Musing on my infirmities

I've been doing a lot of thinking/reading about what's been going on with my hands. Although I've got some of the "classic" symptoms of ulnar nerve compression there's more to it than that. Here's a relatively complete list of the symptoms/sensations:

1. Tingling in ring/pinkie fingers. This is symptomatic of carpal tunnel/ulnar nerve compression.
2. Both of my hands hurt, all over, wrists to fingertips. If it were possible to cause the sensation of pain to generate light both of my hands would glow.
3. No symptoms of arthritis (swelling, pain localized to joints, redness).
4. When it's bad like it was immediately post PBP the sensation is that my hands have been crushed. I mean literally like they were put in a vise and smashed. This was especially bad on ring and pinkie fingers but applied to my whole hand.
5. Right hand marginally worse than left but only a very small amount.
6. Simultaneous and very similar onset with both hands and very similar sensation/level of pain with both hands.

While pondering all this the things that stood out:

1. As I said, it doesn't fully fit the standard "cyclist palsy" ulnar nerve compression symptomology. That's part of it but there's more.
2. The simultaneous onset in both hands seems significant as does the similarity in symptoms and their magnitude in both hands.

So my non-medical conclusion is that although I do likely have some degree of ulnar nerve compression the real culprit is higher up and at an intersection.

I broke my neck (c2/c3) years ago (bike crash). Without going through the details of the crash, imagine taking your head and bending it backward as far (or farther) than it will go, that's what happened. Spent several of the longest months of my life in a halo. 

I didn't use aerobars at PBP, instead I rode long distances with my forearms rested on the top of the bars (how pro is that!) so had to crane my neck to see where I was going.

Like a lot of cyclists, I tend to "hunch" my shoulders (imagine trying to touch your shoulders to your ears - not that bad but that's the idea) at times creating a fair amount of tension. I focus on staying relaxed but it's like telling a teenager to sit up straight. They do it for a little bit then go back to slouching. I'm relaxed when I think about it, I try to think about it a lot (I mean seriously, what the hell else is there to focus on when you're riding?) but I still catch myself doing it.

So my diagnosis: I've got some nerve impingement in my neck that's affecting both hands.

Assuming I'm right, it has some interesting implications wrt cycling, especially long distances:

1. Aerobars is likely the worst thing I could do. Although I do think my position on the aerobars is pretty good and I try to keep my head/neck aligned with my torso, you do have to look up to see.
2. I'm going for comfort rather than aero on the aerobar setup so the bars are up higher than e.g., a world class triathlete or time trialist would have them so I don't have to bend my neck quite so much to see but still my neck is bent when I look up.

So for the moment, my plan is unchanged. I'm doing a 600K in a few weeks, I'll put aerobars on the bike and will see whether it's better or worse.

This could force the "all in" on the recumbent or at least swing the pendulum strongly in that direction.

We'll see.

November 200K

Got out with a friend pursuing a K-Hound (10K RUSA kilometers in a year) yesterday morning for a 200K.

As noted previously, streaks are powerful things ;-) I've finished both my R12 and P12 for November despite my previously posted ambivalence toward continuing the pursuit of both.

Rode the Hampsten equipped with aerobars. As described previously, I'm experimenting with using aerobars to give my hands some relief. The issue historically is back or neck pain unless I'm sufficiently acclimated. I'm planning on a 600K next month so yesterdays ride seemed like a good opportunity to accomplish a few related goals: get some time on the aerobars and see what benefit having another position would give my hands.

In general, things went fairly well. I used the aerobars for a good part of the ride, perhaps 40% including some extended stretches on them. I also focused on varying my hand position when not on the bars and other posture related things e.g., keeping wrists straight, bend in elbows, etc.

My back and neck were OK during the ride but a bit sore/tired after. Started to get some shoulder/neck soreness toward the end of the ride. My hands were OK during the ride but afterwards I had the "fingers are smashed" sensation in the ring and pinkie of my left hand and a bit of tingling in my right.

As I write this the following morning the smashed sensation is gone, replaced by tingling which persists in my right hand as well.

So not a total win but an improvement. It might be a full solution if I'm able to increase the amount of time I spend on the bars somewhat or perhaps this is as good as it gets.

We'll see.

Life, the internets and everything

One thing I've realized about posting my musings about my "problem" on the internets is that it likely comes across that my life is in ruins because of the pain in my hands after long rides. Although my hands do hurt and I hope there's a resolution to that, there's an awful lot of ways to enjoy riding a bike without doing 1200K's. In fact, I rode 10K+ miles a year for more than 20 years before I did my first brevet.

At some point, my long distance riding will come to an end regardless. Right now, it's my hope that I've not yet reached that point and part of what I enjoy about doing longer rides is overcoming the hurdles they present. The problems with my hands is just one of them and I'm exploring different things to ameliorate the problem and writing about what I've tried and what I might try next, mostly for my own edification and to document for myself where I've been.

I've had conversations with other folks my age and older about when we'll stop doing the longer rides. The obvious answer is when we stop getting enjoyment out of doing them. Other answers are if we get a "career ending" injury. A bad crash might also bring about the end. Another answer (for me) is when I'm no longer fast enough to get adequate sleep. When I get to a point where I'm struggling to make control close times that's a clear signal that I'm done.

I'm not there yet and I'm still enjoying the challenge so I'll keep exploring alternatives that let me continue. If I don't find one, c'est la vie. I'll still ride my bike.

At a crossroads - afterthoughts

I've been post-processing my post (see what I did there?) and rather than extend an already long post I thought I'd make a new one with some additional thoughts.

I said that in the list of reasons why I do 1200K's that "the bike I ride" is either not on the list or is well down and that's true. It's all about the best tool for the job.

However, on shorter rides which, let's face it, constitute the majority of my riding the bike I ride does matter. I really enjoy the nuances of one bike versus another. In fact, I usually decide a day in advance what bike I want to ride the next day and if for some reason I'm not able to ride that bike I don't ride. Yes, mental I know but there it is.

For reference, as I write this I'm at 8,106 RUSA K's plus a 1000K and flèche in Australia, PBP and the Herentals 1200K for a total of 11,896 or thereabouts (I don't recall what the exact distance is for PBP) or 7,435 miles. I'm at 14,475 miles total for the year so just about half of my total miles are brevets.

So if:

1. I'm unable to ride one of my many DF's for brevets and can only do longer rides on a recumbent.
2. There's not close to 100% crossover between DF miles and recumbent miles from a training point of view.

Then I would be giving something up to ride 1200K's which is not currently the case. I can e.g., ride my Firefly exclusively for 6 weeks then jump on my Hampsten and do a brevet. No problem, done it. But I don't think I could jump on my Bacchetta (or Cruzbike) in similar fashion. I wouldn't have my "bent legs".

So given my ridiculously overambitious brevet schedule for next year, it's either all in for the DF or all in for the recumbent.

That's the conundrum.

At a crossroads?

I've been pondering things bike related lately. I thought I'd write some of my thinking down, mainly for my own reference although being a blog post these thoughts are out there for all to see.

Here's the current state of affairs:

1. My hands still hurt. Badly. I can't sleep at night. I've been taking tylenol which doesn't really do it for me in general as a pain reliever but it's easier on the stomach than ibuprofen, naproxen, etc., and my upper GI is fairly sensitive.
2. As noted earlier, I'm using aerobars on the DF and have bought and installed a set on the trainer since I've been using it more than riding outside (the weather sucks!).
3. My lower back muscles are initially sore after a ride using the aerobars but are OK after a few hours. I've been mixing up positions (hoods, drops, aerobars) to allow myself to become accustomed to the aerobars. As I might have noted, I used aerobars with good success on the Natchez Trace 1500K so I am able to use them once acclimated. The only time I've ever had trouble with them (back and neck) was when I put them on and then did a long ride where I used them a lot. This was the case most recently at the Hound Dog 1200K.
4. As I might have said elsewhere, I'm in the queue for a new bike. The idea is to combine the attributes of my S-Works Roubaix (light weight), Roubaix disc (disc brakes) and Calfee Adventure (650b or 700c wheels) in a single bike.
5. I bought a new recumbent, a Cruzbike S40 (more on that elsewhere) and am learning to ride it.
6. I've had recurring back problems but believe I have learned the things I do on a DF that cause them and how to avoid doing those things. Avoiding injuries due to off the bike stupidity is another story.

Given all that, how to move forward? I've said it several times but for completeness I'll restate the options here:

1. Continue doing long rides on the DF using aerobars and hope my hands improve.
2. Use both the DF or recumbent depending on terrain and whim. Alternate my regular rides between the two so either is a viable option.
3. Go all in on the recumbent.

Stream of consciousness on the various options:

1. I'm heavily invested in DF's and perhaps about to become moreso. This investment is both financial and emotional.
2. Riding the recumbent doesn't "do" it for me on an emotional level. Historically, I've only ridden the Bacchetta when I'm injured or out of a sense of obligation.
3. At this point, the Cruzbike does kind of do it for me but it might just be that it's new and different (and boy, is it different!).
4. Regardless of whether the recumbent is a Bacchetta, Cruzbike or something else, riding a 'bent has its own set of issues:
1. Packing it for travel. I've got a couple of solutions for the DF: an S&S Hampsten and associated bike cases and a BikeND Helium for non-S&S bikes. I've used both extensively in the past and can pack/unpack in less than an hour. I have no similar solution for either recumbent.
2. Riding with others. The fact is recumbents have different characteristics than conventional bikes. They don't climb as well, they descend like rockets and they roll on the flat better (aerodynamic advantage). These things combine to make riding with others difficult to impossible. I've ridden with a friend that rides a fixed gear. He's a very strong rider but it's basically impossible to ride together for any length of time. I'd expect the same to be true on a recumbent.
3. From what I've read, there's not a lot of crossover between the DF and the recumbent from a training point of view. You either have "bent legs" or you don't and it's difficult or perhaps impossible to be near your best for both. Longer brevets, especially the ones I enjoy, are hard enough that I need to be firing on all cylinders to ride them well which to me means I'm getting adequate sleep. So the bottom line (I think) is that I need to do the majority of my riding on one or the other.
5. I'm not ready to give up doing longer rides, in fact I've got my usual ridiculously over ambitious ride plan for next year.
6. If it really is the case that I'd need to commit to either a DF or recumbent in order to be able to finish a 1200K and I'm not forced into riding the recumbent due to my hands/back then it's a certainty I won't do a 1200K on a recumbent in 2020. There just isn't room in my planned calendar for me to come up to speed on the recumbent, do a 1200K then come back up to speed on a DF. For example, I'm planning on riding the Cracker Swamp 1200K pre-ride in late October (assuming the RO let's me in) and the Great Southern in early November. No way I could "optimize" for both a DF and a recumbent given the short time between both rides.
7. If I make a list of the reasons I enjoy doing longer brevets, "the bike I ride" isn't even on it or if it is it's way down the list. The only time where what I'm riding matters is on local rides and there I do enjoy the nuanced differences between the various bikes I own. For brevets it's really more a matter of the tool that'll best get the job done.
8. If it turns out that for me "recumbents can't climb" then this would eliminate hillier brevets and those are the kind I enjoy most. If my only goal were to rack up 1200K completions I'd find the flattest ones available since they're generally easier (modulo bad weather/wind) but grinding along on the flat for hours on end is mind numbing.
9. I will not, under any circumstances, have surgery on my hands.

Those who know me know that I always have a plan. It might change as I learn more but I always have a plan. Here's my current thinking:

1. My current plan is to continue doing longer rides on the DF with aerobars and use the recumbent as an adjunct.
2. I'm planning on doing a 600K early in December, possibly followed by an SR600K. If I do both, I'll only do the first day of the 600K then go to the SR600K. If I decide I'm not ready for an SR600K I'll do both days of the 600K. I'm planning on riding the S-Works Roubaix with 30mm tubeless set at fairly low pressure and with aerobars. 
3. Depending on how my hands are after the rides in (2), I'll make a decision on which direction I'm going to go DF or recumbent. This still might not be an "all in" decision. Whether or not it is depends on my experience with training on both.
4. I have postponed the custom bike I have on order until February. Based on the current uncertain state of the world adding another bike that I might not be able to ride seems foolish. 
5. I have an appointment with a "hand specialist" in January. Although I'm not in the slightest bit optimistic that the medical profession will be of any use whatsoever (based on a combined 120 years of experience between my wife and I), what the hell, I'll give it a shot and see if there's anything revelatory.

That's it for now.

Another trainer ride on the 'bent

I've removed my regular bike from the trainer and installed the 'bent (a Bacchetta CA 2.0) "permanently". I say that in quotes because it is changeable but rather a pain so it's likely I'll just leave it on there.

Given that there's 4" of snow on the ground and it's cold AF, it's likely I'll be spending more time on the trainer than outside, at least for the next several days. Having said that, the forecast for tomorrow is 40F so I might try to get out for a bit.

I rode the trainer this morning. The default Zwift route was NY. This isn't one of my favorites but I don't dislike it so I just went with that. I did a total of 24 miles with 1,745 feet of climbing. I did a few miles to warm up then did the Central Park loop at a 6/10 level of effort. Here are the stats for the Bacchetta vs. the diamond frame:

Bacchetta
Distance 6.06 miles
Time 17:37
Avg cadence 74
Avg HR 126
Max HR 143
Avg power 200w
Max power 464w

DF
Distance 6.06 miles
Time 15:58
Avg cadence not recorded
Avg HR 146
Max HR 159
Avg power 244w
Max power 941w

So an 18% drop in average power and an incredible 74% drop in max power. I have to say the max power number is suspect as I honestly don't think I can produce that many watts. I think somewhere in the 800 range is my max but who knows?

The heart rate numbers are similar with the 'bent still being 10% or more lower.

I also did the "NYC KOM" climb. I hit this one pretty hard at an 8/10 level of effort. The climb is .85 miles with an average gradient of 6%. Here's the comparison

Bacchetta
Time: 5:51
Avg cadence 74
Avg HR 137
Max HR 151
Avg power 230w
Max power 341w

DF
Time: 4:37
Avg cadence not recorded
Avg HR 141
Max HR 156
Avg power 295w
Max power 451w

Here the HR numbers are pretty close. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that the KOM was farther into the ride today and after a moderately hard effort on this ride whereas on the DF it was the first hard effort I did that day after warming up. The power numbers are interesting with the Bacchetta average power being 22% lower and the max power being 24% lower. A pretty significant drop in power. I should also note that I did a moderately hard sprint (367 watts for 28 seconds).

The rest of the ride was either warming up or JRA after the hard efforts so I won't bore you with the stats. It is interesting to note though that when I finished today's ride my gluteus maximus was incredibly fatigued and painful to the point that I could hardly stand up when I got off the 'bent. It was very sensitive to the touch and I couldn't walk up the stairs. I did about 10 minutes of stretching which allowed me to at least walk upstairs. As I write this 3 hours later it's still really sore.

I wasn't sure whether this fatigue/soreness was due to the harder effort or poor position on the 'bent. After looking at the position (recall I adjusted the seat a couple of rides ago) I think I'm in the right place so I've concluded for now it was just due to the harder effort.

Testing my resolve - part 2 of the ongoing mini-series

In our last episode, I was set to do a 200K brevet that started in Fennimore, went down to Galena and back. I spent the night in Fennimore, got up the next morning to winds gusting to 35 MPH and temperatures in the teens. Decided not to ride.

Onward.

For those who aren't randonneurs (which, given the demographics, is nearly everybody), there are two challenges called a P12 and an R12. Like most things in randonneuring, you're only competing with yourself. The P12 challenge is to ride 100K or more every month for twelve consecutive months. The R12 is the same with the distance being 200K or more.

Oh, and both have an "ultra" version where if you do ten years you complete an "ultra-P12" or "ultra-R12". If you miss a month, you reset the annual (but not total) calendar so if e.g., you've completed 48 consecutive months you have 4 of the 10 years required in the bank and if you then miss a month you don't lose those you just reset the clock.

And what do you get for this? The usual: name on a list and a trinket should you decide to order it.

When I started, I didn't really set out to do either. My normal brevet riding season runs from April to October. The first year of the cycle, the weather was pretty decent in November and December so I did a 100K and 200K permanent each month. So there I was in January (in Texas) thinking "if I do a 100K/200K each month while I'm here I can finish the year" so that's what I did. One year done.

And that's how it's gone every year thus far. I get to November and think if I can push through and do a 100K and 200K in November and December I can complete another cycle in Texas and bag another year.

Which brings us to this year. I'm currently at "P55" and "R55" which means I've completed a 100K and 200K every month for 55 months. The weather this year has been dreadful. We're about one month ahead of seasonal norms in terms of both temperature and snow. As I type this, we got 4" of snow yesterday and the wind chill is in the single digits.

So, being the cold weather wimp that I am, I've started thinking "do I really care about this enough to go ride in the freezing cold to complete another month?" and, a very related thought, "what's the long term plan?" Is getting an "ultra" anything important to me?

The answer to the last question is no. I don't really ride for trinkets, I just do the rides I want to do and let the awards take care of themselves. In fact, I've missed some awards that I could have gotten just because I don't pay attention to them. For example, I have 4 RUSA cups (a RUSA cup is awarded for 5000 kilometers of RUSA calendared events which must include a 100K, 200K, 300K, 400K, 600K, 1000K and 1200K and a team event (Dart or Fléche) in a 2 year period. I missed having a 5th RUSA cup because I hadn't done a 100K.

So here we are. It's cold AF and I need a 100K and 200K. The forecast doesn't look promising for the next 10 days with the warmest temperature being 42 degrees for one day and most of it being in the 20's-30's with some additional snow.

Streaks are powerful things.

More 'bent data after some adjustments

I felt like I was extending my legs a bit too far on the pedal stroke so I moved the seat forward a few cm and did another Zwift ride. This one had a longish climb (Fox Hill in London) that I pushed moderately hard on - not killing myself but a steady 6/10 effort. I also focused on keeping my cadence in the 70+ range. And on that topic, I'd previously said my cadence was about the same on the 'bent as on the DF but this was based on estimation since I didn't have a cadence sensor on the 'bent. I've remedied that and the second set of numbers below reflect measurement with a cadence sensor.

To recap, here's what I posted before:

Distance 14.04 miles
Moving time 0:47:12
Elevation gain 407 feet
Weighted average power 135
Heart rate 94 bpm average, 110 bpm max
Power 134W average, 323W max
Perceived exertion moderate

Here are the numbers on the London Zwift ride

Distance 14.0 miles
Moving time 0:47:56
Elevation gain 781 feet
Weighted average power 164
Heart rate 104 bpm average, 132 bpm max
Power 164W average, 330W max
Average cadence 71
Perceived exertion moderately hard

And here are the previously posted numbers from my last Zwift ride on the DF

Distance 26.03 miles
Moving time 1:42:19
Elevation gain 3104 feet
Weighted average power 191
Heart rate 124 bpm average, 162 bpm max
Power 176W average, 461W max
Perceived exertion hard

So average and max heart rate a bit higher but still significantly lower than on the DF (104 vs 124). The power numbers are also somewhat higher with the average approaching the DF (14% lower) but the max still significantly lower (28%).

I don't know how much of the improvement is down to position vs being somewhat more acclimated. It'll be interesting to see how this evolves.

Early winter continues

The weather this year has really been off the charts nuts. We might get a dusting of snow before December but it's usually gone in a few hours and our first real snowfall is generally around 7 December.

We got 4" yesterday on top of the 3" that fell the day before.

It's 9 degrees Fahrenheit this morning.

The forecast for the week has a high temperature of no more than 40, and that's only one day. Most days are in the upper 20's to mid-30's.

Life in the frozen North.

Time for some data

I thought I'd put the Bacchetta on the smart trainer and do a Zwift ride in part because the weather sucks but also to begin collecting a bit more data.

Here are the details:

Distance 14.04 miles
Moving time 0:47:12
Elevation gain 407 feet
Weighted average power 135
Heart rate 94 bpm average, 110 bpm max
Power 134W average, 323W max
Perceived exertion moderate

I've done this in the past with similar results. I felt like this was a moderately hard effort and at one point I was pushing quite hard yet my max HR was 110 and max watts was 323. Similar level of effort on a DF would result in max HR in the 160 range and max watts in the 500-600 range. I freely admit I don't have my "bent" legs but that difference in max power is huge. The average power number of 134 on a DF would be a JRA level of effort.

By comparison, here is the data from my last Zwift ride on the DF

Distance 26.03 miles
Moving time 1:42:19
Elevation gain 3104 feet
Weighted average power 191
Heart rate 124 bpm average, 162 bpm max
Power 176W average, 461W max
Perceived exertion hard

The two differences of note between these two rides are the heart rate and power averages. Focusing on heart rate, the average on the 'bent was 94, 124 on the DF so my average heart rate on the 'bent was 24% lower.The max was 110 on the 'bent and 162 on the DF so the 'bent was 32% lower. I think I can somewhat ignore the max because I did do one burst on the DF that was much harder than I did on the 'bent but the averages are telling.

My explanation for this is twofold:

1. My muscles aren't developed enough on the 'bent that I can push my heart that hard i.e., I don't have my 'bent legs.
2. I'm nearer horizontal on the 'bent so my heart isn't having to push against gravity through the venous system.

I think the second accounts for the difference more than the first but that's opinion only, I'm no cardiologist.

The power numbers are also interesting. In the only objective account I've read, a rider put separate power meters on the crankset (Garmin Vector pedals) and the drive wheel (PowerTap hub) and measured the difference between a Cruzbike and a Bacchetta. The measured power loss through the drivetrain was 8% comparing apples to apples or, more accurately, recumbent to recumbent.

I've read various estimates that the power loss on a 'bent (not sure what flavor of 'bent) versus a DF was in the range of 20%. This jibes reasonably well with the numbers I'm seeing here. My average power level on the 'bent was 134, on the DF it was 176 so nearly a 24% loss in power.

As I said at the outset, I'd expect these numbers to go up somewhat as I become more acclimated to riding the 'bent. The big question is were I to invert my choice of bike i.e., ride the 'bent exclusively and the DF periodically would my power on the DF drop and, if so, how much?

As I said in a previous post, it'd be cool if I could alternate between the two, become acclimated to both and then choose one or the other  for a 1200K based on the terrain or whim and be equally well prepared.on either. Somehow I don't think that'd ever be the case but I don't know.

We'll see I guess.

More 'bent musings

I've been riding the Bacchetta exclusively for the past few days for a couple of reasons. As noted previously, I hurt my back pretty bad and the 'bent is a little easier on the back since on a diamond frame your lower back is the fulcrum against which you push when you pedal.

The second reason is my hands continue to really hurt. This one frankly has me more than a little puzzled and quite concerned. Broadly speaking, several days or even a few weeks of numbness or tingling in the ring and pinkie fingers after a long ride is fairly common. But this is worse in that my entire hand hurts (both of them) all over from my wrists to my fingertips. They just ache something terrible and I have no grip strength at all. I've kept them in a constant state of soreness by riding the DF and by doing other things that are hard on the hands e.g., pruning bushes.

So because the 'bent doesn't put any pressure on my hands I've continued to ride it and it has helped. They're better. Not cured, but better.

So this has obviously caused me to think about whether I'll continue to ride the 'bent. In the past (as is the case now), I've only ridden it when I'm injured in some way. The primary goal is to keep the legs turning over and get some exercise while I let some other body part heal. But I keep pondering the notion that were I to ride it more perhaps I could ease the stress on my aging body.

I see three choices:

1. continue doing what I'm doing. Ride it when I hurt but as soon as I'm healthy again go back to the DF.
2. mix riding the DF and 'bent - perhaps even in strict rotation i.e., alternating every ride between a DF and the 'bent.
3. Go all in on the 'bent, ride it exclusively.

OK, I'm not there yet for (3). As I noted in an earlier post, I like riding DF bikes in a way that the 'bent just doesn't do for me. At this time, the only way I think I'd do that is if I was simply unable to ride a DF.

That leaves the other choices. Although (2) might seem compelling, it has some issues. 

1. The Bacchetta doesn't climb particularly well. This is due both to efficiency loss in the drive train and the fact that the "stall speed" is around 4-5 MPH. Below that you end up weaving as you climb in a way that's unsafe, especially if there are other cyclists and/or traffic around. As I said in an earlier post, it's very hilly here and I like the ability to be spontaneous as to the direction and duration of my rides. Consequently, I don't like either not being able to go a particular way or shorten my ride because of the hills.
2. There isn't a lot of crossover between the DF and the 'bent from a training point of view. Yes, riding either is certainly better than sitting on the couch with a 6-pack and bag of chips but if e.g., I had a hard brevet coming up I'd need to devote myself to one or the other and commit to riding it exclusively until after the ride. So given the fact that I tend to fill up my dance card with hard or long brevets the obvious implication is I'd spend pretty much the entire year exclusively on one or the other (which takes us to choice (1) above).

Besides its poor climbing ability, I find the muscle groups engaged when riding the 'bent are pretty different. In this recent spate of injury, the longest ride I've done on the 'bent thus far is 25 miles and the longest I've ever ridden it is 100K. I find the 'bent uses the muscles on the front of my legs (quads, and tibialis anterior) much more whereas the DF generally uses the muscles up the back (hamstrings, calves, glutes). When I finish riding the 'bent, even the short rides I've done, the muscles that run up my shins are burning and extremely tired.

Because of that, I'm fairly confident I could do a 200K+ brevet on a DF tomorrow. I'm also fairly certain I couldn't even manage a 100K on the 'bent without significantly more acclimation. 

So for all those reasons, alternating between the two, especially when I've got a long ride coming up, makes less sense. Now it is possible, even likely, that other 'bents climb better. From what I've been reading, Cruzbikes climb well due to the much shorter drivetrain and the ability to engage the upper body and core in a way that's similar to DF bikes. So that might ameliorate point (1) of the issues but doesn't address point (2), or at least I don't think it does.

I'm continuing to ponder this. More immediately, I'm considering what I'm going to do in preparation for the SR600K in December, assuming I decide to still take it on. More on that later perhaps.

Another disappointment

In what is an all too often occurrence, I ended up cancelling my trip to Australia. As I sit here writing this, my back really hurts and there's no way it's up to 25 hours of flying and then a 1200K.

I'm incredibly disappointed, especially since this one is basically self inflicted. I was having a pretty decent year with my back until I stupidly lifted something heavy.

I was really looking forward to seeing my friends in Australia and the ride itself. As I said previously, I did the 1000K version in the spring and enjoyed the route and the always wonderful support that Peter Donnan provides.

As things stand, I'm planning on an SR600K in December, a little over a month away. Previous experience suggests that's hard enough that you need to be 100% in order to get it done and I've got a little under 6 weeks before the ride. Will that be enough? At this point, I don't know. In normal circumstances I'd do a bunch of hilly rides to prepare but I know my back isn't up to that right now. Also, the weather sucks. It's cold and the extended forecast suggests it's going to stay that way. We'll see.

But right now, all I feel is disappointment.

Off to Oz

And not to see the wizard (sorry, couldn't resist!).

Headed out tomorrow for Australia and the Geelong Flyer 1200K. I did the 1000K version in March and the route is mostly the same. Wonderful organization and support from my good friends Peter and Eileen and looking forward to seeing many Aussie friends (plus a fellow Yank).

I've done a lot of traveling in my life and have always enjoyed the "being there" part. The "getting there" not so much. 16 hour flight to Hong Kong (hopefully no protest issues at the airport) followed by a 9 hour flight to Melbourne. Sigh.

I'm honestly not sure how this ride is going to go. As I wrote earlier, I hurt my back pretty badly a few weeks ago and it still hurts. The route has some pretty stiff climbing out of Adelaide then is relatively flat for most of the rest of the first day. The second day also has a fairly stiff climb but the third day has the longest/steepest climbs (Lavers Hill and Horden Vale). Lavers Hill is an 11.3 mile climb with an average gradient of 2.5% (very misleading) and a max gradient of 14.6% (ouch!). Horden Vale is a little over 6 miles of climbing with an average gradient of 3% and a max gradient of 12%.

I did mostly the same route in the spring and managed it OK but my back wasn't hurting at the start. I'm hoping that I can ease into it the first couple of days and my back will adjust to the load and be up for it on day 3.

We'll see.