[Tania]

Suggesting that someone do pistols just proves my point about the risk of Internet advice. It’s like suggesting someone go downhilling at the Shed after they’ve ridden Laurel Hill once. On a hybrid. It’s laughable and potentially dangerous.

GS – that’s a go-to stretch for one of the top U.S. weightlifters! He said it’s helped him recover after a back injury and stay injury free.

[Tania]

@dkel 121470 wrote:

How do you do that? Is this the kind of thing that requires evaluation by an MD and a prescription to see a PT?

Guessing that would depend on your insurance (if you’re using it).

The thing is, your issues (and the OP’s) could be caused by any myriad of issues: stability, mobility, an underlying gait disorder (as applied to pedaling), an underlying medical issue, etc etc etc. Or it could be just that you’re getting old and creaky (that’s my excuse anyway). There’s no way for anyone online to say “this is how you fix it!” because there’s no way to know what “it” is without a detailed, in-person, hands-on assessment. You can spend some time following internet advice and maybe it works, or maybe there’s no amelioration of symptoms and after a few months you go to a doctor. I hope in both your instances the fix is simple! Aches and pains that impact your daily life are never fun.

All I can say for SURE, is that when MY knees hurt, it’s because I’ve been neglecting to stretch. That and I rode just under 100 miles last week and thought I was going to die.

[Tania]

@dkel 121459 wrote:

Any recommendations on a cycling-specific, balanced strength training program? I’ve been arguing with my knees lately, and since I’ve been doing 100 miles a week for a couple of years now, I’m suspecting it’s a strength imbalance, since not much has changed on my bike in the last year. I have added stretching, and it’s great, though it doesn’t solve the problem altogether. I’m also looking into a bike fitting, just to make sure there’s no issue there.

Find a qualified PT and get a professional assessment. You get what you pay for on the internet.

[Tania]

@dbb 121206 wrote:

You are about the same size. It might fit. Just lure DCV to FCC and then stike!

It wouldn’t be a very fair fight.

Besides, it has gears and he already has a geared bike. He’ll get bored with it soon enough.

[Tania]

@dcv 121192 wrote:

So usually when people posts pictures of their bike, I’m like “meh, it’s a bike” (they kinda all look alike to me, I’m sure I’ll be shunned now).

BUT…that’s a hot bike. I WANT.

[Tania]

Great advice above – I’ll add that when my knees start to ache and I have to teeter going down stairs, it’s almost always because my quads (rectus femoris, specifically) are tight from a heavy week.

Good stretch for that here.
http://www.bozemanwellnesscenter.com/couch-stretch-hip-flexorquadriceps/

(I can’t get anywhere NEAR this upright of a position, but I try…)

[Tania]

I’m totally going to blame low tire pressure on why it took me AGES to get home last night and why I felt like things were slogging along this morning. I meant to check it this am before I left the house but was too bleary eyed. No mini pump, only cartridges which I don’t want to use to just top off. Sigh.

[Tania]

Global Drug Reference online is actually what I was looking for in my last post.

http://www.globaldro.com/

For cycling, it says:

Additional Information: [Inhaled] Salbutamol [Albuterol; Levalbuterol; Salbutamol sulfate] is not prohibited up to a maximum of 1600 micrograms over 24 hours. This threshold is not valid in the presence of diuretics. If you are using a diuretic you must have a Therapeutic Use Exemption to use both the diuretic and salbutamol.

So, use of inhaler is not cheating.

Testosterone patches – without even looking it up (don’t know brand name) – I bet require a TUE. And I’d be surprised if a TUE was even permitted.

[Tania]

I compete in a drug tested sport. My inhaler (albuterol) is fine and allowed so long as my dose per day is below a certain level (I forget which). USADA has a web page where you can look up a specific medication to see if it’s allowed and how much. Most prescription drugs, if prohibited, can be exempted with a TUE. http://www.usada.org/substances/prohibited-list/

I can be tested at any time by USADA although I’m not really good enough to be on their radar.

[Tania]

MIKE’S HAS BANANA PANCAKES?!?!?!?! 😮

[Tania]

Thank you for starting this! I have a cateye that seems like it might be ok (and it was free) but I’ve been thinking about possibly upgrading or also getting a helmet light.

[Tania]

@KelOnWheels 120686 wrote:

Well obviously you are correct! (it’s like 12 blocks, but who’s counting)

I totally need a cute mixte with a basket for the dog. It is clearly the best solution.

Streamers.

You. Must. Get. Streamers.

[Tania]

Tooling around town (think CaBi type rides) I’m fine in flats. Otherwise, I want to be clipped in. I change how I pedal as I ride – I switch from mostly pushing down to pulling up to give my muscles a break. Especially on hills where I spin up – I’d never be able to pull up on the pedal with my leg to get me up the hill with any efficiency. Doing that means I can cruise up Two Sisters and not even be out of breath or feel it in my legs.

I pull up on the pedals even on false flats – pretty much any time my quads are giving me the finger.

I liked flats on my Syren but I’d almost always had on shin guards. 😮

I don’t even give clipping in/out a second thought. But I DID want flats the few times I rode on packed snow/ice this past winter.

BUT, isn’t your commute now like four blocks? I think you need a new bike just for short city rides with flat pedals.

[Tania]

I always amazed when people do this. That could also be written “I always see people doing this.”

[Tania]

Thanks – that actually makes me a little less nervous about the entire endeavor.

[Author]

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