Extension Ladders and Biking
 

This summer I am painting houses for a living and I am noticing that on days that I spend a lot of time high on ladders my bike legs are dead on my after work rides. I don't think it is the climbing of the ladder that is wearing my legs out but maybe because of tensing the balance muscles for long periods. Anybody else notice this effect?

Ladders bang my legs up too...cannot say if it effects my riding or not, but suspect it would if same day.

I'm on ladders frequently, you are using assorted leg muscles for balance as you move around. Lots of small movements you probably are not aware of. It adds up over a day.

Muscles aren't static things like steel beams. We do work even when standing still. So, simply standing and reaching to paint is hard on muscles, though not as hard as riding.

To appreciate the effort needed to stay still stand up and put your arms out like a big T. Hold that for 10 minutes.

Speaking of extension ladders and cycling...

I was in San Louis Potosi, Mexico in 1997. Riding down the road in a car, I saw two guys on bikes. One on a bike in the front, one on a bike in the back. They had an extension ladder between them, slung over their shoulders. We passed too quickly to get a photo but I remember thinking, "There's an accident waiting to happen!"

I think this is one of "glass half full...." tests of outlook or world view. One person sees a potential accident, and the other sees a cool example of bike handling skill.