Rest your knees, CamB. Trust me. It may take a week or two for the knee to heal. If you ride more, it will only get worse.

Also, see Knee pain

Try to spin the cranks as fast as reasonable. I don't have cadence on my computer, so I look at the stopwatch and count crank revolutions for 6 seconds. Multiply by 10 for cadence. In the beginning of the season, you might do 90 rpm, but as your legs get fit, you might get up to 110-120 rpm. More rpm = less force per revolution = less strain on your body.

It's amazing what the human body can do when pushed.
Regards, Jürgen

Yeah, thanks guys. I think I just need to rest it. It takes a couple of days to get "better", but then anything remotely stressful makes it sore again. I need to try a whole week off, maybe even two whole weeks... :(

I do high cadence - usually 90-100 (bit of a guess using Jurgen's method). I have a slower cadence - maybe 70 - on the hills, and the hills I mentioned before are long (2 miles plus) and steep (probably 10% avg gradient), so I run out of gears!

Anna is 1" shorter than I am (I'm just over 6') and has the same size legs. This means I can ride "her" bike if I want to - a pretty sweet deal, although the shorter stem I stuck on it for her feels cramped.

Thanks for the help guys :D

Great thread! I used to race for Fisher Mountain bikes way way back before clipless pedals. I briefly picked up a ride from YETI and then retired to raise a family.
I'm back on the bike again for 2 reasons.
1.) I miss riding and now that my kids are older they want to learn to mountain bike, so, who'd be a better guide than Daddy.
2.) I broke my leg last year and what a better way to rehab the leg than cycling. While rehabbing I lost 35 lbs, and have decided to race again!!
My YETI (profro) feels better than it used to, but I need a road bike and have resorted to borrowing an old Cannondale 3.0 Crit bike. It's super twitchy and handles Horribly but it's very light. I ride here in Eastern Pennsylvania which is rocky, hilly and 90% singletrack, it's covered in a canopy of trees everywhere, there's no real Open riding like in Cali or Arizona so you don't get fried while outside but it's also more fun in my opinion due to the fact that you can't see very far ahead which makes for an exciting ride.
What do I want for my Birthday? A full suspension bike for cross country use!!.. oh and some new cycling clothes would be nice...
Frank B

I'm bored at work, so I'm going to bump this back to the top to watch it pushed back down by politics ;)

My knee issues were/are bio-mechanical - patello-femoral syndrome. So basically in addition to getting physiotherapy (a bit of ultrasound, mobilisation/massage, and some strapping) I have had to learn to pedal, walk and sit "straight".

I roll my femur(s) inward during a pedal stroke and neglect muscles I should use. Standing on the pedals has been the worst (and hardest to relearn). I have been strengthening certain hip/butt muscles and so on.

Walked for 3 hours in the local ranges last Saturday and mountain biked for 2 hours on Sunday without pain, so I must be getting better. Previous rides before that were pretty low intensity but hey - they didn't hurt either.

Mountain biking was good! Went to the sand-based forest nearish-by. They have 60km of trails, and I am guessing I did about 1/3 of it :D The sand base kinda sucks by their own admission - there were a few (not too bad really) places where you didn't want to turn too quickly...

In other news, I had to shave my knee for the strapping a couple of weeks ago, which lead two days later to shaving the rest of the leg and the other leg too. This was considered the lesser of two evils (shaved legs better than hair sock). I had no idea it would take so bloody long, and, for the first couple of times, how bad the shaving rash would be. Pity poor me...

Cam,

I assume you have adjusted the sole plates on your shoes to ensure you have the correct foot location throughtout the pedla revolution....
I know that after any sort of lay off I need to recheck the laignment and ease it around until I get back to full strength, to avoid the issues you seem to b having...

Certainly when i raced it was one of the one labourious set-up items we did with the trainer and coach...

As for shaving legs...well if you cycle and race a lot then you will one day meet the road......with a bare leg.

Its less painful on the soul if you do not have hair to gte in the owunds and on the banadge....to say nothing of the massage oil effects..

I thought it was all a bit OTT until I hit the deck at 60+ mph in the Alps....A plastic brush scrub out of the wound followed by a large adhesive bandage made me very grateful I had taken the time to do so.
So much so that today, some 16 years after the accident, only the cuts that were stitched up are still visible, the road rash has completely gone.

Take care of those knees, you can get spares but they are not yet as good as the original parts.

I have had the hardest time getting back in the saddle after my wreck last fall. I only recently figured out my saddle was too low. I feel like an idiot for such a simple mistake.

Funny you should mention shaving legs. I rode on Saturday and looked down at my legs at a stoplight. I thought to myself, damn that's ugly. I have legs like a wooly mammoth. I'm not too crazy about shaving, but I suppose I will give it one try.

Since January, I've lost 2 kg. I want to lose 1.5 kg to get down to super trim weight. Summer is almost here, and I can't afford to carry any extra blubber when I'm sweating like a pig.

Any new equipment acquisitions, cam? I am proud to say my bike is stock as delivered on December 13,2003. The only thing I have changed is the saddle (softer one), but I want to try the Fizik Aliante (supposed to be really nice). I also want to try out a wool jersey, but they're hard to find.

Since I've been riding again, I don't get so worked up over trivial things like politics. I think some of these blokes here should find a good hobby or exercise more. ;)
jürgen

Jurgen - check out http://www.vintagevelos.com/clothing1.html .

These woolistic jerseys aren't cheap, but they are the cat's ass.

I haven't been in for the re-fit yet - I'm just riding very carefully (I probably need a little shimming of the cleat). Hopefully I'll have time next week...

Any new equipment acquisitions, cam?

I think I mentioned the new birthday handlebar - no more creaks :D I bought some winter wear and lights too - arm and leg warmers, that sort of thing. And a pimptastic Italia shirt.

I actually can't justify any new bits - the bike is fine. I probably have to wait for something to break.

I ride the Back Bay all the time its 5 miles from my door to the UCI Rowing Center. My bike is a oldtimer that I rescued from the dump over 20 years ago. I dont know who made is as there are no markings on the frame. It did have a set of Trelborg 1 3/4 x 26 tires on it when I got it.Steve

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082929472.jpg

Not many people out today.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082929640.jpg

The Bike path starts at the far left of this photo.I am now on the Back Bay Drive.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082929900.jpg

Shellmaker Island is in sight. Right here is always a head wind funneling thru.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082930115.jpg

Almost there note the nice paved road, The Back Bay Dr is a favorite of many bike riders in the area.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082930252.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082930272.jpg

Nice spot for a cool drink and to watch the boats.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1082930371.jpg

Be careful out there guys. A cyclist was killed on the same road I ride. The woman driving the Yukon (monster SUV) said she never saw the bicyclist. Really doesn't matter what she was driving, because even a Mini Cooper can mangle a human on 20 lbs of metal and rubber.

Beside the "hey sexy thing" looks from the ladies :), but I also get the attention of cops. I've started giving a nod and a wave, because I never know when I'll need them. Sucks to have a bullseye on your back. :(

Steve, those are cool riding spots. I wish I had bike paths and wide roads.
jürgen

I was thinking about Building a recumbent when I saw this. This looks like the way to go. My plan is a little different than his as I would use a 7 speed internal hub with a 7 speed freewheel cluster, 3speed chain wheels. 147 speed. Something like this.

http://sheldonbrown.org/otb.html
lhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1084033074.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1084033096.jpg

Holy World's Longest Chain Batman!

I bet it feels fast sitting that close to the ground...

I've never ridden a recumbent but they sure look dangerous to ride on the road. More like navigating vs. carving your way among traffic.

OK Gentlemen, I start riding today after a two season hiatus for broken legs, two operations for rebuilding a knee and an ankle. Also took on 30 lbs of balist (sp). I'm going to need a bucket load of incouragement. I used to ride 3-4 times a week both road and mountain bike. So, I'm mentally ready but....

Going to hit the road bike for a twenty miler to warm things up and see how every thing works. Anyway, just thinking out loud I guess.