Search found 105 matches

by S2L
10 Sep 2022, 2:56pm
Forum: Racing, Olympics, TdF, Competitive cycling
Topic: Tour of Britain 2022
Replies: 16
Views: 6554

Re: Tour of Britain 2022

My understanding is that the event couldn’t go ahead due to policing issues, with staff being relocated in the capital.

But yes, this imposed mourning stuff is ludicrous
by S2L
29 Aug 2022, 1:35pm
Forum: Racing, Olympics, TdF, Competitive cycling
Topic: National Hill Climb Championship Sunday 31st October- Winnats Pass
Replies: 13
Views: 6590

Re: National Hill Climb Championship Sunday 31st October- Winnats Pass

Just signed up for the National 2022 up the Old Shoe... apparently there will be plenty of spaces, so qualification should be automatic.
Anyone else doing it?
by S2L
20 Aug 2022, 2:44pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Record attempt scheduled
Replies: 1195
Views: 110120

Re: Record attempt scheduled

That's a lot... I mean, really a lot!
by S2L
28 Jun 2022, 12:55pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: LEJOG in 4 days
Replies: 29
Views: 3999

Re: LEJOG in 4 days

MrsHJ wrote: 26 Jun 2022, 2:16pm Can people see how they’re doing? - the strava account is request to follow and hopefully they’re all on the road cycling.
I don't understand why people privatise their settings on Strava... it's not exactly a place for stalkers and haters... in 5 years, I've had maybe a couple of "pretending to be Russian hookers" following me, you can get rid of them in seconds
by S2L
2 Mar 2022, 10:34am
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Drug/Medication Dependency
Replies: 37
Views: 2029

Re: Drug/Medication Dependency

Mick F wrote: 22 Feb 2022, 4:14pm Is this a slippery slope that some people go down?
Never personally appreciated this issue ever before, and it's made me think.
Some medications are necessary and life saving, some other medications are "lifesyle drugs".
So, it is likely you do need your BP medication in the short term, but if that becomes an excuse to keep your extra weight on, keep drinking and eating processed food, then it is a lifestyle medication and you should try to ween yourself off it.

The classic lifestyle drugs are statins... they go to fix a problem which is entirely preventable by changing your lifestyle (yes, I know it runs in the families, but so do bad habits! It's very little to do with genes). Other lifestyle drugs are the widely advertised medications for stomach aches and gastric reflux that people seem to consume as if they were jelly babies...

So yes, it can be a slippery slope in some cases...
by S2L
18 Feb 2022, 10:50am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Tyre Glider
Replies: 99
Views: 7677

Re: Tyre Glider

2_i wrote: 18 Feb 2022, 6:42am Well, after reading some of the early positive reviews here, I bought the Tyre Glider only to determine it to be a piece of plastic trash. I tried to mount a tire on a Brompton rim and found that the tool actually would not even mount on the rim. The Brompton rim is thick with barely developed lip. Even if you manage to push the Glider on the rim, it does nothing as far as the tire mounting is concerned. On the small wheel the tire mounts quite tightly, too tightly for the tool. The funny thing is that I can mount that tire with bare hands only, manipulating the tire intelligently, which the tool cannot do. In the other direction, it does not get any better. The Glider does not manage to squeeze in between the bead and the rim. Regular levers work fine there.

With this the Glider will be relegated to a museum artifact in my collection of tire tools. Come to think of it, it might be the worst of the tire tools I ever got.
I suspect this is the case... it was designed for modern rims, not for the chunky ones with massive hooks like the Brompton's... not a big issue I assume, as you say, you can fit a tyre with your bare hands
by S2L
16 Feb 2022, 7:20pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Measuring Blood Pressure
Replies: 406
Views: 30533

Re: Measuring Blood Pressure

Mick F wrote: 16 Feb 2022, 4:24pm :lol: :lol:

I was sat in the car, waiting for Mrs Mick F, having collected my prescription.
First thought for me, was how many tabs and how often and when to take them ............. and if can I drink a beer or two.

The sticker from the (ill)health centre said "one per day".
I pulled out the leaflet to see if there was a recommended "when".
First thing I read was they were recommended "before going to bed".

Having had many different meds for BP, none of the previous ones have agreed with me in the slightest, so I wanted to be prepared for possibilities.

Having chatted to the doc on Monday, he understands completely and said this is the last idea to sort me out before going onto "more exotic solutions" ............. whatever they are.
With your blood pressure, I would cut alcohol completely… otherwise, you are wasting time
by S2L
13 Feb 2022, 4:30pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Measuring Blood Pressure
Replies: 406
Views: 30533

Re: Measuring Blood Pressure

Mick F wrote: 13 Feb 2022, 4:15pm Yes, I follow that ............. and not arguing.

We are all different.
One rule shouldn't dictate for everyone.

What about ethnicity?
Does the 120/80 rule apply for the whole human race?
We pretty much work in the same way. I would be surprised if a dog or a cat was very different from us in that respect
by S2L
13 Feb 2022, 3:37pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Measuring Blood Pressure
Replies: 406
Views: 30533

Re: Measuring Blood Pressure

Mick F wrote: 13 Feb 2022, 3:30pm Please don't think I'm making excuses or trying to find a way out.
I'm talking as a mechanic/engineer, not a medical person, and I'm not grinding an axe.

Been thinking ...................
(as I often do)

How is BP measured?
The cuff is strapped to your arm/wrist or whatever, and compressed until the pulse isn't felt.
Then it's slowly released until the pulse returns.
The system is calibrated to give pressure readings. The two should be within a certain scale.

Now, here's a theory.
Pay attention to my first couple of sentences above of course! :wink:

Just say the heart is bigger and stronger than the average heart and the arteries are stronger too.
This means that the calibration of the BP monitor isn't correct and you could show high BP.
Say a small weak heart and thin arteries, and the BP could show low.

Valid?
No… all athletes with strong heart and vascular system show lower than normal blood pressure. Strong arteries mean they are very elastic, rather than very stiff, so the opposite of stress/strain in engineering :D
by S2L
13 Feb 2022, 2:38pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Measuring Blood Pressure
Replies: 406
Views: 30533

Re: Measuring Blood Pressure

landsurfer wrote: 13 Feb 2022, 2:34pm Avoiding carbs and alcohol in exchange for more time with Julie and cycling ..... no issue ..... Julie and cycling ... and grandkids and motorbikes .... but the flying has come to a dead stop ...
The Grandson will be taking lessons ... he can fly grandad around for a change...
Exactly! :D
by S2L
13 Feb 2022, 2:15pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Measuring Blood Pressure
Replies: 406
Views: 30533

Re: Measuring Blood Pressure

thirdcrank wrote: 13 Feb 2022, 2:12pm Not everybody wants to increase their life expectancy if the choice is between dying happy(ish) or another decade+ of abstinence = misery
Depends what is misery... if by misery you mean having to avoid alcohol is one thing, or by misery you mean being unable to run or cycle or go for a hike in the lakes... you get to choose the misery
by S2L
13 Feb 2022, 2:14pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Measuring Blood Pressure
Replies: 406
Views: 30533

Re: Measuring Blood Pressure

landsurfer wrote: 13 Feb 2022, 2:02pm I was initially given statins, Atorvastatin, with Amlodipine daily. But the statin caused such pain in my feet i could not walk so the GP put a stop to that. As a result she doubled the Amlodipine from 5mg a day to 10mg .... my lower legs and feet swelled up like balloons !
So, back to 5mg Amlodipine with 2.5mg Ramipril and all seems to be ok ....
Blood pressure just taken .... 140/83 .. best of 3.
I am sure therapies and drugs evolved since 1993, but I'm pretty sure my dad was on Ramipril too...
by S2L
13 Feb 2022, 1:55pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Tyre Glider
Replies: 99
Views: 7677

Re: Tyre Glider

nez wrote: 13 Feb 2022, 1:39pm If ever I wear these out I’ll give them a try. :lol:
Yeah, I'm still on the original tyres too, only had to fix a couple of punctures... it's funny as they should wear quicker, given they spin more...
by S2L
13 Feb 2022, 1:37pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Tyre Glider
Replies: 99
Views: 7677

Re: Tyre Glider

nez wrote: 13 Feb 2022, 12:48pm
S2L wrote: 13 Feb 2022, 12:27pm Re. Technique…

There might be a trick I am missing, but I have changed tyres for 35 years now… and it’s getting harder rather than easier… if there was a better technique for me to learn, I would have learned it by now… clearly I am not up to the job and quite happy to invest a tenner in a contraption that makes it easier
I’m sure you’re fine I would just hold off until the next time I have to put Marathon Plus on the Brompton! At the rate I use the Brommie that may be never
I use the Marathon Racer on the Brompton, a doddle... no need for levers
by S2L
13 Feb 2022, 1:33pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Measuring Blood Pressure
Replies: 406
Views: 30533

Re: Measuring Blood Pressure

landsurfer wrote: 13 Feb 2022, 1:07pm
No damage from the TGA but diagnosed with severe heart disease, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, my heart only pumping a smaller capacity of blood due to a thickened heart muscle, caused by unknown and untreated high blood pressure ....
Get yourselves checked out folks, there are no symptoms until you die in the chair watching the rugby.
I was lucky, now i can tailor my life and cycling for my best outcome.
That's what my dad had. He was diagnosed when he was 52 and passed about 25 years later. Drugs did miracles to keep him alive and at the beginning his heart function improved significantly, so much so that he was taken off the transplant list. By his mid/late fifties he wasn't far off average for his age. But his quality of life deteriorated in his 60s. Basically, he never wanted to give up wine, processed meats and various cheeses, so on top of his initial four medications (on top of my head ACE inhibitor, Beta blocker, diuretic and another one I can't remember), other medications piled up (including statins of course) to fend off the effects of increasing BMI and related issues. I have no proof of this, but I am convinced that he had a lot more to live and more importantly he could have lived the last 10-15 years a lot better, had he changed his lifestyle. Doctors advised to lose weight and to cut wine (give or take he was on 50-60 units a week), but it always came across as "something to do on top of the medications", rather than the most important thing to do... which is what it should be...