Fifty Plus (50+) - How does a mile and a quarter sound?

I got tired waiting for my shorter crankset so I decided to ride my beater around the block. It didn't hurt as much as trying to ride the recumbent but it still hurt quite a bit. I definitely wasn't tempted to try another lap.

The pain felt like cartiledge rather than the bone. I'm still really weak and the toe on the bad leg pointed out quite a bit. My beater has a 175mm crank so I suspect a shorter crank wouldn't have hurt so bad.

Still, it's the longest ride for me since Labor Day so I've broken the ice. Tomorrow's another day.

I got tired waiting for my shorter crankset so I decided to ride my beater around the block. It didn't hurt as much as trying to ride the recumbent but it still hurt quite a bit. I definitely wasn't tempted to try another lap.

The pain felt like cartiledge rather than the bone. I'm still really weak and the toe on the bad leg pointed out quite a bit. My beater has a 175mm crank so I suspect a shorter crank wouldn't have hurt so bad.

Still, it's the longest ride for me since Labor Day so I've broken the ice. Tomorrow's another day.

And. hopefully each day will get a bit better.

Good to see you are trying. The pain will ease so keep it up.

Tomorrow's another day.

So right! Even when your short crank is in place be sure to follow the same good advice you would give to another rider on the way back. Take it easy, remember that your low gears are your best friends and focus on hours and seat time rather than miles.

Don't overdo, but it's good to see you back on.

When I first got back on the bike after a long drawn out health issue my rides would average 1.5 miles. This was last year. Now I'm up to 50 mile rides and I'm hoping to go past 100 this summer.

It's all about measured improvement. Everyday a little farther! And NEVER give up!!

Sorry for your pain....I am sure it will go away soon.

It's great to hear that you're back on the bikes!!

Nice red brakes on the beater.

I got tired waiting for my shorter crankset so I decided to ride my beater around the block. It didn't hurt as much as trying to ride the recumbent but it still hurt quite a bit. I definitely wasn't tempted to try another lap.

The pain felt like cartiledge rather than the bone. I'm still really weak and the toe on the bad leg pointed out quite a bit. My beater has a 175mm crank so I suspect a shorter crank wouldn't have hurt so bad.

Still, it's the longest ride for me since Labor Day so I've broken the ice. Tomorrow's another day.

What happened to you?

Sorry to hear about the bad leg issues. Hopefully there will be better days ahead.

wpt

Just be a little careful if you decide to put shorter cranks on the diamond frame. It will mean raising the seat (and by quite a margin if you decide to go the 160mm route to replace the 175s as on the recumbent). That may cause issues with getting on and off the saddle when starting and stopping (although to an extent this depends on the routine you have for this).

Just be a little careful if you decide to put shorter cranks on the diamond frame. It will mean raising the seat (and by quite a margin if you decide to go the 160mm route to replace the 175s as on the recumbent). That may cause issues with getting on and off the saddle when starting and stopping (although to an extent this depends on the routine you have for this).

That's a good point. It's all that I can do to swing my leg over the saddle when I get off now. Another half inch might not work for me. It'll change the drop from my saddle to my handlebar too. I think that I'm going to leave that bike alone for now.

Little by little ... and soon progress is made. Keep up the good work!

Retro Grouch -- i think we're dealing with the same problem. i crashed and shattered my hip on June 30 last year. This week i did my first ride . . . a 200-foot test ride in the trailer park. the good news is i can sit on the saddle and pedal with no pain. the bad news . . . it's almost impossible to get off and on. i gotta practice some different techniques, i guess. or maybe get one of those recumbent things like you have. good luck with your comeback, and post often. it gives me encouragement whenever i read that you're improving.

That's a good point. It's all that I can do to swing my leg over the saddle when I get off now. Another half inch might not work for me. It'll change the drop from my saddle to my handlebar too. I think that I'm going to leave that bike alone for now.

Short cranks also make it easier to spin fast. Easier to ride in a lower gear with less force on the joints. If the seat is too high, one can tip the bike to the ground and step in the main triangle with the far foot and then move a little and take another step out. It was so easy to spin the cranks fast on Bailey's trike that I measured the cranks. They are 140. One FOUR zero. They are great when my joints bother me. I hit 200 rpm once.
Impossible for me to do on my other bikes. Big difference. It's a huge help on track racing.

Maybe you could find something with short cranks just for a test ride. Then no time or money invested in something that might not work.

I think my first ride "back at it" was probably about that length and there was nothing really wrong with me other than being seriously out of shape. As Winter comes to a slow end it will be interesting to see what I can do in terms of miles. A mile and a quarter today, two miles tomorrow, 5 miles next week...it builds...

If the seat is too high, one can tip the bike to the ground and step in the main triangle with the far foot and then move a little and take another step out.

This gave me pause for thought... what about a "girl's" step-through frame, like the old 28". They are the norm in Europe, and you might be able to find a cheapie or one for nothing on to which you could transfer some parts, including the shorter cranks. Swinging your leg up and over the saddle or over the top tube then would not be so much of an issue.

RG,
This is great to read that you are starting back, distance and speed will come with time, for you. I am restarting since October and just to make the block lap was a great feeling. Pretty soon you will be posting about your rides at longer distances. Way to go!

Bill

Well done. Just ease on into it.

Oh - and that mile and a quarter loop has probably 30 or 40 feet of CLIMBING! Of course, that means there's 30 or 40 feet of coasting too.

Oh - and that mile and a quarter loop has probably 30 or 40 feet of CLIMBING! Of course, that means there's 30 or 40 feet of coasting too.

good for you. no matter what being mobile is a good thing.

RG have you considered working with your Physical Terrorist with regard to bike setup? Someone mentioned this elsewhere (not on bike forums) and they had good experience with it. If I remember correctly the trick for this person were pedal extenders to move feet out a bit more. might be something to consider having a PT look this over preferably one who is also a rider?

Don't think of it as a mile and a quarter, think of it as two kilometers!

I use 165mm cranks on my track bike and on my road fixie. Rode Paris-Brest-Paris on the fixie with no change in crank length on 44x17. Yes, less leverage out of the saddle on climbs, but I don't notice it. And you can spin faster on the descents. The pro 6-day racer Peter Post was well over 6' tall, and the longest cranks he used on the track were 167.5.

Where shorter cranks come in handy is on tandems. If you're the pilot and have a good spin, you use 175's. If the stoker does not have a good spin, she gets 165's. The angular velocity (basically rpm's) of the pedals is the same, but her foot speed is about 5-6% slower than yours. Another good way to do impedance matching.

Luis

RG have you considered working with your Physical Terrorist with regard to bike setup?

If I was aware of a local cyclist/PT with a good reputation who did that, I'd go. I'm a little wary of wondering from one to another unless I get a real positive referral.

Don't think of it as a mile and a quarter, think of it as two kilometers!

Where shorter cranks come in handy is on tandems. If you're the pilot and have a good spin, you use 175's. If the stoker does not have a good spin, she gets 165's. The angular velocity (basically rpm's) of the pedals is the same, but her foot speed is about 5-6% slower than yours. Another good way to do impedance matching.

Two good points!

Mrs. Grouch and I have pretty much decided to leave the tandem alone for a year. Actually, she said she'll never get on it again and I decided not to push the issue for a year. We have IPS on the Screamer but she still has to pedal at my (higher) dadence and I don't think that she likes that. If we ever start tandemming again, I'm thinking I'll probably tinker with the crank lengths.

This gave me pause for thought... what about a "girl's" step-through frame, like the old 28". They are the norm in Europe, and you might be able to find a cheapie or one for nothing on to which you could transfer some parts, including the shorter cranks. Swinging your leg up and over the saddle or over the top tube then would not be so much of an issue.

Good point. Around here there are plenty of step through frames. Most of the ones around here are new bike though. There are plenty of people around here with leg and other physical problems can get on a step through frame. Some can barely walk.

It sounds great to me, Grouchy

You wished me good luck when I was wanting to get back into running after an injury. I didn't get up to a mile and a quarter for a long time. Up to 10 km now. I'm sure the same will be for you

R

Great to hear that you are rolling again, RG!
One gentle step at a time does it. Persistence and patience are key... for me, it took a slow 9 months of spinning in third gear to get to where my bad knee tolerates efforts on the large chainring. And now I can walk knee-pain free without feeling like Frankenstein's monster - but it was a long time coming. Hang in there!