Category Archives: Bike

Must be getting serious…

November 9, 2009 15:26 | Leave a Comment |

…if I’m willing to spend $60 on a pair of bike gloves (and that was after the super-nice Ben from BSC in the QV knocked ten bucks off). It was money I was nominally keeping to buy a new pair of tyres but still…

Mmm… squishy!
my new bike gloves

I’ve done a few rides now and I’ve been having some pain issues with my hands and elbows. My old gloves have a very annoying seam that pushes hard into the pad of skin between my thumb and fingers. I have some really deep calluses forming on both hands that actually resemble blisters and it bloody hurts! I also think I’m unintentionally over-compensating for my hands and holding my arms more rigidly which is killing my elbows. I know it sounds weird but the pain only started after I commenced the 2+ hour rides. I thought it was my position on the bike but I asked at the bike shop today and apparently aching elbows are not a common complaint due to poor positioning.

I was a little doubtful about the positioning thing anyway because nothing else was hurting. If it was positioning, I should’ve been experiencing the elbow pain even in my short commutes to work. My hands did hurt when I was just doing my daily commutes but it’s gotten far worse now I’m riding for longer. I’m hoping new gloves will help.

Still, that’s not stopping me from contemplating going to see someone about my bike fit. I have very little power from a standing start and get overtaken by little old ladies wobbling their way across intersections on bikes that are too big for them. It’s embarrassing! Once I get going, I’m fine. It’s the getting going that’s letting me down. But that might be because I still need more practice with my shoes. 85% of the time I get clipped in straight away but the other 15% I’m kicking the peddle over, my foot goes flying forward or I simply can’t clip in. If I ever have a spare $150 lying around, I’m sure it’ll be a good investment to see a fit specialist but I’m doubtful I ever have $150 lying about. Not when I need new tyres and want a new helmet.

I have achieved something though. Yesterday I did my first 50+km ride (52.64kms) and had my first experience of Beach Road. The plan was to ride to Black Rock but it turned out the road was closed in Brighton. So I didn’t really get to ride on Beach Road because it doesn’t actually start until Hampton and I don’t think we got that far. Oh well, it was still an experience. I don’t think I’ve been overtaken by so many lycra clad men in my life. On the way back, four guys latched onto us and a mini bunch formed. My first ever! My riding partner and I led the group for about five kms when he told me to drop off the front and let someone else do some work. I’ve never had to do it before so I really had no idea what I was doing. I had problems latching onto the guy in front of me. I couldn’t work out his cadence and his bike creaked with every revolution which was hugely distracting. Yup, my bunch riding definitely needs work. If I’m honest, I need to develop more power because only reason I could keep up with them was the rather brisk headwind. I also think they were taking it easy or on a recovery ride. But what can you do? Everyone has to start somewhere!

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The pain will set you free

October 23, 2009 10:14 | Leave a Comment |

Mental note to self: if you’re going to keep doing Thursday night rides after work, make sure you eat enough during the afternoon.

Last night was the first of our Thursday night rides and we did about 40 kilometres (it was 43.21km by the time I got home). We were heading home along Swanston St and I started to feel decidedly woozy. Really, really not good at all. We’d stop at red lights and I’d have real problems getting going once they changed. I just felt totally wiped with no energy left at all. All I wanted to do was get off my bike and lie down. Or throw up. Not sure which would’ve won out if I had stopped. There was a whole ick factor to the experience that was not pleasant at all.

So what I learnt was that I need to snack solidly during the afternoon to make sure I have enough fuel for the ride. I might be a little fattie but a mars bar at 4.30 simply doesn’t cut it.

This isn’t to say the ride was bad. It wasn’t. It was challenging and that’s what I need. If I’m going to ride more, I have to adjust to being in heavy traffic for longer than five minutes. I need to build my confidence and adjust to the physical and mental effort that’s required.

The mental stuff is interesting. I find the rides to be enormously helpful. It clears my head of all the crap I end up thinking about. I’m so distractible these days but the bike riding forces me out of that. If I don’t focus, I will come to grief. I have to pay attention to what I’m doing right at that moment. My riding companion told me to snap out of work mode last night because I really wasn’t paying attention when we got into the heavy traffic. It’s really great to be riding with someone who takes care of me. He decides where we’re going to go and respects my wishes about avoiding heavy traffic. I just have to follow. He’s had the experience of doing this sort of riding (which I’m discovering is very different from commuting) while I push him to ride harder because I’m fitter than him. We’re a good match.

I suppose I’m thinking a lot about why I ride at the moment. I know I love it, I love the sensation of movement that’s caused by my own physical efforts. There’s something amazing about cruising along at a steady pace that you somehow inherently know you can keep at it for hours. I suppose it’s because in the moment, I feel more alive than I do at any other time. I can feel my heart beating, the vibration of the bike, my legs complaining when there’s a hill to be tackled. Sure it hurts but there’s a freedom to be found in it that makes it worthwhile.

Found this on Netti’s web site:
“It says something about the fibre of a person, who even after the advent of the automobile, chooses to ride a vehicle thats engine consists of their own heart, lungs and legs. But the struggle of a hill, the solitude of an endless road, the games you play with your mind, the false promises you make to your screaming limbs, these are all part of the joy of cycling. The fact is – no sport is more gruelling. Cycling demands everything of its riders.”

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I’m a little tired now

October 11, 2009 14:13 | Leave a Comment |

bike-computer

46.34ks = 28.79 miles.

But it was totally awesome!! I was so tired by the time I got home but I was on a massive high. Of course I’ve crashed now and feel really tired but that was to be expected. It was the first time I’ve been riding with someone and I have to say it was really nice to have some company, especially someone who was willing to pace to me. I’ve never really worked on increasing my endurance or speed so this might be an opportunity to do so. We rode to the Grand Prix circuit in Albert Park and did four and a half laps of it. It’s amazing to ride on. The surface is just perfect. It has some awesome corners that you can lean right into (but I didn’t because I don’t know what I’m doing when it comes to fast cornering).

I remember now why I used to ride so much. It just makes me feel good.

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Go team me!

July 12, 2009 14:03 | Leave a Comment |

I got back on my bike today. I didn’t go far and it was hardly any time at all but it feels like I achieved something. I was so nervous when I was putting my shoes on and I was definitely scared. But I did it. I also discovered I’ve still got a bit of healing to do. It hurt to lift my leg over the bike and my elbow still isn’t right.

It’s weird how something so simple can give me such a sense of achievement.

As my brother pointed out, I spent all that money so I really need to get back on the bike. Also, I really hate catching the train.

My bike is in the shop now for her first service. I decided to replace the handlebar tape (white is never a good choice with me) and they’re going to check the rear gearing because it definitely wasn’t right when shifting into the bottom gears. There’s some scraps along the right right of the bike and my pedal looks like it’s been attacked with a file but I’m glad that’s all that’s wrong. It could’ve been a lot worse.

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If I’d known what today had in store for me, I would’ve stayed in bed.

July 4, 2009 00:52 | Leave a Comment |

The inevitable has occurred and I finally fell off my bike.

Me being me, I had to do it in the most spectacular fashion possible with as large an audience as I could manage. Corner of Flinders Lane and Swanston St, just up from the busiest intersection in Melbourne. Actually, I should be glad I didn’t have my tumble on the Flinders St/Swanston St intersection because it is the busiest intersection in Melbourne and I would’ve been squashed flat.

I got caught in tram track. And that’s all I know. I felt my back tyre slip into the track and the next thing I knew I was flat on my back in a world of pain. At least I had my helmet on. It did its job and protected my head from injury as I slammed my head into the ground really hard. I’m also glad I had my backpack on because it protected my spine.

It’s kinda scary. I really don’t know what happened. One minute I was upright, the next I was lying on the road surrounded by a bunch of concerned people.

I hit the ground so hard my feet came out of my pedals. Yeah, I don’t do things by halves. I managed to skin my right elbow even though I was wearing a long sleeved t-shirt and a waterproof jacket. It’s not so painful now and is covered up with a bit of gauze to stop fluff getting stuck to it.

The problem is my right hip. I have an intramuscular hematoma, which is basically a bruise inside the muscle or to be really icky – a sac of blood that’s formed inside the muscle. I have a big lump and it hurts likes a fiend. From what the doctor told me, it’s going to take a few weeks to dissipate.

Ahh… yes, the doctor. That didn’t go so well.

I waited for an hour for my appointment with a doctor I hadn’t seen before (which is my fault – I should’ve asked to see the one I normally see). He was nice enough but I didn’t like him as much as my normal one. He checked my elbow first and wasn’t too concerned with it. The fun started when he saw my hip and told me I had a hematoma forming. They can be left to sort themselves out but one thing you can do is drain the blood out of the hematoma which reduces the swelling and speeds up recovery time.

Uhh, yeah – great in theory, not so good in practice.

It started off okay. He injected quite a few dabs of local anaesthetic but when it came to using the larger needle, he couldn’t find the right spot. He managed to hit it once with a smaller needle and quite a lot of blood came out. But every time he tried with the larger needle, he couldn’t find it. The was more anaesthetic but he pushed the needle in too far one too many times and I wanted to vomit from the pain. Then I nearly passed out. It was obvious the blood sac was located too deep in the muscle for the anaesthetic to work and every time he dug in with the needle, it was excruciating. My hip is going to hurt for a few weeks but that’s something I’m prepared to live with. It’s better than being poked with needles.

So today’s lesson was if my instincts are telling me really not to ride my bike, I should listen to them. The irony of the situation is that I was only riding into the city to take my bike in for its first service. And I was only at that end of the city because I decided it would be a better idea to catch the train than ride in the pouring rain which started just after I left home. Of course, by the time the train arrived the rain had stopped but I figured I’d already validated my ticket so I might as well use it. Everything just went wrong.

The question now is what happens the next time I get on my bike? I was lucky I wasn’t seriously injured and if I was made from tougher stuff, I would’ve continued on my way. But I’m not, I was shaking like a leaf and I still feel a little teary even now. The shakes have gone away but I know the next time I get on my bike, I’m going to be afraid. A little fear can be a good thing but if I don’t get my confidence back, I know I’ll lose something I love. I’ve fallen off before but for some reason, this feel different. Probably because it hurts a hell of a lot more and I know how close I was to seriously injuring myself.

However, I think I’m a cyclist through and through. My first question when I was able to talk was where’s my bike?

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Got the wobbles

June 12, 2009 10:17 | Leave a Comment |

In the last two days, I’ve nearly fallen off my bike twice. Yup, I’ve got the wobbles big time.

Last night, I misjudged what the traffic was doing and only saved myself an undignified tumble by grabbing the nearest parked car. I remember hoping to god at the time that there was no car alarm installed or if there was that it wasn’t a super sensitive one. Then I had the problem of not being able to get my foot out of the pedal and looking like a total git.

Today, I decided I should at least have a go at unclipping my right foot instead of my preferred left foot. Bad idea, really bad idea. It was fine while I was stationary and waiting for the lights to change but as soon as I had to ride – total disaster. I just couldn’t get my foot back in and I couldn’t even get my foot in the right position to pedal not clipped in so I was wobbling all over the road making a total nuisance of myself. Not a good start to the day.

That fall I’m going to have? I’m sure it’ll be happening some time soon.

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Whoo!

June 3, 2009 12:17 | Leave a Comment |

I’m going to Sydney for Supanova. Look out Mr Sale!! 😉

sydney-trip

I haven’t organised accommodation yet but I’m going. And I’m sure I’ll promptly get lost. Maybe I should enable the GPS function on my phone.

I’m looking forward to seeing Tim and hopefully getting to hang out with him. I’m going on my own so I’ll probably end up perched behind his table if I don’t get told off by someone official. Right now I’m trying to work out how much stuff I can take as carry-on luggage. I want to take my camera and my laptop but I need my backpack as well. D’oh! Maybe I’ll just have to wear the same clothes for three days. Ewwwww!!

Regardless, it’s going to be fun. Once again spending money I shouldn’t be but it’ll all work out in the end. Plus, fingers crossed I finally get my mits on the Batman page I bought at the start of the year.

The love affair with Lisa continues unabated. I’m just so totally loving the ride to and from work these days. I think I’m getting better with the shoes. I did give myself a moment this morning when I realised I need to stop but haven’t clipped out. Every day I don’t fall over is a bonus. My whole attitude is one of it’s going to happen so I might as well just get on with the riding and not be shocked when it happens. I’ve decided that STI gearing is one of the best inventions ever. I love it.

Posted in: Bike, Comics, Travel

Housing situation – sorted!

May 26, 2009 10:43 | Leave a Comment |

The owner agreed to having two cats in the house so my friends can move in. It took a little persuading but we got there in the end. The rent is going up by a huge $10 a week but I think we can manage that.

I’m enormously relieved about this. I was trying very hard not to think about it and what I would do if she said no. Which was kinda stupid really. I could’ve ended up without a place to live. Actually, that’s not true. I did have another plan. Always with the plans these days – that’s so not me.

The love affair with my new bike continues. She’s filthy at the moment because it rained last night on the way home and the roads were still wet this morning. I thought about cleaning her last night but it seemed pointless considering it’s meant to rain again today. The shoes are continuing to be a challenge. I’ve discovered they’re incredibly slippery when the pedal is wet.

But I’m trying hard, clipping out early to make sure I can get my foot down safely. It’s the clipping back in that’s causing me some consternation at the moment. I swear to god I’m going to end up kicking some random cyclist because there have been more than a few times were my foot has gone flying when I’ve tried to click back in. I’m learning that’s better to get the bike moving by pedalling with the tip of my foot then blocking people because I’m messing about trying to clip back in. I really don’t want to cause an accident because of my inability to manage my shoes.

Apart from that, I’m really enjoying the riding. I didn’t expect it but the shoes do make a difference. My feet are in a better position so I’m riding better, although I think I’ve always had a neat riding style. The fatter tyres are great too. The ride isn’t as bumpy. I’m totally loving the STI gearing. I love not having to reach down to change gears and that all it takes a flick of my fingers (a firm flick but it’s still a flick).

I can see myself jumping on the bike to simply go for a ride, something I haven’t done in a long time.

Very glad I did it, even though it’s going to put a strain on my finances for the next year. (Because that’s so different from the last six months!) I have all these things planned, like a trip to Sydney at the end of June and the holiday in New Zealand in September. The money will come from somewhere. I’ll just have to spend less.

Posted in: Bike, Blatherings | Tagged: , , ,

Meet Lisa

May 23, 2009 18:33 | 1 Comment |

My new bike

This is Lisa, my new bike. I bought her today from the very helpful Ben at BSC Bikes.

She’s last year’s model and has a few little scratches on her but it saved me a good chunk of cash and I got a better bike out of it. I had already picked a different bike which was cheaper but the test ride was disappointing. It was a pretty crappy ride to be honest. My old bike felt better than that one did which is bad considering my old bike is 17 years old and bike technology has come a long way since then. I got back from my first test ride definitely not sold on the bike and asked to see what else they had. I’d seen the Kona Lisas (2008 and 2009 models) already but felt they were too expensive. But after riding the cheaper one, I thought perhaps something that cost a little more would be better. It’s not like I intend on doing this again any time soon. Better to spend the money and get it right the first time.

I knew within two minutes of riding her that she was the bike for me. I spent most of the test ride with a huge grin on my face. It just felt really good. The seat is still too low and I probably could’ve done with the next frame size up but the seat can be adjusted another few centimeters and maybe the handlebars as well, just to get that extra bit of height.

I also indulged myself and bought my first ever pair of bike shoes. I was originally going to get cage pedals but to get decent looking ones that suited the bike would’ve ended up costing nearly as much as just buying some shoes and clip pedals. It’s an experience that’s for sure. I had a few massive wobbles on the way home and my foot slipped around heaps but I didn’t fall over which I think is a pretty good effort. It’s a totally new way of riding and something I’ll have to adjust to. At least now I’ll stop trashing my sneakers.

New bike. New bike I already love to ride. Think I’m going to be riding more. It’s better than public transport!

And how did I afford this? I have 12 months to pay it off and I’m spending the money from my train ticket which I didn’t renew, a pay rise and a reduction in my tax on it. Money well spent I think.

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There’s a hill

February 2, 2009 20:24 | 2 Comments |

There’s this hill near work. It’s the quickest way to work when I’m on my bike. It’s not a big hill and I’m sure the incline isn’t that great but I suffer every time I struggle up it, especially after I’ve been the gym the night before.

But every time I’m struggling up the hill, I tell myself this is the hardest thing I have to do today.

And most of the time, it’s true.

Anyhoo… my flights to and from Seattle are bought, I’ve filled in my ETSA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) application and had it approved. They’re letting me in the country, which is nice. I’m pretty much set to go. Just have to work out how I’m getting from Los Angeles to San Francisco. 55 days to go.

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