A little while ago I wrote a post about enlisting help on my AIDSLifeCycle journey, and I need all the help I can get. This time what I needed help with was getting more comfortable on the bike.
Cycling 545 miles means many hours in the saddle, not just on the ride but in training as well. And although my bike feels comfortable enough for an hour or so, beyond that things start to niggle. And as I’m getting older, those niggles take longer to clear up. So I decided it was finally time to get a proper bike fitting.
When I did the ride last time, back in 2022, I had two persistent niggles on the ride. My feet kept going numb. And then my hand went numb. I have worked out what the hand issue was, mainly down to tension and compression in my shoulder and upper back. So I’m working on that with the mobility training I’m learning from Tom at Movement Restored. If you have joint restrictions or niggles relating to movement, I highly recommend getting in touch with Tom. He also runs a weekly mobility and movement class which is really good and is now a core part of my training plans for the winter.
But back to the bike fitting. What I hoped this would help me get to the bottom of, is why my feet keep going numb. So I booked an appointment with Dr Sprocket.
I learned so much during that session! About pedalling mechanics, and fueling, and cycling. Greg clearly knows his stuff and he was super helpful. Despite my apprehension about not being a “proper” cyclist, he put me right at ease. In the end, I only needed minor tweaks to the bike setup and cleat position (and some homework of core strength and stretching). Proof will be in the pedalling, of course, but I already feel more comfortable and looking forward to more and longer rides again.
Eli's Knits 
Leave a comment