Has anyone taken up Bycyling?

[mbsbike2002 0]

B,

The best part about losing 45 pounds now is that you won't gain them back. I love the band for that!

Congratulations!

That is, in fact, the very bast part. I get pissy sometimes about gaining and losing the same 3 or 4 pounds over and over, but at least it's not the 45 (or the whole 83 from highest...)

B

[mbsbike2002 0]

ALSO - I love your story. I shouldn't laugh, but it is just totally something I would do. Keep trying, you'll get it right eventually... And when I finally get a bike I'm sure I'll have LOTS of falling stories for you to laugh at.

What the hell else is there to do but laugh.... In all honesty, if this would have happened before I "met" the group of people on this thread, I would have just said "fuck it" after the first fall and gone home. I felt like I owed it to each person here to keep at it, and at the very least, I can share my adventure in a way other than "woe is me", but more along the lines of "you are totally not going to believe this shit that happened to me today!!!"

No matter how many times you fall, I will never laugh at you. If you see humor in the situation, I will share that humor and a chuckle with you.

B

[Suzzzie. 3]

B - I find humor in nearly all overcome obstacles.

I'm glad you all share your 'fall' stories... otherwise when I get my bike and fall I would probably feel like its cause I"m a freak or something. I haven't ridden a real bike since I was about 12. And damn this snow here!! I want one so badly right now. Soon though, very very soon...

[TexasFire 84]

B - God Bless you for keeping at it today! Did you pose your query to the LBS personnel? Did they have any advice? I can tell you are okay because you tell the story with humor. And tell it well, as usual...had me giggling. I hope you feel okay when you wake up in the morning!

ALL - I saw a cyclist today at a major intersection near my home. He was first in line at a traffic light. He obviously didn't want to unclip, and proceeded to just balance there, moving his feet back and forth ever so slightly, barely noticeable. It was amazing to watch him, as this was traffic time and he was on the unfortunate side of the light, and was balancing there for several full minutes...I'd say at least three or four full minutes. Then the light turned green for us and we had to turn left going around him. No telling how long he sat there. I was very impressed, to say the least. Now I have to try it, God help me!

[mbsbike2002 0]

B - God Bless you for keeping at it today! Did you pose your query to the LBS personnel? Did they have any advice? I can tell you are okay because you tell the story with humor. And tell it well, as usual...had me giggling. I hope you feel okay when you wake up in the morning!

I'm a little sore, but mostly okay. I had been reading on one of the recumbent forums about a guy who broke his hip falling while trying to unclip out of Speedplays. The consensus was to just relax once you know that a fall is inevitable. By relaxing, you're much less likely to be twisted in a way that will cause a bone to break (or if one does break, it won't be a more serious spiral fracture). It's amazing how quickly you can will yourself to relax. I only fought the fall once, and that one hurt the most. All the others, I just sat there and let my broad shoulders take the brunt.

Most of the LBS folks use egg-beaters, which only require about 10 degrees heel-out to unclip. The other option, which I had on the Trek are SPDs, which have adjustable tension and a panic-unclip feature that allows you to pull straight up with enough force to get out of them.

I think the real problem is that I am not skilled in the graceful arts, and that moving all that weight (my legs) to unclip will be an unbalancing act. On an upright bike, all the leg weight is already down which provides good ballast to keep things upright.

I will probably put the platforms back on for this weekend's outside rides and try the Speedplays again in a week or so.

ALL - I saw a cyclist today at a major intersection near my home. He was first in line at a traffic light. He obviously didn't want to unclip, and proceeded to just balance there, moving his feet back and forth ever so slightly, barely noticeable. It was amazing to watch him, as this was traffic time and he was on the unfortunate side of the light, and was balancing there for several full minutes...I'd say at least three or four full minutes. Then the light turned green for us and we had to turn left going around him. No telling how long he sat there. I was very impressed, to say the least. Now I have to try it, God help me!

You can do it!

B

[TexasFire 84]

Glad to hear you are mostly okay today. Kinda worried about the "day after" affects for you! I understand about the difference from recumbent to upright for the Speedplays. The other side of the coin is that, like I said, it took me quite a while to get used to mine. But once I did, it was like the light bulb going on in my head in eighth grade and finally understanding Algebra...I didn't understand why I didn't "get it" before that. The Speedplays are kind of like that for me now...can't see why I had so much trouble to start with. You will get there, too. I think my main problem was in my head, being uncomfortable with them, afraid of them. I hope you get used to your yellow lollipops soon!

[mbsbike2002 0]

Thanks Stephanie - I'm sure I will get used to them soon. Basically, I felt like I was about a half-second off on reacting to what the bike was doing. I will put the mashers back on for the rest of the weekend, since I want to get out and ride, and I am a little afraid of the lollys. We don't have much flat space in our yard, but I can probably go about 100 feet or so in a straight line. I may try riding through the grass and stopping a few times. It's gotta be softer than a concrete parking lot.

I never had training wheels on my bike as a kid, but I feel like I could use some outriggers now. They could let the bike tump enough to get used to the feeling without actually letting me fall. Of course, that would scare the women and children...

"Momma what's that big man doing riding a big yellow stick with training wheels?"

"I don't know sweetie, let's go inside and call the looney bin and let them know one of their patients has gotten loose again..."

Hope you're having a good weekend. I've go to get started on my paper, due Thursday...

B

[mbsbike2002 0]

BTW - If I do ride in the yard, I'll have the wife take some video so there can be some evidence of what happens when the fat guy doesn't unclip out of his speedplays on the YouTube...

B

[JennJenn92 0]

i always wanted to swallow a mentos whole and drink diet coke to see what happens. I dont think my doc will approve it.

I am having images of my stomach exploding! I guess that would stop me from eating frosty's at work huh??????

We did the mentos and pop thing at my friends house once....it was really cool!!!

[JennJenn92 0]

B~~You are one of the most awesome story tellers I have seen on here......

Don't mean to laught, but I can see myself doing that, sans testicles of course!!!!

[JennJenn92 0]

i always wanted to swallow a mentos whole and drink diet coke to see what happens. I dont think my doc will approve it.

I may try riding through the grass and stopping a few times. It's gotta be softer than a concrete parking lot.

B

Be glad you don't live in Michigan!!!! The grass is harder than concrete!!!!

[JennJenn92 0]

Yeah, didn't really mean to quote the same thing twice?!?

[OH Juli 15]

B,

You're kiliing me.

OMFG. I'm glad you're alright and have a plan to keep on riding even without your lollies.

Ugh.

As for my biking news I've signed up to take a two day class (in the evenings) for bike maitenence with the gals I bike with. That's in February and I can't wait.

J

[hoosierpoms 0]

B.....I noticed a ticker change.....WOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!

[TexasFire 84]

J - That sounds like an awesome class! That is something we all should do. I can't wait to hear you report back after the class.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, I made a hard decision and gutted my office. Since we are wireless and everyone in the house has a laptop, I took out the desktop computer and all furniture in my office except my mini-fridge and am turning it into a workout room. (Hard as I tried, I just couldn't rectify myself to having that gym in my bedroom.) All my files are now in the garage when I need them...so no big deal there.

Hubby is in there now, putting the gym together...and fussing and cussing...and calling me "sweet-ums, love of my life, pain in my ass" every time he walks through the room to get more parts! LOL That thing must have a gazillion pieces!