I need your help !!!!

[bigbang]

Hello fellow cyclists.

I need your help big time to get motivated.

I haven't been on a decent ride for years and have stacked on the weight (about 30 kg's)

I've got the gear (Pinarello road bike,Giant mountain Bike) but haven't got the inspiration.

About 4 years ago I was regularly doing 80 to 100 km rides and even did a 220km ride and loved it.

Then I broke my ankle (not cycling related) and missed 6 months on the bike. I've also had a knee reconstruction about two years ago that still creaks and groans.I've tried on a few occasions to get back into it but my body hurts everytime. This puts me off because I don't like pain. My mind then starts telling me "its going to hurt" and the vicious cycle continues(excuse the pun).

The areas that hurt the most are my hands and feet, closely followed by back,bum,legs,shoulders and neck.

My Pinarello seemed to be a perfect fit before I broke my ankle and now it just seems like a medieval torture machine.

I'm sure its just a matter of taking baby steps to get back into it but the thought of the "pain" puts me off.

I would really appreciate anyones comments and words of encouragement because I know once I get over the "pain" barrier I'll end up loving the sport like I did 4 years ago.

One final question. How critical is it to get the correct handle bar stem length to prevent hand pain. Is a centimetre either way going to stop my hands from hurting.

 

[Feanor]

Originally posted by bigbang
Hello fellow cyclists.

I need your help big time to get motivated.(

Two Words:

Tyler Hamilton

 

[bigbang]

Originally posted by Feanor
Two Words:

Tyler Hamilton

 

[Zac]

That little of a difference in the stem lengh shouldn't be a big problem. Your stem length isn't like your saddle hieght where it has to be exact other wise you'll have pain, but is more of a 'relaxed' fit, sorry if that dosn't make sense, the reason is that you bend your elbows and back to make slight adjustments in the reach. (does that make sense?)

 

[PeterF]

Hello fellow cyclists.

I need your help big time to get motivated.

I haven't been on a decent ride for years and have stacked on the weight (about 30 kg's)

I've got the gear (Pinarello road bike,Giant mountain Bike) but haven't got the inspiration.

About 4 years ago I was regularly doing 80 to 100 km rides and even did a 220km ride and loved it.

Then I broke my ankle (not cycling related) and missed 6 months on the bike. I've also had a knee reconstruction about two years ago that still creaks and groans.I've tried on a few occasions to get back into it but my body hurts everytime. This puts me off because I don't like pain. My mind then starts telling me "its going to hurt" and the vicious cycle continues(excuse the pun).

The areas that hurt the most are my hands and feet, closely followed by back,bum,legs,shoulders and neck.

My Pinarello seemed to be a perfect fit before I broke my ankle and now it just seems like a medieval torture machine.

I'm sure its just a matter of taking baby steps to get back into it but the thought of the "pain" puts me off.

I would really appreciate anyones comments and words of encouragement because I know once I get over the "pain" barrier I'll end up loving the sport like I did 4 years ago.

One final question. How critical is it to get the correct handle bar stem length to prevent hand pain. Is a centimetre either way going to stop my hands from hurting.

Keep the faith. My Pinarello gathered dust for a few years, then I decided to get serious about fitness. I started with some short rides and before I knew it I was doing 100 km rides every Saturday and looking forward to the next week. Watching tapes of the Tour was also inspirational. Something about Phil Liggett screaming "Mano a Mano!!" can certainly get me up off the sofa and out on the roads. Re: stem/bars, I like a stretched out position on the bike, but top tube length and seat position can offset any deficiencies in the stem length, but bar width is important. A bar should be as wide as your shoulder bones and I like an anatomical bend as well as Shimano flight deck levers. Check the stem height too. If it's too low, it may be causing you to put too much weight on your hands. The neck and shoulder pain goes away with time. Back pain means it could be a fit issue, or you just need to strengthen your core with some stomach crunches. I'm not sure how old your bike is, but it might be time to look into some of the new technology that's out there. I went to an all carbon fork and it made a huge difference in the quality of the ride, especially hand pain. Well time to go work out and ride the trainer with Phil and Paul covering the '04 Amstel Gold race on the VCR. Saturday's almost here for my club ride followed by coffee, bagels and a little bragging.... Hope to see you back on the road soon!
Pete

 

[PeterF]

Hello fellow cyclists.

I need your help big time to get motivated.

I haven't been on a decent ride for years and have stacked on the weight (about 30 kg's)

I've got the gear (Pinarello road bike,Giant mountain Bike) but haven't got the inspiration.

About 4 years ago I was regularly doing 80 to 100 km rides and even did a 220km ride and loved it.

Then I broke my ankle (not cycling related) and missed 6 months on the bike. I've also had a knee reconstruction about two years ago that still creaks and groans.I've tried on a few occasions to get back into it but my body hurts everytime. This puts me off because I don't like pain. My mind then starts telling me "its going to hurt" and the vicious cycle continues(excuse the pun).

The areas that hurt the most are my hands and feet, closely followed by back,bum,legs,shoulders and neck.

My Pinarello seemed to be a perfect fit before I broke my ankle and now it just seems like a medieval torture machine.

I'm sure its just a matter of taking baby steps to get back into it but the thought of the "pain" puts me off.

I would really appreciate anyones comments and words of encouragement because I know once I get over the "pain" barrier I'll end up loving the sport like I did 4 years ago.

One final question. How critical is it to get the correct handle bar stem length to prevent hand pain. Is a centimetre either way going to stop my hands from hurting.

One more note. I dropped about 70 lbs (32 Kilos) after about 6 months of riding.

 

[Lance_Work]

Hello fellow cyclists.

I need your help big time to get motivated.

I haven't been on a decent ride for years and have stacked on the weight (about 30 kg's)

I've got the gear (Pinarello road bike,Giant mountain Bike) but haven't got the inspiration.

About 4 years ago I was regularly doing 80 to 100 km rides and even did a 220km ride and loved it.

Then I broke my ankle (not cycling related) and missed 6 months on the bike. I've also had a knee reconstruction about two years ago that still creaks and groans.I've tried on a few occasions to get back into it but my body hurts everytime. This puts me off because I don't like pain. My mind then starts telling me "its going to hurt" and the vicious cycle continues(excuse the pun).

The areas that hurt the most are my hands and feet, closely followed by back,bum,legs,shoulders and neck.

My Pinarello seemed to be a perfect fit before I broke my ankle and now it just seems like a medieval torture machine.

I'm sure its just a matter of taking baby steps to get back into it but the thought of the "pain" puts me off.

I would really appreciate anyones comments and words of encouragement because I know once I get over the "pain" barrier I'll end up loving the sport like I did 4 years ago.

One final question. How critical is it to get the correct handle bar stem length to prevent hand pain. Is a centimetre either way going to stop my hands from hurting.

Congratulations bigbang! you've motivated a lurker to post for the first time! I broke my ankle 4 years ago, and my elbow 2 years ago. Coming back from the ankle injury was far worse than the elbow. I am 33 years old, and parts are starting to creak. I found that my body now requires a thorough stretching and warm-up unless I want to feel pain later.

I used to play volleyball weekly with a club in my hometown when I broke my ankle. When I got the cast off (I had broken a weight-bearing bone in my ankle so no walking boot for me!), I still needed crutches for a month. After ditching the crutches, I still limped noticeably for 3 months. I limped in the mornings, until the ankle warmed up for almost a year.

I had expected to come right back and pick up where I left off. No way, Jose'! I got really bummed out while I was on crutches, and not being able to walk at all, put on 30lbs in 2 months!

In desperation, I began walking in the mornings. I felt really silly. It was a complete mindset change for me. I was an avid volleyball player at that time. I had always loved the vertical part of volleyball, and now I couldn't even get off the ground. I kept walking every morning, 1-3 miles. I started with one 3/4 mile loop, then over the months, kept adding another loop, until I was walking 4 loops (3 miles).

After six months of walking, I could (after warming up) run with agility and control again. I feel for you! A broken ankle is a vicious injury to come back from. I would work on strengthening that ankle. Start walking short distances. Dull aching pain is expected. Sharp pain is not. Stop if that happens. Once you get your ankle stronger, it won't complain at riding the bike.

Good luck!
*edit* I wish I could give you some encouraging words about cycling, but I'm a newbie at it! You know more about it than I do. Broken ankles, I do know about! Cycling, I'm still learning!

 

[Telegram Sam]

Obviously, you have never been a skateboarder. I'll tell you what my buddies told me when I broke my tailbone riding my first pool. They arrived at my house the next day to skate another pool with this advice-
"Quit being a ***** and lets' go!"
nuff said- brush it off, get on the bike, and pay some dues-what doesn't kill you is gonna make you stronger
cheers

 

[Lance_Work]

Obviously, you have never been a skateboarder. I'll tell you what my buddies told me when I broke my tailbone riding my first pool. They arrived at my house the next day to skate another pool with this advice-
"Quit being a ***** and lets' go!"
nuff said- brush it off, get on the bike, and pay some dues-what doesn't kill you is gonna make you stronger
cheers

It sounds to me that BigBang is a bit older than you are, Sam. When your body hits the downhill side of 30, it can't handle near as much punishment. I had to learn this the hard way. My broken ankle was the first time that my body failed me. I had always been an agile, athletic person. After the break, I had trouble standing up for a shower! It's a humbling experience. If it hasn't happened to you yet, there will come a time when you won't be able to suck it up or brush it off.

I've always had an issue with the phrase "that which doesn't kill you...make you stronger." This is only true from a mental/emotional aspect. We all have the potential to injure ourselves through exercise/sport if we don't pay attention to our bodies. Yes, there are certain types of pain that one can "play through" but there are also types of pain that are warning signals for potential serious injury.

BigBang, I feel for you! It's no fun to come back from injury and surgery. you can do it, but you'll have to take it slow. Shorter rides, change your hand/arm position frequently, walk, don't run. Good luck!

 

[Telegram Sam]

Oh jesus- how do you know how old I am? OK- I'll tell you, I am 32, I started skating in empty swimming pools at thirty, and broke my tailbone at 31. I don't know what an ankle feels like, but I can tell you this-that tailbone reminds me every day after 8 mos., and I still ride every day (my bike) and skate every saturday (does it hurt-yes, can I live with it-yes)...That stuff about the body not handling punishment-it's ****. I skate with a cat who is 43...two broken arms this year- know what he does now?- He skates! Because he loves it and can't give it up. Call us crazy but we aren't really into getting to that whole "downhill side" of thirty- not quite yet.

So, I say it again - suck it up and get back on the damn bike.

As for the phrase I chose, regardless of wether you take issue with it- it seems here that it applies. I just think that when a person appeals to a group of complete strangers for motivation to do something they supposedly love, all they need a good swift kick in the ass- My post is intended to do just that because I don't know this guy and can't physically kick him in the rear and tell him to get on his bike. It's a great saying to apply to the body...You think old Lance has never told himself that? How bout Tyler-with a busted collarbone- I bet he repeated it over and over.
Anyway- thanks for the old man lecture (you should be ashamed at only 33 to talk about creaking anything)...I honestly think I am being more supportive and encouraging then anyone else who is choosing to whine about this or that- so I'll leave you all to it and go on

Of course- if the injury really is that bad- he shouldn't be anywhere near a bike. If the pain really is that bad...well, why would you ask complete strangers for affirmation if there was no way you could do it anyway?

And BigBang - I'm not trying to be an asshole here- You can do it, you want to do it (or you wouldn't post) so do it. Get a recumbant- hell, whats $2500 when you can ride it? Get some grass- it's legal for pain here (California)- I guess it works by the way everybody is growing it . Do whatever it takes- if you didn't want to do it you wouldn't have posted. For me, I'm pretty sure my bike is the closest to Heaven I'm ever going to get, I could never give it up.
Again-my 2cents

 

[Lance_Work]

To each their own. We both offered advice we thought would be helpful. Let's hope it works for him, one way or another.

I still think its a good bet that he's a bit older than we are. And no, I haven't checked his profile.

 

[kbs23]

Bigbang, it's just like in "what about Bob" you have to take babysteps. Slowly work your way up to the level that you want to get to, and go at a pace your comfortable with. The motivation factor will have to come from yourself, find a source and tap into it. Also pop a couple advil, you'll get there in time, most important thing is not to get frustrated and quit.