Originally Posted by
HawkOwl
Pain on wheels is a never ending topic that soon loses focus.
Just like no one expects a weight lifter to do gymnastics, your body type drives your comfort level on a bike. You are welcome to play. But it is going to hurt.
Look at the machine you are riding. Mostly, with no or limited suspension every little shock is transmitted to and absorbed by the body. Over time that wears on a person. Some people can train out of that, some can't. It is like trauma. Some people can know the trauma is coming and just absorb it, some can't.
Some people will say changing machines, say from upright to recumbent, is "the answer". Nonsense. It is the answer for some people, but not all. So the religious fervor should be put back in the box.
Bottom line is we ride machines that are not designed for comfort, let alone pain free operation. Some can overcome that and ride for varying lengths of time. Some can't.
There has been a lot on information on this thread, a whole lot of it really good. But this resonates with me as one of the most rooted in reality which I personally believe truly represents the reality of cycling long distances, especially in the over 50 crowd. It certainly reflects my own experiences and apparently, that of a number of other people as well.
Kudos to
@HawkOwl.