Acoustic Days Re-Revisited

[Zim]

It was a good run from the moment I first pedaled that Big Wheel until the time High School came around. Huffys and Peugeots, borrowed my brother's Schwinn and Red Line too, and there may have been some other bikes mixed in there. But then my picture was taken and put on a wallet-sized card that allowed me to drive motor vehicles. Bike? Who needs a bike?! I had an awesome Escort GT! (not mine)

I revisited bicycles about 15 years later, picking up matching Giant mountain bikes with my girlfriend at the time. Started to go right into it. Upgraded the forks to RockShox and had a blast. Put myself into a tree at Killington one summer day and crashed many, many other times. Took a tax return and bought a 1997 Iron Horse aluminum racing bike (with non-racing components).

gives me would.

Rode it for a few years, then parked it. Current condition: Dusty, rusty chain, gunky, needs a good cleaning and lubricating.

Why this post? I've received orders to ride the bike again, to improve mental and physical health.

It has been a decade. Ten years gone. Haven't quite forgotten how to ride a bicycle, but have forgotten reason, ability and limitations. I shouldn't say that the bike was completely parked for the last 10 years, as I did take it out one day, about 5 years ago. Thought I was still all that. Was not all that. Over-exerted, got a sore butt and legs, re-parked it.

I know me. Me is a dork. Me will forget he is fast approaching 40, and will try to ride like he is 20, or that he is about 40 lbs overweight and cannot float over terrain as easily. So I've started to edumicate me with this Sheldon Brown guy (found in Guitar Geek's post).

If you are coming off of a layoff of months or years, start with very short rides, maybe a mile or two, no more. Only gradually should you increase your ride distance. This may seem frustrating, but it does take a while to re-accustom your derrière to cycling. Anybody in decent shape can hop on a bike and ride 15-20 miles, but you'll be a wreck afterwards if you haven't accustomed your body to cycling first.

So the first outing will be 10-15 minutes. But that's all I have at the moment because I'm all ADD and can't process all Sheldon has to say.

I'm asking for suggestions, both in the equipment department (with the understanding that dough is low), and the bicyclist department (with the understanding that I am way out of shape).

[Beemer Dan]

Right on Brothah!

Two wheels is two wheels, and as cool as motors are there are few things cooler than being the motor. The only help I can be is remember to stretch, time your stretches with a watch, and try to do at least 10 minutes of it a day. Also, if you can stretch 3-4 times a day your body will love you more. Best vibes to you on this, get everything back in proper alignment and you'll enjoy life much more

[piccini9]

It's gonna hurt like hell. Go for it.

[MATPOC]

Few years ago me and Pattio made a come back worthy of Lances stage efforts today, after about 15 year absence we both decided to start riding, Pattio was the instigator. He found a bike in the pile of trash which turned out to be a high-end old school Trek (I was able to research serial numbers on Sheldon's website) and after a trip to Harris Cyclery (Sheldon's store in Newton) I had a complete bike and proper lycra attire.

We started making short rides on the local bike path which was about 6 miles long at the time with a construction section about half way, which was an awesome cyclosross spot. I remember making a 12 mile round trip in under an hour (averaging 12+ mph) and feeling like a TDF stage winners.

Later we joined Narragansett Bay Wheelmen, oldest bike club in the near by lands and were regularly beaten by a gray haired wrinkly old guys why referred to us as young blood (under 50, 60?)

It took about 2 years before we attempted a century (100 miles) and it was "a Century of a Century", really, that's the name because of all the hills it climbs over, and because of detours it was 107 miles (last 7 miles are the longest miles ever!) many hills, I really turned myself inside out but finished in about 6 hours (it took me 3 hrs to ride last 40 miles) Later that year we rode another one called TFCE (The Flattest Century in The East) not that flat but seemed as child play after the first one. I hit the top of my form that year and pretty much gave up riding again once my son was born I can't seem to drag myself out of bed on Sunday to go pedal...

[WeAintFoundShit]

I love my bicycle.
I ride it mostly everywhere if I can.

When I was a kid, I wore out multiple big-wheels. That's pretty much all I did. Later on, that translated into bicycles. That, again, was pretty much all I did. I even won an actual, sanctioned race once when I was weee little.
Life happened at an early age, though, and I stopped riding when I was a young teenager.

Fast forward to 2001 and I got into downhilling. That was rad, until life happened again and I had to sell my ride.
I got another DH bike in 2007, but then all of my buddies who tried to get me back into it bailed out of the sport, so I was left with a DH bike and no one to shuttle with. Add in a motorbike accident at about the same time, and the bike sat largely untouched for a long time.

Fast forward two more years, and I move to Davis, borrow a bike from a friend, then score an old Miyata (thanks again) from MATPOC and Pattio.
I started riding that thing the three and a half miles to school every day.

At first, I've got to admit, the ride made me kinda dizzy. I'm sort of like you in the fact that, when I get into something (or more to the point, get BACK into something) I WANT TO DESTROY AT IT. So I out and out sprinted to school, and felt like I was gonna die when I got there.

I haven't had the opportunity to do any really long rides (my average is 7 to 14 miles a day) but I still find myself seeing how fast I can sprint those few miles each time, and now I'm in better cardio shape than I've been in for a long while.

So much so, that I started pedaling that DH bike UP hills to bomb back down them, instead of lamenting my lack of shuttle partner. (I may not be doing centuries, but two hours and change of churning uphill over rocks and roots on a 45 lb, seven inch travel, platform pedal having bike that's running on 2.6 inch tires will just about suffice).

So yeah, you may not be as young as you once were, or in as good a shape, but if you take it one bite at a time and keep at it, you'll be good.

Just remember... If your lungs are tired, go up a gear. If your legs are tired, go down a gear.
And just because you can't ride long distances without destroying your body, doesn't mean you can't ride short distances REALLY REALLY FAST.
You might want to puke at first, but you'll be able to do it again within the next day or two without the super soreness that will accompany long times spent in the saddle.

(I learned this the hard way once, when a friend took me on a "quick DH shuttle run" that turned out to be twenty odd miles of not really all that downhill terrain. The next few days were PAIN. Short, fast bursts are MUCH easier.)

Give your body a minute to train your central nervous system for the exertion, get your heart pounding hard to get the vascularization process going in your muscles, take days off between hard rides, and the rest will fall into place.

Another trick that I've heard is to try and ride only in one gear if you're on the pavement. It will train your body to run at different speeds, with different types of effort, instead of using the gears to keep you in an unchallenging comfort zone.

I'll stop babbling now.
Have fun on that bike o' yours.
Once you get over the hump, it will totally be worth it.

[My Little Pony]

Funny you should put this up, as your story reads about exactly as mine. Two days ago, I went and bought some stuff to fix on my bike that broke when I last rode it two years ago. I was way into racing, road and off-road, about twenty years ago. Seems like just recently,and I can't believe it was that long ago. In a little over a week, I'll be 38, and while I'm in fairly good shape, I'm going in the wrong direction. Gotta get back on the bike.

[Pattio]

If you have access to a bike path, take advantage of it. Also state parks, college campuses, industrial parks, things of zat nature. Having a traffic-free area for those early 1-mile just-getting-used-to-this rides will make them much better.

The goal is to get your body moving, and keep it moving, in a way that is sustainable. The easier the terrain the easier it will be for you to get a rhythm going. Good mountain biking involves a lot of all-around balance and explosive strength, which might well be your personal fortes, but if you're trying to get-back-in I suggest starting with the easy stuff.

Also, be sure and double-check your ergonomic setup on the bike, since what was 'just right' for a faster, sleeker you might not be the right settings for today. A centimeter here and there with bar and saddle position can make a huge difference in your comfort.

As matpoc has already outlined, I went through the almost-40-get-back-on-the-bike and he and I carried it from fat guys on the path to century-riding young blood of the Wheelmen in about three years, and we are now both fallen off the riding train again. It's a cycle cycle.

I was using the Tour de France to inspire me and get me riding this year, and had gotten my first few rides in. Then disaster struck and I fell (off an antique replica bicycle I was trying to learn to ride) and broke my arm. So now I'm not riding anything, concentrating hard on my PT and diet so I might be able to ride a scooter at the upcoming local rally and, especially, ride to the Hillbilly Hooligan.

[piccini9]

If you have access to a bike path, take advantage of it. Also state parks, college campuses, industrial parks, things of zat nature. Having a traffic-free area for those early 1-mile just-getting-used-to-this rides will make them much better.

Yeah, what he said. I stay away from cars as much as possible, it makes cycling so much more enjoyable.

[My Little Pony]

Two years ago, I sort of got back into it for awhile. I was doing 15-20 mile rides at a pretty good pace, but because I was unable to ride every day, like back when I raced, it really kicked my ass. Because I once rode fast, I have a hard time not riding fast. If I possessed a level of maturity in line with my actual age, I'd be more able to ride at an effort level more appropriate to my fitness. Cycling is a hard thing to enjoy, when you only get to ride once or twice a week.

Enough of my excuses, I'd better get back to it.

[Sisyphus]

I often think about pedaling a bike again. I used to ride 6 hrs every other day, back when I didn't have a job and was 20 years younger. I had a nice, light bike and plenty of time.
Now I'm older, don't have the time and I have a motorcycle. Hills are much, much easier.

I do, however, struggle with the whole driving myself too hard issue. It's too easy for me to push things to the point where I should have stopped awhile back. I can understand that reluctance to get back on a pedal bike for that reason; once you're past an athletic stage and you know you shouldn't do things when you actually can, it's hard to say no.

It's knowing your limits and respecting them. I don't have that. I'll stick with the motorcycles.

[sun rat]

you guys are a bad influence.

i went to the local cycle shop after my doc's appointment to day and ordered one. seems they don't stock bikes in my size...

i used to cycle a lot when i was much younger. and the fitness level i attained stayed with me for quite a long time through other activities, until i got seriously ill about 4-5 years ago. now it's way past time to get myself going again.

[WeAintFoundShit]

Motorcycles don't give you a sweet ass and sexy calf muscles. Nor do they keep you from getting heart disease.

Another strategy to getting back into it... Instead of just riding to ride, ride to get somewhere. Got a coffee shop that's just a few miles away?
How about a park, or a place to kick it and read a book or something for little bit?

The problem with just riding to ride is that, with no particular place to go, you'll have no particular place to STOP.
It'll turn into a nebulous mileage challenge with no real finish line.
Pick a nearby destination and go as hard as you want to get there. Then stop and rest, then ride home.

And I DEFINITELY 3rd Pattio's suggestion about bike paths and the like. Cars suck even worse when you're on a bicycle.

Be sure to immediately follow your ride with some type of recovery beverage. Three or four parts carbs to one part protein is my general rule of thumb. This gets my insulin levels elevated in order to more effectively deliver the protein to my cells. (Basically a scoop of protein powder, a banana, and I take creatine which has dextrose in it, but you could probably just drink 8 ounces of juice).
Also take a multivitamin and maybe some CoQ10. Make sure you're also getting a complete amino acid supplement if your protein powder or whatnot doesn't have a decent amino profile.

Pattio, did you crash a swing bike, or a penny-farthing?

[sun rat]

WAFS, do protein powders come in non-soy varieties?

[WeAintFoundShit]

Yup. There are various forms of cassein and whey proteins out there, both of which are derivatives of milk protein. There's also a product that just came out that's bioengineered beef protein (I've yet to try that one, and probably never will).
The good news is that protein powders have come light years as far as taste is concerned; it used to be that drinking a protein shake was an exercise in trying to see if you could stomach 32 billion ounces of liquid chalk.
Nowadays you can get the same protein in 6-8 ounces of what tastes a lot like chocolate milk.
Again, it's important to get a good compliment of vitamins and amino acids so your body can actually USE that protein, and don't skip the carbs, either.

You need all of it.

My typical shake is the banana/oatmeal/whey powder shake that I have under the recipe thread, only I stopped using milk because lactose interferes with some cell signaling pathways involved with protein uptake and synthesis. I also only use peanut butter at night, since I'm trying to avoid saturated fats, but need fats to keep me full for a while. Plus, peanut butter is tasty.
Often times I'll add in a tablespoon of olive oil to get some healthy fat, too.
Also to keep me full for a while.

Proper nutrition is essential if you're going to do any sort of regular exercise. You don't have to be a total weirdo about it, but just getting the things your body needs will help you fight off injury and fatigue, keep your brain sharp, keep the aches and pains down, and make whatever physical thing it is you are doing waaaay more enjoyable.

Plus you'll see better results from your exercise, and if your exercise is more enjoyable and producing better results, then it's a HELL of a lot easier to stick to all of it.

I've put on twelve pounds of muscle in the past five or six weeks (plus shrank my belly down quite a bit) and the only extra supplements I'm taking are nitric oxide and creatine. The rest is just eating good food at the proper times, and getting proper exercise... I ride my bike those few miles every day, and I lift weights a grand total of maybe an hour a day, three to five times per week.
It takes a few weeks to get your body ready and warmed up for that kind of thing, but if you're patient and persistent, once you get over the initial hump, it's gravy.

Ok, I'll stop threadjacking now... Back to bicycles.

[Zim]

Instead of just riding to ride, ride to get somewhere. Got a coffee shop that's just a few miles away?

I wish. Try 10.19 miles away!

Borrowed this from my GPS:


The red square would be the closest real coffee shop, while blue square is home. In between would be a spot that I would fall off the bike, crawl into the woods, and expire, with my last words being "All I wanted was coffee", and "WeAintFoundShit is a punk". And I'm betting it's somewhere between home and that 1220ft peak.

I used to live in a city that was pretty much flat and would have been the ideal place for me to start again. Plenty of destinations. Now I'm in the Belknap Mountain Range (quit laughing over there in CO and WA), so there's not much <s>flat</s> around here, especially right out of the driveway.

I went for the first ride today. Tried twisting the right grip, but it did nothing. 20 minutes total, easy at first, coasting down, then had to pedal UP.

Oh, that's right... there are muscles in my legs there. Yow yow yow!

Forgot about Pattio's adjustment suggestion, and knee'd my belly with each pedal rotation.

I forgot how to breathe. May have stopped a few times, don't remember. Forgot how to shift. Forgot how to brake. Forgot how to turn and pedal and coast and maneuver.

Legs were wobbly when I made it back home. Couldn't walk, couldn't really stand. I shook all over. It took me a good two minutes just to get my gloves off. It almost felt... good.

But my butt hurts.

The wrong words were filling my head as I rolled back into the garage, stumbled off the bike, and unbuckled the helmet strap. "No way", "You can't be serious", "This is nuts".

But now I'm setting my alarm to get up early and go for another short ride. Why not?

[WeAintFoundShit]

Back to Zim's original post... You asked for advice on equipment.

For me the most important part of it all is my helmet, and a good pair of full fingered gloves (not only for crashing, but it keeps the gross, black, handlebar gook from happening).

Unless you are a pro, biking is 85% to 95% rider, 5%-15% bike.

Since you're just getting back into the sport, springing on any gear would be pointless. You remember what the you who existed back when likes to ride, but you don't know what the you who exists NOW likes to ride.
These things might have changed, so just get out and pedal until you better figure out what they are. (Like, I've recently discovered that I actually LIKE to climb my mtn bike, where I NEVER did before.)

Ride what you've got until something about it pisses you off, then take note of that thing and search possible solutions. Keep riding.
Once you get enough things that piss you off, you'll have made your own informed decisions based on your pissed off research along the way, and when you hit that final straw, you'll know what you'd like to do about it.

[WeAintFoundShit]

If you ride tomorrow, keep it shorter than that.

And this time start out uphill, go a little way, then go back down a little way.
Repeat.
If I'm guessing right, your 20 minute ride was 2-5 minutes of fun descent, then 15-18 minutes of arduous cranking up hill.
That's a lot right out of the box.
And raise your seat.

[MATPOC]

This is what Pattios Boneshaker looks like

[MATPOC]

The key is cadence, keep it up. Cranking tall gear will blow your knees out in no time.

Before you get all crazy with WAFS's space cocktails, my secret weapon is banana: cheap, easy to deploy and tastes better than any powder that I tried.

Also make sure the bike is well adjusted, not too tall, you don't want to be extending out knee all the way, I start with the seat low enough for my heels to reach pedals and adjust from there, if you are reaching for the pedals your butt is wiggling from side to side creating extra friction, causing more heat and then you end up taking your pants off!

[WeAintFoundShit]

Since when is banana, whey powder, and uncooked oatmeal considered a space cocktail??

And note the inclusion of bananas. We're on the same page with that one. Bananas are super awesome stuff.

From wikipedia: Bananas contain considerable amounts of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium. The latter makes them of particular interest to athletes who use them to quickly replenish their electrolytes.

[MATPOC]

Banana and a glass of juice sounds less intimidating than:

Be sure to immediately follow your ride with some type of recovery beverage. Three or four parts carbs to one part protein is my general rule of thumb. This gets my insulin levels elevated in order to more effectively deliver the protein to my cells. (Basically a scoop of protein powder, a banana, and I take creatine which has dextrose in it, but you could probably just drink 8 ounces of juice).
Also take a multivitamin and maybe some CoQ10. Make sure you're also getting a complete amino acid supplement if your protein powder or whatnot doesn't have a decent amino profile.

I can just picture Zim going to GNC and blowing his last few bucks on recovery beverages and protein powders.

[Pattio]

This did not go well.

I am now eating tons of bananas, yogurt, calcium supplements etc to try and give my body fuel to heal the fracture. I'm pretty sure the bone-stitching is going well, and its just down to the PT stretching now. It's very interesting being tortured by an attractive young lady, going on a shimmering inner journey of pain while she pushes and pulls on my arm to get my range of motion back. I've got one month before the Hillbilly and really want to be there on two wheels.

[Zim]

?

I thought penny farthings looked fun. Now they seem just hazardous. Heal up.

I can just picture Zim going to GNC and blowing his last few bucks on recovery beverages and protein powders.

That's not me. I'm cheap. Besides, I can't see createening my deck roses any more than I would stick my CoQ in a posteen lacking a decent acidic camino. Especially after a measly 1 mile ride.

I got away with a banana, instant oatmeal (Maple and Brown Sugar), cranberry juice. And coffee. And a donut.

[rolly]

Since when is banana, whey powder, and uncooked oatmeal considered a space cocktail??

That's definitely a space cocktail. Or at least Califoreign.

After an acoustic ride or a run, I like to reload on carbs with a beer.

[WeAintFoundShit]

I wasn't suggesting creatine for him. I was just saying what *I* use, and that instead, he could probably just drink some juice.
And I only shop at GNC if there's one hell of a sale going on. You can get the same quality protein at Costco for a fraction of the price.

BUT, If you wanna be all "ooOoohhHh, crazy nutrition is so crazy and foreign that I will scoff at its overall benefits and proven effectiveness" then one could get somewhat the same boost from a banana, a glass of juice, and a can of tuna. It won't be as effective at rebuilding the muscle you just burned, coz solids don't absorb as quickly as liquids, but hey, at least it's something you can buy at the store without offending your manly, redneck sensibilities.
And y'all should be taking a goddamned multivitamin anyway, jerks.

[WeAintFoundShit]

Oh, and I've always wanted to try a penny farthing.
I think of it as the ultimate "Yeah, nice fixie... hipster" machine.
Plus it just looks goofy as hell and wicked scary, all at the same time.
Was it at least a little bit fun before it was super painful?

[MATPOC]

I did not even attempt to ride the Flatulent Penny, took a tape measure and realized that with it's seat in the lowest position it is still set up for a 37" inseam and that's about 7" too much for me. Also by the time it was brought to the shop I had already fractured my shoulder.

I missed Pattio's debacle, but I think there was a video made...

And y'all should be taking a goddamned multivitamin anyway, jerks.

I take Multi Vitamin and E and C and Alpha Lipoic Acid and Omega3 and Glucosamine Chondroitin... When I bike(d) was using powders as well, not enough room in the pockets to carry enough bananas for the century, ideally couple water bottles with shakes and a Camelback with water.

[Zim]

Well, there's always hiking.

Took the bike apart yesterday. All the way. Being as crusty as it was, it needed a good going-through and a going-over, a look-see and a checking-out. The only things I left assembled were the handlebars with all controls, and the wheels. Found some things:

Chain could get me by, but is rusty in spots
Chainring is chewed up, but still grabs
Wheels are questionable.
Front shifter won't put chain up onto the big ring.
Tires probably need to be replaced
Brake pads need to be replaced

Frame needs to be replaced



Two cracks. One at the intersection of the seat tube, down tube and bottom bracket. Cracked right through the weld. The other is on the right chain stay.

[WeAintFoundShit]

Damn. It.



http://cgi.ebay.com/IRON-HORSE-1ST-GEN- ... 255b7dabe7

http://cgi.ebay.com/K2-Zed-X-Hardtail-M ... 43a056a9b7



?????

That sucks SOOOO much.
Maybe you could have it repaired? Local welder couldn't charge THAT much to zip a couple cracks back together. ...right?

[piccini9]

Look what I did today.






This could have been bad. Really, really, really bad. I got lucky.