Bicycle age

Anyone doing the 2014 STP? I'm debating signing up for it (no, it's not open yet) and wanted to see if anyone here was a) doing it or b) has done it and to c)get some training tips. I want to try to do it in one day, and I kind of realize what that means...I just need some perspective.
 
Noticed a severe weakness in my right hand when performing certain tasks last weekend - writing with a pen, pulling up weeds, holding a knife, using a toothbrush etc were all suddenly very difficult. Not painful, just difficult. I put it down to a slight strain but it's been getting progressively worse, so went to see the doctor yesterday. Seems I've got stenosing tenosynovitis, or 'trigger finger', inflammation of the tendon where my ring finger joins the palm. This was likely caused by the pressure and vibration of gripping a handlebar for an average of eighty off-road miles a week.

Having an x-ray later today and blood tests next week (to check for arthritis, diabetes etc I think) then will be off to see a hand specialist in mid-October. So, no more biking for me for quite a while. Bah! I've been wearing gloves with very little palm padding and can't help thinking that a good pair of gel gloves could have perhaps prevented all this.
 
I suffer with tendinitis in my wrists. If I ever notice it start to flair up then I take some time off cycling, use my computer less and get on the anti-inflammatories. Massive, massive pain in the arse.

I've noticed that gloves with gel pads certainly reduce the pressure on my wrists, but I don't know how much difference it would make for your fingers. That said, grip less!
 
Psychotext said:
I suffer with tendinitis in my wrists. If I ever notice it start to flair up then I take some time off cycling, use my computer less and get on the anti-inflammatories. Massive, massive pain in the arse.
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Sorry to hear that mate. My tendon inflammation area is at the 'top' of the palm, below where the finger starts, which is exactly where the cushioning was on my old (now worn-out) gel gloves.

edit: picture shows exactly the location of the hard, enflamed nodule I've got, which would normally be directly underneath the cushioning area from my old gel gloves:

mcdc7_trigger_finger.jpg


Some 'cushier' grips might help, too. My current ones are quite hard.

I try not to grip the bars too tightly, but sometimes you need to hang on for dear life..!
 
@Mascot

Consider getting a bike fitting, or at least reading up on how to properly set yourself up. Chances are your weight is too far forward, and you're driving too much force through your hands.

An offset post, or longer stem can make all the difference in the world. Seat height/angle, stem height/angle, lever positions, bar sweep - scrutinize it all. A friendly local bike shop with insight, and some beater parts to mix and match comes in really handy for this stuff.

I know for me personally, my body will eventually wail if anything is out of whack. Knees hurt? Post must have slipped a few mil. Checks it, yep.
 
allegate said:
I have a callous in that spot from my wedding ring. Never really thought about it until you posted that picture, but should I start taking it off when I ride?
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I take mine off, though it's as much for fear of losing it as pressure on that finger (I certainly notice it when I'm on the turbo trainer).
 
Big Takeover said:
@Mascot

Consider getting a bike fitting, or at least reading up on how to properly set yourself up. Chances are your weight is too far forward, and you're driving too much force through your hands.

An offset post, or longer stem can make all the difference in the world. Seat height/angle, stem height/angle, lever positions, bar sweep - scrutinize it all. A friendly local bike shop with insight, and some beater parts to mix and match comes in really handy for this stuff.

I know for me personally, my body will eventually wail if anything is out of whack. Knees hurt? Post must have slipped a few mil. Checks it, yep.
Click to expand...

Thanks, BT. Sound advice. I was sized for the bike before purchase but not had a 'fitting' as such. I've changed the bars to get a 15mm greater rise and since then (with occasional tweaks) it's felt spot-on. Certainly no particular focussed pain after 3-hour rides.

You know, I'm not even 100% convinced this tendon problem is necessarily bike-related any more. Sure, doing 80-odd miles a week over rough ground for many months is bound to take a toll on contact points, but pressure on that part of the hand shouldn't be too severe. I'd have thought the heel of the palm or maybe the base of the thumb takes more of a pounding. After doing further research it seems 'trigger finger' can happen for any number of reasons, or for no particular single reason at all. Hell, even the doctor who examined me didn't seem all that sure. Extensive biking just seemed to be an obvious and logical scapegoat. The specialist I'm seeing in mid-October should hopefully shed more light on it.

I'm just really pissed off that I won't be able to ride - or hold cutlery properly - for a few weeks at least, especially with an Indian summer on the cards. Hell, it's been two days since I've ridden and I'm missing it already.
 
Man, commuting is kind of fun - but - it seems like i can't put on a nice outfit And get a nice, comfy and sweat-free ride. I need to buy some bike wear. I hate that a lot of the clothes are super expensive :(
 
waypoetic said:
Man, commuting is kind of fun - but - it seems like i can't put on a nice outfit And get a nice, comfy and sweat-free ride. I need to buy some bike wear. I hate that a lot of the clothes are super expensive :(
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I just use regular exercise clothes. But I'm pretty non sweaty.
 
waypoetic said:
You walk around at work in work out clothes?
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I think he means that he doesn't buy specific cycling gear, just uses sports gear, which he changes at the office.

Unrelated, I don't know if it's a fracture, or just badly battered, but I went over my handlebars earlier (crossing a field with long grass, hidden motorcross bike rut), ended up with my handlebar smashing me in the ribs and then having to cycle the rest of the route in agony.

Not enjoyable.
 
Psychotext said:
Unrelated, I don't know if it's a fracture, or just badly battered, but I went over my handlebars earlier (crossing a field with long grass, hidden motorcross bike rut), ended up with my handlebar smashing me in the ribs and then having to cycle the rest of the route in agony.

Not enjoyable.
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Oof. Hope it's not a broken rib. There's not much you can do about those except wait them out.

Speaking of waiting, turns out my appointment with the hand specialist isn't until the 30th October, not the 13th like I'm positive I was told. That's five fucking weeks from being x-rayed during which time things could be getting worse, untreated. Fucking great.
 
waypoetic said:
Man, commuting is kind of fun - but - it seems like i can't put on a nice outfit And get a nice, comfy and sweat-free ride. I need to buy some bike wear. I hate that a lot of the clothes are super expensive :(
Click to expand...

- Don't wear a backpack. Backpacks will make your back sweaty
- Wear a breathable shirt as a base layer. Doesn't need to be cycling-specific.
- Use baby wipes or moist toilet paper to wipe down when you get to work, assuming you have no place to shower.
- Bring an extra shirt, whatever you plan on wearing for the day. Only put this on once you've stopped sweating.

Good luck
 
ameratsu said:
- Don't wear a backpack. Backpacks will make your back sweaty
- Wear a breathable shirt as a base layer. Doesn't need to be cycling-specific.
- Use baby wipes or moist toilet paper to wipe down when you get to work, assuming you have no place to shower.
- Bring an extra shirt, whatever you plan on wearing for the day. Only put this on once you've stopped sweating.

Good luck
Click to expand...


That's my routine when I bike to work, though I don't bring an extra shirt. The only other thing I would add is to ride slowly, or at a reasonable pace. When I first started bike commuting I would haul ass thinking I had to maintain a certain speed, but after a while it dawned on me that I'm not racing anyone so I just took it slow. It cuts down on the sweat, but I concur that good looking bike commuting clothes are expensive.
 
Had an awesome ride yesterday and really felt a connection with my bike. I was looking to sell up and upgrade to a full suss but my 2013 Cube LTD pro 29 just ticks all my boxes. I've upgraded the bars and stem to carbon and XT brakes and it just fits like a glove.

Truely hated the bike when I get it but amazing what a change of stem and handlebar size does for the handling of a bike. I went down from 720mm to 640mm...I don't get massive handlebars! I shrunk the stem down to keep the bike dynamic!

Just ordered a RockShox Reverb brand new for £160 so well chuffed! I'll move to a full suss next year I think but can wait for now :-)
 
I can't say I really understand the whole wide bar / no stem fetishism. I tend to just go with what fits me and I've never had any issue with control / comfort.

Upgrade related, I just put a new fork on my hardtail and will be getting some new wheels in the next few weeks. Saddle aside, that'll be that bike "finished" and I'll be getting myself a trail bike around May next year.
 
Psychotext said:
Probably old, but a friend just sent me this:

CaiObKz.gif


...and that's why I'll never ride a new trail flat out.
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that's kind of hilarious, assuming no real injuries and just some sores. but yeah, one of the trails around here my friend rides super fast and I just dont have enough experience with it to go doing that. that's crazy
 
Completed the Lakeland Monster Miles (Massif Route) on Sunday. Probably the hardest thing I've ever done, or likely ever will. That's not to say I'll never do anything more difficult than that, but I'll certainly be sure to be more prepared and fitter when I do.

7hs 47m (or something along those lines)... with the last two hours not knowing if I'd even be able to walk out, let alone ride.

Luckily the rib held out ok (painful, but ok), at least until 5 minutes ago when I sneezed and jolted it pretty badly. Think I'm going to go for a beer and feel sorry for myself now!
 
Psychotext said:
Completed the Lakeland Monster Miles (Massif Route) on Sunday. Probably the hardest thing I've ever done, or likely ever will. That's not to say I'll never do anything more difficult than that, but I'll certainly be sure to be more prepared and fitter when I do.

7hs 47m (or something along those lines)... with the last two hours not knowing if I'd even be able to walk out, let alone ride.
Click to expand...

Wow, that looks like fun! My thighs are burning just from watching the video...

I had halfway planned to participate in something similar next August: the Birkebeiner race, biggest mountain bike race in the world. But I didn't realize how popular it actually is. 17000 tickets were sold out in a few hours. Maybe in two years, then. Or maybe I'll join you for next year's Lakeland Monster Miles :-)
 
thomaser said:
Wow, that looks like fun! My thighs are burning just from watching the video...

I had halfway planned to participate in something similar next August: the Birkebeiner race, biggest mountain bike race in the world. But I didn't realize how popular it actually is. 17000 tickets were sold out in a few hours. Maybe in two years, then. Or maybe I'll join you for next year's Lakeland Monster Miles :-)
Click to expand...

There's still spots in UltraBirken which is more of a real mountainbikerace and not a gravel race (it's a 120km though, so it's much tougher)
 
kottila said:
There's still spots in UltraBirken which is more of a real mountainbikerace and not a gravel race (it's a 120km though, so it's much tougher)
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Don't think I should try that before getting a few years experience... I only got my bike a month ago! The regular Birken seems to be achievable by almost everybody, though.

I'm going to cycle round Sicily next April, around 400 kilometers. But that's with racing bikes, on good roads, with a moderate tempo and with many stops, so I don't think it will prepare me for a long mtb-race.
 
Rode 2 hours on roads today without any trouble, went on a sidewalk for a few minutes on a narrow road to avoid creating a traffic blocka and while on the sidewalk I just avoidwd cradhes with: a guy who came up a staircase and without looking walked almost directly in front off me, a dog in a leash who was dragging his owner along and 4 kids playing on a fence and then suddenly all of them decided to jump off and block the entire sidewalk and not move when i came towards them (even if i rang my bell and told them I was approaching). I'd rather take my chances with the cars.
 
Does anyone here have any direct/indirect/anecdotal experience of Ergon grips? I think they might help with the inflamed tendon/carpal tunnel syndrome problem in my hand by spreading the pressure. Are they suitable for mountain biking? They look well engineered and don't seem bad value at around £23.

short video

0027388_ergon_gc1_grips.jpeg


Edit: Reviews on Wiggle are very positive. Might give these a go.

Psycho - these might also help with your aching wrists?

Edit: very nice cork version, too. I love the look of these - wonder how well they wear (and how they feel) compared to the rubber version?

Ergon%20GP1%20Biokork%20grips.jpg
 
Some douche bag left staples on the bike lane on my way to work -_-. Good thing i was able to make it back home.
 
Psychotext said:
All quiet in cycling thread land... everyone already giving up for the winter? :)
Click to expand...

I'd be out every day, rain or shine, if it wasn't for this pesky hand. STILL two weeks away from my appointment....
I keep getting Strava updates about people beating my KOMs.
Very frustrating..!

Edit: footage from Rampage 2013 should be filtering through soon. Haven't seen any yet.
 
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