My 24-Speed Became a 3-Speed

The Sunday "show-n-go" 40 mile ride south to Belleair Beach then across the new Belleair Causeway was pretty uneventful until the last 3 miles. I noticed that my rear cassette shifting had become more difficult as we neared the last downhill (for Florida) piece of the ride. It seemed that the bike wouldn't hold whatever gear I tried to shift to. Then a big pop and all of a sudden the front cable connected to my Shimano rear cassette shifter disconnected from the shifter and was waving around like a loose piece of overcooked spaghetti. I have 8 gears in the back and 3 up front. So normally, I have 24 gears to choose from. Now the chain was stuck on the next to smallest gear in the back. My 24 speeds were down to 3 speeds. With the gears I had left I could choose to ride at 15, 21 or 35 miles per hour at a cadence of 70-80 RPM on the peddles. So much for my tune-up on Thursday. I'm not sure whether this cable has been replaced yet or not over the 17,500 miles that my bike has on it. Since it's Sunday I'll have to wait till Monday morning to take it in. I am glad, however, that this happened now and not on the RedSpoke ride where riding with only 3 gears would be much more difficult. In case you were wondering, my right shin is still swollen and red due to the mad bee or wasp that stung me yesterday. The Australian Bum cream has helped to control the itching but not the swelling.

Beach Ride, Tune-up and Stung By a Bee

On Thursday I took a "Beach" ride of about 42 miles across the bridges and down to Walsingham and back. On the return I chased after a cyclist about 1/2 mile ahead and finally caught and went ahead of him just before the Sand Key bridge. Of course by then my legs were spent and I'm not that fast up the bridges either, so he went by me as we went up the bridge. Unfortunately for him he caught the light as we descended into Clearwater Beach. At the light I asked him where he was headed and he said he was on the way home to Island Estates not too far down the road. He said he rides regularly South to Treasure Island and back about 40 miles. As we headed toward the Clearwater Pass bridge he took a left into Island Estates and I continued the regular route home. Friday turned into a "rain day". I had the day off and took my bike in to get it tuned up and cleaned. They do a real nice job at Chainwheel Drive in Palm Harbor. Cost for a tune-up and new chain was $107. 63. I try to take it in at least every 1500 to 2000 miles. They lube everything that needs it, check and replace cables and brakes if needed, adjust the derallieur for shifting and dip the bike in a solvent that takes all the grim and grease off. The bike looks like new when you pick it up. It's important to replace the chain at least every 2000 miles to prevent it from wearing down your front chainring or rear cassette. The cost of a new chain is $15 for me but can be up to $40 for some chains. It's still less expensive than a new chainring or cassette which run about $50 each. On Saturday, my daughter Michelle and I got up and out of the house at 7:30 a.m. and headed for the Suncoast Saturday ride. Michelle rented a bike from Chainwheel for a few days. We made it to the Chainwheel parking lot where the ride begins before a downpour hit. Due to the rain, they cancelled the Suncoast ride, but Michelle and I waited a bit (about 30 minutes) and the rain subsided. We did the Belleair Beach ride (about 42 miles) out through downtown Clearwater and over the two bridges to the Belleair Causeway where we turned around and headed home. As we started back, a very angry bee hit my right shin and planted his stinger about an inch into my leg. Ouch! When we got back the shin was still sore and swollen. I'm going to try the Australian Bum cream on it and report back on the results.

The Australian Bum Cream Has Arrived

Yeah!! The Australian Bum Cream has arrived. It came in a nice little package from New Zealand about 4 inches square with a customs declaration pasted on one side. It cost $38.75 for 200 grams. This is about 6 times the cost of Bag Balm so it better be good. Unfortunately, the saddle sore I had is gone so I'll have to wait to try it out. The official name of the product is Lucas' Papaw Ointment. It's made from Papaya but the label says it also has a little potassium sorbate added as a preservative. It has a nice smell and given the ingredients I thought it might be edible. I put a little on my finger to taste but it didn't pass the test. I wouldn't recommend it for eating. The label says it's good for burns, boils, chaffings, cracked skin, gravel rash, splinters, open wounds, insect bites and nappy rash. I'm not sure what some of these things are but I hope to add saddle sores at some point. I rode today but it was not a usual ride. I averaged 7.2 miles per hour and covered 5.72 miles in 45 minutes. I was with a very young group of riders; my daughter Michelle, her 20 month old twins (Drew and Abby) and her 5 and 7 year old daughters (Hailey and Hannah). The twins rode along in a bike trailer that Michelle pulled and the girls each peddled their own small bikes. From a technical point of view the pace line was not too well organized and I found it difficult to draft behind the girls at 7 mph. I did enjoy the steady pace though and found the ride not too strenuous after a couple of days off. We started at the Publix at Curlew and Alternate 19 and peddled our way along the Pinellas Trail across at least two bridges to Dunedin. We had a short rest and smoothies at the Time Out Cafe before heading back. It was a good ride and I think we all had fun.

It's Time to Start Packing My Bike

I'm taking today off. My legs and body need a little rest. But I will use today to unpack my Aircaddy shipping container and see what is required to get it ready to ship my bike to Seattle, Washington for the RedSpoke Ride. This is the annual Redmond, Wa. to Spokane, Wa. ride across the state of Washington, a little over 300 miles. I could perhaps rent a bike in Seattle but think I should take my old comfortable and broken in cycle. It's been modified substantially to fit my unique body (XXL) and weight (heavy). The shifters, handlebars, saddle, front chainring, rear cassette and wheels are all upgrades to the original Specialized Sequoia road bike. I'm pretty sure I won't find an off-the-rack rental to fit me like my trusted Sequoia. So a few weeks ago I ordered an Aircaddy box to ship my bike to Seattle. You can find their web sit at www.shipbikes.com. The system consists of a double corrugated cardboard box that is triangular in shape and designed to be safe, simple and less costly than other methods. The box costs $99.95 and basically you just have to take the front wheel off, the saddle off and turn the handlebars down in order to get your bike ready to ship. They have an arrangement with Federal Express to ship your bike in the Aircaddy for as little as $58.00 with delivery in 1 to 5 business days. Seattle from Clearwater, however, will cost me about $100 each way door to door (from my door to Kim's door). I'm impressed by the box. Its triangular design is supposed to withstand a force of up to 3500 pounds and it's fairly simple to set up. The box is designed to be used 5 to 6 times, then you can order a replacement box for $39.95. If you want to ship via the airlines they have a set of wheels available for an additional $59.95. The cost via Delta would be $150 each way (ouch!). So I think I am ready to ship and the day off felt good.

A Sunday Show-n-go Ride

Today is Sunday, Father's Day and the day for the usual show-n-go ride that starts at the Publix parking lot at Curlew and Alternate 19 in Clearwater. It's not an official Suncoast Club ride but many of the same people participate in the ride. Ages are normally from 25-65 with both men and women showing up and usually a few couples who may ride their own bikes or share a tandem. There is no set pace for this ride and generally it's a little less structured and more of a casual ride than Club sponsored events. Where we cycle to is usually decided by those in the parking lot the day of the ride. We had about 20 people today and divided into two groups. One a little slower than the others. The slower group took off first and and with a short cut of maybe two miles it gave them enough of a head start that the faster group would probably catch them near the rest stop about 25 miles down the road. I road with the faster group but the pace was more relaxed and comfortable as many were still recovering from yesterday's very hot ride. As it turned out, we never caught slower group. They were at the rest stop 5-10 minutes before us. The ride was a modified "Beaches" ride 42 miles south across the Clearwater Pass and Sand Key bridges then west across the new Bellaire Causeway bridge before turning north and heading home. Today I made sure to carry a full 100 ounces of fluid with me and even added some chipped ice to my water bottles and camelback at the Publix rest stop. I joined the slower group on the way back but I must admit they weren't that much slower than the other group. It was a hot ride but a nice breeze out of the northwest provided some relief to the heat. My legs were thanking me for taking it a little bit easy on them today as I pulled into our driveway to finish the ride.

Group Riding in Hot Weather

I rode today with the Suncoast Cycling Club. This was the Trinity Ride, about 52 miles. The weather was hot and muggy with temperatures was in the 90s with high humidity. The wind was dead still when we started but finished blowing slightly out of the west. I think today was the hottest ride I've ever been on. The last few miles were like being in a moving sauna. Suncoast is one of the largest clubs in Florida and I'm thinking one of the best. I'm not really a joiner type of a person but Margie encouraged me for some time to join a local cycling club, I guess thinking that riding solo all the time wouldn't be much fun for me. She's always looking out for me, you know. For me, I think I was more concerned about being able to keep up with the others and didn't want to be embarrassed. At that point I was riding 20 to 30 miles a ride with an occasional longer ride thrown in. I think at some point I decided to try it and went up to the Chainwheel Drive parking lot on US 19 one Saturday morning to see what group riding was all about. What I found was something I really enjoyed. Club riding is a great way to get in more miles and experience riding in a group which is usually at a faster pace than you could do individually. As it turns out, the rides are subdivided into smaller groups based on expected sustained pace. Each person decides which group they want to ride with. There's a training ride for those who want to do intervals, i.e., riding balls out for 5 minutes then slowing to bring the heart rate down for a while, then doing it this over and over for the length of the ride. This ride is for the young and adventurous, with speeds up to 30 mph. I don't go out with this group. Next is the "A" ride. This ride maintains a pace of 24-26 mph. Next is "B-Plus"; they ride at 22-24 mph. "B-tween" is next , the pace is 20-22 mph. "B" is next at 18-20. "B-hind" follows at 16-18. And finally a recreational "C" ride at 16 and below. With about 100-120 riders each Saturday, you usually end up with 15-20 riders in each group. That's a good size for group riding and keeps it much safer than a bigger group would be. I've riden with all the groups from "A" through "B" and today rode with the "B-tween" riders. When Saturday arrives, you judge how you feel and what pace you want to ride at, look at what some of the other riders you have cycled with are doing then go out and ride. When I rode with the "A" riders, the ride was "very intense". When you go out on a group ride you normally take your turn "pulling", that is leading the group at some point. Depending on wind and hill conditions, you might "pull" for a few seconds to two to five minutes before peeling off to the left while the other riders pass you on the right. When you "pull" you are expending 20%-30% more energy than those drafting behind you. When the last rider in the group passes you, you pull in behind and draft, waiting your turn for your next "pull". With the "A" group, I only pulled once and the rest of time just hung on for dear life. I'm sure I was outside my heart range for the entire ride and when I got home I was exhausted and hit the couch for a long nap in the afternoon. I did it but the ride was not a good ride. Today's ride was good. I took a turn pulling three or four times and I was tired but not exhausted. Better yet my saddle sore seems to have vanished. I want to thank Bag Balm and my 148 cm saddle. Maybe the "sauna" weather is helping too.

How Much Water Should You Drink

Just finished a nice 51 mile beach ride in the heat. Yesterday the temperature in Clearwater set a record 96 degrees with the heat index in the 100s. When it's that hot your body sweats a lot to try to keep itself cool. That sweat depletes your body of water and if you don't replenish it you could be headed toward heat stroke and a bad cycling experience. If you ever find yourself getting the chills when it's a 100 degrees out, it's a good sign you need to hydrate. For cyclists the key is to drink before you're thirsty, eat before you're hungry, and rest before you're exhausted. If you wait too long on any of these you'll probably "bonk" on your ride. Bonking is fatigue, i.e., exhaustion caused by muscle glycogen depletion. So how much fluid do you need per hour? Here's a simple way to figure it out. I'll use my fluid intake today to give you an example. Before I left home I drank two 12 ounce glasses of water. I filled my camelback with 40 ounces of Gatoraid (Go Gators) and 20 ounces of water, total of 60 ounces. The Gatoraid is better than all water since Gatoraid helps to extend internal muscle glycogen stores (to help you not "bonk"). On the way back, I stopped at the 43 mile mark at the Time Out Cafe in Dunedin and treated myself to a 16 ounce berry, banana smoothie (um, good). I finished the camelback a couple miles before home. So, in total I drank 100 ounces on the ride. I weighed myself when I got home and weighed 10 pounds less than when I started. Since 16 ounces water weighs one pound, I lost the equivalent of 160 ounces of water. So the total fluid for the ride was 260 ounces. The ride took about three hours so 260/3 = 86.7 ounces per hour. That's what I should figure consuming on a long hot ride. Since I can carry only 100 ounces on my bike, it looks like I might have to tow a small water truck behind me for longer rides. The bum is feeling better and I'm still waiting for the Australian Bum Cream!

The Day the Music Died

Ok. I'm not referring the crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, or Don McLean's American Pie lyrics that memorialize the threesome. What I'm referring to is Pandora on my Iphone. When I'm cycling solo I like to listen to tunes. The music seems to relieve the cares of the day and helps to pass the time on rides that can otherwise be a little monotonous. I used to use an itty bitty Apple Ipod which was fine but I went thru two or more as they seemed to get wet with sweat or rain and would just stop working. When I got my Iphone, Brett turned me on to the Pandora app. It's pretty cool. Just pick the type of music you want to listen to and it's streamed continuously to your little ibuds through the Iphone. Well, today it stopped. I was going through Tarpon Springs on my Bag Balm ride when the music died. I tried to get it going again but was unsuccessful. I had to finish the 50 mile ride without music, just the sound of wind rushing through my helmut earholes. Oh well! The ride wasn't a total loss, however, as I was able to find a feed store in my area that carries Bag Balm, the ‎Circle G Ranch & Pet Supplies store in New Port Richey. I also saw some fly repellant that looked interesting but didn't buy any. The bum is still a little warm today. I'm waiting for the Australian Bum Cream to arrive.

Beaches Ride With a Sore Bum

Took off this a.m. for a ride south along the Pinellas County beaches. Still feel just a little soreness and discomfort in the posterior but the pain seems to be dissipating. Did not put on the Reskin patch and noticed little change so I'm thinking that it did not help much. Perhaps it works better on sore feet. The ride going south had a little tail wind and therefore a little headwind on the way back. Just about 40 miles but you get four bridges to ride over. Actually, there are only two bridges but you get to ride over going south and ride over again going north on the way back. I picked up a rider on the way out after the Sand Key bridge. I passed him and he pulled in behind me for about five miles doing 21-22. Due to the wind on the way back it was a little slower for the most part but it turned into a slight tail wind going over the Clearwater Pass bridge which I appreciated. I'm gearing down to my granny gear over these bridges in order to keep my heart rate in the proper range. They are both about 6% grade for maybe 1/2 mile. I got beeped by my Garmin 705 only twice on the ride so I did o.k. The bum is feeling better after a jump in the pool and a shower. Not sure I even need some bag balm now. I'd like to try the Australian bum cream. Hope to get it soon.

Cycling 44 Miles With a Saddle Sore

Took a quick 44 mile bike ride this morning to test out the Reskin patch and the Bag Balm treatment. It was a nice ride up to Trouble Creek which is close to New Port Richey, Florida. I cycled down to the Pinellas Trail checked the wind direction and headed North since the wind was a little bit from the West Northwest. I like to ride into the wind on the way up and get a little tail on the way back (that's tail wind). Not much traffic on the way up and didn't see any unusal wildlife. Yesterday, I saw a sea otter just off the road trying to get back to the marshy waterway about 4 miles from the turn-around. I picked up the pace a little on the way back as I saw another cyclist about two minutes ahead of me rounding the first turn as you head back. I thought I might be able to catch him but was surprised when I rounded that first turn and couldn't see him in front of me. I picked up the pace to 20-23 mph to close in on him. I caught him as we entered Tarpon Springs. It took me 10 miles. My Garmin Edge 705 sent out heart rate warnings at least three separate times as I exceeded my target heart range by a few beats per minute. Got home and just felt a little warm on the bum but nothing serious. Not sure if the Reskin patch stayed in place or helped. Perhaps I'll go without tomorrow. I think I might need that Australian Bum Cream!

Have You Tried Australian Bum Cream?

Maybe not. But this special cream from Australia may be the remedy for saddle sores that everyone is looking for. My wife, Margie has been in a discussion with a lady that had first hand knowledge of a special cream from Australia that is touted to be better than Bag Balm. Now that would be quite something, but she says that as good as Bag Balm is, this special cream is better. I have an order in for some. You can't get it locally or even in the USA. I ordered mine from New Zealand. It's a little expensive but my bum is worth a lot, at least to me. After I receive it, I'll let everyone know the results I get and what I think of the product. I can't wait!

A Saddle Sore Cure?

I'm back from my 40 mile ride and have good news to report. Although the bum was tender going out, the pain seemed to subside quite a bit the further I rode. I'm not sure why, but maybe the wider base of the 148 cm saddle had something to do with it. More like riding on a tractor saddle with a lot more support. More weight per square inch supported by this saddle than the narrower one. I'll keep using the new saddle configuration for the time being. As for the Reskin pads, I'm not sure. They could have helped But I don't know. They are sort of like an oversized stretchy bandaid. When I got back from the ride I threw everything in the wash. When the cycle was done, I took everything out to air dry. The Reskin pad went through the wash too and I think there is still some sticky left on it. Quite frankly, I haven't figured out if the sticky side goes on your bum or on the Chamious. PerhapsI'll try it on my bum next time. For now though, more balm and I'll try it again tomorrow.

More Saddle Sore Remedies On The Way

OK. So, finding what is not working perversely moves me closer to finding what will work; a cure for saddle sores. I know bag balm helps but it won't cure saddle sores alone. Something else very sinister must be going on. I'd like to try one thing at a time so I know what finally gives some relief but with my 300 mi RedSpoke (see my blog jimsbigride.blogspot.com) ride across the state of Washington coming up, I'm running out of time (and patience). My next step is to replace the 143 cm saddle with a 148 cm saddle and at the same time try the Reskin pads out. I'll take a short 40 mile ride to test the new configuration. The weather is still hot. I'll do without my two 20 oz water bottles but take the 60 oz Camelback with me. I've changed the saddle and got my level out and put my saddle in a 100% level configuration. No uptilt or down tilt, just level. I've taken out one of the Reskin pads and put the sticky side down on my chamious. I lubed up with the balm and headed out. What will I find?

The Heat Is On!

Ouch! Just completed a century ride and the treatment for the saddle sore that I thought was healed did not work as previously thought. It came back like a recylcled girlfriend. I ride many miles a week but after about 60 miles, this century ride was truly a pain in the butt! Forty miles to go and I was struggling to not sit down and at the same time keep up the pace into increasing wind from the north. The weather was very warm (in the 90's) and humid as well. I was carrying a Camelback with extra water and needed to stop almost every 10 miles to rest the old patudy and take some fluid on. I tried all the tricks about standing and adjusting myself on the saddle without much success. I stood up when going uphill and I stood up when going downhill. My arms were even getting tired due to my new riding position trying to the take the weight off where it hurt most. I had planned to do a back-to-back century with a return to home the following day, but drove back instead giving up on my plans. Bag Balm and give it a rest for a day, that's the best treatment for the saddle sore now.

ReSkin Arrives

Just received my package of ReSkin. This is the product made by BioRacer in Europe. You need to order them directly via their website at www.reskin.eu. I received 5 little pads for a cost of 32 euros including shipping. The info on the back of the package says they can be washed and reused but I'm unsure how the stickem would hold up. And unfortunately, the need for ReSkin has vanished due to the success of Bag Balm. I will keep the pads just in case some hot spots develop. They can be cut down to customize to the shape of the sore spot and can be used on the inside of the thigh, on the heal or the ball of the foot also.

The Secret to Curing Saddle Sores

Nothing hurts a cyclist more than a sore spot on the tush. This is especially true if you have been riding 50-100 miles a day for several days in a row. Some have described the pain as something between sitting on a golf ball and someone taking a nice swing with an ice pick to your bottom. It hurts! And every mile you ride hurts a little more. I should know since I have been fighting a bad case for a little while now. I've done some research though and have some secrets to pass along.

1. Make sure the saddle fits your bottom. We all have "sit bones" that should support our weight on the saddle. If the saddle is too big your inner thighs will rub against the saddle and you'll get a great rash and soreness where it hurts most. Most well respected bike shops will help to fit your bottom to the right saddle. It may take a few tries so be patient. The Specialized brand works for me and comes in various widths corresponding to how wide your sit bones are. For the most part try to avoid the cushy gel saddles since these compress over long distances and cause soreness of the bottom after feeling great for the first few miles.

2. Make sure the bike fits your body. If the bike is too big or too small or the saddle is too high or too low you may be a candidate for saddle sores. The reason is that part of your weight is going to be supported by the saddle but not all of your weight. If the saddle is too high your hips may rock back and forth causing friction and a possible fire where you rather not have it. If the saddle is not level you may be finding yourself riding either too far forward or too far back. In either case more friction and/or rubbing will occur than you want. Your local bike shop should be able to fit your bike to your body.

3. Wear the proper biking attire. By this I mean bicycle shorts or bibs that have a smooth chamois. Most of the popular brands such as Trek, Specialized, Pearl Izumi, etc. have seamless pads that provide comfort where you need it most. I'm not so sure about the discount brands so be sure to check out the chamios before you buy. Also do not put underwear between you and your chamios. This defeats the purpose of the smooth chamios and you may find that your underwear has a seam that gives you a wonderful sore spot. Go "commando" and you'll be happier.

4. Lube it up. Most saddle sores start out as small skin abrasions that then get infected. The best way to prevent abrasions is to lube up your inner thighs and soft tissues before you ride. Some of the products that I prefer are Chamios Buttr and Bag Balm. Chamois Buttr will work in most instances but if you already have a problem it might not be enough. Bag Balm is more viscuous and seems to soften and heal sore areas. Try some Bag Balm (originally made for sore cow udders) and you'll be smiling again. I have tried the baby balms like Desiden but found they smell a lot and did not heal the sores like Bag Balm. The only issue is you may have a problem finding Bag Balm at a local pharmacy. It's commonly available at feed stores or tack shops. I ordered mine online. I paid $3.95 for 10 ounces plus shipping.

5. Move around to keep the blood flowing. Once you start riding, don't be a couch potato on your bike saddle. Stand up or adjust your posterior frequently to keep the blood circulating and your bottom happy. Use natural situations to key your moves such as small inclines, stopping at intersections, rough pavement, etc. You'll become a stronger biker and your backside will bless you for it.

6. Keep it clean. After your ride all your bicycle gear goes in the wash. Your shorts, jersey, socks, bandana and gloves all get washed immediately. Take them out after the cycle and let them air dry. They'll be ready in the morning for the next ride. Now for your tush, it goes in the shower right after you start the washing machine. Use soap and water (not alchohol) to get everything clean. Dry and if you wish, use some bag balm on any hot spots. They'll be cooler in the a.m.

7. Other remedies. I have heard that Preparation H might help to deaden the pain but I have not tried this. Also it may be effective to use corn pads or moleskin as a way to get some relief of particularly troublesome spots. You may need to cut these in circles to cover the area in question. Make sure the pads are large enough so they don't curl up and create another irritating spot. I am also investigating a new product made by Bioracer called Reskin which is like a pad that you can wear between your bottom and the chamios. I'll have more details later.

Once you have a saddle sore do your best to keep it clean and medicated. An antibacterial soap might help and also try bag balm as it will keep air from the surface and lubricating the area will reduce the chance of friction inflaming it further.

jimthebiker