Issues

Riding a bicycle is fun.  Riding a bicycle is good for you.  Exercise promotes health.  Good health promotes happiness.  If the exercise in question is enjoyable, folks are more likely to engage in it.  (This is the primary reason for one of my more conistent themes, i.e. enjoy the bike!)

For some reason, there are a lot of contradictions about riding.  It’s fun so we want to do it more.  We find that, when we do it more, we have even more fun doing it.  So we want to do it even more.  And suddenly we start running into “issues.”

“Issues” are not fun.  Everyone has them.  “My hands hurt,” or “My feet go numb,” or “I get saddle sores,” or “My back gets sore,”  or you name it.

I sometimes think that we, in the bicycle industry, do ourselves and our clients a disservice.  We talk about a given bike being comfortable, or a pair of shoes, or a specific handlebar tape, as being comfortable.  The truth is, these things make riding less uncomfortable.  For comfort, sit in an easy chair.  The problem with that is that we don’t see much, and the exhilaration factor is completely absent.

So what to do about discomfort issues?  Of course, come talk it over with an experienced pro.  But do understand, we can not tell if you are experiencing pain, or simply a mild, but annoying discomfort.

Good fit is critical.  Knowing how to use it is important.  (Hint:  Get a lesson in how to sit on a bike seat. Don’t overtighten your shoes or your gloves.)  Changes of position and equipment can be helpful.  But we do have to be ready to withstand some discomfort.

Unescapable and self-contradictory truth:  Riding more fixes most problems.  But serious problems stop you from riding more.

Corollary:  Given a good fit, and good equipment.  Most “issues” are simply due to lack of adaptation.

So how does one adapt to that which can be adapted to?  Simple.  Do less, and do it more frequently.  (There’s that consistency thing again.)  It doesn’t matter how long it takes for the hard discomfort to occur.  Be it an hour, or 15 minutes.  Find that time.  Then take a couple days off to recover.  Then go out frequently, but stay inside that “ouch limit.”  In three to six weeks, you should be adapting to the bike, if you are going to.  Discomfort that persists for more than six weeks should be attended to.

By the same token, Never ride in pain!  Let me repeat that.  DO NOT RIDE IN PAIN!!  Don’t be a hero.

Do make the distinction between discomfort or soreness, and pain.  Work carefully and methodically on the former, and get immediate help for the latter.

We either find a way to deal with our issues, or we don’t.  Courage, determination, obstinancy, good old fashioned stick-to-it-ivness, these are all traits of the long term, life-time cyclist.

Be of good cheer.  Seek help.  Know this, it’s just about impossible to have an original problem.

Oh and one more thing…  The first of the Audax Tune Up Rides is fast approaching.  Are you coming?

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #8) What is the exact distance of the Novice Road Ride Loop?