New bike advice.

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 3:47 pm

The main reason I was worried about changing up and down regular on the big ring is because last time I did that my front mech snapped in half.

I know I need rest.

But when does the rest stop and allow me to start building up again? Is their anyway to not knacker my knees, rest etc.., build up slowely, and not kill my endurance and make it massivly harder for me to do long rides?

I've bought the crankset cause it's the same size as all my others, I did not want to risk damaging my knee anymore due to them.

The thing is, I dont know if it's just a coincidence, but I was fine untill I started riding the CAAD9, that's when all the problems occoured on this wave of knee problems I have.

Is it too early to do say a steady 25 miles or so round the york area on Saturday? Maybe just 10-15 miles.

Arthur · Post by **Arthur** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 4:08 pm

Will - if things started when you got the cannondale, then it's almost certainly not a co-incidence.

Is their anyway to not knacker my knees, rest etc.., build up slowely, and not kill my endurance and make it massivly harder for me to do long rides?

No. Take it very easy. Wait until your knees feel totally better. Then wait some more. Then build up.

Once your knees are right, you'll find the fitness will come back quickly. Too much too soon while be slower in the long run.

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 4:22 pm

See I think I'm doing right putting 170mm cranks on, it seems one of the most obvious causes to me at the moment.

I mean... all my bikes have 170mm cranks right.... then I get a new bike that has a 175mm crank, it makes sense it could be that, the actual frame size is 56CM the same as my Genesis. I need to go check if my saddle is too high, I lowered it by 5mm and took a spacer out so it was equal.

My leg feels allot better today, last night I was thinking it would be really bad today, it was painful, then I started taking all this stuff, the pain eased downand my legs started to improve, then last night it was sort of bad again, this morning I wake up and it feels like the leg I used to know, and does at the moment, I've had no seizing of the upper leg today as if I have done 100 miles or something.

If my cranks where already 170mm I think I might have considered going for a 12 or 13 miles steady ride today.

Arthur · Post by **Arthur** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 4:27 pm

For ***ks sake will. Wait a week. It won't hurt your fitness and will help your knees.

I think you are doing the right thing changing the cranks, but do measure everything else on the two bikes as well.

Dr Dave · Post by **Dr Dave** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:18 pm

In really simple terms if the knee pain is at the front of the knee near your kneecap the saddle is likely too low or too far forward. If the pain is at the back of the knee your saddle is likely to be too high.

I'd guess that the position of your knee relative to the bottom bracket is further forward on the CAAD than on the Genesis - but it's just a guess...

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:03 pm

I may have it too far back. I doubt the saddle is too low, if anything it's too high atm.

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:24 pm

I have a question that is knee related but not to bike position or damage cause by cycling.

If you fell off your bike, or fell over at all, and hit your knee on the ground, and you got a bruise near the knee cap, would that mean you would have to stop cycling?

Basically I have a bruise on my left knee, I fell off my bike at about 18mph and hit my knee on the tarmac, a bruise came on after 4 or so days, it is fading away now, I get the odd discomfort from it, mainly if I try to run or do a sudden movement on it like quickly start running. Is this big enough reason to not attempt to do any riding too?

Unrelated to my right knee this, that is mending nicely.

Arthur · Post by **Arthur** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:09 am

Does it hurt when you ride? If so, don't ride except very gently until it stops hurting. If it doesn't hurt, don't worry about it.

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:58 am

Both of my legs don't really hurt anymore when I ride, I went for a very steady 14 mile ride yesterday through town and the only pain I had was in my face from hitting some idiot at 15mph walking in front of me on the road.

It's after the ride I get some pain or just some odd feeling. I reckon an anti-inflam tablet would help but I don't want to take them, my dad and other people have said you can get addicted to them and reading the leaflet you get with the tablets allot of problems can seem to occur by taking them.

Still waiting for my glucosamine gel after 5+ days >: (

I'm going to ask my dad if he can pick me up tomorrow and I'll come back home and not bring my bikes, I'll have a good 4 days away from bicycles then, just will have boredom to compete with.

Looks like I wont be doing any TT's this year

, hoping tomarshal some though.

stevesavage · Post by **stevesavage** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:43 am

Will

It sounds like 4 days off the bike might a good idea but if you are worried about losing fitness you could do another sort of exercise. Swimming is a good CV workout and doesn't put any stress on your joints.

ChrisC · Post by **ChrisC** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:42 am

I think it takes about two weeks before you start to loose any real fitness. Having said that; I have gone on holiday for two weeks and not done any exercise during the holiday and come back unbelievably strong (by my standards).

So a break can infact increase your fitness especially if you have been doing lots of cycling leading up to the break - which you have Will.

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:52 pm

It's been about 2 weeks now since I've done a proper ride, yesterday I did 14 miles and found myself to be finding it really easy, I averaged 17.5mph, it was a windy day too, quite fast really to say I haven't done any riding and yesterday I was taking it very very steady.

4 days might or might not make any difference though, I'm wondering if it is maybe tendinitis if it's just something I'll have to live with and take anti-inflams, I don't want an operation or anything.

Ya know...

Infact cant you just delete this thread, I do it on all forums, I've asked for an IP ban on one I'm just showing myself up asking all this questions everyone thinks I'm some sort of retard now.

Arthur · Post by **Arthur** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:13 pm

"There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers".

I think you are answering your own question here. You have rested, and things have got a lot better. Doesn't that tell you what you need to know?

Take the four days off, then measure everything on the two bikes very careful with tape measures, a plumb line and (if you can get one) a spirit level. If you think the saddle is too high, make it lower, then build up slowly.

There's no reason why you can't do TTs and the Saturday H ride over the summer, but it requires patience.

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:15 pm

I know what the answer is, I'm just trying to find excuses to cycle cause I'm bored out of my brains here its crap.

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Fri May 01, 2009 11:40 am

Cycle heaven done good, got me a new frame in, my Genesis was indeed cracked, so gonna go pick that up at the weekend