"Sir Ride-A-Lot" <
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news:[email protected]...
> "stamkis" <
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news:<
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> > "James Messick" <
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> >
news:[email protected]...
> > >
> > > "Sir Ride-A-Lot" <
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> > >
news:[email protected]...
> > > > Since I have started MTBing routinely on a daily basis, I have lost
15
> > > > pounds in six weeks! My goal is 159 (I'm 5'5"). BTW, that weight loss is without a diet
> > > > change!
> > >
> >
> > Haven't posted in well over year. I've been lurking for a while. Just wanted to add my
> > congratulations for your weight loss. Never had a
weight
> > problem, yet know lots of people that do. Losing and keeping weight off
is
> > one of the most difficult things to accomplish. Keep up the good work.
> >
> > Not to be a naysayer, but I like to shed a word of warning if you are
riding
> > on a daily basis at your age. I rode for hours a day off and on for
years
> > without any problems with my road bike. Eventually, nerve compression damage in my hands caught
> > up with me and I had to quit. Fortunately, I found someone from my local bike shop who helped me
> > over-come this
problem.
> > He re-positioned my seat and taught me how to ride using less pressure
on my
> > hands. It worked out fairly well. I still get soreness from time to
time,
> > but no real pain. Last year I bought a mountain bike. Found this to be far more jarring
to
> > the hands than road biking. During the Fall I rode 2-3 times a week.
After
> > a while I noticed lots of soreness around the thumb area. Didn't ride
in
> > the winter because of the weather, but the soreness lingered well into
the
> > Spring. This is unusual for me.
> >
> > My advice, if you are riding on a daily basis, is to watch how much
pressure
> > you are putting on your hands and to ease up if you are feeling any pain
or
> > tingling sensations. I would also recommend cross-training
(roller-blading,
> > jogging, etc.) as much as possible. This may cut your risk of
repetitive
> > stress damage.
> >
> > Now that the Fall is here I am once again doing more mountain bike
riding.
> > However, this year I have made some adjustments. I am not trying to
climb
> > steep hills or to maneuver the most technical parts of a trail. l am finding that it puts too
> > much stress on my hands to hold the bike in
place
> > over this rough and challenging terrain. Lately, I simply walk my bike
or
> > avoid those areas if possible. So far this season my thumbs and hands
are
> > feeling great, but I'm constantly aware of how much pressure I apply to
my
> > bike and try to keep the heavy pressure to a minimum. Once again congratulations and wish you
> > continued success.
>
> Thanks. I know what you mean about repetative stress. I have been a computer guy all my life.
> Two years ago I had surgery on my wrist to remove a growth on one of my tendons. The cause...
> typing too much! I checked with my doc and he ok'd the riding as long as I did wrist crunches
> every night.
>
> Once a year I go west to downhill for a week. That's when I feel the wrist pain. I guess it's from
> squeezing the brakes for dear life - LOL.
>
> Do you keep your seat higher or lower? Unfortunately for me, on an 18" bike I am already riding
> the seat as low as it will go. I've even had to cut the post. Also, as much as I hate them cause
> their ugly as sh*t, I use bar-ends to reposition my hands now and then.
It was really the tilt of the road bike seat that he adjusted. He angled it upward slightly. As for
the my mountain bike, the seat is rather level, but far lower than the road bike. I also have some
sort of Monkey Lite(?) riser bar for the handle bars. I think this may help. (I'm not sure what
it's called.)
