jamesdak 

So stoked. Recovery seemed to be going so slow there for awhile. Didn't think the knee was ever going to start bending right again. Was riding the Azor with the saddle up an additional inch for over a week now. But the middle of the week I was able to get out on the Raleigh Team USA and then the Wayne Evans custom. It feels so good to be back out on them again and soon I'll be testing out the five (new to me ones) that snuck in this winter. Trying to hold off on them until I'm back up to speed but I may not be able to resist much longer. Riding easy right now mainly working on knee flex vs any speed or power. Not sure how hard to push things since there's got to be a lot of muscle trauma involved with the knee replacement. Only concession right now is I'm using flat pedals vs clipping in with my normal Look Keo's. No saddle adjustment. Curious to see if I will need to make any fit adjustments. The repaired knee has that leg much straighter. I had become so bow legged over the past years with the failing knees.

Found that riding the Team USA with it's CX tires and DT shifters at slow speeds on pavement is not ideal. Hence the switch to the Evans with it's long, stable setup and STI shifters. Tomorrow I'll start back onto my usual take a different bike out each day routine. Even though that means swapping pedals each day. Good chance to regrease some pedal threads that haven't seen fresh grease in awhile.

Hit 17 mph on a short portion of yesterday's ride and this tough ol' soldier might have been shedding a few tears of joy. I missed the bikes with the long winter and then being down from the surgery. Life is good!

polymorphself 

Congrats. Need pics of the five new ones together.

georges1

congrats and ride safely

gugie 

Over the past 15 years or so I've had a foot surgery, sciatica, pinched nerve in my neck, hernia surgery, and to each and every one of them the best PT has been to get back on my bike.

rccardr 

Glad to hear you are back on the bike, Jim!

Steel Charlie

Make haste slowly

jamesdak 

Had to hang out this morning for a young couple to come by. They bought the 2nd Giordana XL Super and the Bianchi Trofeo I rescued last summer. Once they left I decided it was time to try out one of the new rides. So I hoped on the Merckx and went a little farther and a little faster. Can't really give a fair assessment of the bike the way I'm riding but it felt light and smooth at the slow speeds. It is running tubulars though so that's part of it I'm sure. Knee was really stiff to start but I had been on it a lot this morning without icing it. Took about 3/4 of a mile to get a smooth stroke going. Later in the ride I got a bit curious about the Corsa 01 so I did a seated accelleration from 16 mph to over 22 putting power down only with the right leg. It got up there quick so I have high hopes for this bike.

iab

Glad to hear recovery is coming along. I have a double fusion, S1/L5 and L4/L3 (L5/L4 is already fused), scheduled in 10 days. Doc also says 6 weeks, back on the bike. My Coppi hunched-back goes away and I get an off-topic Contador flat-back.

plumberroy

I've been off my bike for a few years due to foot problems I have had 2 foot surgeries since late 2020 . I have just started back too . I just got home from my third 8 mile ride this week. I am feeling stronger.

I worked in a factory years back we had workman's trikes the guys coming back from knee replacement said pedaling the trikes helped more than all the therapy

VtwinVince

Right on, the only thing that kept me going after my accident was looking at my Bianchi on the deck while getting back on my feet.

gaucho777 

Great to hear. Listen to your body, and good luck with your continued recovery.

delbiker1 

This is really good to hear, James. It gladdens me that you are already back on a bike. I know it is a big emotional and mental lift for you.

Kabuki12

Yep, back on the bike after a medical reprieve is wonderful , congrats and take it easy . I had to be off my bike for 12 weeks a few years ago and it weren’t no fun. Getting back after an”all clear” from the doctors was the best.

seedsbelize2

I was back on the bike for two weeks, after being off it for two weeks after cataract surgery,. Then I had a vitrectomy on the same eye, and am one week into a minimum of three weeks more. But, my effectively blind eye will soon be almost good as new! I'm using the time to learn how to sit cross-legged comfortably, a skill that has eluded me for my first 70 years. Practice makes perfect.
Congrats jamesdak. Enjoy

Germany_chris

I'm getting my Ankle replaced this winter, it's this winter so I don't want to ride as much. When I got the ankle fixed the first time I lived car free do I rode in a cast and rode in a boot and I wonder if that'd the reason it never healed correctly.

DMC707

had mine done 2 years ago - gained back almost an inch in height. - other knee is now acting cranky, now

jamesdak 

Good luck with the surgery and here's to a quick recovery for you!

jamesdak 

Good luck with it and you've got the perfect excuse to just use the straßenbahn this time.

jamesdak 

I can believe that. The one leg is now noticeably straighter than the other. Hopefully when they are both done it's just a minor adjustment to my bike fit.

jamesdak 

I've been doing slow rides of around 8 miles every day as well as riding down to PT. Yesterday I got so fed up at work that I put in for leave today. Just got done with a wonderful 20 miler on the Air One since I had all this free time today.. I hope I don't regret that in a couple of hours when I head back out to PT, LOL!

MooneyBloke

Sounds like the carburetor and engine are still good even if the linkages are a little off. Congrats and continue to have a speedy recovery.

SJX426 

Did that last year. The bubble was fun! Scheduling the cataract now. Looking forward to improved vision. Wishing you the best!

jamesdak 

Well, the countdown has begun again. Second knee replaced on the 8th. We'll see how quickly I get the back up to speed although for sure it will be dead of winter here.

And I've got a pretty cool new (used but something that's pretty sweet I hope) ride shipping to me now to help motivate the recovery!




I'm really looking forward to getting back to normal life next year and really getting all the wonderful bikes out rolling fast on the roads like they should be.

Kabuki12

Good luck getting back on the road. It is no fun to be side lined while waiting to heal. It has been nearly 10 weeks since I broke my hip . The bone has grown back together and the screws have served their purpose. I rode my Colnago for 10 minutes and did a 4 mile ride on my wife’s Townie. The Dr. still has not cleared me to ride but I sneak out of my shop and do a few laps around the building just to feel the wind.

jamesdak 

Dang, sorry to hear about the hip but glad you are healing up. I'm hoping to at least be back out on the dutch bike in a few weeks or the "modified" Holdsworth.