I’ve written about life changes here before, including blog posts about  who rides a bike, and in posts about buying a new bike. I’ve been struggling with changes in my ability to stay on the bike for extended periods, as in: why do my arms hurt, and why is my average speed less than it used to be?

My favorite answer to these questions is that my decline is obviously directly related to the appearance of grandchildren, three of them since 2013, including the most recent on March 25, 2021! The truth is probably different- you know it, I know it, and the American People know it (to paraphrase Bob Dole from some years back).

A more objective look would expose a few facts. First, age advances regularly. Second, strength diminishes with age. Additionally, flexibility declines through lack of attention. I do enjoy turning the calendar each month, not just to see a new picture. Life is good, and I’ll stay focused on the gift we receive every new day. But I do love to ride my bike, and my body is telling me that I need to identify some strategies to cope with these changes, aches and pains.

Bike Fit

I knew last summer that my spindley arms give out before my legs do. In other words, it’s hard to hang on to the handlebars for long rides. If I’ve changed due to loss of strenght and lack of flexibility, does my bike still fit OK? I called fitmi! in Ann Arbor to schedule a re-fit of the bike to me. You may recall my visit there 3 years ago. Jessica Bratus is good at what she does; consequently she is booked a solid 12 weeks out. Due to schedule, the first fitting which I could make was this past week, and I dutifully brought over my road bike and electric bikes. Her work space is properly set up with open ventilation to maintain Covid-19 protocol.

I explained to her the problem about my arms not lasting long enough, specifically pain from arm pit to elbow on both arms after about an hour of riding. After riding for a few moments on the stand, she had a theory: my discomfort is probably due to an unbalanced core strength issue. Her plan was to bring my center fo gravity to the rear and down, lessening the load on my arms. To achieve this, she adjusted the handlebars up and back, and lowered the seat. Cleats were replaced and adjusted on both pair of shoes to bring my toes forward, assisting in the shift. A new handlebar stem for the e-bike, plus a seat post for the road bike are also part of the solution.

I can’t say enough about her attention to detail, or to the value of a professional bike fitting. She’s added to her professional certifications and beefed up the equipment used, both hardware and software. She’s got a new, very cool app on her iPad which uses video stop-action to show alignment throughout a normal power stroke. The first 25-mile ride after the refitting was without issue!

If you experience any chronic pain issues on your bike, please consider a professional bike fitting.

Let’s get stretchy

Part 2 of my plan to be more comfortable on the bike includes replacing something which was lost to the pandemic: my regular yoga practice. I used to take classes at the local Powerhouse Gym, but they evaporated last March, and then I moved away from their location. In January I searched on Youtube for ‘yoga for cyclists’ and found a good routine from Tim Senesi here. There were dozens of links to choose from, but the bonus is that Tim offered a 30-day challenge online. My regular yoga practice was back, on the big screen TV!

Part 3, arm strength

Pumping iron around at the gym has never been a favorite activity of mine; this is a mental barrier I have to overcome if I want may arms to hang in with my legs for the long haul. I did get a set of resistance stretch workout bands, now the challenge is to find a routine to follow yoga. Do you have a strength routine to share? If so, please drop a note about it.

The Look-ahead

This will be a busy summer for me, and I’m looking forward to it. I have six tours across Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on the books right now. As Tour Chief, I’ll have plenty of opportunity to test arm strength while moving luggage, and right now it looks like I’ll be riding a full loop of the Great Waters Tour, and also the Ride to Pictured Rocks. Maybe you’d like to come along. There’s plenty of room for you to join a tour, please check them out here!

Filed Under: Bicycle Tours, Motivation, Travel