Cycling UK Forum

I have same problem. After a lot of trying different ways I now can get on/off my bike thus :- Get on by tipping bike towards; get off by tipping bike away. Works for me fine. 77 next Monday.

Great pics, thanks. Looks like a very Roman road you were on?

Great pics. Thanks for sharing. That looks like a very Roman road?

I refer to Editor Dan Joyce and his latest editorial :- How dare you call my cycling nondescript? I am 76 years old and have ridden most of my life. Never been without a bicycle. Your reference to "Meat-and-potatoes"; "nondescript" I find most insulting. I do not need to circle on a calendar any of my rides:- they are all looked forward too and very much enjoyed. I take great pleasure in getting my bike out and cleaning it and of course riding it, be it Lands End - John O' Groats, Coast to Coast or my favourite short loop from home. You sir, should not belittle any bike ride.

After two and half weeks, I had my first half decent nights sleep last night. Did an 8 mile ride this morning and no ill effects. I have not taken any paracetamol or applied voltorol since yesterday. I think I may be winning. I agree regarding the furniture and how it affects us. We have 2 sofa's and my old wing backed chair. The sofa's cause me pain and the chair is painless. I bought the book on Alexander Technique and found that very useful. I now do the Semi-Supine lay down twice a day and I can really feel it helping with my spine. Thank you everyone who gave me help and advice. Ken.

Thank you everyone for the replies. Been out on bike twice now and all ok. Took it very easily on low gears. Definitely feels easier keeping mobile; the biggest problem is getting sleep. Walking around the house at 2.00am the last 2 nights. Pain does seem to be very gradually easing. Ken.

Thank you very much for that help.

Been diagnosed with this very painful affliction. Pain is in my lower back right side, hip, buttock, thigh and kneecap. Had it since 31/10 and Doc said 2 to 6 weeks. Dare not ride my bike for fear of making it worse. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks.

Now sorted. Thanks. My own ineptitude and trusting nature. New Cassette Freewheel fitted by local bike shop. It was loose !!!!!!

Hello. Any ideas where I could buy a rear wheel for my Raleigh? 700C alloy rim with cassette freewheel fitted to take my 7 speed cassette. O.L.D. must be 125mm.Really struggling to find one. Would the answer be to have the dropouts stretched to 130mm? OUCH. Don't want to do that. Thanks in anticipation, Ken.

I have had exactly the same problem with my new OPPO phone. It is huge. I decided to solve it by putting my old DORO clamshell phone back into use and using 1psim card. Great. I now just take the Doro when out on the bike. Fits in any pocket and it has a decent camera too.

It has been most nostalgic having the roads almost to our selves. My wife and I ride every week 3/4 rides between 6 and 15 miles. The first two or three weeks of lock down were indeed blissful. The gradual increase has been very evident for the past 3 weeks culminating in the horrendous ride last Monday which is posted on here "Current riding situation". With regard to vans I am firmly convinced that a lot of Van drivers simply do not know the width of the vehicle they are driving. I bet most of them drive cars and then the van for work and they cannot switch from car to van mode. Am I being a little too forgiving here?

Many thanks everyone. Some very good, helpful advice there. I think we have tried to forget our last ride, it was just uncanny that all that happened on one short ride. We are both determined to keep riding (My wife was stronger than me) despite hearing her scream when the car door was flung open!! I did mean to include in my initial post that we both wear Hi-Viz tops and both have front and rear cat-eye lights which were switched on. Thank you all once again. Ken & Pam.

As a lifelong cyclist and now aged 76 I find myself really doubting my own ability to survive in the current climate of road user. I did Lands End to John O'Groats in 1999 and C to C in 1998. Ride out with my wife 3/4 times a week. Yesterday we did one of our favourite local rides of 14 miles in a loop from home (Dinnington in South Yorkshire). Through the neighbouring village of Woodsetts the street lined with parked cars I saw a car approaching from behind (I have a rear view mirror) which made me ride closer to the parked cars and yes, someone flung a door open and just missed having me off. I stopped but the driver did a runner, The car behind also stopped and gave me a blast of horn and gestured for me to get out of his way!! It made me feel very vulnerable and shook me up. Carried on the ride and down a narrow lane two pedestrians coming towards us, we moved out to observe the 2 metre distancing and another cyclist came through the lot at a fast rate. Could not believe it. Then on another lovely lane towards Letwell we approached a right hand bend and around the corner came three cyclists riding abreast. Unbelievable. Finally on Kingswood Lane riding towards Laughton a van overtook and almost touched us with the wing mirror. All of the above on 1 local ride. I really do not know what to do. I consider myself a very experienced cyclist but enough is enough. I am getting to the point of not going out at all. Any thoughts or suggestions on any of the above?

I went up the Brae in 1999. A car/caravan were close behind me on the harpin and it met an Asda artic going tother way. I have no idea what happened but the caravan never overtook me. Maybe they are still there.