dralbright


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  • in reply to: Tell me about your back pain experience #589488

    Another quick question; is the real benefit of a steeper seat tube angle (in this instance, not overall) a shorter effective top tube? I’d love to figure out how to ride a road bike comfortably, and going to a smaller size would basically shorten the ETT . . . I think.

    in reply to: Tell me about your back pain experience #589485

    Interesting! I hadn’t thought of walking as a core exercise, but that makes perfect sense. I’ve been trying to move more in general, but I’ll try to up the walking!

    The seat tube angle on my Pedalhead is 74º, which is definitely slacker than most modern progressive bikes. I wonder if I can rent something with a steeper STA to see if it feels better right away. Could also slam the seat forward — I’m not sure how much of a horizontal difference a couple degrees makes. I might be able to simulate a bit of a steeper seat tube that way.

    I’ve been doing a lot of lower back strengthening, but backed off a bit on the abdominal stuff (leg lifts, planks, dead bug, etc.). Maybe I’ll try putting that back in, too.

    Thanks for the tips! It definitely gives me hope that I can conquer this pain.

    in reply to: Tell me about your back pain experience #589364

    I’m currently on a size 4 GG Pedalhead (I’m 6’2″ with long legs) and a Giant Contend XL on the road. I’ve had back pain on numerous bikes over the past few years. Now that I think about it, though, the last time I felt solid on a bike was when I was on a road bike that was maybe a little too small for me. Interesting. The Pedalhead has a riser stem and bars, so I’m about as upright as I can be on it. The Giant is set up that way too, but since it’s a road bike, it’s definitely more leaned over.

    Any particular core exercises that worked well for you?

    Thanks for your response!

    I’ve sold a couple parts since the pandemic started, and I’ve always just left them on my doorstep and had people leave money under the mat. Is it safer that way? Probably a little (one guy did put two twenties in a ziploc bag). Am I at risk of being ripped off? Definitely. But no one has yet — including people who bought some non-MTB stuff I sold. For items over like 80 bucks, I ask for prepayment via Venmo or PayPal, just to be sure. It’s gone pretty well so far, all considered.

    in reply to: Gloves without annoying seams #311014

    Thanks for all the great advice, everyone! I kept riding my Rangers, and they did get a little more comfortable. But I was gifted a pair of Dakine Syncline Gel gloves a few days ago, and they might be my new hands-down (ha!) favorite. The seams are minimal, and the gel is actually really great. If you’re looking for something with a bit of padding, I highly recommend them. The non-gel version might be good too, but I haven’t tried them yet.

    in reply to: Gloves without annoying seams #291325

    Thanks for your input, everyone! This is a pair of Fox Rangers, and maybe it’s a bad batch. It seems unlikely that they would intentionally make the seams as big as they are. But who knows?

    Matt, I was actually looking at the HandUps. Maybe I’ll give them a shot. The palm text is a bit corny . . . but I can’t help but like the Send It one. 🙂

    I’ll look into the DNDs, too!

    Any particular recommendation on Home Depot gloves? Huskies, maybe?

    I definitely try to support companies that make things in the US. Even if the entire bike isn’t made here, I’ll support a company who does some of the work here over one that does none of the work. I was fortunate enough to buy a bike made right here in Denver recently, and the fact that it was made here is a big part of why I chose this particular brand. It’s not easy to buy bikes made in the US—especially if you’re trying to save money—but it’s definitely possible! And, in my opinion, worth it.

    in reply to: Small Tire Companies #271492

    Teravail is owned by QBP, which isn’t exactly a small company. But they’re based in my home state, so that’s a plus! Teravail tires actually look pretty solid.

    I didn’t know that Maxxis made Bontrager tires! I know what you mean about price. I’d be willing to pay a little more for something from a small company, but not all that much. Which puts me in a tough spot. Just wanted to know if there was anything else out there.

    in reply to: Small Tire Companies #271491

    Good call! I didn’t know Ritchey made tires, actually. That seems like a great choice. I’ve looked at e*thirteen before, but I’ll have to give them another look. If I remember correctly, they didn’t have a whole lot of options in what I was looking for. But I’ll give them a shot!

    in reply to: Small Tire Companies #271312

    Yeah, I currently have Maxxis tires and I’m liking them a lot. I just thought it would be cool to support a smaller company! The one that I’ve found so far is Terrene, but they have limited non-plus tires (though I might be able to fit a 2.6″ in my frame). I actually didn’t know that Vittoria made mountain tires! I’ll check those out for sure.

    in reply to: Disc Brakes in Muddy Conditions #113385

    Also, another note: this is my first time living in a wet and muddy climate, so if there are any precautions I need to take (like moving the pads out, for example), please share!

    in reply to: Leaning Back #111975
    "maddslacker" wrote

    Just like .38 Special says, "Hold on loosely, but don’t let go." 😎

    My descending song of choice used to be Lean Back by Terror Squad, but maybe I should start thinking about .38 Special instead!

    in reply to: Family sues strava for cyclist death #110506
    "mtbgreg1" wrote

    For those who want to cut straight to the chase:

    As I said, the Strava lawsuit raises a new legal question, and the law hasn’t been definitively developed yet, but I think it’s a very big stretch to attempt to say Strava is liable for the risks some of its members may take.

    [i:1tzv0l8k]Research and drafting by Rick Bernardi, J.D.[/i:1tzv0l8k]

    Seems to me like this ‘the law hasn’t been definitively developed yet’ situation has been coming up a lot lately, as technology is quickly changing just about everything we do. Hopefully this encourages more lawmakers to move toward setting a definitive precedent for cases like this, and how ‘encouragement’, electronic ‘taunting’, and ‘responsibility’ all fit together. I’m tired of reading about people fighting over it.

    in reply to: Leaning Back #111971

    Thanks for the discussion, all! I see there are some competing ideas of the best way to get down a hill, but the consensus seems to be to keep your torso low and stay loose (both of which are great advice). I’d love to get an adjustable seatpost, but I can’t really drop any money on my bike right now, as I’m moving across the ocean in a few days.

    Anyway, the only trouble I have with this advice is with the staying loose part. For the most part, that’s not a problem. However, if I’m leaning back, and my front wheel hits something and goes up, staying loose causes my elbows to bend more, bringing my weight further forward. This has never resulted in an endo, but I’ve come close a few times. It’s not like I’m locking my elbows; just keeping a little more tension in my triceps than the rest of my body so that when my front wheel goes up, my upper body stays back. So far, it hasn’t caused any problems for me . . . but if it does, I’ll try something else!

    in reply to: Mountain bike maintenance guides / checklists #111609

    This is great! I must’ve missed that when it was posted.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)