31
votes
How old is too old for aggressive cycling?
I'm 65, and doing 60-70 miles a week on local roads, trails and hillsides. I'm not a kamikaze biker anymore, but it's still wholly worthwhile. Injuries just take longer to heal, and I'm not so patient ...
- 339
29
votes
Is it possible to do 50 km distance without any previous training?
A fit person can do 50km without too much difficulty, though they'll probably be sore from the effort if they don't cycle much, just because cycling uses different muscles to, say, running. It wouldn'...
- 17k
20
votes
Accepted
Bicycle designed for one-arm usage?
There are devices that allow a bicycle to be modified to make it easier and safer to ride with one arm. Riding safely would come with practice and confidence. Trikes or recumbents mentioned in the ...
- 8,827
14
votes
Is it possible to do 50 km distance without any previous training?
It's probably not a great idea. Start with a shorter route and see how you do. Pick a flat route without hills. Make sure you have a bail out and a way to get home (public transport, a friend, Uber ...
- 75.5k
13
votes
Bicycle designed for one-arm usage?
I would probably try a simple Roadster (or as I know them a "Dutch bike" or „Hollandrad“):
internal gear hub with back-pedaling/coaster brake (ex. Shimano's 8 speed Nexus)
normal brake leaver for the ...
- 2,932
13
votes
Accepted
What techniques do experienced commuter cyclists use to avoid scraping the shins and legs on pedals?
Stopping
You never have to do a rolling dismount, and you don't need to drag (or hover) your foot along the ground as you slow down.
You can always come to a stop, then put your foot - or both feet - ...
- 57.3k
12
votes
can only use right hand to brake reliably, due to disability - safer/possible to modify bike?
Generally speaking your off hand should be the front brake, so if you're right handed the front brake should be the left. They can be set up either way, though, especially if you're using cable-driven ...
- 9,189
12
votes
Is it possible to do 50 km distance without any previous training?
To answer your questions -
"Is it possible to do 50 km distance without any previous training? -
Yes, it is possible, assuming by no previous training you mean
cycling training. If a person has ...
- 20.7k
12
votes
How can I keep riding with bad knees?
I think you really have to see a professional (or several) for this. The first priority would be to make sure your seating position is not causing or aggravating the issue. A physiotherapist who’s ...
- 26k
11
votes
How old is too old for aggressive cycling?
No, age will not restrict you. You're not as young as you used to be, but in a good way: you won't have physical limitations of age, but you'll be more observant and thoughtful about what works for ...
- 918
9
votes
Accepted
Rekindling a love for cycling after an accident
Since having a car-on-bike accident last year due to me performing an Idaho stop, and the driver not stopping at all, I feel like my riding habits have changed a lot, and I realized how bad other ...
- 21.7k
8
votes
Bicycle designed for one-arm usage?
I like to share my solution for modifying the brakes on a bike for riders who were born with one hand/arm or are amputees.
I was born missing four fingers on my left hand. For many years I was ...
8
votes
Bicycle designed for one-arm usage?
I’ve been riding with one arm for about twenty five years without problems. I have had many bikes (mainly old bikes with the front brake removed) and a few electric bikes again with no problem.
I ...
- 81
8
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to do 50 km distance without any previous training?
I think this question is a little more complicated than it appears at first pass. I will demonstrate by answering two forms of the question.
Q1: "Is it possible that, despite not having regular ...
- 274
8
votes
How can I keep riding with bad knees?
You may need to see three different specialists, and may even need to get them talking to each other.
A sports-medicine doctor
A physical therapist
A bike fitter
Depending on the particular ...
- 29.2k
7
votes
Bicycle designed for one-arm usage?
I cycle with one hand.
I’ve got hydraulic brakes, and I’ve put a hydraulic splitter inline. It takes both brakes in & a single line out & then into a single Juicy brake controller. The ...
- 71
6
votes
Saddle suggestions for broken pelvis
You may try looking into a noseless saddle. Some of the designs I have seen actually have cutouts or the sit bones in particular. Many people are dismissive of them (myself somewhat included), but ...
- 9,938
6
votes
can only use right hand to brake reliably, due to disability - safer/possible to modify bike?
I was amazed the right is the front but found this
Australian Standard AS1927 – 1998 Pedal Bicycles – Safety
Requirements, page 16 Section 2.14 Braking System 2.14.2.1 states the
following: ...
- 15.6k
6
votes
What techniques do experienced commuter cyclists use to avoid scraping the shins and legs on pedals?
I don't think there has to be a technical solution (such as folding pedals) to a problem that can resolved by awareness that will soon become (riding) routine.
I'm pretty sure I never thought about it ...
- 3,264
5
votes
Rekindling a love for cycling after an accident
I've had my ins and outs with riding and I've found that buying a new bike only sometimes works. What I'd recommend is maybe trying a new style of cycling or finding something to train toward. I ...
- 9,938
5
votes
Bicycle designed for one-arm usage?
I ride with one arm / hand exclusively, and am very mechanically-inclined, and have taken a lot of time to figure out successfully how to solve this problem, and can now rip fast downhills no problem:
...
5
votes
Bicycle designed for one-arm usage?
Indicated in the comments and indicated in an answer, but not really covered yet.
A recumbent trike or bike.
The biggest difference is that on recumbent bikes and trikes your sitting position is such ...
- 3,664
5
votes
Coming back from a Serious Injury
That's rough. Rotten luck and you have my sympathy.
When you say "as a kid" am I right to think not fully grown? Because little kids start closer to the ground, don't weigh as much, and don't tend ...
- 57.3k
5
votes
Insect stings while bike riding
It happened twice to me to be stung:
once a wasp entered from the neck under my loose shirt, and being trapped between the fabric and my chest didn't find anything better than stinging me.
another ...
- 7,081
5
votes
Accepted
How do the pros recover so quickly after a crash? And what can we learn from them?
Because there is no answer yet I would like to add my thoughts on this subject, from pure logic perspective and some previous reading on biking theory. Would like to hear your comments and thoughts!
...
- 556
5
votes
Knee Pain - Injury or Out of Shape?
Is this to be expected or am I injuring myself by continuing?
You're probably injuring yourself by continuing. Muscle soreness is to be expected when you increase your exercise load, but exercise ...
- 17k
5
votes
How old is too old for aggressive cycling?
It depends a lot on your previous life style. Whether you have been practising sports on a regular basis or led a rather sedentary life. Anyway it will not be something that you are going to enter at ...
- 8,259
4
votes
Bicycle designed for one-arm usage?
If the OP, is saying they have an injury, this could take a year so to heal, but there are plenty of adaptions to reduce load or stress. As others have posted, moving both brakes over, and running a ...
- 61
4
votes
Accepted
Coming back from a Serious Injury
Frankly I am a bit scared. What should I do to avoid injury in the future? I have taken similar spills as a kid, and not really been injured. It really sucks as I am just 5 weeks from my tri, and I ...
- 30.4k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible