Bike recommendations needed
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Bike recommendations needed
TIA for reading and offering up recommendations, suggestions, and even outlandish comments.
I'm a 60-something and having to make some decisions about a bike. Over the past years, my road riding has dropped off for a number of reasons, one of which is self-preservation. A lot of close calls (but no broken bones!) and frankly a lot of stupid, discourteous, or maybe just blind drivers here in central Fla.
I just had significant shoulder surgery that I'm healing from, and my PT doesn't want me on a bike for 6 months. So while I grind out the boring miles on a recumbent stationary bike at the gym, I have plenty of time to decide what's next. I've heard from multiple riders that after the rotator cuff surgery like mine, I'll never ride in the drops. Ever. Too much weight/stress on the shoulder...
I currently have 2 bikes: A Trek fitness bike that seems to be my go-to bike, and a Specialized Roubaix that was my road bike and now is pretty much relegated to rail-trail riding.
I also seem to have 2 conflicting desires with regard to riding: 1) pleasure and fitness riding on the asphalt bike paths where I live, and 2) ramping up the training and getting back into the century world, though realistically limiting participation to half and metric centuries. I've done the century training and maintaining the miles, and don't believe I have that in me anymore.
My fitness bike is heavy. My Roubaix -- not sure it'll adapt to my riding. I'm looking at options, and within reason will spend whatever's needed. I'd like to stay with carbon, I need a more relaxed frame and some comfort. Is it trying to adapt a current bike, or buying a higher-end fitness/gravel/adventure/touring bike, OR WHAT??
Thank you.
I'm a 60-something and having to make some decisions about a bike. Over the past years, my road riding has dropped off for a number of reasons, one of which is self-preservation. A lot of close calls (but no broken bones!) and frankly a lot of stupid, discourteous, or maybe just blind drivers here in central Fla.
I just had significant shoulder surgery that I'm healing from, and my PT doesn't want me on a bike for 6 months. So while I grind out the boring miles on a recumbent stationary bike at the gym, I have plenty of time to decide what's next. I've heard from multiple riders that after the rotator cuff surgery like mine, I'll never ride in the drops. Ever. Too much weight/stress on the shoulder...
I currently have 2 bikes: A Trek fitness bike that seems to be my go-to bike, and a Specialized Roubaix that was my road bike and now is pretty much relegated to rail-trail riding.
I also seem to have 2 conflicting desires with regard to riding: 1) pleasure and fitness riding on the asphalt bike paths where I live, and 2) ramping up the training and getting back into the century world, though realistically limiting participation to half and metric centuries. I've done the century training and maintaining the miles, and don't believe I have that in me anymore.
My fitness bike is heavy. My Roubaix -- not sure it'll adapt to my riding. I'm looking at options, and within reason will spend whatever's needed. I'd like to stay with carbon, I need a more relaxed frame and some comfort. Is it trying to adapt a current bike, or buying a higher-end fitness/gravel/adventure/touring bike, OR WHAT??
Thank you.
#2
feros ferio
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My bias is showing, but I favor classic steel sports touring frames -- fun to ride, clearance for 32mm tires, comfortable. If you are sure you can't handle drop bars, even with a short-reach, tall stem, most of these frames adapt well to mountain bike or other straight bars.
When I built the UO-8 for my wife, she chose the nearly-straight bars that came with one variant of the Peugeot UO-18 mixte, and they served her quite well.
When I built the UO-8 for my wife, she chose the nearly-straight bars that came with one variant of the Peugeot UO-18 mixte, and they served her quite well.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#3
Life is good
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Hey FloridaDave. I've had both shoulders done (2005, 2009) and my sports medicine doc let me back on the bike after 3 months. Can't help with a bike recommendation but if you want to meet local folks, stop by the Southeast Regional subforum and say hello.
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I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8
I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Hey, I'll do that RonH. Interesting that my PT is the one that says 6 months off the bike. And a bike shop owner who's had 3 rotator cuff surgeries told me to give up riding in the drops. Obviously everyone has an opinion. Just today a bike shop employee told me he recommended a Trek bike that's basically a road bike with a flat bar. We'll see...
#6
just another gosling
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I don't see what the drops have to do with it. It's just a matter of fit, no matter what sort of bars. Hoods position should be almost identical to drops position except that in the drops there's more bend at the hips, a little less reach, and hands maybe 5" lower. Weight on hands pretty much the same. Weight comes off the hands through fit, not bar type.
So while you're sitting at the keyboard, do this little experiment. See how your shoulder joints feel with your hands in typing position, i.e. flat bar position. Now while resting the weight of your arms on the heels of your hands, rotate your forearms 90° to a drops or hoods position. Feel your shoulders relax and drop. That's the reason that road bike bar shape has been virtually unchanged for over 100 years.
So while you're sitting at the keyboard, do this little experiment. See how your shoulder joints feel with your hands in typing position, i.e. flat bar position. Now while resting the weight of your arms on the heels of your hands, rotate your forearms 90° to a drops or hoods position. Feel your shoulders relax and drop. That's the reason that road bike bar shape has been virtually unchanged for over 100 years.
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#7
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Best bet might be to heal, regain some fitness, and then see what your body tells you you need.
As carbonfiberboy notes, drops aren't a hugely increased strain, and not on the shoulders (if the bike is set up right.) But for the same reason, riding the hoods isn't a loss. You can get about as aero on the hoods---it has more to do with how far your torso and hips allow you to bend and stay bent.
When I rode a flat-bar commuter for distance, or into the wind or whatever, i found the same thing---I would bend all the way down until my face was dangerously close to the stem and reach up with my hands to grab the bars, to get my body under the wind. Same body position as in the drops or on the hoods and bent down.
Also, how you will heal is unknown. I think a lot of doctors err towards the side of being crippled ... they want people to do mild exercise in swimming pools and otherwise live in padded plastic bubbles to limit any chance of injury. Quality of life has no meaning, and risk management is insanity to them ... they want everyone to live in their beds until they are 100. get a doctor who rides and I bet you get different recommendations.
But only you will know how you will feel and it will be a while until you do. Look through catalogs and see what looks appealing ... but you might be pounding the pavement on that Roubaix and training for a full century by Christmas. Who knows?
As carbonfiberboy notes, drops aren't a hugely increased strain, and not on the shoulders (if the bike is set up right.) But for the same reason, riding the hoods isn't a loss. You can get about as aero on the hoods---it has more to do with how far your torso and hips allow you to bend and stay bent.
When I rode a flat-bar commuter for distance, or into the wind or whatever, i found the same thing---I would bend all the way down until my face was dangerously close to the stem and reach up with my hands to grab the bars, to get my body under the wind. Same body position as in the drops or on the hoods and bent down.
Also, how you will heal is unknown. I think a lot of doctors err towards the side of being crippled ... they want people to do mild exercise in swimming pools and otherwise live in padded plastic bubbles to limit any chance of injury. Quality of life has no meaning, and risk management is insanity to them ... they want everyone to live in their beds until they are 100. get a doctor who rides and I bet you get different recommendations.
But only you will know how you will feel and it will be a while until you do. Look through catalogs and see what looks appealing ... but you might be pounding the pavement on that Roubaix and training for a full century by Christmas. Who knows?
#8
Senior Member
I think a lot of doctors err towards the side of being crippled ... they want people to do mild exercise in swimming pools and otherwise live in padded plastic bubbles to limit any chance of injury. Quality of life has no meaning, and risk management is insanity to them ... they want everyone to live in their beds until they are 100. get a doctor who rides and I bet you get different recommendations.
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Momento mori, amor fati.
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#9
aka Phil Jungels
I had double rotator cuff surgery, and ground a lot of bone spur off, one month ago. Just asked my therapist this very question this morning - he says 3-4 months from now, before I get released to ride a bike. At least he didn't say never! lol
#10
Seat Sniffer
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Also, how you will heal is unknown. I think a lot of doctors err towards the side of being crippled ... they want people to do mild exercise in swimming pools and otherwise live in padded plastic bubbles to limit any chance of injury. Quality of life has no meaning, and risk management is insanity to them ... they want everyone to live in their beds until they are 100. get a doctor who rides and I bet you get different recommendations.
As far as the bike, I would heal as best I could and make my bike decision once that is settled. It could well be that it's a non issue.
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#11
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#12
Senior Member
Don't just take your doc's word that you'll never ride the drops again. That sounds over-the-top to me. Heal, do your PT, and see how it handles the drops. You might be fine. Spending money on a new replacement bike is a last resort.
#13
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Had my shoulder done about 3 or 4 years ago. Almost 100% after PT so I wouldn't worry about drop bars. My fast ball is back in the mid 90s . There are plenty of great sport or endurance frames that give you the best of all worlds. Wide tire clearance, comfort, and they still move or climb when you need them to. Mine is a Lynskey R 260. Absolutely love it; I do about 150 miles a week on relatively fast group rides.
#14
Banned
My Local Shop sells Trek, Felt & Raleigh USA.. What brands does you favorite LBS sell?
Service after the sale is what bike shops do.. So where you buy it is more than what you buy//
I have Oregon Made Bike Fridays & a Brompton ...Bought them Used
...
Service after the sale is what bike shops do.. So where you buy it is more than what you buy//
I have Oregon Made Bike Fridays & a Brompton ...Bought them Used
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 05-05-18 at 02:54 PM.
#15
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After 10s of thousands of miles on my good old Paramount Series 5, I tried a Crossrip commuter last year. It wasn't much more comfortable than the Paramount. I then compared it to a hybrid with flat bars. No comparison. The Crossrip is on Craigslist and I bought a Trek FX6s carbon hybrid. Night and day. I now ride 60-80 miles a week, no shoulder pain, no neck pain, no wrist or hand pain. I can't imagine why I ever thought drop bars were a great way for a 60+ y/o to sit on a bicycle.
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