520
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    You can definitely do the 50. I really enjoy organized rides like that, we have the LA River Ride that makes for a fun half century.

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