Two years since l last rode my bikes

[woodbutchmaster]

About two years ago l developed the Epstin Barr syndrome , it amounts to severe immune deficiency and in my case pretty much complete exhaustion.
Needless to say l have not been able to ride any of my bikes !!
l hope things are on the up for me because today being very warm and sunny l decided to un-mothball my trusty steeds and give them a once over.
There are five of them beginning with a Fiorelli Novi frame Coppi, an Olmo Sanremo, a Look 243 from Cycles P.Beraud, a Look 233 and finally Look KG386 carbon HM.
Needless to say that although they were all 'mothballed' they are very dusty and in need of some serious "TLC"

Some time ago l did try to ride a bike but to my dismay l seemed to have lost my sense of balance and l fell off. There was no damage to the bike but my confidence not to mention self esteem to a serious knock !!
If anyone feels like commenting please do and l would love to hear from anyone who has had similar problems.

Wish me luck !!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

About two years ago l developed the Epstin Barr syndrome , it amounts to severe immune deficiency and in my case pretty much complete exhaustion.
Needless to say l have not been able to ride any of my bikes !!
l hope things are on the up for me because today being very warm and sunny l decided to un-mothball my trusty steeds and give them a once over.
There are five of them beginning with a Fiorelli Novi frame Coppi, an Olmo Sanremo, a Look 243 from Cycles P.Beraud, a Look 233 and finally Look KG386 carbon HM.
Needless to say that although they were all 'mothballed' they are very dusty and in need of some serious "TLC"

Some time ago l did try to ride a bike but to my dismay l seemed to have lost my sense of balance and l fell off. There was no damage to the bike but my confidence not to mention self esteem to a serious knock !!
If anyone feels like commenting please do and l would love to hear from anyone who has had similar problems.

Wish me luck !!

Luck... wished!

 

[Dadam]

I thought it was like ... riding a bike!
Few years back I hadn't been on one for 30 years. I didn't fall off but I was pretty wobbly for the first couple of hundred yards but picked it back up quickly.

 

[Mike Ayling]

About two years ago l developed the Epstin Barr syndrome , it amounts to severe immune deficiency and in my case pretty much complete exhaustion.
Needless to say l have not been able to ride any of my bikes !!
l hope things are on the up for me because today being very warm and sunny l decided to un-mothball my trusty steeds and give them a once over.
There are five of them beginning with a Fiorelli Novi frame Coppi, an Olmo Sanremo, a Look 243 from Cycles P.Beraud, a Look 233 and finally Look KG386 carbon HM.
Needless to say that although they were all 'mothballed' they are very dusty and in need of some serious "TLC"

Some time ago l did try to ride a bike but to my dismay l seemed to have lost my sense of balance and l fell off. There was no damage to the bike but my confidence not to mention self esteem to a serious knock !!
If anyone feels like commenting please do and l would love to hear from anyone who has had similar problems.

Wish me luck !!

Hope you are able to get riding soon.

 

[stephec]

On the plus side you can now claim to be like Mark Cavendish on the bike. 🤣

Let's hope you have the same kind of recovery that he did.

 

[gbb]

I had 2 years off in my late 50s due to catching tuberculosis at work.. tbf, when I did get back on it was OK and had started commuting one day a week (14 miles each way) plus I got myself an ebike because naturally, a great deal of fitness was gone.

Unfortunately for me, osteo arthritis set in quite suddenly in my first year back on the bike so that kinda finished it for me long term.

But, all other aspects, enjoying the ride, balance, awareness, confidence was there...but its finding a new pace to work at, not overdoing it. I accepted quite quickly I wasn't going to replicate pre illness fitness.

But we're all different, age wasn't on my side, you may be quite OK.

 

[numbnuts]

All the best for your first ride

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Good Luck - let us know how it goes

maybe slightly lower the saddle so you can reach the ground easier for the first ride or two if it would help???

 

[presta]

It's 5 years and 4 days since I last rode mine, but I won't be riding it again. I did sit on it a few weeks ago, just to take a photo of my riding position, and what shocked me is that I've lost so much flexibility that the saddle felt about four inches too high to get my feet on the floor. Needless to say, I fell off it, here in the dining room. So I won't be risking that again, either.

 

[woodbutchmaster]

Hope you are able to get riding soon.

Thank you , l really miss cycling so l am not going to give up without a battle !!

 

[woodbutchmaster]

I thought it was like ... riding a bike!
Few years back I hadn't been on one for 30 years. I didn't fall off but I was pretty wobbly for the first couple of hundred yards but picked it back up quickly.

The problem is that my ability to balance normally has diminished to the extent that l have fallen over while just walking normally never mind riding a bike !

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Very best wishes for getting back in the saddle.

A thought that moving to a trike could solve the balance issue.

 

[woodbutchmaster]

On the plus side you can now claim to be like Mark Cavendish on the bike. 🤣

Let's hope you have the same kind of recovery that he did.

Oh boy l wish that the only thing we had in common. Fingers crossed that with the long hot summer in the Lot just getting going l will have my kind of weather and lovely quiet roads here ..

 

[woodbutchmaster]

I'm desperate to get back on board this one !!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Thank you , l really miss cycling so l am not going to give up without a battle !!

Right attitude!
In summer 2020 I badly injured my knee in a stupid gardening accident.
Could not walk, never mind cycling.
Fortunately (ahem ... not) I was made redundant, so didn't have to commute.
It was the middle of the first lockdown, difficult to get medical help.
I did the NHS online exercises till I could get to a physio, borrowed a walking stick from a disabled neighbourg, made myself walk (bloody sore!) every day till (took almost a year), the pain was moderate.
Then I borrowed a static trainer, used that at home for a couple of weeks with my commuter on it, till I was happy that my knee would be able to handle stopping because it was my "stopping leg"
August 2021 I was back commuting, not as fit as before the injury, of course, the first little incline almost killed me
I had to put one chair at each side of the trainer at first, in case I felt like falling off, and had to mount the bike using a small stool
You can do it!
Look into a recumbent too, if it could make life easier.
Good luck!