jim p

My old routine is that I keep going when my body gets uncomfortable. My new technique is going to be to stop and stretch when I start feeling discomfort. I have started stopping every couple of miles of hill repeats (which is all the riding that I do now). I climb about 1500 feet in 20 miles so it is no great hill.

So is my new technique going to end up with me stopping every few feet?

stapfam

Depends on whether you decide you need training for the rest breaks- or for the hills.

And it depends on how uncomfortable. I started riding in April after the winter layoff and that first ride was only 20 miles. Rest at 10 miles and 15. Next was 32 and a steep hill- I rested halfway up the hill. Next couple missed out the hill but I still got in the mileage. Then end of May and a Century- with enough breaks to say I took it easy but not enough to say that it was many short rides strung together.

Stop slacking and find a cafe every 10 to 15 miles. And we want pics of the Pie.

jim p

I think that I am going to embrace the slacker attitude. My days of hardening up may be over. I just hope that I can maintain my present style and not slip even further toward being a couch potato.

I used to do the 35 mile rides fighting dogs and cars but now it is just one hill and a bicycle that goes up and down. There is no pie stop on the hill just a water bottle on the bike.

It does feel good to stop and stretch after a couple of miles.

Terex

We are all so different. I've never considered stopping due to "discomfort". What are you talking about specifically? Are you having back pains? Muscle cramps?

billydonn

If I stopped for discomfort I'd be doing a lot of stopping. I find that it usually goes away if you keep going awhile. Guess I agree with Terex that "discomfort" needs clarification.

As to suffering now... well, we all have limits somewhere.

jim p

The discomforts are things like the neck muscles complaining, the rear deciding that it needs a break from the seat, and the hands/wrist getting a little discomfort from the pressure.

Notice I am using the word discomfort and not pain.

From what I understand there are 3 points of contact with the bike and the only point where I don't have a complaint is with my feet. My feet seem to be happy and never complain.

I have discovered that if I ride hard (or the more power that I put into the pedals) the less discomfort that I have. Mr rear tends to rise a little off the seat and my hands will lift from the drops when I really put in strong pedal strokes. But I only use the strong strokes for the tough part of the hill.

If I want to give the rear and hands a break, I can stand for a few strokes. So I can take breaks on the bike if I have to and keep going.

I keep thinking that maybe a better fit on the bike would help or maybe a better seat but then I think that just sitting in an easy chair gets a little uncomfortable and a person needs to shift around a little for maximum comfort.

I am trying to use my stops for maximum benefit. I will let my chin drop to my chest which really stretches the back neck muscles and makes the neck feel great. Then I do a deep and long forward fold making the back very happy. I will take one hand and place it on the seat and the other hand on the handle bars and then twist as far as I can trying to look behind me. This move stretches the back muscles from the hips to the shoulders. Then I take a couple of swallows of water and back to pedaling.

So let me ask this question. Is anyone able to just sit on their bike seat and pedal for 2 hours and not have any discomfort or need to stand for a small break or to shift a little on the seat. I don't think I could ever do that no matter what I was sitting on.

qcpmsame 

It is getting to be almost trite but I'll go ahead and say, as you have, it sounds like your bike fit isn't right for you. From your description is seems as if your stem length/height and saddle height/fore-aft adjustment are not right for your build. Maybe try a few different saddles to see if this helps you any.

Get someone that understands fitting a bicycle, or your LBS, to check your fit out and see if these help the discomfort out any. Best of luck with your riding.

Bill

chasm54

Everybody shifts a little on the saddle, it's virtually impossible not to, I'd have thought. But I don't have to do it consciously, very much. I regularly ride for more than two hours without stops and without discomfort. I'll rarely ride for two hours without standing, I guess, though it has never occurred to me to think about it. Shifting one's hand positions fairly frequently is important, but again I rarely have to think about it, I just do it.

Why do you only do hill repeats? I like the physical challenge of training, as opposed to just riding along, but doing nothing but hill repeats seems peculiarly masochistic.

Terex

I'm with Bill - sounds like you have a fit problem. If you've been riding for a fair amount of time, you really shouldn't be having the types of recurrent discomfort you're talking about. If the fit is correct, you will have butt, neck and back pains as you initially increase mileage, but after your muscular support systems get built up, all of those should go away as long as you don't have other complicating factors, such as excess weight, arthritis issues, etc.

jim p

Thanks for the comments. I think that I have a fit problem, and maybe an equipment problem and definitely a fitness problem.

The fit should be fairly close but it could probably be tweaked but then again it would change if my fitness level changes. A better seat would probably help some and if I was fit enough to just stand and ride for a couple of hours then the seat would not matter much.

The reason that I am only doing hill repeats now is that I don't trust drivers not to be high on drugs or distracted by texting and using cell phones. I also am disgusted with dogs coming out to chase and greet me on the road. I have had drivers lock their brakes to keep from hitting dogs and even swerve into my lane because of a dog that came running into the road.

The hill that I ride has no dogs on it and the road is very curvy and is the main entrance to a manufacturing plant. So I feel like the drivers on this road are alert because of the curves and are probably not high since they are going to work or to purchase materials.

Maybe one day I will find a flat loop and I can do less hill repeats.

David Bierbaum

Aggressive dogs are the worst. I can deal with the happy barking "You're in my territory, but I can be bribed with petting and snacks!" type dogs, but the "Intruder alert! Chase down and rip out throat!" four-legged Daleks give me the heebeegeebees.

Terex

Sorry you don't have a good place to ride. Just be safe out there - that's the most important thing.

DnvrFox

Is moving an option? We have NO dog problems here, great trails, etc.

jim p

It seems that bike fit is the biggest problem. I have two old road bikes. One is set up with the bars about seat height and the other is set up with the bars 4" below the seat. I have great flexibility so I had decided to give the bike with the low bars a try to see if I could adjust to the lower position. Now the problem is that I had forgotten why I was riding the bike with the low bars. After riding the low bars for 3 months and not being able to get comfortable on the bike, I had become accustomed to just grabbing it and going riding.

So a few weeks ago I decide that I will ride the other bike and keep the rust off the chain. It didn't take but one ride to realize that this bike is more comfortable. Then I got to thinking about why I was riding the other bike and I remembered my experiment. This just goes to show that I can be concentrating on the present and forget the purpose of the ride.

So I have been riding the better fitting bike 10 miles and then taking a break to stretch. Last Sunday I rode my longest ride of 63 miles in 7 hours with about 8 stops for breaks. I over did it and took a couple of days off the bike to rest up. These long rides will let you know what parts of your body don't like the current fit. My shoulders started complaining along with many other body parts.

DnvrFox

That's great. The rest is important, and the next time, that 63 miles will seem SO MUCH easier. Good for you.

mapeiboy

DnvrFox , 125 bicycle/wk , 4-5 hrs swiming , weight lifting , walking , stretching . You do all those in one day ? wow . I am lot younger than you , 100 km bike everyday . I have nothing left after the ride , Good for you to be in such great shape at 72 .

DnvrFox

No, not all in one day.

But, yes, I do all of them regularly in a week.

Typically, I will get up about 5:30, check the computer - i.e., BFN and email, and then do some stretches and several resistive exercises such as dips, bench press, push ups, planks, stretch bands, etc. I vary it from day to day to give the muscles a rest, and every now and then skip a day on purpose, or because of other activities - such as yesterday, my singing group went 100 miles up into the mountains to present a concert. Even yesterday, I got a nice early morning ride before we left at 9:30 am.

Then, I will typically ride 20-30 miles on one of 3 bikes, varying the route, and, during the summer, trying to end up at 9:00 am at the outdoor pool, which allows lap swimming from 9-10 am, and I enjoy swimming outdoors. I swim for maybe 45 minutes or so, then pedal on home. In the cooler times, when the outdoor pool is closed, I have two other indoor pools to choose from, each on one of our MUPS.

Sometimes "life" takes over, and I need to pay attention to the wife's needs or other obligations, so things change for that day.

I sincerely believe in a well-rounded exercise program. I am NOT a long-distance rider, but, rather, several shorter daily rides for most of the days of the week.

In the winter, I like to walk if unable to bicycle.

As one gets older, it is critical to develop and keep up one's muscle strength, which, naturally, deteriorates about 1% per year. You can best do this by heavy maximum weights.

Road Fan

Can you raise the bars on the low bar bike (LBB)? I also find hand pressure is reduced if I slide the saddle back just a 16th of an inch as long as the bars are about level.

And I totally agree, long rides will expose the fit problems you have!

jim p

I could raise the LBB's bar up a little but not enough unless I buy a very tall quill stem. I am using a tall quill stem on the bike that has the best fit. I have my seats moved as far back as they will go.

These bikes are 57 cm bikes and I think that a 59 cm frame might be a better fit for me. One day I will find a good bike that is just my size.