DG
I share your pain . . . literally! 20 years ago I strained the ligaments of my left knee while teaching my kids to ski. The problem did not show up immediately, but about a month later I hiked solo into the Black Canyon (5 miles and a descent of 1,200 feet) for some fishing. When I tried to climb back out the knee locked up and it took hours to limp back up and into the doctor's office.

That doc was a really smart guy -- said surgery would not help, and that biking was a good way to strengthen the muscles supporting the knee. It took a while, but the knee is pretty good. It occassionally barks when I'm tackling rides with lots of climbing, but a simple neoprene wrap works well to keep the kneee stable and pain free.

Just get back onto that new bike when it feels right, don't push too hard early on, and I'm sure you will be sharing your rides — and your latest dream bike -- with us once again!