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Mountain biking

Your sockpuppets keep you abreast of events in GD, don't they?

While you're at it, perhaps you can clear up the claim of 'bullying' which led to your 'disappearance' and emergence under this name the day after you 'left' the forum...
PM me and I'll answer any questions
 
I moved to an e-bike during Colvid when I could not get my licence renewed. Mine is a cheap folding mountain bike, since it folds, I can carry it inside the car, an old Honda Jazz, so secure if I park up, and it will fit on the veranda on the local trains, charged same as a dog. I wanted large wheels, and could only get large wheels as a mountain bike, and it is a reasonable road bike.

As to mountain useless, as the torque drops off under 5 MPH, so although low gears, as the road gets steeper one reaches a point where motor assistance is reduced, so it is a get off and walk situation, the problem is one has a heavy bike, and although one can use the motor to help push the bike, it is unwieldy, folding pedals help, but walking with the bike is not easy.

Wife's e-bike motor in crank, and it is a lot better, but does not fold. The whole way the two bikes ride is complete different, she has walk-assist, but to use it is not easy, no real control on how much assistance, mine is on the throttle not sure if that is legal, but it is a second hand bike, and with old bikes it was allowed. But also riding completely different, her bike you set how much is assists, my bike you set the speed at which assistance comes in.

So road riding can be total pedal power until I reach a hill, but both bikes the gearing will only allow one to reach around 15 MPH just can't move legs fast enough to exceed that, and looked at changing the front gear, hers is belled so rather special, mine to date failed to find a new front cog as well.

So I will ride old railway lines, and canal tow paths with motor turned off, and turn it on when I have had enough, but as to mountains, can't even ride it up the roads around here, never mind mountains.
 
Anyway back to cycling...
Semi Slick or slick tyres pumped up nice and hard massively improves the road/gravel/track capability of a mountain bike as does locking out the suspension. The most important thing is to have the seat height correct.
With the pedals in 12 and 6 o'clock, you want the bottom leg, almost at full extent with just the smallest of bend in the knee. Then set you pedals at 9 and 3 and move your seat forward until you knees track over your toes.

Lastly if you haven't done much cardio sport in your life and are over 40, have high cholesterol, smoked etc. It's very important that you build up your exercise slowly and ideally go cycling with others. All that sludge in your arteries, that is stuck to the walls will break off if you suddenly max your heart out. If you have a HR monitor on a watch, try a recovery test. Raise your HR slowly to zone 5, then time how long to zone 1. If you do not recover at 20 beats per minute, then you are a high risk for cardio exercise.
 
I didn't think we'd veered away from topic...but building up your cycling legs is a given, no matter the age. On a trek from Glasgow to Fort William in '87, i hooked up with a guy doing a charity run. He'd only done a 20 mile run the week before and by the halfway mark he was in knots. Despite many rest stops in his 'support car' he could barely put one foot in front of the other by the time i left him with about 30 miles to go.
He thought he could do a trip of 100+ miles with one practice run.
He was wrong.
 
I suspect your man should have done some bonk training. It sounds like he hit the wall. The point where the body is glycogen depleted and has to start turning fat and protein in to energy.
 
I know what 'the wall' is, having ran into it several times over the years, usually on a long stretch before eating a proper b.fast. The best training i found on the hills around the Peak District. They soon let you know how fit you are. That's why i mentioned the Horseshoe Pass. An e-bike will help you up the slopes and around those hideously steep curves, but if you haven't put the miles in earlier in the year you'll still be coughing lung to the amused curiosity of sheep clustered at the top.
 
No. Then again, i have to be careful since my digestion can be triggered by eating poorly and after surgery for Ulcerative Colitis it's a bit of a minefield. I always kept a Mars bar in my pocket for emergencies: those mini-bars are v.good.
 
I've not had a good go on the bike yet but it feels great. Amazing going up a steep hill and having that a mode to get you up that hill faster.

The effort I put into getting up that hill just felt alot more positive feeling in my leg muscles. I could feel my muscles still working but it really was a more positive smooth action.

I get what Johnny is saying but we are not all 6ft 16 stone and built like a semi retired stallion.

I'm 60 next year and pretty good for it. But I'm not as fit and agile I still believe I should be.
So this bike is the right thing for my health and wellbeing.
 
I've not had a good go on the bike yet but it feels great. Amazing going up a steep hill and having that a mode to get you up that hill faster.

The effort I put into getting up that hill just felt alot more positive feeling in my leg muscles. I could feel my muscles still working but it really was a more positive smooth action.

I get what Johnny is saying but we are not all 6ft 16 stone and built like a semi retired stallion.

I'm 60 next year and pretty good for it. But I'm not as fit and agile I still believe I should be.
So this bike is the right thing for my health and wellbeing.
You're a young chick at 60!
My advice is to steadily get fit and maintain the fitness until your last day.
If you've ever done sport, especially sport of fatigue, you'll soon be wanting to feel that burning pain in your muscle and your heart beating fast.
It's a drug.
 
I converted my bike to electric about 4 years ago. I must have done near on a hundred miles on it since then. :ROFLMAO: I sometimes use it to go to the allotment but half way there, I usually stop pedalling, sit upright and use the trigger. I must have had the bike getting on for 10 years now and it still looks like new. I’m not cut out for cycling and my undercarriage is too tender. If I’m wearing jeans, sometimes my knackers turn into clackers. I think I could do with a more comfortable saddle.

IMG_2863.jpeg
 
:ROFLMAO:You're a young chick at 60!
My advice is to steadily get fit and maintain the fitness until your last day.
If you've ever done sport, especially sport of fatigue, you'll soon be wanting to feel that burning pain in your muscle and your heart beating fast.
It's a drug.

My 12 year old is in a girls football team. She's one of the better ones but I know I've got to get her to improve so that she keeps being one of the better ones.

I'm trying to show her moves, passing and shooting. But my body really is up for it.

It's not the age. It really is that im unfit and not agile. I don't do my yoga as much as I should. I really y do think this bike I have bought can only but aid me in a positive gentle way.

I still believe (maybe dreaming) that could still run around a football pitch impressing a bunch of 13 year old girls with my agility and ball skills (I know that sounds wrong)
 
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