I know there's no real answer to this question, but I thought I'd run this by everyone, to get some positive re-enforcement.

I've been riding a bike seriously for 2 years. My first year and a half I rode a jamis hybrid 100-150 miles a week. It was awesome, but then it got squashed by an SUV while locked at a rack and I had some insurance money to spend.

I went with the sputnik, and I really love riding fixed, but after 3 months into the fall my knees hurt. Pretty bad. Walking up steps was painful. I was petrified that I'd never be able to ride again. I took the winter off, and re-evaluated.

My gearing was too high - I stepped down from 48x15, to 48X18 to 48x20

My seat was way too low. I brought it up till my balls screamed, and then I brought it forward

The results are happy balls, tender knees. I'm trying to ease back into it, but I moved, and now have a choice between 11 hilly miles home from the city, or 17 more flat miles.

I know I should take it easy, and build my miles slow, but man spring is here, and I want to ride so bad. I just want to get too and from work, and I used to be able to do it, but now I can't

I guess I'm just saying out loud, take it easy, don’t put on too many miles too fast, and by late summer I'll be belting out 150 again. Take it too quick, hurt my knees again, and I wont be riding till Fall. It sucks though…..

Any other thoughts?