revchuck 

That makes sense, of course, since a larger proportion of 65+ folks are retired than the younger part of the population. Still, I do like the "geezer jocks" description.

McBTC

Sort of self-effacing while putting on airs, ending as it does in a non sequitur. Boomer Bikers is probably more descriptive and save the 'jock' for old geezers who rode their age on New Years Day...

TCR Rider

As of today I can officially post here. Good news is I'm still around to post here the bad news is I'm about to have a knee replacement so I'm looking at some significant shelf time.
I was planing on riding 65 miles today but that will have to wait for now. Managed to get in 25 and should crack 5000 for the year by the time I go under the knife.

RonH

Best of luck with the TKR. Is a sport medicine doc doing it? The sports med docs I've known had you riding on a trainer or stationary bike within a week after the surgery.

TCR Rider

Thanks. I have a hisory with the Surgeon who's working on me. He did my hip and knows I'm anxious to get back on the bike at as high a level as possible. Having it done at the Hospital for Special Surgery so I know I'm at one of the top hospitals in the world for orthopedics. I also plan on going to Rusk Rehab from the hospital. I'm just trying to put myself in the best situation to have a good result.
That being said there are no guaranties so I can only worry about what I can control and turn the rest over.

RonH

Good luck with the surgery and keep us updated.

RonH

Our company is gone so got out again this morning for ride #2. Rode the Litespeed from the house along the county trail that runs parallel with SR486 and did the 6% grade hill. Rode a total of 14.2 miles with a whopping 330 feet of climbing. Not bad for "flat Florida".

McBTC

What knee replacement product will they be using... if you know?

TCR Rider

That's a good question. I'm seeing the Doc on the 25th I'll ask him.

OldTryGuy

Having a positive history with the surgeon is a major plus.

When I have my knees done I will be using my shoulder replacement doc. Total Right shoulder replacement last October and I was back on my bike in 3 days, 1 longer than doc said I could be, but that was of my own doing to being overly cautious. He is also the only knee guy who insisted that my tibia's be cut and straightened before he installs the new knees. Rickets as a infant has left me with a life of bowed legs and the worn, bone on bone joints, as a result.

Same with my prostate cancer when it most likely recurs. Prostate doc also said 2 days after last surgery for riding and I did 11 miles with the catheter still in place in 2 days. I belong to the exclusive "Foley Catheter-PEE as you Pedal Club."

TCR Rider

When I had shoulder surgery , bankart lesion, I was back on the bike quickly but it was a trainer. I thought it would be too risky riding outside before it healed. Just not worth the risk of re-injury as I'm concerned. I've also had some experience with a foley and I've got to say riding a bike with that thing never crossed my mind. You sir are in a league of your own.

TejanoTrackie 

Well, I guess I should have remembered the old saying "Don't count your chickens until they are hatched." I began getting testosterone injections, but my body has reacted badly to them. The first time I was very sore for four days, and the second time was even worse with major soreness for eight days. So my doc discontinued the injections and instead prescribed Androgel. Today I picked up my first 30 day supply and it cost $168.11, which computes to over $2K per year. Medicare does not cover this and my cost was reduced by using a GoodRX coupon at the best price location, which just happened to be my local CVS Pharmacy, otherwise the price would have been much higher. Also, this is a generic, not name brand Androgel, which is a higher percent concentration and even more costly. Still, this is not going to put me in the poorhouse, and I should be thankful that my overall medical costs are modest when compared to my income.

RonH

Got out early today for ride #3. Rode the Cannondale on the county trail from home to the Withlacoochee Trail. Then rode about 1/2 mile and turned around for a total distance of 15.4 miles. For some reason the Cyclemeter app on my iPhone said I did a whopping 330 feet of climbing on my last ride but today it says I only climbed 304 feet. It was the same route as last time plus the extra mile on the W T. How can that be?

RonH

Took the Cannondale out again today. Rode from home on the county trail and turned south on the Withlacoochee Trail. Turned around at the Russian Orthodox church and headed home for a total of 17.4 miles. My average speed was up a bit so I'm making progress.

McBTC

Sound like -- from what I just googled -- that repair of the lesion is not related to implant surgery. Hip implants apparently have progressed to the point that some say experts could do them with their eyes closed. Knees are harder and I think shoulder implants are harder still (not sure where ankle implants figure in except that they may be more rare).

As a non-expert, an interesting factoid about knee TKA and revision surgery, as I understand it from experts in the field, soft tissue problems generally are not the big problem for the practiced surgeon; however, as soft tissue goes, I learned that you need to work the hamstrings from the beginning, even if you are not going into the surgery with hamstring limitations (called extension contractures) as flexibility there is the easiest to lose and hardest to get back. That is why they like it if after surgery you try to extend your leg when seated by resting your heel on a towel (which can be painful at that time).

We mostly were talking above about flexion contractures, according the terminology used in this interesting paper on the subjects:
As it turns out, I may have a better idea over the next 6-8 weeks or more based on some anecdotal experiences of a 2-stage knee revision recipient who happens to be a highly motivated cyclist, concerning the amount of flexion required to accommodate--e.g., 165 mm crank arms.

RonH

My surgery was 2 months ago today.
Took the Litespeed out today. Rode from home to the Withlacoochee Trail and headed north. Went a bit farther on the W T and then headed home. Rode 18 miles and my speed was better too.
Another week or so and I think I'll be back to my pre-surgery level.

TCR Rider

That is correct I did not have a shoulder replacement. The point I was making was that I think it is always advisable to spend some time on the trainer before you ride outside. Less chance of running into trouble on the trainer.
As far as flexibility issues and adhesions after TKR a lot of issues can be avoided by working on flexibility before and immediately after surgery. At least that's what I'm hoping as I'm scheduled for knee replacement on Sept 7. I'm still riding 175 miles a week and working out. Really doing a lot of stretching and trigger point work along with yoga and massage. I plan on going to a rehab after surgery before I go home and after that treating my rehab like my primary focus. The surgery is the Doctor's job the rehab is mine. That's how I treated my hip replacement and it worked out better than I expected.

McBTC

…when the swelling comes down– that's when you can accomplish something. So, my take on it is that those things that help get the swelling down is job-#1 (full weight bearing as tolerated but otherwise, elevation, compression, icing). Of interest, however, recent studies now question whether CPM is of any help in achieving good ROM, although my guess is that there probably is some feedback benefit to be had for anyone who is not familiar with the pain involved and needs to see that the leg actually can bend...

speedlever

I hit 65 during my 5 year hiatus from riding my bikes. Now on day 2 of being back in the saddle. Guess I'll just have to get used to going slow and steady... and not too far, at that. For now.

Still have my 50+ jersey too!

I guess the good news is that I qualify for this thread. Boy, time sure does seem to fly the older I get.

McBTC

This is great... looks like I lived long enough to see common sense actually become more common-- super compact cranksets:

Super-compact chainsets: the next big thing for road cyclists? - BikeRadar Australia

As an old aficionado of triples with a 53 ring and huge capacity derailleurs, who has come to appreciate the simplicity of compact cranks, this answers my last remaining beef. Like the article says (and I imagine I'm not the only geezer who'd at the least appreciate closer spacing more than top end)...

speedlever

I replaced my compact crank (34-50) with a triple (30-39-52). I never really liked the 34 and found the 39 a better overall gear for me. And having that 30 available for certain hills was a nice bonus. I have to wonder how that 36 would work for me.

jimmuller 

It's been a while since I looked at the 50+ forum, and now I find a 65+ thread. Okay, so I'm 68 trying to act like I'm still 30 (and largely doing okay except every once in a while). Today I took a vacation day and rode my Masi, vintage ride for a vintage rider, for 53.8 miles.



FWIW, I commute 16 to 17 miles each way to work. With recreational riding on the weekends it comes out to about 8000 miles a year. But it's tough pretending I'm still 30.

RonH

The dog days of summer are in full swing so I decided no more riding the county trail until fall (cooler temps) gets here. The trail runs east-west so I have the sun in my face as soon as I leave the house and its beating down on my back all the way home. And there is zero shade along the trail.
So today I loaded the Litespeed in the car and drove to the Withlacoochee Trail where there is plenty of shade. I've been putting this off until I felt my hernia surgery was healed enough to lift my bike into and out of the back of the SUV.

Rode north to Holder (yes that's a real town along the trail) and then headed south to the bike shop. I've been thinking about upgrading the drivetrain from 9 speed to 11 speed. The last couple of times I had to replace components I had a tough time finding 9 speed Ultegra components. So Sherry (the shop owner) is pricing an 11 speed upgrade — either Ultegra and 105 — depending on the total price.
I could do most of the work myself but my wife said no working on the bike in the house (it's air conditioned) and the garage (which faces east so it starts heating up 5 minutes after sunrise) is not. So if the price is right the bike shop folks will be swapping out the old 2001 Ultegra components for brand new.

Anyway, I ended up riding 18.5 miles.

jimmuller 

You need to find a new, er, house.

My wife tells me to bring the bike into the living room when I work on one.

RonH

It is a new house. We had it built in 2013. We'll be here till we move to the nursing home or the cemetery.