Ok girls - just how many of us are there here?

wackydeirdre

There is a dog guide school in Smithtown, my cousin worked there some years ago. It's in town not far from my home. Why do you ask?

paigeo

I was just curious...am I the youngest female, girl, woman, whatever we feel like classifying ourselves by today that is on cyclingforums.com? I'm 15. I mountain bike, go to school, and work at a bike shop, balance track, drama, lacrosse, a little bro.I have a boyfriend of 1 1/2 yrs whom i mt bike with. I live in the United States and ride a 19" Marin B-17 Alloy AXC hardtail. Just wondering. P.S. I am 5'3" 130lbs and ride a 19".

bikelet

Quite possibly...i am 19, uni student, studying exercise and sports science riding to uni (60km round trip) and finding random amusements in my spare time like being on the net, playing piano, doing art and such forth. Used to be into competitive track as a junior...

ptlwp

I am at the big 5-0. I had a back surgery in my twenties and a hip replacement 12-28-04.

I got myself a Trek 7100, 2006 to get myself stronger and in better shape than I have been, even before my surgery and hip trouble.

I've been riding for two weeks and already feel better. I, at this point, don't plan on racing, but the exercise and getting outdoors is great.

My endocrinologist recommended 1/2 hour twice a day to help with hypothyroidism, which I also have.

I was fine (except for herniated disc at 24) til I was 40 and it was downhill from there.

When they say your metabolism changes, believe it; thyroid or not!!!

ShannonMU

I'm a high school senior in Lee's Summit, Missouri, which is just outside of Kansas City. I got into cycling two summers ago. I rode on an irregular schedule the past year, then after spending two weeks in Europe in the lead up to the tour, I just wanted to get home and ride my ass off. Now I'm working on entering some races after the winter and joining the cycling team at the University of Missouri, where I am going next fall. Right now I ride 4+ times a week, but it's hard to find anywhere to ride that is over 20 miles without crossing a major road or riding in the same loop over and over, which is rather frustrating. I want to join a local club and go on group rides, but I've always trained alone and am a bit shy, so I have yet to introduce myself to the groups that I always see around. It's really hard to find other people to ride with as well, as there are no kids in my city who share this love with me.

wackydeirdre

It's wonderful that you do love cycling at such a young age! Don't ever quit on it. I've been trying to get my own daughters interested but peer pressure makes them feel silly about it. My 15yr old would like to go out jogging but says she wouldn't hear the end of it from the other kids. My only chance now is to get my sons into it. They very much want to ride but are physically delayed. I've been working with them though. They'll be out there by next spring - if only on mountain bikes.

__________________
"Everyone we meet, everything we see, every hurdle that comes our way happens for a reason.
It's up to us to figure out what it is then what to do about it." - John Soules (Rest in peace dear friend "Until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hand")

charly h

Hello

Another female here! I love my bike too. It's a crappy old racer, probably about my age (31), but still v fast, and I've got lots of plans for it ... a slow rebuild and doing up. New wheels on Tues! I live in London and cycling is the best way to get around - I also love the fact that I arrive whereever wide awake, no danger of nodding off with buses and taxis thundering past!
I'm also interested in what you say about your previuos back problem - how's your back now? I've been having back pain for a couple of years and had the results of an MRI today - a couple of small bulges on discs. How do you find cycling impacts on it? I've asked an osteopath's advice, their view was that it depends on the individual, useful!... I've been cycling most days for the past month (and less often before as was getting pain from hernias) and generally it seems OK. I'm working on the theory that as my back weakness seems to be in the lumbar area, working my glutes, lower back etc through cycling should increase my strength, and therefore push those discs back with increased muscle tone! Any helpful experience?
Sorry to bore you with my tale of woe ... !

wackydeirdre

Not at all boring, dont worry about it. I,m pretty sure my back problem is from a muscle spasm. I hurt it originally when I was pregnant with my second daughter and very overweight while cleaning the tub. I stood up too fast and it went out. It went out on and off once in a while but hasn't even pinched me since I lost 80 lbs and have been cycling. I was really stressed month back when it went again. I was in the supermarket. I reached down to get a loaf of bread from the bottom shelf. Just one of those things I do every day and yikes! It didn't go out half as badly as it used to and I recovered for the most part in about a week. The day after I got the last kink out I fell on my kitchen tile and broke my chin, teeth,nose eye, hit the fridge, put a gash from my eye to my temple, knocked myself unconscious and woke up with police and EMS around me.(My daughter called emergency) They took me to the hospital by ambulance where they glue stitched my eye together etc.
Now I have to go for reconstructive surgery on my face and teeth so I look like myself again. My back has pinched me since then also. I haven't been back on my bike since then. Too cold now, the last thing I need is an asthma attack. I ordered a trainer yesterday to put my bike on during the winter months to keep in shape. Hopefully my back will strengthen also. It's been one hell of a month! I'd say you can't write this stuff, but I just did. Stay well!

__________________
"Everyone we meet, everything we see, every hurdle that comes our way happens for a reason.
It's up to us to figure out what it is then what to do about it." - John Soules (Rest in peace dear friend "Until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hand")

ptlwp

Don't worry; I wiped out again today!!! I am having trouble concentrating on all the speeds and keeping my eyes on the road and my hand upon the wheels".....I think I need a 60's model, heavy old bike. This Trek isn't working out at all.

I told my husband to see if he could trade it in for a man's bike; I am afraid to get on the bike again. When I was young, I had no problems with biking for hours and hours.

I can hardly believe the trouble that I am having and I had a major hissy fit today, upsetting everyone. I might be a has been that can only sit around and get fat, after all. I am not crazy about "power walking" but I will try to find a bike that suits me more...I am very hard on things in general and I need a much sturdier bike than the Trek seems to be. I don't feel well supported or something and it makes me feel like there isn't enough "something" underneath me..It is hard to explain, but there it is.....might try to go back to the "ultimate dealer that I got this bike from, but I need something with more heft, that is for sure"...and not delicate.

I am not racing, so weight isn't a problem for me.

Sorry for my rant!!!

__________________
"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Sir Edmund Burke

wackydeirdre

Good God, sit around and get fat? Don't you dare even think it! Didn't you take the Trek for a test run before you bought it? Thats a lot of money to toss! Well, youve spent it. Damage done. How about a mountain bike. Speed isn't an issue and you want something heavy. They sure are heavy and you definetly won't pick up much speed on one. You will get your execise and it wll get you where you want to go. Why not give the trek another chance though. ride it where there isn't traffic until youre used to it. Keep in mind the tires are thin and won't provide traction on a greasy road after a mild shower. Heavier rain isn't as much of a problem if at all but it isn't much good for the bike and isn't advisable unless you are good at bike maintance. Best of luck to you! Let me know what you end up doing.
Are you from the States originally? I think you said you were from England yesterday but you don't sound british
Please stop worrying about ranting,we all need to vent once in a while

__________________
"Everyone we meet, everything we see, every hurdle that comes our way happens for a reason.
It's up to us to figure out what it is then what to do about it." - John Soules (Rest in peace dear friend "Until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hand")

ptlwp

Godspeed on you and getting well again.....terrible accident. When I tried the Trek out, it seemed fine, but I can't really haul on the thing....it's too like dainty feeling....

Yes, I am American....not a drop of British blood....

__________________
"All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Sir Edmund Burke

charly h

What a nightmare! I suppose you maybe jarred it when you fell ... that's good to hear that generally it doesn't bother you as much as previously though. I'll just keep up the cycling and exercises that the osteopath gave me (weird stuff like superman flying through air poses - but seem to help. Apparently your vertebrae have very little support, except from muscle tone, so these exercises are meant to increase the muscle tone of your abdominal girdle, !) Anyway in fact I work for the ambulance service, that's one of the reasons I'm stressing, I wanna get back to work! (I'm also an artist.)
Well, good luck with your training, I guess you have pretty severe winters, here in London it's well weird, sunny and T shirt weather, heh heh!! Very unusual!
Thanks for your tips anyway!

wackydeirdre

You probably will do well on a mountain bike. They are heavy, sturdy and have thick tires with knobbs for traction. It's just a real shame you can't use your trek. I'm happy with my Giant OCR3 but would happily take that off your hands. How sad!

__________________
"Everyone we meet, everything we see, every hurdle that comes our way happens for a reason.
It's up to us to figure out what it is then what to do about it." - John Soules (Rest in peace dear friend "Until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hand")

Lucy_Aspenwind

Hi...

Add me to the list of those here.

I am a pretty new rider (start july 06) and just ordered a PT. That's what actually get me started in these forums - looking for info on power related topics and what not.