New to Audax and need advice

[yello]

Someone did LEL (1400km Audax) on a Brompton.

And 3 Moulton's started too. 2 DNF'ed but I road the last 300km or so with the last one, piloted by a chap called Simon. You can read a little about it on the Shaun Moulton's blog for the event.

 

[Threelionsbrian]

I think there is more to it than just leg fitness. I've injured my legs a couple of times, but apart from those times it has always been some other part that has caused problems on long rides. Always my lower back, often my bum and sometimes my arms, shoulders or neck; a couple of times my wrists or hands.

In my case, problems are not caused by poor bike fit or inadequate cycle clothing because my longest, hardest rides carrying panniers were trouble-free (140+ mile rides with 10,000+ ft of Pennine climbing). If I'm slim (or slimmish) and fit, I can put the work in; if I'm not, it hurts - a lot!

What i was saying is that the legs are doing most of the work they need to be operating in a way that suits the rider, the aches, numbness tweaks come over time with experience. I suffer from Hands Feet and Ass badly 100k upward, sometimes the left arm goes numb back spasms knee etc but you can still turn them pedals till the energy disappears. Then you're ******  .

I've bought some items and i'm hoping for a miracle. Not a biggy really just hope the problems cease and i lose 2 stone.

 

[ColinJ]

What i was saying is that the legs are doing most of the work they need to be operating in a way that suits the rider, the aches, numbness tweaks come over time with experience. I suffer from Hands Feet and Ass badly 100k upward, sometimes the left arm goes numb back spasms knee etc but you can still turn them pedals till the energy disappears. Then you're ******   .

I don't think I've ever managed to tire my legs out completely. I've bonked a few times but that's a different matter. Normally, it's my back that forces me off the bike to stretch and take a short rest. I could ride on the flat with backache but when faced with a 15+% hill, there is nowhere to hide from the pain! 

 

[steveindenmark]

. Always my lower back, often my bum and sometimes my arms, shoulders or neck; a couple of times my wrists or hands.

This is why I have switched to recumbents.

The trike was great because if you got tired you could just just face it into the sun, crack out a tin of beer and then have a sleep. You diddn`t even have to get up.

Steve

 

[ColinJ]

This is why I have switched to recumbents.

The trike was great because if you got tired you could just just face it into the sun, crack out a tin of beer and then have a sleep. You diddn`t even have to get up.

Steve

There are some downhills round here that would really be fun on a recumbent trike! I don't fancy climbing on a recumbent though. I like the high position on a conventional bike for looking over walls at the scenery and I think I'd feel very nervous in traffic with the low position of a recumbent.

Most of my aches and pains pretty much disappeared when I slimmed down and got fit enough to do the hilly routes that I enjoy without exhausting myself.

 

[Arch]

I don't think I've ever managed to tire my legs out completely. I've bonked a few times but that's a different matter. Normally, it's my back that forces me off the bike to stretch and take a short rest. I could ride on the flat with backache but when faced with a 15+% hill, there is nowhere to hide from the pain!

That really is a very stupid place to live....

 

[zigzag]

Most of my aches and pains pretty much disappeared when I slimmed down and got fit enough to do the hilly routes that I enjoy without exhausting myself.

thats very true, the fitter you are, the more comfortable it is to ride. knee and achilles pains are usually due to untrained legs, unsuitable saddle position (fore/aft/up/down), misaligned cleats, back pain is because of weak core muscles (no counteraction to leg muscles). shoulder and wrist pain is because the handlebars and saddle are too far forward or at incorrect angle and neck pain because of weak muscles or/and handlebars too low.

 

[steveindenmark]

Colin,

I only had my trike for 6 months and never had any trouble in traffic. It was like half the size of a mini so I was difficult to miss. I think the low down aspect is always a bit of a misconception. I think you are actually seen more because you are so unusual.

As I say I only had mine for 6 months and so maybe ARCH can give us her view on this.

My new 2 wheel recumbent will have 26 inch wheels on front and back and so I should be easier to see than a DF bike.

Steve

 

[Arch]

Colin,

I only had my trike for 6 months and never had any trouble in traffic. It was like half the size of a mini so I was difficult to miss. I think the low down aspect is always a bit of a misconception. I think you are actually seen more because you are so unusual.

As I say I only had mine for 6 months and so maybe ARCH can give us her view on this.

My new 2 wheel recumbent will have 26 inch wheels on front and back and so I should be easier to see than a DF bike.

Steve

Arch says, like pretty much every recumbent rider she's ever talked to, that she gets seen much better on the trike - seen AND NOTICED! And usually passed with plenty of room - most cars on rural roads cross entirely to the other side to pass.

On a recumbent, sometimes you wish you could be seen a bit less - you have to be a bit of an extrovert to ride one, and happy to have random strangers come up to you and talk about it.