Maelochs

if you are doing it right your elbows take almost no strain at all.

I hurt my left elbow after trying to come back from a separated shoulder too soon. I couldn't support my weight properly or balance properly because of the pain so I developed the habit of locking my left arm to hold me up. Cooked my left elbow and it reminded on every ride for years. I finally learned not to carry weight on my arms---I still might for a short while when I get really tired, but my memory reminds me of how much it hurt and for how long.

A lot of it is fitness, but you need to set up your bike for your current fitness level and change it as your fitness changes.

Most new riders in my limited and very biased experience (I remember only what makes me look smart in later conversation) have the seat too low .... and even if they get it right, they tend not to use the legs enough, and both sit too heavy on the saddle and lean too hard on the hands. As they get tired, it gets worse.

If your elbow hurts, you need to change what you are doing. There are all kinds of videos and article son bike fit .... just don't try to stretch out like a racer .... look for something like "beginner bike fitting" or "Setting up my hybrid" or whatever, You know what I mean.

While you are riding, pay attention to form ... particularly when you get tired. Find out what you are doing which hurts your elbow. Correct form seems ludicrous---every kid hops on a bike and rides away, right? but as we age, and as we want to ride longer distances relative to our fitness levles, we find out right away the difference between youth and ... well, decrepitude, in my case. So proper form is important. it is easy to learn and takes no particular dexterity or flexibility, but it will prevent you from hurting your elbows ... worse.

Also .... I want to ride daily, I try to ride daily, i used to ride daily ... but. I find I need a day to recover and sometimes two ... and I have learned to take the time. Take time to save time because if you push too hard you lose weeks, not days .....

Also do 'recovery" rides. Do a two- or three-mile spin, sitting on the seat and spinning the pedals gently, not going fast or hard, and avoid the hills, on alternate days. Even walking will work --- might be better, in fact.

The idea, I think, is that your muscles get more blood flow which accelerates healing and growth, compared to sitting on the couch resting .... but if you push hard with sore muscles you just tear them up and lose more days.

You might do Big Ride, day off, recovery ride, Big Ride, etc or whatever your body likes best. You might have all the willpower to ride daily but not necessarily the physical capacity yet.

The real answer, of course, which no one here has the courage to tell you, is .... bicycling sucks. It is never fun. We all feel stupid because we bought these ridiculous clothes and these expensive bikes and gear, and after rolling around dressed like freaks .... we are too embarrassed to admit it was all an expensive mistake.

It is sort of an Emperor's New Clothes thing ... we are not supposed to tell other riders until they have invested enough to themselves be unwilling to back out ... I like you so I am breaking the code of silence. Get Out Now.

This will likely be my last post. They are coming to get me!