Originally Posted by Tightwad
Hmmmmmmmm.........
If you ride to the point of , or with , pain what's the point??
This makes no sense to me unless you want / need to prove you're
a macho man or are having joint issue that need a doctor's care.
Last I knew pain was your bodies warning that something is wrong.
Ever do intervals? They hurt - a lot. But that's how you get faster.
Ever do hilly centuries on consecutive days? One day two, ibuprofen is your best riding buddy.
Multiday tours can take their toll. Minor aches and pains are no reason to quit cycling. A little muscle soreness is expected from time to time. NSAIDs help take the edge off the soreness. It's not a matter of being a macho man (or woman).
I have an issue with one knee that sometimes gives me problems on long hilly routes. I like to take an iboprofen at the beginning and every four hours during the ride. It seems to help prevent the knee pain and it's easier to prevent it than to deal with it after it occurs.
Most aches and pains don't need a doctor's care any more than the occasional headache. If you have a major joint problem, NSAIDs aren't going to solve it and are no substitute for medical care. But most cycling pain is from overuse and can be managed quite nicely with NSAIDs.