OT: dont_fear_riding_a_bicycle_fear_sitting_in_that_chair

Nooblakahn,

Nothing against car carriers. A couple of my friends have the ones that fit on their trailer hitches. Since I don't have a good one, they have to drive when we go somewhere. Nice!

I did make sure my bike (with front wheel off) will fit inside my largest vehicle and occasionally I drive somewhere to ride an especially good route.

I was just trying to make the point that if you can put on t-shirt, shorts and any old shoes and start out from your garage, then you will ride more (and be home quicker for wife's meals )!

Ass savers!


These, http://ass-savers.com/, were brought to my attention yesterday. Short video worth watching if you don't have rear fenders. Think I will order one. Amazon and Ebay have them.

Not wishing anyone bad luck, but it would be nice if the guy that invented these had sleep apnea. Maybe he could invent something to stick in the throat at night and drive CPAP into obsolescence.

I cycle communte on a bike path upto 4 days a week year round, about 100 miles.
In Arizona temperatures where many summer days hit 110-115 degree highs with with bone dry humidity.
No ass saver required here, just two water bottles and a camelbak pack. And yes my office has a shower room

Nooblakahn wrote:I get what you all are saying about being in the car, however, its nice to rode somewhere that's to far to reach by bike. I live in the middle of nowhere and have limited options from my door. One way on a country road.. or the other. Doable. But not always the most scenic. Its nice to be able to stick mine and my wifes bikes on that trunk rack and go. Two times loading that and you have it down. It can be installed and loaded in 10 mins.

Just always nice to have that option on the weekends.

Maybe I was just a tiny bit dogmatic in my attitude about hauling bikes around. It wouldn't be the first time.

I didn't take offense to the comment on the bike haulers. I agree, riding right out of your shed has its advantages. I was just playing the other side of the debate

I wish I was close enough to work to be able to bike communte... I'm about a 45 minute car ride away... unfortunatley I don't have time for that... Nor am I currently ready.

If I stick with this hobby long enough this time... I think I will get a nice road bike to go along with my old schwinn.

Twenty five years ago I started riding my road bike, plus I also took up the then new sport of mountain biking. I rode quite a bit. People at work told me I was crazy riding so much... after work, in the rain, plus both days of the weekend. Huge road trips and even some mt bike racing all over California and the Southwest. Other friends told me that I was riding my bike way too much and implied I was crazy about bicycles. Probably true, but guess what? Several of those people are already in the ground, while I stood over their graves shaking my head. I'm not saying I'm the winner - I'm just saying I'm still here and they aren't.

carbonman wrote:Nothing changes your mind like a bike ride.

I agree, except my bike is a Goldwing GL1800!

I am a big Honda Civic fan and have driven them most of my adult life.

When I last needed a car in 2005, I almost decided too late to buy a 2005 Civic as they were practically sold out. Unfortunately, I couldn't stand the 2006 models due to what I felt was the horrible location of the speedometer. As a result, I used a car buying service that miraculously found me a 2005 model what was only two states away. So I took a train to get my car and then drove it back home.

I haven't had any major repairs although my mileage is lower than usual. It was one of the best purchasing decisions I have made.

49er

Nooblakahn wrote:

Sheffey wrote:Nooblakahn,

We have a white Civic LX sedan 2001. It was my mother's car before the nursing home. We took it with the intention of selling it, but we just can't let it go. My wife and I both love the Civic.

T. Sheffey

I bought mine about 5 years ago. Had 183,000 miles on it. It now has 228,000 or more and still runs good. I got it cause I wanted something more fuel efficient than my dodge Dakota... boy did I won there...

I would sell mine and get another civic... but they are hard to find the years I want in a 5 speed. They are all automatics...

Great little car... I got way more than my 3400 or 3600 bucks out of it...

Because there a nearby small park with a trail, eventually, I would love to get a bike and start riding. Everytime I take a walk, I am always envious of the bikers.

I can definitely see how you would have been able to get off you SSRI Todzo by doing this. Kudos to you.

49er

Sheffey wrote:

I really love riding and the more I move the better I feel.

Good for you Todzo!

Me too. Every chance I get. I rode yesterday and today. Might ride tomorrow.

I rode all winter. Coldest morning was 37F with a breeze and this old man was out on the road in bicycle shorts and lightweight top. Very nice.

Hi Sheffey!

I have ridden many evenings where it got down to 25F. I found I needed to upgrade my gloves and am very happy for my safety glasses (they keep the eyes from tearing up in the cold fast moving air).

I think that not having a car has proven very good for me over the years. And the picture tells the emotional part of the story.

Have a great day!

Todzo

49er

I would love to get a bike and start riding

Here is some unsolicited advice about procuring a bike. I hope you have a local bike shop where the owner works full time in the shop. Hopefully he sells used bikes.

Think long and hard about where you would ride the bike, for how long at one time and what your personal preferences and goals are. Visit the bike shop on a Monday morning to get advice on what type of bike is appropriate. Note that bike fitting is very important. (Kinda like choosing a CPAP mask. )

Our local shop posts on FB photos and descriptions of used bikes he takes in for sale. Of course he only takes in very nice bikes that he can offer at prices the buyers will like. The downside is that you might wait a year before the right bike for you shows up.

Of course buying a new bike is also a good option - this is what I did because I did not want to wait for a used one.

We have a great small shop in my little town and the owner does everything - builds the bikes, repairs bikes, runs the business. Across the river in the city are some local shops that do a high volume - the owner sits in an office managing the business and staff and rarely picks up a wrench or talks to a customer. I prefer the former and stay away from the latter. But if the latter is all you have, you can get a good bike and good service there usually.

I would not get too hung up on brands. The business is very competitive and the major manufacturers are forced to offer a range of price points and quality is very good even at the lowest price points. (I am talking about real bicycles sold in bicycle shops, not Walmart bikes.)

Also don't fall for the long list of accessories that you will be enticed to buy. I go with the minimalist approach - cheaper and less bother and maybe more fun.

Thanks Sheffey, this is excellent advice I have bookmarked it to refer back to when I am in a position to purchase a bike.

49er

Here is some unsolicited advice about procuring a bike. I hope you have a local bike shop where the owner works full time in the shop. Hopefully he sells used bikes.

Think long and hard about where you would ride the bike, for how long at one time and what your personal preferences and goals are. Visit the bike shop on a Monday morning to get advice on what type of bike is appropriate. Note that bike fitting is very important. (Kinda like choosing a CPAP mask. )

Our local shop posts on FB photos and descriptions of used bikes he takes in for sale. Of course he only takes in very nice bikes that he can offer at prices the buyers will like. The downside is that you might wait a year before the right bike for you shows up.

Of course buying a new bike is also a good option - this is what I did because I did not want to wait for a used one.

We have a great small shop in my little town and the owner does everything - builds the bikes, repairs bikes, runs the business. Across the river in the city are some local shops that do a high volume - the owner sits in an office managing the business and staff and rarely picks up a wrench or talks to a customer. I prefer the former and stay away from the latter. But if the latter is all you have, you can get a good bike and good service there usually.

I would not get too hung up on brands. The business is very competitive and the major manufacturers are forced to offer a range of price points and quality is very good even at the lowest price points. (I am talking about real bicycles sold in bicycle shops, not Walmart bikes.)

Also don't fall for the long list of accessories that you will be enticed to buy. I go with the minimalist approach - cheaper and less bother and maybe more fun.

49er wrote:Because there a nearby small park with a trail, eventually, I would love to get a bike and start riding. Everytime I take a walk, I am always envious of the bikers.

I can definitely see how you would have been able to get off you SSRI Todzo by doing this. Kudos to you.

49er

Thanks 49er,

Actually - leaving the SSRI behind is one of the things that made me believe that getting back onto the bicycle might be a good move. At the "end of usefulness" of my last SSRI (I guess I actually left my SNRI behind -and all the other antidepressant pharmaceutical splints) I was falling from time to time and was suspicious that under treated OSA along with the "end of usefulness" of my previous SSRI was why I fell from my bicycle.

Yes riding bicycle is very good for the mood!

Have a lot of fun!

Todzo

Todzo wrote:Actually - leaving the SSRI behind is one of the things that made me believe that getting back onto the bicycle might be a good move. At the "end of usefulness" of my last SSRI (I guess I actually left my SNRI behind -and all the other antidepressant pharmaceutical splints) I was falling from time to time and was suspicious that under treated OSA along with the "end of usefulness" of my previous SSRI was why I fell from my bicycle.

Have you considered, or has your doctor considered, the possibility of petit mal seizures? From what I find with Google search SSRI can lower the threshold for seizures. That might explain the falls while taking the SSRI, and not having falls when not on an SSRI. The falls you are describing, especially on a bicycle, could be caused by a petit mal, I believe. Was your bike fall caused by running off the edge of the pavement, or hitting a curb? You could very well continue the process of riding during the moments of the seizure, except for steering in the wrong direction. My wife is epileptic, but it is controlled. On one occasion years ago she had a petit mal and drove the car about a 1/4 mile past a turn off where she should have turned before she came out of it. Another time she turned the corner and drove off the edge of the pavement for a ways and came out of it as she came back onto the roadway proper. She stopped driving for several months after that until a med change was determined to have brought things back into control.

carbonman wrote:Nothing changes your mind like a bike ride.



I'll see you on the road.

Looking forward to it!!