jppe

Today's ride left me with the feeling I might not even ride again.........

Never mind it was cool-32 degrees at the start with a steady 10 mph wind. The discouraging part is the pain under my left sit bone. There is definitely a small knot there now and after 25-30 miles the pain just shoots through my body. I cannot find a comfortable spot on the saddle-except to stand and pedal. Plus the harder I pedal when sitting the worse the pain gets.

I also have a "mass" on the other side or under my right cheekbone that I've had checked out by the best doctors around and we've opted to just leave it alone. I've been able to tolerate it for a couple years but it "squishes around" under my right sit bone as I pedal along. I guess the left side has finally gotten jealous of being pain free and is really taking it out on me.

I've tried different saddles, moved the saddle position around and even resorted to some old gel shorts but nothing I've tried seems to provide any relief. I'm out of ideas of things to try. I've ridden with lots of pain in my joints and body before on 100 mile rides but this just one takes all the pleasure out of being out on a bike. I guess this 'ol body has decided that 30,000 miles is enough. I just wish it had consulted me first!

Sorry to be so negative but this is really frustrating.......

RalphP

Ah, that's sad. Hiking and swimming, snorkeling, archery, birding, fishing... maybe what we need is an exhaustive list of what you can do outdoors that involves very little sitting down.

BSLeVan

jppe: I'd be discouraged too. But you seem to love cycling too much to just walk away. I can't believe that there isn't a solution to be found. Maybe this is like the 75-80 mile mark for me when riding a century. It's reached the point where I'm so tired that I want to give up. Yet. somehow I always find a way to finish it. Do you have access to a physician who is also a cyclist? Maybe even one who just specializes in sports medicine?

stonecrd

That does suck, its no fun cycling if your in pain. I would try a few different physicians before I chucked it in. Worse case take 6-12 months off the bike and try something else and see if it clears up, it is winter, maybe things will be better by spring. It sounds like trying to ride through it is just making it worse.

solveg

Maybe a recumbent?

megaman

That's what I would try. And you don't have to be slow on a bent.

Digital Gee

This is awful news and it hits me real bad. I hate hearing this! I too agree that perhaps taking a few months off, or trying a recumbent, is the next step. You're such a hero to me I can't imagine you not cycling. I hope that a cure for what ails you can be found. Hang in there!!!

Chaco

I gave up cycling for 15 years because of some neck surgery. Last June, I got back into it again, thanks to a great recumbent. Do yourself a favor and investigate what's out there. I've done 4 centuries so far without a trace of neck, back, or butt pain.

The Smokester

Yeah. Time to consider a recumbent.

Jet Travis

jppe, you are the ironman of this group, and I really admire you. While you can ride rings around me, I think we have shared some things in common--notably a possible failure to factor in the role of rest and recovery. This has led to a number of nagging injuries on my part and the occasional feeling of burnout. I think, after all this time, I'm beginning to pace myself more, including more time off the bike, more hiking and other activities.

Taking some time off the bike--maybe a month or even more--might also be all you need. Then when you come back, start slow and build back up gradually to your previous level of fitness--or maybe a little less, if you want.

I leave you with best wishes and q quote from Joe Friel's "Cycling Past 50:" The most important pieces of the training puzzle for the serious past-50 rider are rest and recovery.

tntom

Don't quit till you have seen a good sports med. doctor. Please.

CrossChain

Echo all above....especially the admiration we all feel for your dedication, mileage, and pure, expressed pleasure in riding. Remember, as you would tell any of us, that you have options-- from rest to recumbency for a time to a sports/cycling oriented doctor. Without getting hokey...it's the old Lance thing...and glad we are that it's not exactly the Lance thing.

Pockets

Ditto the recumbent

Tom Bombadil

This is my biggest worry as I ride more and more. That some medical something or other will stop me in my tracks. As I'm a medical moron, I can give no advice, outside of encouraging you to aggressively dog your doctors, or find new ones. I've known many people over the years who had curable maladies that plagued them for years until they found the right doctor.

Sports medicine has made tremendous advances over the past 20 years and that knowledge is distributed quite unevenly throughout the medical world. Which is understandable, as I don't know how doctors could possible keep up with this rate of change.

Ken Brown

I have Achilles problems that stopped me from running and other sports many years ago, and I am even limited in the amount of walking I can do. Plus I am stiff everywhere except where I want to be (Rodney Dangerfield). However I am so pleased that nothing has stopped me from cycling, so I feel your pain.

As others have suggested, it looks like a recumbent is what you need.

BluesDawg

Best of luck, jppe. You have been a great source of inspiration for many of us. I am sorry to see you are having troubles riding. I hope that you and your doctors can find a good solution to get you active again, hopefully on your bikes. But even if you have to resort to (gasp) recumbents, I know you will find some way to keep going. Hang in there.

Monoborracho

Maybe some rest and recovery will help. But it is wise to always have lumps and bumps inside our bodies checked. Good luck to you.

Stevie47

My advice: Don't give up without a fight.

A few months ago I had a very similar issue, pain on my left sitbone. Mine seemed to be some sort of knot in there that caused a surface saddle sore. When I would ride, it started out sort of ok, but after a while would start hurting and nothing I could do fixed it. The answer turned out to be lowering my saddle a bit more than 1/8th inch. I dont know what changed but it got better and better after that and now is fine.

Wouldn't hurt to try (I hope you havent done that already!)

specbill

+100 on another doctor, particularly a sports doc that understands what we are about. Some well meaning MD's can give some really bad advice...Get aggressive with the medical side until you get answers that makes sense to you!
Also, be patient with yourself and give plenty of time to heal, both are really important. Your deal really hits home hard... I thought I would never run and cycle again after a car accident caused multiple fractured and compressed vertebrae in my early 50's. I tried to come back a year after I thought I was healed and it was a crushing disaster. I pretty much gave up on both and went on to other things. Then 3 years later almost by accident I got a chance to ride again and everything came back even the running. I don't know you but I feel for you, I know it is a crap time.. but good things happen every day...and they sure can for you. Wishing you the very best.
Bill J.

Giro

How do you spell R-E-L-I-E-F ?
(if you are old enough for this forum, you will remember that advertising slogan)

... R-E-C-U-M-B-E-N-T

Seriously, as others suggest, see at least one if not two good sports medicine MD's. You might ask in advance if they have a particular interest in bicycling and/or post an inquiry in Bike Forums' road or general subforums for a sports medicine doc recommendation in your metropolitan area.

As an alternative to taking it lying down (recumbent), Peter White Cycles provides this link with the recommendation "Pedersen Bicycles are amazingly comfortable. I'm not kidding. You just won't believe how comfortable these bikes are." I've never even seen, much less pedaled one, but it just might be an upright alternative to the conventional diamond-frame LINK.

Finally, if all else fails and as others posted, consider other outdoor exercise-oriented activities. Rowing (crew) clubs are usually eager for newcomers. It avoids sudden stresses and provides a better all body workout than cycling. If you want real adventure, there's the Ocean Rowing Society LINK. If only you faced the direction you rowed.

knotty

jppe,
What are these "masses"? something growing on the sit bones itself like a cyst or something like bursitis?
With the sit bones so close to the surface, can some light surgery help?

Just wondering.
knotty

buelito

get a second opinon-- and when you go 'bent (if that's the road you choose), I saw one when I did Mountains of Misery a couple of years ago-- It had 4 chainrings, and the guy said it was slow uphill, but it coulde climb anything

train safe-

Kurt Erlenbach

We think of doctors as magicians sometimes - they know magical things that we do not and they can fix whatever mysterious malady we have. Knotty's questions are correct. These masses are something more specific than just "masses" and some doctor has the knowledge and experience to deal with them. Every doctor does not. Few doctors are cyclists, and few of their patients are cyclists, especially serious cyclists. It will take some work, but some doctor knows the answer. Maybe the answer is to stop riding, maybe not. But don't stop until you have an answer.

JanMM

Yes, you might wanna be looking into those funny-looking bikes.

doctor j

+1 on a second opinion.