I Remembered What I Hate About Cycling.

[bullet08]

Taking helmet off. While taking skateboard helmet off, it rushed back into my head. My fingers have been losing sense/feeling for awhile, and I have hard time undoing the buckle. It's like a blind trying to finger her girlfriend. Except, that blind can do it better and faster than me trying to undo my helmet buckle.

 

[Servant King]

It's like a blind trying to finger her girlfriend.

Well that's why they invented helmets in the first place.

 

[snagstangl]

Have you tried a Fidlock Buckle?​

​

 

[yanoJL]

For me its the testicular numbing. I've never found bicycle seats very comfortable.

 

[Flatfish]

Welsh hills.

Traffic.

 

[anotherbob]

For me its the testicular numbing. I've never found bicycle seats very comfortable.

you mean slow but steady injuries to that part of the body. Yeah that's what keeps me walking instead of biking.

 

[ssjones]

I ride a gravel bike, on gravel (and paved roads). Last year, I added this Redshift Stop-Shock stem, it has a small damping system that eliminated the vibration and numbness in my hands. Actually, a member here recommended it as we had the same brand gravel bike. (he lived in the mid-West)

 

[Navy Chief]

For me its the testicular numbing. I've never found bicycle seats very comfortable.

Get the right saddle adjusted correctly and the issue goes away completely.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I went ahead and dropped the dime on a Brooks seat, and had the bike shop adjust it for my riding style. Being a touring bike, I wanted the geometry to allow me to set upright in my saddle, so none of those curvy handlebars for me. I want to see around me as I ride without having to get my neck snapped by the chiropractor. I can ride all day without any tingling. We ride mostly along the coast at the beach and we have a Rails to Trails that goes through our town, so I can ride to any of about six neighboring cities without feeling like I have left the woods. There is a trailhead just at the end of our road. It has been nice.

As far as helmets... mine has snaps.

 

[Egg Shen]

Get the right saddle adjusted correctly and the issue goes away completely.

Yes, this. A performance oriented bike will come with a small, lightweight, firm saddle. They literally should name these seat models things like taint-tapper, sack-slapper, or the perineum pounder haha. Get a big cushiony one as seen on “comfort” bikes. They’re more marketed to old folks or just folks who want a leisurely ride around the neighborhood. But nobody can tell what you’re sitting on if you’re sitting on it and who cares anyway if you’re on a granny seat. Comfort matters.

 

[Egg Shen]

I’m fixing to roll out soon, got some cigars for the ride.

 

[Egg Shen]

I went ahead and dropped the dime on a Brooks seat, and had the bike shop adjust it for my riding style. Being a touring bike, I wanted the geometry to allow me to set upright in my saddle, so none of those curvy handlebars for me. I want to see around me as I ride without having to get my neck snapped by the chiropractor. I can ride all day without any tingling. We ride mostly along the coast at the beach and we have a Rails to Trails that goes through our town, so I can ride to any of about six neighboring cities without feeling like I have left the woods. There is a trailhead just at the end of our road. It has been nice.

As far as helmets... mine has snaps.

How do you like your Brookes saddle? I found both of mine to be extremely hard, never breaking in. Some $200 decorations for the basement wall, haha.

The top 2 are Brookes. The bottom one was a bit more comfortable than the top, but I bent its frame badly in a crash . The is 0 suppleness to the leather one up top, it probably has 1,000 miles on it lol.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

My least favorite aspect was always the peddling.

I did BMX and some street riding in the late 90s - up until I was 17 or 18.
Eventually got a road bike for scooting around on.
In 2017 I got a mountain bike and started hitting the local trails. I found it to be loads of fun and a helluva workout, even if I rode 20-30 minutes.
My last rig was a Kona Honzo- really liked the geometry on that hard tail 29.
Unfortunately I got thrown for a wallop on a trail in 2021and messed up my ankle/knee pretty bad. Sold the bike and bought more pipes and tobacco.

Haven't had wheels since then but I've been contemplating it recently.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

How do you like your Brookes saddle? I found both of mine to be extremely hard, never breaking in. Some $200 decorations for the basement wall, haha.
View attachment 243660
The top 2 are Brookes. The bottom one was a bit more comfortable than the top, but I bent its frame badly in a crash . The is 0 suppleness to the leather one up top, it probably has 1,000 miles on it lol.

I kept adding saddle soap to mine, and rode for long enough for my sweat to form it well to my butt. I love it. About twice a year, I recondition it... unless I end up riding in the rain, and then I would do it more often.

My wife prefers wide cushioned seats. I and other bikers keep trying to tell her that wide seats are actually worse on you butt, but she won't listen. As long as her seat gets her out on the trails with me, I am fine with whatever silly seat she chooses.

 

[jttnk]

I ride a gravel bike, on gravel (and paved roads). Last year, I added this Redshift Stop-Shock stem, it has a small damping system that eliminated the vibration and numbness in my hands. Actually, a member here recommended it as we had the same brand gravel bike. (he lived in the mid-West)

View attachment 243642

Looks familiar… red shift stem and all. I have changed to the Trucker Bar as well. That little bit of rise has helped with neck and hands.

 

[kcghost]

I'll never forget my first bike that I got in 1959. I was riding it in 1959 and I was going at a decent clip for riding an inexpensive bike of its time. Somehow, as I rode on the street, I ran right up a wire that was supporting a pole. Miraculously, I wasn't hurt. Later got rid of the bike and haven't ridden one of the deathtraps since.

 

[scloyd]

Get the right saddle adjusted correctly and the issue goes away completely.

This.
I purchased a new GIANT about seven years and after many adjustments, I got the saddle adjusted just right. All the nut numbness gone. I do get a little numbness in my hands depending on how long I ride.
I'm going to check out @ssjones solution for that.

 

[bullet08]

It takes time to break in Brooks saddle. But once it's broken in, it's one of the most comfortable saddle there is. Have Brooks swallow on my fixed gear.

 

[georged]

Ah. Cycling.

I was a 4-digit UMCA member, competed in numerous 12 hour, 24 hour, and state-crossing events, thought nothing of riding four competitive centuries in four consecutive days, was invited to join one of the Race Across America teams, and my hundred mile time trial PR (no drafting) was 4hr, 28min, 51sec.

(The fun part about cycling is aerodynamic drag is a square function, but the power needed to overcome aerodynamic drag is a cube function... and you are the power source)

Imagine my joy when I was told by the Doctor Squad that some body chemistry shit had gone haywire and my bones had become fragile, and any future breaks might never heal. (The situation was stabilized but can't be reversed) No more riding for moi, just like that.

 

[ssjones]

Ah. Cycling.

I was a 4-digit UMCA member, competed in numerous 12 hour, 24 hour, and state-crossing events, thought nothing of riding four competitive centuries in four consecutive days, was invited to join one of the Race Across America teams, and my hundred mile time trial PR (no drafting) was 4hr, 28min, 51sec.

(The fun part about cycling is aerodynamic drag is a square function, but the power needed to overcome aerodynamic drag is a cube function... and you are the power source)

Imagine my joy when I was told by the Doctor Squad that some body chemistry shit had gone haywire and my bones had become fragile, and any future breaks might never heal. (The situation was stabilized but can't be reversed) No more riding for moi, just like that.

Geesh, sorry to hear that George, you were pretty competitive it seems!