Helper bar end bars.

[Catrike Rider]

After and during a long ride, (42 miles today) my nearly 78 year old
legs tend to cramp as I'm getting up from, or sitting down on the
Catrike. A few years ago it wasn't a problem. Today it was, so I broke
down and ordered some short bar end devices to mount on my handbars to
help me to get up off and onto the Catrike. I haven't decided just
where I'll mount them, but I'll figure someting out when they get
here. The problem is that I can't get my feet under me, so I need
something to grab on to to help me get up and to keep from plunking my
200 lb self down on the seat, which I've lowered to be about 7 inches
off the ground. A few years ago it wasn't a problem. Today it was.

[AMuzi]

I have no personal experience with leg cramps but two aged
cyclists I knew when I was young suggested two different
approaches. One said a banana for potassium. The other
suggested a sharp pull downward on the nasal septum which he
claimed brought immediate relief in an acupuncture sort of
effect. I can't attest to either.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Tom Kunich]

In my experience, painful leg cramps are almost always caused by too short a range of motion of the legs and my one experience with Cat Trikes showed me that they were pretty cramped.

[Catrike Rider]

I have a banana every morning. Even so, I'll often wake up in the
middle of the night with cramps in my calves. Leg cramps have been a
problem for me all my life. My calves don't bother while I'm riding.
On the bike, the cramps in the back of my legs (Biceps Femorus) don't
usually occurr until I stop and try to get up, but occasionally I'll
have trouble while peddling with a little muscle that runs acoss the
front of my legs called the satorius.

I question the nose septem thing. My usual remedy is simply to stretch
the cramps away, although staying properly hydrated helps. Hard to do
when it's really hot. I know I didn't drink enough water yesterday.

[Catrike Rider]

On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 07:11:35 -0700 (PDT), Tom Kunich
<cycl...@gmail.com> wrote:

Catrikes have an adjustable bottom bracket distance.

[Tom Kunich]

I am aware of that but that does not mean you have it set correctly. Leg cramps are a rather vivid symptom.

[Catrike Rider]

On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 08:07:10 -0700 (PDT), Tom Kunich
<cycl...@gmail.com> wrote:

I'm pretty sure that's not the problem.

[Tom Kunich]

I was sure that 175 cranks were not a problem when my knees were hurting. After all, I had been using them all my life. But when I changed to 172.5 the knee pain went away.

[Sir Ridesalot]

For cramps try eating a teaspoon of mustard.

Cheers

[Catrike Rider]

On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 12:20:24 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ridesalot
<i_am_cyc...@yahoo.ca> wrote:

I'm probably never going to get entirely clear of leg cramps. I sweat
so much when I'm exersizing that it's really hard to keep up with
hydration. The key to proper hydation when exercizing is to drink even
when you're not thirsty. If you wait till your'e thirsty, you've
waited to long. That's usually my problem. I should set my phone so
that it interupts the music every 5/6/7..? minutes and says "take a
drink."

[Catrike Rider]

On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 08:30:32 -0700 (PDT), Tom Kunich
<cycl...@gmail.com> wrote:

My knees troubled me when I first began riding a recumbent. It solved
itself and is no longer a problem. Probably as my techique improved.

[Roger Meriman]

You drink a lot when cycling don’t you, what are you drinking? As
potentially your essentially de mineral your self if the drinks aren’t
replenished this.

Remarkably as with anything you can have too much, and folks do
occasionally if rarely manage to end up in hospital due to too much water!

I just drink fruit juices concentrate but I don’t get though anything like
the amount you do.

Even a big day out max for me is 2 Litres on the MTB via the hydration
pack, could take a bottle ie another 0.6 litres. But it’s not needed.

The Gravel bike two bottles so 1.2 litres.


Roger Merriman

[Catrike Rider]

On Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:02:49 GMT, Roger Meriman <ro...@sarlet.com>
wrote:

I drink water. I used to drink Gatorade, but now, just plain water. I
used to get cramps back when I drank gatorade, too. I'm thinking about
trying a hydration product again. Lots of products out there. I'm
looking into them.

>Remarkably as with anything you can have too much, and folks do
>occasionally if rarely manage to end up in hospital due to too much water!
>
>I just drink fruit juices concentrate but I don’t get though anything like
>the amount you do.
>
>Even a big day out max for me is 2 Litres on the MTB via the hydration
>pack, could take a bottle ie another 0.6 litres. But it’s not needed.
>
>The Gravel bike two bottles so 1.2 litres.
>
>
>Roger Merriman
>

Yesterday in 90+ heat, I only drank three bottles, about 2 liters. I
was definitely dehydrated. I had my Yuenglin, my usual orange, and a
protein drink while cooling down. Driving home, I first drank another
full 24 oz bottle, then stopped off for a large chocolate malt. I had
a Diet Dr. Pepper when I got home.

[Roger Meriman]

Other possibilities are various salt tablets that some folks swear by for
cramps!

>
>> Remarkably as with anything you can have too much, and folks do
>> occasionally if rarely manage to end up in hospital due to too much water!
>>
>> I just drink fruit juices concentrate but I don’t get though anything like
>> the amount you do.
>>
>> Even a big day out max for me is 2 Litres on the MTB via the hydration
>> pack, could take a bottle ie another 0.6 litres. But it’s not needed.
>>
>> The Gravel bike two bottles so 1.2 litres.
>>
>>
>> Roger Merriman
>>
>
> Yesterday in 90+ heat, I only drank three bottles, about 2 liters. I
> was definitely dehydrated. I had my Yuenglin, my usual orange, and a
> protein drink while cooling down. Driving home, I first drank another
> full 24 oz bottle, then stopped off for a large chocolate malt. I had
> a Diet Dr. Pepper when I got home.
>

Sounds it, personally I tend to drink less on the bike though at least with
the gravel bike likely to visit a cafe so drink/cake.

But I also don’t get cramps I can start to bonk ie run out of sugars if
it’s a intense enough ride but again I’m quite tolerant and can keep on
going just get less fun and less oomph!

Roger Merriman

[Catrike Rider]

On Mon, 17 Apr 2023 15:01:46 GMT, Roger Meriman <ro...@sarlet.com>

>>> You drink a lot when cycling don?t you, what are you drinking? As
>>> potentially your essentially de mineral your self if the drinks aren?t

>>> replenished this.
>>
>> I drink water. I used to drink Gatorade, but now, just plain water. I
>> used to get cramps back when I drank gatorade, too. I'm thinking about
>> trying a hydration product again. Lots of products out there. I'm
>> looking into them.
>
>Other possibilities are various salt tablets that some folks swear by for
>cramps!
>>
>>> Remarkably as with anything you can have too much, and folks do
>>> occasionally if rarely manage to end up in hospital due to too much water!
>>>

>>> I just drink fruit juices concentrate but I don?t get though anything like

>>> the amount you do.
>>>
>>> Even a big day out max for me is 2 Litres on the MTB via the hydration

>>> pack, could take a bottle ie another 0.6 litres. But it?s not needed.

>>>
>>> The Gravel bike two bottles so 1.2 litres.
>>>
>>>
>>> Roger Merriman
>>>
>>
>> Yesterday in 90+ heat, I only drank three bottles, about 2 liters. I
>> was definitely dehydrated. I had my Yuenglin, my usual orange, and a
>> protein drink while cooling down. Driving home, I first drank another
>> full 24 oz bottle, then stopped off for a large chocolate malt. I had
>> a Diet Dr. Pepper when I got home.
>>
>Sounds it, personally I tend to drink less on the bike though at least with
>the gravel bike likely to visit a cafe so drink/cake.
>
>But I also don’t get cramps I can start to bonk ie run out of sugars if
>it’s a intense enough ride but again I’m quite tolerant and can keep on
>going just get less fun and less oomph!
>
>Roger Merriman
>

I ordered some electrolyte supplement stuff yesterday.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L452157?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

I'll "doctor" one of my water bottles on my next ride... maybe two of
thrm...

[Tom Kunich]

Remember to clean your water bottles out well after using that stuff. It does attract mold which can really screw up your stomach.

[Rolf Mantel]

Knee problems are a well known issue with begniier recumbent riders,
when you are pushing a gear that is too high, especially uphill.

One solution is to remind yourself to use a lower gear when possible.
In the long term, your legs adjust to the different strength requirements.

Rolf

[Catrike Rider]

I'm still a masher, rather than a spinner, but since I've brought my
weight down to my high school/college football playing weight, my
average cadence has gone from the 50s up to the 60s.

[John B.]

As they say, practice makes perfect and you can learn to spin in time.
I did, on a 2 wheeler admittedly, but it should be possible on a 3
wheeler too (:-)

Look up the formula for horse power to see whether it is a useful
technique, or not (:-)
https://powertestdyno.com/how-to-calculate-horsepower/
--
Cheers,

John B.

[Catrike Rider]

On Tue, 18 Apr 2023 17:45:36 +0700, John B. <sloc...@gmail.com>

I know that it's possible on the Catrike. My maximum cadence is almost
always in the 90s, sometimed exceeding 100, but, for the most part,
I'm happy and comfortable mashing along at 65 RPM. I tend to be more
like a big diesel truck than a small sports car. I seem to be Ok
speed-wise, too. My 40+ mile ride Saturday averaged 12.8 MPH. Not bad
for a 78 year old guy.

[Tom Kunich]

I went out with the fast group today and they dropped me in 30 seconds. After 10 miles of chasing there was a coffee stop and I withdrew. I suppose age comes to everyone.

[Radey Shouman]

No, age comes only to the lucky ones.

[AMuzi]

On 4/19/2023 11:00 AM, Radey Shouman wrote:
> Tom Kunich <cycl...@gmail.com> writes:
>

+1

[Tom Kunich]

One of the doctors on the web spouts off about how processed food kills Americans before their time. In my experience it is not processed foods but too much food. And most of that is neutralized by riding bike.

[AMuzi]

On 4/20/2023 9:33 AM, Tom Kunich wrote:

> On Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 9:00:28 AM UTC-7, Radey Shouman wrote:
>> Tom Kunich <cycl...@gmail.com> writes:
>>

Why cannot both be true?

[Roger Meriman]

Being mildly overweight doesn’t seem to be particularly if at all bad for
folks lifespan.

As ever it’s a multiple of things, genetics/upbringing lifestyle and simply
probability.

I come from a relatively long lived family, and am active etc.

But I also am now disabled and it’s likely to age me quicker ie my risk for
number of conditions has jumped up and so on.

Roger Merriman

[Tom Kunich]

I don't know. I think that age is 90% heredity and 10% how you take care of yourself. My older brother is 5 years older than me and he would be in fine health if he would get his knees replaced. A lifetime as a switchman on the railroad jumping on and off moving trains really screwed his knees up.