What workout did you do today?

[flying]

Went for a ride with the old vet, who finally got a loner hand cycle. Rode way faster then usual, the 10 miles to his house, so I would get a good workout, before our slow ride together. He may be slow, after all he just started, but he gos and gos. The first time I have ever rode with another guy, down at my level, sure was fun. The guy was all smiles, I sure hope he can get a more permanent bike, I think it increase his life span a lot. After all theres nothing lot moving, to keep one going.

Arndog What kind of gearing do you have, to be able to climb all those mountains? I have a 22T-34T and sometime wish I had lower then that.

[arndog]

flying - I have a triple. I think I have a 11-32 cassette. I have a 53/something/something chainrings - I don't know how big the 2 smaller ones are and will have to go out to the garage tomorrow and see .
Today - 42 miles/6000 ft climb/ 6 hour ride/7.1 mph avg. climbing/both sides of Ebbet's Pass and up and down Pacific Grade which had some 20 degree pitches. Absolutely great day. Most picturesque ride to date. Used to ride this as an AB.

[flying]

Well finally got my new gear set for my new ride. Now it has the same gearing as my hand cycle. Well my arms are at least three times as strong as my legs, so its great to get the smaller gears. Rode up to the end of the frontage, there is a short steep hill on the way, well one can just push on the front tires to get up it. It was so much fun that I just had to do it again, and its a great workout for the legs. But man o man I thought hills were bad on the hand cycle, but one can go pretty good on the flats. I bet that you guys with stronger legs, like Truly and Arndog and Steve and the Idaho guys could really get going?

[truly]

Hey Flying, is that a Cat bike? I like the two wheels in front style. It's great that you can pedal with your legs! You know how it goes...what may be super hard today gets easier with time until you won't even remember these early days. Let me know how it goes. I've been avoiding the idea of recumbent because I don't know if I could transport one by myself. But.....man, I miss biking!

[arndog]

Flying - I had a catrike and a greenspeed trike when I first got injured. It is very fun, especially the steering and handling with the 2 wheels up front. The problem I found with incomplete paraplegia and limited motor strength in the lower extremities is that after triking, I experienced such neuropathic leg pain that it made it difficult to want to go on it frequently. Plus, no amount of exercise will make the poorly innervated muscles hypertrophy and grow. As much as you may want them to, it doesn't happen. I know that is a 'Debbie downer' remark. Sorry, but that is my experience.

I counted the teeth on my hand-cycle. I have a triple with a 22 tooth chainring and a 34-11 cassette on 650c wheels. It is definitely a granny gear for climbing at 1.5 mph if necessary. Today, I put on shorter , narrower cranks. 165mm and 14 inches apart. Supposedly this will lessen elbow pain.

[steve garro]

Originally Posted by flying

I bet that you guys with stronger legs, like Steve could really get going?

Nope. Even with duct taping my feet on that would be a flail-athalon - I wouldn't even be able to keep my knees in plane with each other & out of the chainrings.
I can't pedal a bike - I walk on one crooked, crushed leg with a Ti rod for a femur and pure tone combined with a KAFO and crutches - not pretty, and it hurts. Hence the wheelchair.

[MFlounlacker]

Flying-I have a standard trike and have considered getting a recccumbent bike good like that. I live in flat world and my legs seem to be pretty strong. I can only manage about 5 miles on the trike, but it is still a very good work out. Bet it is fun going down hill.

Gonna hit the trike this morning and then go for a surf this afternoon. I am seeing results from switching from my home routine to the gym. The use of different machines seems to be providing some muscle confusion and they are responding. I am seeing some gains in my left hamstring which have been elusive the last month or so. I work out each leg seperately because otherwise my right (strong relatively speaking) will do all the work. I will keep at the gynm for at least an 8 week cycle and then maybe switch stuff up again.

Arndog- Man I wish I had a mountain to climb close by. It must be a huge sense of accomplishment to get to the top. You have inspired me to go to our defunct land fill and climb the covered up trash mounds. These are the tallest peaks around us and the landfill has been closed for years so it really isn't too bad. Before my injury I would run them to prep for my masters lacrosse season. I am going to try to go over there and give it a go this week.

[flying]

Truly Its an XPR Arrow. Its a cheaper version (about half) of a cat trike. I figured there was no reason to get the more expensive bike, given my strength. It still only weights 33 pounds, and is fun to ride.

Arndog I sorry to hear that riding a trike gave you more neuropathic pain. Fortunately I don't have that problem. It does make my knee a little sore, but its miner. Doing abductor type exercises really gets my butt to burning, so its harder to talk myself in to doing them. I know full well, that I will never have the old horse legs of the past, but one does what one can. I have been riding an old stationary bike in the house, that needs replacing, so this bike on a trainer will fit the bill. Also one can not stress the psychological component, of having a way to get out of the house and have some fun. My 400 to 500 foot walks don't take very long. BTW how long did it take you post injury, before you were able to go on your O so long sidestix walks? Looks like you have the same gearing on your hand cycle as I do. Hope the new cranks works out for you.

Steve Its amazing that your can get around as well as you do with what you got. I guess perseverance counts for a lot.

[arndog]

Flying - it was 6 years before I found I could hike trails. Once I realized that door was open, I quickly went through it and started the crutch hiking, leading up to completing the Tahoe Rim Trail, hiking the Yosemite Falls trail, hiking up White Mtn at 14200, etc.

Good job everyone, keep it up...

[Cjt8]

Originally Posted by arndog

Yesterday - short crutch walk with wife and dog in neighborhood at dusk. The dog is so grateful to get out.
Today - 6 hr handcycle - both sides of Monitor Pass. 36 miles, 5700 ft climbing. It was a climb fest. 50 mph max speed. Spoke to Will Lochenauer - he went down Monitor at 60 mph - whoa - scare ball . When you are 2 inches off the pavement , it really feels fast.

Bad ass! East side is the bomb up and down. 14 years of Death Ride support on my BMW I only saw a hand full of people hitting it on hand bike. Does your bike have a disk brake or you squeezing the rims? Man I peeled alot of people off the pavement with blown tires on that road. Ride safe watch for rocks.
60 is fast when you have your stretchy PJs on!