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Afternoon all, it's been quite some time since I've posted up on here!
Unfortunately today I have finally admitted to myself that I will no longer be riding bicycles 🙁
Over the past few years I've had various lower spine and hip issues and nerve damage which I've finally had to accept that they will never go away nor get any better. Long story short I had quite a serious motorcycle accident a number of years ago and from that ended up with some issues. Result is that I suffer from pain all the time, have limited movement, some days worse than others but it will never go away and it has never gotten any better - not for want of trying!
I'll not bore you with the details but mentally it's been really tough too, but that's a whole other story. And this weekend I was in the garage looking at my old mtb stuff and came to the realisation that it's never going to get used again by me. And it's quite depressing looking at it!
Anyhow, I'm sad to say I'm going to sell it all. My stuff is all 26" so it's all likely not of much appeal nowadays but I figure I may as well try to get something for it and put anything raised into something else. I play a guitar really badly - maybe I'll invest in a guitar haha!
For older stuff is eBay the best place to sell? When I say older I'm talking things like xt thumbies, Marxochi Shiver (USD) forks, Manitou Shermans, Yeti AS-X, On One Inbred SS, GripShift X-rays, 8-speed groupset. All that type of thing.
This probably mean nothing to anyone but I'd just like to say I've enjoyed my time on the bikes and I've enjoyed the years on here. It's a great internet site and I'll contiue to lurk in the background. Whilst I haven't posted in a long time it's been a great source of entertainmemt, knowledge, advice and all sorts of interesting things I never knew about.
Would your pain and loss of movement rule out something like a KMX? Would an ebike help? How about a KMX ebike (someone must have made one)?
That’s no good at all, have you demo’d a e-bike yet, I think a few from here who have been looking at retirement from cycling have found them to give a new lease on life.
Feel for you, that does sound depressing.
Saw a old boy this morning on the road, and he must have been early/mid eighties and he was literally legs "akimbo" feet off thepedals shouting "wheeeee" as he went down a hill, after a pause my daughter said "that's going to be you, isn't it" and I had to laugh. "I bloody hope so" I thought.
Never really given any thought that it may not be. Sorry.
Sorry to hear of your plight Zedsdead 🙁 Didn't you buy an old Cannondale frame off me many yonks ago??
Hope you can find something to fill the cycling void, must be difficult, but we men do have a way of finding hobbies to occupy our time.
Some of your stuff sounds like it may be worth a post on Retrobike to sell. They're freaky for things like Thumbies over there.
All the best to ya
I was passed in the street in Keswick a few weeks back by a group of MTB'ers which included a guy on a four wheel ebike. He looked like he was having a great time despite presumably being of limited mobility.
My kids thought he was the coolest thing ever.
Edit: I'm pretty sure it was this guy....
Sorry to hear this Zed.
Whilst you explore other options to keep riding, depending on the quality of the bits youre selling retrobike.co.uk might be a place to go to sell old 26" bike shizzle
zedsdead'd ded.
was thinking about that AS-X just the other day - got its own gravitational field, but soo much fun
well that worked out alright, given I cant see what im typing and preview doesn't work...
but helpfully spellchecker still underlines things that are really bad.
Sorry to hear of your situation but as others have said would e-biking not be an option.
Regarding the 26" stuff, there is still quite a buoyant market. I for example have a 26" wheeled Orange P7. It's only a few years old and I absolutely love it.
zedsdead - I am so sorry to read that you are in pain and feel unable to ride again.
A few years ago I was in a position where I didn't think I would ride mtbs again. Against advice I have returned after watching the 'Martyn Ashton Video'. He gave me inspiration to get back onto a bike.
The mental well being of being out and about, taking part in a hobby that you love with like minded people is so important. Can you in any way consider an e-bike? Or, what hubby and I do is ride a tandem. Obviously you would need a pilot to help you at the front. Maybe you could ask on here if anyone could give you a try.
If you really have tried all ways to get back on a bike and have failed, then I wish you all the best and hope you can find a hobby that takes you out and about.
As someone said to me on STW 'once an mtber always an mtber'. I hope these words ring true for you.
All the best my friend. I genuinely feel your pain as I love cycling and could not imagine a life without it.
Not knowing your background, I assume medically everything has been done that can be?
Thanks everyone!
DezB - I believe I did 🙂 And it's still on the go! It's my wifes, she loves it still to this day. I built it up with Pace forks etc and it's superlight. She would dissapear up the hills way in front of me and I'd be blowing oot me rear! haha!
Soobalias - it's hanging up on the wall just now. I fitted the Shermans to it and whilst not the lightest it was (is) outstanding. It saved me a belter once when hammering down a trail and I just went over a dry stane dyke and didn't realise there was a big old drainage ditch on the other side - it just soaked it up and kept going before my brain could even realise what had happened lol. I miss this one the most.
I love cycling. But it only aggivates the issues. After cycling I can't stand straight, can't walk properly and I'm in even more pain for days after.
I've tried physio, a multitude of drugs (medical lol), various different exersizes and a whole bunch of other things in between. It's massively frustrating but I had to realise that I'm not getting any younger and as I get older I just don't bounce.
I did look into the whole E-bike thing and I think they're great, but it's so expensive! And I hadn't even moved on from 26" wheels and 8 speed groupsets haha! And whilst I'm sure it would be of some help it will still play havoc with my hips. As I get older I'm less able to tolerate the pain.
I'll definitely find something else to keep me busy. At the moment I'm finding it's a bit sad that it won't be cycling but I'll still hang out here if that's okay 🙂
I like rebuilding engines, I have a few ideas I'd like to do with that...
And my sons still cycle - and I'm still the machanic for them it seems... although I'm cool with that 🙂
FunkyDunc, yeah, unless I can get a new lower spine and some nerves haha!
I've found some things help, such as swimming. But others send me the other way and sadly cycling is one of those.
It's taken me a long time to accept it. We're talking years! And whilst I have accepted it, I still think it sucks and I resent that.
Never say never, recumbent no good?
Sorry to hear this op, but yr PMA with getting on with other things is admirable.
I’ve found some things help, such as swimming
That's massively good. I went a few decades without being able to do much cycling owing to arthritis injuries and related problems. It still hurts to pedal as my feet are knacked but I did find during the off-bike times that swimming made me feel comparatively amazing. Obv no weight-bearing is easy on the joints. I only began working on swimming technique in earnest later in life at first to improve my chances in the sea and lose a bit of weight but it soon became a perfect physical, meditative and therapeutic exercise that I now put nearly up there wirh cycling. This hot summer gave me the courage to begin stepping into river pools and swimming about in the great outdoors. Cold at first but after a dip every day for a whole week and a bit you couldn't keep me out of it. Anyway, I've gone on. All the best 🏊🏻💦
what about a Bafang mid drive motor conversion kit with a throttle, you could convert an existing bike, see my cove hummer with bafang bbs01 and throttle in the “show me your ebike” thread, I would post a pic but can’t from my iPhone
Bad luck OP,I've just had a knee replacement and I'm off the bike for the moment which is very frustrating . Getting on a bit, I've had occasion to consider life without a bike and it's something that I don't really want to think about. Even this layoff is driving me crazy. You have my sympathy, and I admire how positive you're being. All the best
I’ll not bore you with the details but mentally it’s been really tough too
I can understand this. 10 years ago you could have have found me drifting off the back of a club run after about 2km and throwing my bike in a hedge and sobbing as the pain was too much. I can recall lying on the floor of my flat a crying my eyes out as I just couldnt ride. I didnt ride for about 5 years and it was hell. After lots of hip surgery I can kind of cycle mostly pain free for a couple of hours twice a week. Getting back on the bike was tough really tough. Walking into a bike shop and getting a new one that I wasnt sure I'd ever be able to use would have been beyond me. Maybe chuck one in the loft, you never know what the future might bring in terms of medical advances.
Take care whatever you do.
I don't know you but I have some understanding of where you are coming from after having hip resurfacing last year and being off the bike for a long while wondering if I would ever be able to ride the same stuff again as I had done before . I have also accepted that I will never be able to run far ever again , years before that I accepted that I would never play Squash , tennis or badminton again , years before that I accepted that I would never be able to play football again . It's all part of the aging process and a few crashes and broken bones will inevitably speed things along . Cycling has been my main sport for the last 30 years but if I were no longer able to do it or enjoy it then I would find something else that I could do and enjoy . I wish you all the best and hope that you too are able to do that if you haven't already .
Sorry to hear this OP. You’ll find something else I’m sure. The good news is you’ll fit in much better around here if you don’t ride a bike. What else are you passionate about? I’ve always fancied buying a canoe for pootling along the canal. Would something like that be possible?
How about a KMX ebike (someone must have made one)
Funnily enough I bought a ready-converted one for Mrs MR a few years back. It was a simple Bafang-like kit with a thumb throttle. Unfortunately it didnt work out (due to further deteriorating health) but they are a lot of fun. Sold the trike on but kept the motor and stuff for future projects. Also had a friend with spine injuries (prolapsed discs) who had to give up MTB. He expexrimented with (tadpole config) trikes yet sadly didn't get along with recumbents as the leverage/forces from pedalling can mostly affect the pelvis and spine. Could be just a matter of sorting out custom seating and removing the 'hot-spots' but I wouldn't write it off until tried.
Feel gutted for you. It will come to all of us - but the realisation must be hard and I imagine you are still relatively young.
Best of luck in finding an alternative. Swimming as mentioned above, that sounds a great option.
Sorry to hear..
Maybe time for a new hobby.. sell the bikes and get some power kites and maybe a kite buggy..
Still involves wheels, getting outside and having fun.. plus scaring yourself every now again when it's windy
Some mentioned above canoeing or kayaking.
This is something I tried before hip surgery and I was struggling to walk. It got me out and about and exercising while feeling you are doing something with a bit of speed. Watching wildlife along the way was an added bonus.
Thanks guys, I'll stick around and continue to have fun.
I might have found my next money pit to keep myself occupied....
Ooooh, do tell, and when you say rebuilding engines, you don't have the kit to do cranks do you?
It depends on the engine Sobriety - what you looking to do? Are you looking to have one reground?
I think I'm going to track a wee Mini R53. Hill climbs and sprints, that kind of thing. It'll probably be cheaper than cycling! lol
Hello Zed. Although that day when you say “that’s it, no more biking for me” comes to us all in the end, it’s at it’s worst when it comes early, eh?
I’ll be pushing 70 soon and right now I’m having to think about conserving energy for not just biking, but all the other physical stuff that I like doing. One of which is semi-pro and part of a team that I don’t want to let down and that gives me the most anxiety...
Not to mention the legacy of a broken back and the subsequent operation that wasn’t completely successful, leaving me pissing through a silicone tube. Put that together with aches and pains from physical exertion around the point of repair and a weak lower back that causes visits to the physio for correction when bits of it and one sacroiliac joint pops out, and you can see why I feel a kinship!
Like you were, I feel I’m fighting to stay in the saddle but trying to come to terms with the idea that soon, I’ll have to just give it up.
I have a couple of suggestions. For getting out and about and keeping up at least a good level of exercise, I’ve taken up pole walking (like Nordic walking, but offroad) in the local hills. Luckily the “local hills” start outside my front door.
This doesn’t, of course, provide any of the sheer thrill of mountain biking. For that you might try hang gliding. I haven’t myself (although I did once jump out of an aeroplane at 15k feet) but I can imagine the sheer thrill of it. Also it has very little exertion in comparison.
Perhaps a combination of these two activities would provide, if not a substitute, then at least a band-aid over the loss?
Anyways, good luck finding something to fill the hole. 😊