Cycling Thread 2

[Bigtime]

Electric bike online dealer Rad Power has filed for bankruptcy:

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/indu...tcy-protection

[Johnny199r]

Has anyone experienced lower back pain cycling even after a bike fit, having a strong core and physiotherapy?

The only explanation from my physio is that my lower back "fatigues" around 20km and that's just the way it is.

I'm in (otherwise) ideal shape and can't stand how I can't seem to cure this no matter how much strength training, yoga or anything else I try to do. A bike fit last summer was of no benefit.

[GGG]

How flexible are you?

It could be that you hip hinge is just more limited. How aggressive is your bike. If you ride more upright does it feel better

[RichieRich]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

Has anyone experienced lower back pain cycling even after a bike fit, having a strong core and physiotherapy?

The only explanation from my physio is that my lower back "fatigues" around 20km and that's just the way it is.

I'm in (otherwise) ideal shape and can't stand how I can't seem to cure this no matter how much strength training, yoga or anything else I try to do. A bike fit last summer was of no benefit.

Yes. Despite believing you have a strong core, you may have a combination of a weak back (there are several muscles) AND poor biomechanics. Most likely the latter where your back has, for some reason, taken on the workload that other muscles should be doing. It's NOT "the way it is". I've been going through this exact thing the last few months too, except mine has been improving.
Maybe you need a different physio... PM me if you wish and I can recommend a physio and an amazing chiro (who focuses on biomechanics and has treated gold medal level olympians).

[ken0042]

Has anybody taken the canal path recently? Even this winter? I see it's on the city clearing route, but in the past it hadn't always been cleared.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/qJ7AvEgToCSjPct59

I am hoping to ride home tonight, and that's my preferred route. (Especially being out of shape again.)

Edit- just to note that it was cleared. The only really sketchy part was on the east end of the bridge where the path crosses the canal; just north of Glenmore.)

[RichieRich]

Several things bothered me (so far) with this weeks balmy weather bike commutes:


1. Nice weather today.... the electric motor bikes (2) were spotted along memorial pathway system zipping along on the pedestrian side not the wheeled pathway.


2. with more light earlier in the morning and later in the day... the pathway ninja riders are reappearing mysteriously to be hardly seen until almost collided with. Go figure.


3. The bow river / water mains bike path zig zag area around the giant planters finally has some real lighting. Rather late now that the poorly placed detour signs are more well known. That first early morning they were up I went through there in the dark and even at low speed hit some ice and had a bad spill... 3 weeks later I'm about 70% healed up. I shoulda known as the City pathway signage almost always is a real frickin' sh*t show/disaster....


4. and now near Edworthy there are more detours with signage changing just about daily this week. Hard to know where to go and/or if they'll put you onto some ice or mud. Do these "planners" simply do a desk top review or do they actually attempt to ride it or have a real rider do it blind without knowing the plan? aaaargh.

[RichieRich]

Great weekend for some outdoor 2 wheel activity. However lots of gravel in kinds of places and all kinds of sizes. Definitely not the place yet for the fast lightweight tires so sticking with the gravels.

[Bigtime]

FYI for anyone that uses the Bow pathway around the zoo, ice jam on the river has caused the pathway to start flooding starting around the moose enclosure and going east towards Nose creek. St. George's drive and the pathways from the zoo parking lots will be your detour.

[Fuzz]

[ken0042]

Bigtime, I am still trying to figure out where you sit on the brave/crazy scale. Good on you for riding in this weather at all- I am out this week for sure.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Bigtime, I am still trying to figure out where you sit on the brave/crazy scale. Good on you for riding in this weather at all- I am out this week for sure.

Honestly, Tuesday morning was probably the worst winter ride I ever did. It was ok until the north wind hit me going up Nose creek, and the drifts started to form. Had to walk that last bit of hill on the Fox Hollow path before the bridge over Deerfoot. When I got up there, I turned my back to the wind and had almost nothing left in the tank for the last part of the ride. Nothing but sheer force of will to get on and finish the ride.

Then, all work day stressing watching the snow pile up and the drifts get bigger. Praying that the crews would at least give me one pass on Nose creek and the Bow river pathways. I was rewarded and they had, and the pathway around the zoo was cleared to almost pure pavement. I got super lucky.

The cold the next few days? Nothing I haven't managed before, and knowing I had cleared paths made it much easier.

[RichieRich]

Took a bad spill mid January (thanks a lot City for your crap signage putting me into a no-light area with sheet death ice) despite having slowed almost to a stop and with studded tires. Nothing broken but finally starting to feel better.
In other news, the European spring races are starting up now for some crazy roadie action on the cobblestones and bergs. One day... one day... it may be fun to go be a roadside spectator and do some actual riding.
On that note... any suggestions for high value (cost effective) ways to get some good Euro riding in without breaking the bank? Am thinking may stay at a bike hotel, rent a road bike, and follow some of their prescribed nearby routes (~40-140km, up to ~2000m/vert/day)?

[GomerPile]

Originally Posted by RichieRich

Took a bad spill mid January (thanks a lot City for your crap signage putting me into a no-light area with sheet death ice) despite having slowed almost to a stop and with studded tires. Nothing broken but finally starting to feel better.
In other news, the European spring races are starting up now for some crazy roadie action on the cobblestones and bergs. One day... one day... it may be fun to go be a roadside spectator and do some actual riding.
On that note... any suggestions for high value (cost effective) ways to get some good Euro riding in without breaking the bank? Am thinking may stay at a bike hotel, rent a road bike, and follow some of their prescribed nearby routes (~40-140km, up to ~2000m/vert/day)?

High Value - Northern Italy, when we lived in Europe we’d fly to Milan and drive North. Think Valleys that aren’t Como etc. We’d rent a car and bikes in Milan and get a cheap AirBnb, Sondrio Valley was a favourite. There’s a million paved mountain roads and often a winery to hit on the way down. Unfortunately, didn’t have Strava then, so I can’t look up any rides I did. Accoms were cheap, food was inexpensive and wine was cheaper than water.

Sondrio, Cuveglio, Lillianes, Pinerolo are some of the places I remember(this was 10 years ago)