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[user not found] wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 10:45 pm I just did one 60 second plank to see when my legs started shaking - made it to 90 seconds. Could’ve held for longer but my back was starting to protest.

I definitely need to start doing some planks and pushups again.
Do what, 1 a day?
I apparently could do 60 sec just now. I guess I could go longer but started small shakes in my abs so stopped.
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[user not found] wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 11:06 pm
Johnny_P wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 10:58 pm

Do what, 1 a day?
I apparently could do 60 sec just now. I guess I could go longer but started small shakes in my abs so stopped.
I mean, doing push-ups is like doing a plank, really. Two birds with one stone.
Things I should probably do but don't.
That and yoga.
Maybe I'll try starting it up.
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[user not found] wrote:
Johnny_P wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 10:58 pm Do what, 1 a day?
I apparently could do 60 sec just now. I guess I could go longer but started small shakes in my abs so stopped.
I mean, doing push-ups is like doing a plank, really. Two birds with one stone.
Weird. I can do 30 or so pushups but the plank is hard to get to 10 seconds.
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With pushups it’s easier to bend at the core a bit without realizing instead of holding it completely straight like you would for a plank.
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I’ve never had any of the discomfort with the shoulders/back/neck and I have to assume it’s because I lift and am strong pretty evenly, not just legs. When I was complaining about my drop bars it’s because I was committing with a loaded backpack with laptop, lunch, toiletries, towel, change of clothes, etc and the bars made it super awkward because the bag would slide up and also created blind spots for cars and I was crossing a ton of intersections on major roads. It was compounded be wearing jackets with hoods because it was cold, the backpack would push the hood up and create more blind spot.

Start doing some basic exercises- push ups, planks, pull ups, chin ups, hanging leg raises... if your goal is just getting better at riding it doesn’t have to be crazy. Bonus is you’ll look better too.
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Johnny_P wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 11:11 pm
[user not found] wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 11:06 pm

I mean, doing push-ups is like doing a plank, really. Two birds with one stone.
Things I should probably do but don't.
That and yoga.
Maybe I'll try starting it up.
I’ve been meaning to start yoga for years too. Probably need a sub 10 minute basic routine I can do without too much effort.
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Man fuck this shit. Just tried to ride today and had to bail after 90 seconds, ass hurts way too much. There's no fucking way that it's supposed to be like this.
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[user not found] wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 11:54 am
troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 11:44 am Man fuck this shit. Just tried to ride today and had to bail after 90 seconds, ass hurts way too much. There's no fucking way that it's supposed to be like this.
JFC. Get some bib shorts. Invest in some chamois butt’r or gooch guard or buttonhole diaper cream too.

Also, give your taint a day or two to recover.
We’ve all made this suggestion every day for weeks but it seems complaining online is far preferable to spending $15 :rolleyes:
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D Griff wrote:
[user not found] wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 11:54 am JFC. Get some bib shorts. Invest in some chamois butt’r or gooch guard or buttonhole diaper cream too.

Also, give your taint a day or two to recover.
We’ve all made this suggestion every day for weeks but it seems complaining online is far preferable to spending $15 :rolleyes:
Fuck off. It's also been suggested that I have the wrong seat and that I'm too weak and that I just have to get used to it.

Sorry for exploring those free possibilities first before buying more shit when we're likely to be fully unemployed soon.
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troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 11:44 am Man fuck this shit. Just tried to ride today and had to bail after 90 seconds, ass hurts way too much. There's no fucking way that it's supposed to be like this.
diaper

I don't really find any saddle, MTB or not, to be comfortable for any real length of time without it. My limit without the diaper is about 8 miles to a bar, where I have a big break, then 8 miles back, just casual riding.

The saddles griff/bradfax have are designed to not need a diaper. Some other leather Brooks type saddles work that way too, theoretically, after they're broken in at least. The saddles you have will all benefit from one.

The reason for that is, for extended duration riding, you want the pad to move with your body, not let your body sink into a soft seat. You get saddle sores / blood flow issues if you do the second for a long time.
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troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 12:03 pm
D Griff wrote:
We’ve all made this suggestion every day for weeks but it seems complaining online is far preferable to spending $15 :rolleyes:
Fuck off. It's also been suggested that I have the wrong seat and that I'm too weak and that I just have to get used to it.

Sorry for exploring those free possibilities first before buying more shit when we're likely to be fully unemployed soon.
I get it dude. This is frustrating for sure. My Cervelo, I loved that bike, but I went through 3 different saddles, 2 seatposts, and 3 stems, and one $300 fit session because I couldn't get long term comfortable on it. I'd hit the 2 hour mark and my peepee would start going numb, or my ass bones would fucking hurt. Or my hands would go numb. Something about that bike never quite worked with my body and I couldn't figure it out.

Current bike is way way way way better in that regard, for me it ended up being larger volume tires plus a frame designed for more upright riding and a saddle shape that magically agreed with my weiner.

Now my hands go numb at the 5 hour mark. But that's a long ride. And I could probably fix with a carbon fiber handlebar or better bar tape.
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Johnny_P wrote:
troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 12:03 pm Fuck off. It's also been suggested that I have the wrong seat and that I'm too weak and that I just have to get used to it.

Sorry for exploring those free possibilities first before buying more shit when we're likely to be fully unemployed soon.
I get it dude. This is frustrating for sure. My Cervelo, I loved that bike, but I went through 3 different saddles, 2 seatposts, and 3 stems, and one $300 fit session because I couldn't get long term comfortable on it. I'd hit the 2 hour mark and my peepee would start going numb, or my ass bones would fucking hurt. Or my hands would go numb. Something about that bike never quite worked with my body and I couldn't figure it out.

Current bike is way way way way better in that regard, for me it ended up being larger volume tires plus a frame designed for more upright riding and a saddle shape that magically agreed with my weiner.

Now my hands go numb at the 5 hour mark. But that's a long ride. And I could probably fix with a carbon fiber handlebar or better bar tape.
Maybe what I'm thinking about isn't possible for adults, but I feel like I used to casually ride bikes for hours on end and enjoy it when I was like 5-15. All without ever wearing special clothes or shoes or measuring seat angles or anything. Of course I don't think we ever went more than 10 miles in a day either.

Is there not a seat that is soft enough to work as a casual beach cruiser and still be OK to use for an hour or two a day for a more serious fitness application (not racing, just fitness)? It doesn't seem like I'm going to be riding 50+ miles in the foreseeable future.
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troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 1:52 pm
Johnny_P wrote:
I get it dude. This is frustrating for sure. My Cervelo, I loved that bike, but I went through 3 different saddles, 2 seatposts, and 3 stems, and one $300 fit session because I couldn't get long term comfortable on it. I'd hit the 2 hour mark and my peepee would start going numb, or my ass bones would fucking hurt. Or my hands would go numb. Something about that bike never quite worked with my body and I couldn't figure it out.

Current bike is way way way way better in that regard, for me it ended up being larger volume tires plus a frame designed for more upright riding and a saddle shape that magically agreed with my weiner.

Now my hands go numb at the 5 hour mark. But that's a long ride. And I could probably fix with a carbon fiber handlebar or better bar tape.
Maybe what I'm thinking about isn't possible for adults, but I feel like I used to casually ride bikes for hours on end and enjoy it when I was like 5-15. All without ever wearing special clothes or shoes or measuring seat angles or anything. Of course I don't think we ever went more than 10 miles in a day either.

Is there not a seat that is soft enough to work as a casual beach cruiser and still be OK to use for an hour or two a day for a more serious fitness application (not racing, just fitness)? It doesn't seem like I'm going to be riding 50+ miles in the foreseeable future.
Man I really don’t know, that’s outside my knowledge zone. A local shop might be able to answer that if any are open. Or maybe a decently large online retailer that has all bike types, like Bens Cycle or something.
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troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 1:52 pm
Johnny_P wrote:
I get it dude. This is frustrating for sure. My Cervelo, I loved that bike, but I went through 3 different saddles, 2 seatposts, and 3 stems, and one $300 fit session because I couldn't get long term comfortable on it. I'd hit the 2 hour mark and my peepee would start going numb, or my ass bones would fucking hurt. Or my hands would go numb. Something about that bike never quite worked with my body and I couldn't figure it out.

Current bike is way way way way better in that regard, for me it ended up being larger volume tires plus a frame designed for more upright riding and a saddle shape that magically agreed with my weiner.

Now my hands go numb at the 5 hour mark. But that's a long ride. And I could probably fix with a carbon fiber handlebar or better bar tape.
Maybe what I'm thinking about isn't possible for adults, but I feel like I used to casually ride bikes for hours on end and enjoy it when I was like 5-15. All without ever wearing special clothes or shoes or measuring seat angles or anything. Of course I don't think we ever went more than 10 miles in a day either.

Is there not a seat that is soft enough to work as a casual beach cruiser and still be OK to use for an hour or two a day for a more serious fitness application (not racing, just fitness)? It doesn't seem like I'm going to be riding 50+ miles in the foreseeable future.
I posted my seat about four times and how it works fine for this and you just ignore it and keep talking about how terrible yours is. My seat is heavy and not "cyclist bro" approved but :whocares: . It's actually really comfy.
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D Griff wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 2:07 pm
troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 1:52 pm Maybe what I'm thinking about isn't possible for adults, but I feel like I used to casually ride bikes for hours on end and enjoy it when I was like 5-15. All without ever wearing special clothes or shoes or measuring seat angles or anything. Of course I don't think we ever went more than 10 miles in a day either.

Is there not a seat that is soft enough to work as a casual beach cruiser and still be OK to use for an hour or two a day for a more serious fitness application (not racing, just fitness)? It doesn't seem like I'm going to be riding 50+ miles in the foreseeable future.
I posted my seat about four times and how it works fine for this and you just ignore it and keep talking about how terrible yours is. My seat is heavy and not "cyclist bro" approved but :whocares: . It's actually really comfy.
Random vintage Schwinn image is only so helpful, was hoping that someone knew the keyword or feature or measurements to look for, I obviously don't GAF about being called a "cyclist" - hell I want flat handlebars.

There must be a class of products that's made for casually riding bikes for fun/fitness instead of being a cyclist who puts on his cyclist underwear and cyclist shoes to ride his cycle through the Alps.
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[user not found] wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 2:18 pm Squishy seats are not good for long rides at a high exertion level. That’s just asking for numbness and chafing.

The right answer is right here in this thread. Buy one pair of bib shorts and some chamois butt’r and get back on the bike.

Also, if you start to feel discomfort on the bike, stand up and pedal a bit. Move around. You don’t have to stay glued in one position for the duration of the ride.

I find myself sliding forward and sitting on the nose of the saddle on climbs or standing, sitting in the middle on most flat stretches.
So if I want to use a bike both casually and for fitness, I need 2 different seats if not 2 different bikes entirely? I'm not swapping back and forth between a swimsuit and bike shorts to go to the beach or lunch or whatever.
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This whole thing is :popcorn: to an outside observer.
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FWIW I already ordered the stupid diaper before posting today. When it will arrive and whether it will actually fit or be sufficient are all separate questions, but I'm getting to the point where I am over the whole idea of a bike. $1000ish in bike shit so far and I fucking hate it.
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troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 2:18 pm
D Griff wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 2:07 pm

I posted my seat about four times and how it works fine for this and you just ignore it and keep talking about how terrible yours is. My seat is heavy and not "cyclist bro" approved but :whocares: . It's actually really comfy.
Random vintage Schwinn image is only so helpful, was hoping that someone knew the keyword or feature or measurements to look for, I obviously don't GAF about being called a "cyclist" - hell I want flat handlebars.

There must be a class of products that's made for casually riding bikes for fun/fitness instead of being a cyclist who puts on his cyclist underwear and cyclist shoes to ride his cycle through the Alps.
:word: my dad has had that seat since the 80s so I’m not sure what the details are. I kind of agree that a lot of the cycling stuff is... well a lot. I guess I was lucky to get a decent old bike for free that works pretty well for my needs.
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[user not found] wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 11:03 pm
troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 3:48 pm FWIW I already ordered the stupid diaper before posting today. When it will arrive and whether it will actually fit or be sufficient are all separate questions, but I'm getting to the point where I am over the whole idea of a bike. $1000ish in bike shit so far and I fucking hate it.
God damn stop being such a dark cloud. :lol:

Ideally find a saddle that’s comfy enough for short stints around town that feels great while wearing bibs.

I’m surprised the WTB Rocket was such an ass hatchet for you, that’s typically a good dual-purpose saddle. However, being a more MTB oriented saddle might be where it’s downfall lies, as you’re out of the saddle more when mountain biking.

A saddle rated/recommended for gravel is your best bet, as they’re designed for long periods of pedaling while seated over roughish terrain.
There's got to be a large element of "get used to it" combined with posture and technique. How often and for how long do you stand up?
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[user not found] wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 11:03 pm
troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 3:48 pm FWIW I already ordered the stupid diaper before posting today. When it will arrive and whether it will actually fit or be sufficient are all separate questions, but I'm getting to the point where I am over the whole idea of a bike. $1000ish in bike shit so far and I fucking hate it.
God damn stop being such a dark cloud. :lol:

Ideally find a saddle that’s comfy enough for short stints around town that feels great while wearing bibs.

I’m surprised the WTB Rocket was such an ass hatchet for you, that’s typically a good dual-purpose saddle. However, being a more MTB oriented saddle might be where it’s downfall lies, as you’re out of the saddle more when mountain biking.

A saddle rated/recommended for gravel is your best bet, as they’re designed for long periods of pedaling while seated over roughish terrain.
My technique isn’t great but I almost never stand on my MTB and regularly have ridden it for a couple hours with and without the diaper and I find the WTB Rocket to be pretty good, I bought the widest one IIRC. I can only recall one ride where it was torture- two hours of brutal climbing on extremely rooted, rough trails with no diaper. I will never ride that place again sans diaper, but otherwise that saddle has worked really nicely for me personally.

Kind of a tough thing to “try out” unless you know a lot of local friends with different ones on bikes your size which makes it tricky.
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[user not found] wrote: Sun May 24, 2020 9:24 am
troyguitar wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 11:37 pm

There's got to be a large element of "get used to it" combined with posture and technique. How often and for how long do you stand up?
Something else that will change as well as your core gets stronger and you get more flexible is you'll be able to ride with a lower stem/use the drops and put more weight on your forearms and less pressure and weight will be transmitted on only your sit bones.

You've got several issues compounding into one massive issue for you, which will get better over time. Just gotta put the time in.

Also, the proper bike shorts do make a big difference.

In terms of standing, it depends on terrain. If I'm just riding flatter terrain, and I'm standing up in the pedals to relieve some gooch fatigue, it's anywhere from 10-30 seconds. If I'm climbing a hill and I'm standing to change up my muscle usage, I could be out of the saddle for a minute.

You're more efficient pedaling in the saddle overall, but sometimes a change of position allows certain muscles/areas to recover a bit so you can keep the intensity up.
Nice pro tips, I should probably stand more. It’s just never felt natural to me so I avoid it for the most part.
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Ride it roadie
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[user not found] wrote:
D Griff wrote: Sun May 24, 2020 9:33 am Nice pro tips, I should probably stand more. It’s just never felt natural to me so I avoid it for the most part.
It’s good to work on standing pedaling technique for sure, will keep you from wasting too much energy when riding.

You’ll find your standing pedaling cadence is 5-10 RPM lower than your seated cadence, and this is because you’re able to use your body weight to rotate the pedals instead of just your leg strength.

Those tips were more for road riding, though.

MTB, stand when necessary. Climbing, roots, rocks, etc. Gotta stay loose in the saddle and be able to move around independently of the bike in technical spots.
Wow only 5-10 rpm less when standing? I was back at 65 rpm when I stood up. :derp:

I guess I'm taking today off since my ass still hurts, diaper won't be in for several days most likely. Dunno when exactly to restart and how much time to start with. Maybe 20 mins twice a day vs 60 mins once a day.
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troyguitar wrote: Sun May 24, 2020 4:55 pm
[user not found] wrote:
It’s good to work on standing pedaling technique for sure, will keep you from wasting too much energy when riding.

You’ll find your standing pedaling cadence is 5-10 RPM lower than your seated cadence, and this is because you’re able to use your body weight to rotate the pedals instead of just your leg strength.

Those tips were more for road riding, though.

MTB, stand when necessary. Climbing, roots, rocks, etc. Gotta stay loose in the saddle and be able to move around independently of the bike in technical spots.
Wow only 5-10 rpm less when standing? I was back at 65 rpm when I stood up. :derp:

I guess I'm taking today off since my ass still hurts, diaper won't be in for several days most likely. Dunno when exactly to restart and how much time to start with. Maybe 20 mins twice a day vs 60 mins once a day.
I’m more in the 65 camp when I stand :gaydance:
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