29:45 I nearly cried when Ollie got his GCN award with his photo on it and numbers of his documented climb ride. That hit hard because he was just saying he knew he will never be the best cyclist in the world but he wanted to finish the ride and be known to do it. When he was receiving that hit hard! Congratulations, Ollie!
Being recognized for an achievement by your coworkers is an honor; when your achievement is recognized by coworkers who are former pro cyclists...(and you are not)...an even greater honor.
This August, I was the final finisher of gbduro in 14 days +change. Plenty of mechanical issues, but no injuries. Three days back in the office and I was grumping and groaning about a sore back - not from cycling, but from my office chair. My conclusion: 37hrs in the office bad, 37hrs on the bike good!
When I started bike commuting I ended up with sciatic pain. Doctors quickly sent me down the path of MRI's and possible surgery. A colleague suggested piriformis syndrome. Stretching and a lot of core work fixed the problem and balanced things out. It's little scary how easy I could have ended up with a cure that made things worse.
Actually I've had the same situation! I've gotten MRI, and possible surgery, and then I started Physical therapy of core workouts and stretching, now I'm back to enjoying cycling!!
YT channel physiotutors has a video about piriformis pain. 1 % of pain cases are from piriformis syndrome you need to check 13 other places for pain causes in the pelvis and low back. My physio confirmed this.
3 month ago I was diagnosed with a herniated disc. The orthopaedist told me that was from too much cycling and I would never get on a bike again. My back is fine now but now I have piriformis syndrome as a consequence. On my bike is the only position I'm completely free of pain and any other symptoms, so I continue cycling (besides of physiotherapy).
I can relate to being on that path. I have had spondylolisthesis now which was wrongly diagnosed firstly as hamstrings, then glute tendinopathy which the docs said was due to too much cycling and would need surgery. Instead I followed Dr stuart Mcgill's approach and have been fine for years now, the back mechanic is worth a look for future proofing.
I've originally started cycling 6-7 years ago, when I was 150kg. That's also when I became a lifelong fan of GCN lol. I got under a 100 through diet and cycling (among other things), and my heart health went WAY UP. No more chest pain ever (I was never fit in my life before this), was not out of breath easily etc. Unfortunately life happened, and I had to sell my bicycle, and later I bloated out again to almost right back where I started. But my heart never went back. Yes, I was out of breath easier when not keeping up with exercise, but I've never had chest pains, I've never had to sleep on one side of my body, you name it. I'm back on a bicycle now, and even after 2 years of no exercise at all - it was so much easier to pick up where I left off previously, like I definitely didn't feel that I was starting at the beginning, even though I was as heavy as ever. And I think that's definitely due to heart health. This time I'm gonna also pick up jogging, in case I ever find myself with no money again.
I'm in my 50's......I cycle 15k to work at a fancy restaurant, put in 10 000 steps a night, then cycle 15k back home. Once a week I do a 100k ride. When I compare myself to colleagues my age, I feel about 30 years younger than them......and I've been doing this since grade school. If there are drawbacks from cycling too much, I can't imagine what they are.
21:10 gotta love the two brooms attached to the bike. Btw congrats to Ollie. Wolves are common in the region where I live and I love them so much, he is a lucky guy, for seeing one.
Commenting for Dan because I also just don't think to comment very often, even when I really enjoyed a video. I don't know if I'm just shy on the internet for whatever reason, or if I just assume that whatever I could think to say has already been said by at least one other person... haha and I'm so tempted to hit "cancel" instead of posting, so if you're reading this you can blame Dan for this bit of drivel even existing! Great video, guys!
Caption contest: Operator: What do you need? (Besides a miracle) Neo: bikes, lots of bikes Me (at home on my computer): Hey, wait a moment, I think I downloaded the wrong Matrix... probably gonna watch it anyway
About 10 years ago I significantly ramped up my daily mileage in order to earn bragging rights amongst my riding friends for having the most mileage for the year. I started to get a hot spot on my right foot and just ignored it attributing it to the increased time on the bike. It got to the point where I couldn't complete a 50 mile ride. I had developed a neuroma that required surgery to remove. The healing from the surgery was not successful and I developed a stump neuroma that gives me pain 24/7 and I can no longer ride clipped in with that foot. The doctors have given me less than a 50-50 chance of success for any of a number of corrective procedures with the likely outcome being worse that I am now. Don't ignore cycling pains. They may be with you for the rest of your life.
As someone who lives in Central Arkansas (about 2 hours from Fayetteville), I love that we have so much cycling infrastructure so close. What's cool is that Bentonville isn't the only place in Arkansas that focuses on cycling. This infrastructure includes America's longest purpose-built multi-use bridge that's part of a dedicated trail system in Little Rock.
I think you missed the point about "too much" exercise. It's endurance athletics over the course of forty to 50 years that causes AFIB and other arrythmias in endurance athletes. Our rates of AFIB are 4-5 times higher than those who do moderate exercise. So, you are correct that exercise is absolutely beneficial, but prolonged exercise over decades is actually bad for you. You aren't immune to heart problems. The heart gets inflamed by endurance exercise and if you continue to do it the heart doesn't have a chance to heal and tends to scar up. Too little exercise is bad. Too much exercise is bad. But moderate exercise over the years is just right. You have no idea what a struggle it is to have AFIB which is not curable.
I developed AFIB in 2012 after about 12 years of serious cycling at age 52. I went for an Ablation in May 2013 and was absolutely successful. Not sure if it was due to my lifelong commitment to being Fit or just my genes. It did start off as PAC’s & PVC’s(Skipped Beats/Palpitations) in the late 1990’s. Picking up cycling and proper training along with nutrition helped immensely. However AFIB did rear its ugly head in 2013…… Don’t rule out an Ablation from a very reputable Electrophysiologist. I actually did mine in the UK at the Royal Brompton Hospital by the best EP available. I’m now 63YO and still riding lots along with some much younger blokes and holding my own. I have a rule to keep my cycling to max 300Kms per week and try to get good sleep and don’t do intense sessions to two(2) times per week…….Recovery is KEY for older athletes and acceptance of diminishing returns and levels and being HAPPY about that……Oh and I’ve started the last year back in the Gym 2-3 times per week keeping my strength and flexibility up……….Nice topic today gents…Keep up the great content.
With respect to Zoe Backstadt's teammates' travails at the Simac Tour, Chloe Dygart seems to have had a fall or injury in almost every major race she participated in this year. However, her injury at the Simac Tour takes the cake. Before the first TT stage, she broke her nose on the bathroom door at the hotel. She did race the TT, finished tenth, and then dropped out of the race.
Probably a bit late now, but for what it's worth, gravel riding is everything you can a do on a bike that fills the space from pure road riding all the way to technical mountain biking.
I was a high level competitive gymnast the majority of my life, competing on the national and collegiate level. At the age of 16 I had a major injury that required me to have a knee replacement. Fortunately, this is when I was introduced to cycling. My mother purchased me a road bike (Specialized Allez) to help me with my recovery. I would cycle an hour to practice, workout for 4 hours, and cycle home. It really helped me recover, return to Gymnastics and obtain a gymnastics scholarship to college. After gymnastic I had back surgery for a herniated disc. I always kept my bike near by but it was only 6 years ago I had the opportunity to really dive into cycling. It’s been amazing and I’ve been loving this change to an endurance sport. My multiple injuries, including my knee and back, have not given me any issues. I do lots of preventative work like stretching, core strength, and icing after hard rides. A week ago I got another bike fit and I haven’t felt better on my bike! I hope to keep cycling, injury free, for many more years to come!
Unfortunately I’m a dirty runner now, but I do like to cross train on the turbo (Zwift) 2-3 times per week and it definitely does help with the cardio base!
1) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE bring back the GCN app and GCN+ videos as soon as you have funding. 2) I live in the US and bought a Black & Decker modular leaf VACUUM on Amazon. Noisy, yes, but much faster than a rake or broom. So I use it on weekdays when all the young ‘uns are at work.
Before I really start to ride a bike like 4 and 1/2 years ago, I had heart problems and I was taking medication to reduce my heart rate, because of average heart rate of around 110 while resting and now 4 and 1/2 years later I'm not on the medication anymore and during rest I have average heart rate of around 50 7:46
What eventually stops me riding is saddle sores. Decades of cycling and trying everything and still haven't found forever comfort. Sometimes I get to ride 5-6 days consecutively. Sometimes I have to take a break after just 2. We're talking 50-80km avg rides. I guess that's not the worst "health issue" to get from cycling.
It's likely not that but since you said you tried everything - have a look at Akne Inversa, it's a skin condition and what I thought of as a saddle sore problem for me ended up being that. Which ultimately only is of limited help as it's not cureable. But it helps treating it.
For sure. I started practicing yoga asanas around the same time I started cycling. Love back bends to combat the hunch-back effect that comes from long hours on the bike. I also love the pranayama as it helps me re-energize when I feel the fatigue starting to take hold.
I have several endurance-cycling chums, all used to doing 1000+ km rides against the clock, who now suffer from atrial fibrillation. All of them have been at it for well over 20 years. When I accompanied a family member to see a cardiologist years ago and he heard what my sport was, he immediately said "we'll be fitting you with a pacemaker in a year or two, then". My opinion is that it depends on the length of time you've been doing long-distance cycling; I started late and do not have Afib, although I do have hyper-excitable atria. I don't go over 200k in a day now because I'm old & decrepit. Of my chums who have/had atrial fib, one had atrial ablation which stopped it in its tracks and it hasn't returned, another has stopped cycling because of it, and yet another had unsuccessful atrial ablation several times before his wife woke up one morning to find him dead beside her.
I tore my patella tendon nearly 10 years ago after a year of big mountains, 200+km rides, etc... Funnily enough I didn't feel it til the day after a ride, when I got up in the morning and walked down the stairs. What followed was around 6 months of riding like a granny (soft pedalling, flat roads), after which I threw the kitchen sink at it - bike fitting (including foot stability), wider shoes with orthotics and neuromuscular therapy. Happy to say (knocking on wood) I haven't had a serious injury from cycling since then, and now at the age of 49 am still doing big challenging rides in the late spring/early summer (with a steady build up), but prudently taking it easier for the other 9 months of the year. I've also discovered that yoga really helps in terms of restoring flexibility after hours locked into your riding position. Lesson learned - although you can achieve way more than you intially thought on a bike (cycling being addictive - the more you achieve, the more you want to push it), everyone has limitations and you won't always know you're injuring yourself while you're doing it.
I did PBP last year and still get numbness in my toes and fingers occasionally. I had loss of feeling and strength in ring and pinky fingers after all the qualifying rides. It would go away and then return on the next ride. Turns out mine is due to myelopathy due to cervical stenosis (a herniated disc in my neck at c-4 that impinges on my spinal cord and causes radiating nerve effects. I'm not a doctor, so excuse the shorthand.). It might be helpful for endurance athletes who watch GCN to be aware of this problem as I've found it's pretty common in high-mileage cyclists. It's my understanding that if this type of thing is not caught early enough it can lead to catastrophic physical problems, but if it's treated it can be nearly eliminated as an issue. Defective discs in your spine can be replaced with synthetic discs that can return normal function and feeling. I haven't had the surgery yet but am considering it because I think it may allow me to cycle more comfortably and reduce risk if I have a crash.
thoughts on trail ambassador Joe's sweeper: First off, thanks Joe for donating your time for the betterment of trail users in your community. regarding the broom contraption, it appears to be a bodge in actually not clearing much of the debris off the trail. However, if the fact that it works so slowly and you must repeatedly ride up and down the trail--thereby avoiding chores at home--it is a brilliant procrastination hack that I fully applaud and may copy with your blessing
My daughter and I hadn’t heard the word “niggle” before, but when my daughter heard it, she said “what did he say?????” We got a good laugh on that one. She looked it up and now we’ve been saying it all morning. Thanks for yet another British word that we Americans have never heard. I was crying laughing.
I think injuries and “civilians” is an interesting subject. As a classical musician, I’m familiar with stretching and repetitive stress injuries. When I start a new activity or sport, or when I have had a break in cycling and I pick it back up, there are always some pains as I get back into it. I find that stretching doesn’t usually cut it in my late 30s, but a great full body massage with someone who specializes in musicians and athletes is key. It is a life saver, and it really is the only way UCI racers keep going on epic races. When even us mortals come close or start on that path our bodies need help as we get into it, even if we’re not putting out 340 watts in zone 2.
Injuries - so far I think I've pretty much got away with it, especially last year on my charity challenge where I did 143 miles a day for 8 days, where the only real problem was the width of my saddle (too wide) and the subsequent chafing - frequent noises were squeaked - it meant it took me 15-20 minutes to get properly 'sat' on the last day! Next year will be tougher still - 170 miles a day, 14 days. I've already had the bike fit to ensure I'm right, but still getting used to a slightly more aero / efficient position without causing neck pain. As I'm now entering my late 40's, I feel a benefit from stretching each morning (as well as rock climbing / bouldering 2 or 3 times a week) to keep a more full-body fitness.
I am 54 and been cycling since 1991. I always did SOME weight lifting and functional training. But certainly not enough. Now I have a slightly "degenerated" backbone - and just started to get it back in position with dedicated weight lifting to strengthen my back.
Thanks for the chuckles regarding Dan's Comedy Club visit. Here's a challenge. You should step out and attempt an open mic night as the comedy duo of Whir and Whirnot. That is if you don't already have nicknames.
#CaptionCompetition: We put a one wheel in, we put a one wheel out. We put a one wheel in and lift them softly up. We do the Pogi wheelie after winning Tour de France, that´s what it´s all about! (THANKS CHRISTINE!!!)
I was out from riding after doing 800 miles (Pacific Coast Bike Race in California) in 6.5 days for a year because of IT band pain in my left leg. Granted I had really bad mobility which caused a bunch of problems. I went through a bunch of physical therapy to get my mobility back to normal, but lifting weights was the thing that helped after that.
I have been having knee trouble all year, which i think originates in a long time off the bike after a bonkers 5 hour 180 km time trial September 2023. Had been feeling over trained for ages. And history seems to repeat itself now, after coming back from a week of cycling in the Pyrenees, my body seems to be drained of energy, even catching shingles. It's frustrating.
On bike servicing speed: now age 69, my eyes don't change focus like they did. Spent yesterday resetting the Tourney TX cable operated disc brakes on my just 3 years old Orbea Car-Pe bash about town bike. Cables had been snapping. Turns out the brake to frame/fork mountings have dodgy quality control. Took ages as my eyes struggle to look at pad to rotor gaps, alignment of calipers to rotor, calipers to frame, two sizes of allen key, Wera mini torque driver, cable grabbing tool. Weirdly... I didn't explode with rage! I think I'd resigned myself to dealing with dodgy quality control. Brakes now taught and functional but I've booked a free check at an excellent shop where I've spent a fair bit of money over the years. If relevant for secure braking or passing the bike on to someone else, I'll buy new brakes from them But I think the problem is the QC on the frame
I think the "random child" you've described standing on the podium with Zoe & co was the same kid who was seen on the socials climbing on her bike ahead of the women in a pro race (sorry for the vague description). From what i've heard, it was a way for the organisers to inspire the next generation, a bit like the kid who raced the peleton in the Tour of Britain a few years ago.
So brilliant seeing you give Ollie the prize for his epic achievement on Mont Grappa, his face was a sight to see. I also agree about his support team, as the supposed "tech man" Alex should have been sacked, the first puncture of the ride and he says to Ollie "I suppose I should really be repairing that" 🤣🤣
6:17 niggles? Interesting word. Also, cyclist only train 1 range of motion. Cyclist NEED to stretch and train the lower half to extend range and reduce injuries. Deep squats, pistol squat and dragon squats will massively help. Doing active and passive stretching work outs; touch those toes, and split those legs. If you are an active cyclist; you are fit enough to stretch. Dont niggle and your niggles.
Bleeding brakes is super easy, easier than messing with cable tension and pad alignment in my opinion. At least easier to get a consistent long lasting result.
Ollie's Freudian slip @ 29:11 "It's on Connor" shows how ingrained the Connor-blaming culture seems to be there at GCN. He wasn't even in the same country! I'm not sure what he's done to deserve it poor Connor. Maybe you guys should give him a break! PS Unbelievable effort Ollie!
The best moment was when you both said you have little idea about bleeding brakes, then mention something about it being maybe dangerous, or not, then remember something about some seringes, all while looking pretty uncertain about all of that. If anything, he may have been in a little danger of making a mess, spilling that brake fluid. Otherwise, definitely not more dangerous than using the proper tools. Bled brakes are bled brakes. Were working under the assumption that the cone was clean and the cut didn't leave any flakes behind.
It's no secret that many riders on a racebike get back problems. Eddy Merx was always adjusting his saddle. Later on, when he retired, he said that he had been struggling with his back a lot.
Dan Lloyd our model of consistency!! @20:08 "I feel like if I'm capable of making it, it's probably a bodge" Two minutes prior, dish towels wrapped around a handlebar, "I'm going hack".🤣
First of all, I’d just like to say how much I enjoy your shows and all the videos you all do. You all seem like you genuinely enjoy yourselves (even when you’re suffering… lol ) my friend’s son - George worked with you for a while and confirmed that you are all as lovely as you seem on the videos 🙌🏻 Anyway …. To my point …. Re the discussion about too much cycling causing injuries…. I started riding a bike again when I turned 50, after my horse was diagnosed with arthritis in his hind legs and had to go to sleep 😭I built up my fitness and was eventually able to do 60 - 100 mile rides 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 Then I hit menopause and had been struggling with menopause related health issues for about 2 years, this meant I was unable to do any real exercise. I won’t detail what the issue was …. Many male friends have asked, stating they could deal with whatever it was …but on hearing the details have backtracked and confirmed it’s too much info !!!! I finally got the issue sorted after visiting a fantastic private gynaecologist 🙌🏻 in Jan 2024. Since then, I have been able to drop 22 kilo - still k to lose 🙈 but well on my way 🎉 Anyway to the point …. I have been training and getting fitter/ faster using indoor (zwift) and outdoor rides, but then pushed it too hard on an outdoor ride, followed by helping my cousin raise the frame for her new extension. Long story short, I upset my ilio tibial band and had to take 6 weeks off - I could barely walk … even yoga was a challenge 😱. Am hoping to get back on my bike (for a gentle training session this weekend) The aim being taking part in my first TT (10 miles) in May 2025 Love you all - Keep up the fab work ☺️
This first topic is very interesting and my take is listen to your body. I've been cycling for over 40 years and three years after getting a diagnosis for leukemia (blood cancer), fortunately a more benign form of the disease, I am exercising more intensely than ever but know when to step back and take it easy for a day or two. Zoom meeting this very evening with my homebrewing mates (consuming each others beers!), studio cycling session tomorrow evening at my gym. Then I'm itching to get on the bike later in the week, once the weather clears up. Strangely, on those 'days off' I actually relax and breath easier. It's all about balance. Never felt better! Ollie's climb ride was epic BTW. Respect to him.
I have had so many injuries I won't have time to describe them all, but usually I get some kind of niggle when riding or doing some activity a while. BUT I recently completed a LEJOG in two weeks, and had zero physical issues (other than exhaustion). I put it down to the bike fit just before setting out. .
Thanks for shout out about the track pump, or lack thereof, gentleman! That just made my day. Great work once again to Ollie and to all of you at GCN! :)
How nice to see my home city of Albuquerque NM, our mountains and hot air balloons to introduce your show. By the way the best way to see the Balloon Fiesta is by bike. There many bike trials that lead to where the balloons take off. Thank you GCN!
Lost feeling in my fingers for 4 months after 330 miles in 48 hours. Felt great on the bike at the time and the injury only appeared the day after the ride ended. Medical tests were unable to determine the issue
Totally unrelated to the video, but I had a strange dream last night, which was Dan and Si acting out a cycling product advertisement as if they were Gen Z instagram influencers. We need a video to this tune!!
Feeling better physically since I started to cycle intensively, but recently developed a tight hip flexor which is quite painful while wearing socks. So, I guess there is a fine line between doing good and bad for the body.
Misread the award and thought it said "Calories Consumed: 30 Sheep"... like how Zwift counts calories burned in pizza slices. Anyway, congratulations, Ollie!
I have to say, hydraulic brakes are great for guys with unlimited money/support. Mechanical disc brakes are reasonable but for anything but the most extreme riding, a good rim v- brake is adequate. I chose to quit chasing technology a while back.
The day after I finished my 100 hour triple everest in 2017 my pinky fingers on both hands went completely numb. Tests showed I had compressed my ulnar nerves in my elbows probably because most of the climbing was done out of the saddle. It took over a year and a half before the numbness completely went away !
Hi team. My Big issue after monumental rides is CRAMP, to the point of bruising and once being hospitalised. Even after being careful and watching fuel loads for a week prior.
About 9 years ago to celebrate my 50th year I decided to do the round lake taupo 8 lap challenge here in NZ. Only 8 laps of 160km non stop; the aim was to qualify for the RAAM. I did some training a couple of years earlier when I decided on a whim to cycle from Paris to london one weekend for a party and made it unscathed. Unfortunately, my left knee medial meniscus decided that enough was enough after 30hrs in the saddle in all weathers. The double vision, neck pain and chaffing recovered but the knee remains a niggle. Still it hasn't stopped me. With RAAM off the list I took up ironman, and the niggle got me at 29km in the marathon after 180km on the bike so had to walk/jog to the end. The niggle is still there, but hey ho, it hasn't stopped me yet!! Wondering what to do to celebrate 60 now I have spondy!!! As a brit watching your channel makes me miss blighty.
I recently did a group ride for the first time with GCN, thank you. Riding along I saw one cyclist who was wrapped in a golden hue, with a bright light upon him, he was untouchable, you couldn’t get close enough to speak, each and every cyclist that tried to ride on his wheel or ride next to him was simply dropped. Who is this God of cycling I thought, this beast of an endurance rider, a non-droppable figure riding in the distance leading us ever on, a veritable symbol of humanity and humbleness. I have since found out that my thoughts were not misleading me, it was indeed that God of non-dropability, the all knowing God Nerd of Aero & Tech, the newly crowned champion of correct nutrition & drinking, a mountain eating God of endurance & leather hoden: Cycling God Dr.Oliver Bridgewood esq. (dead horse & donkey buyer). Words nearly failed me 😘 Thank you that I was allowed to follow you (albeit at a fair to middling distance)
I'm now in the grips of severe sciatica pain after attempting an uphill sprint, probably due to setting my saddle too high and not stretching properly before heading out. I won't ever say it's from "too much cycling" though...! Maybe from "suboptimal" cycling...
I’ve had a number of self-induced injuries all in the name of my cycling addiction. Since racing in the 80s and early 90s as a junior/Cat 3 hack I’ve been on-off the bike but always active running, lifting and back to riding hoping to be better on the bike. About 15yr ago I tore both calves from lifting with cramp from rides. Back on the bike full-time and getting 12k miles a year I think I overdid it last year with miles and flights… DVT and now bilateral pulmonary embolisms that will keep me off the road for a few months. Praises for blood thinners and Zwift!
After doing Lejog in 11 days … I had the worst sore head a day after finishing ! …… Some say it was due to too much celebrating afterwards… But I dunno , you never know 🤷♂️ 🤔 🍺 🍾 🍺 🍺🍺🥳😂
Slipping on ice or mud, even at very low speeds, have caused me the most health problems. Includes a broken wrist, torn MCL, weakened legs, head hitting the ground, and so on. I have made many upgrades to my ebike to reduce vibration transmission to my hands, arms, legs, and spine. Includes a suspension seatpost which also rotates a little bit, thick rubber grips wrapped in used inner tubes, and double, padded gloves. I also force myself to stay on smoother routes. I have 3 sets of tires for safety: - A soft compound summer set with super grip; - Continental Winter tires for Fall and Spring. Lots of sipes, water channels and cold-weather soft rubber compound for 12C to 0C. Not good for snow or ice, but great for crappy, wet asphalt and crushed gravel trails. - 45NTH Gravdol studded winter tires for my more powerful ebike. No worries when on ice. 4 rows of studs across the tire, so there are always multiple studs gripping the ice and slush. Deep, soft rubber tread pattern grips soft ground and mud. Recommended. I have a mobility disability and consider my ebikes to be Inline, 2-Wheeled, Pedal-Assisted, Electric Wheelchairs. 67km, using 2 batteries, has been my longest ride.
While not being a real endurance feat, I forgot my socks recently after I packed up my CAAD10 and all my gear and drove to a spot to go for a ride. And because I live in Hawaii my footwear was a pair of slippas. So, I did a little 15 mile ride around Diamond Head and local neighborhoods. Climbing in flip flops is good fun. I had a slight.... "tinge" I believe is the medical term....tinge in my right knee afterwards. But definitely worth it.
I herniated a disc after riding a lot of gravel on a bad bike fit. I wasn't looking after my core, I wasn't weight training or stretching regularly. Very scary to wake up the next day in pain and with a paralysed foot. I needed surgery and spent months off the bike. Look. After. Your. Back!
I got injured from running. I used to race marathons. I was fast, and put a lot of miles down every week. But I slipped while walking (yes!) and popped a knee ligament. Two years on, I still cant run. But I can ride a bike, and im putting down the miles and building up strength.... I still get runner envy, but I'm a bike convert.
Very sore achilles tendons after riding up 20% slopes with a fully loaded bike this summer. After a bit of rest I found lowering my saddle height cured that, though for the first time ever I've been getting lower back pain on longish rides so might have to take it up a bit.
It should be said whenever talking about the effects on the human body of extreme exercise when coming to conclusions from tests on Mark Beaumont that he is, in every sense, an N of 1.
I highly recommend wearing a Leatt 3DF Kidney Belt, which I wear on every MTB or Road/Gravel ride after suffering a herniated lumbar disk. Wearing this, I am now back to 50-80 mile road rides without coming back in pain or any reduced flexibility.
There is published evidence that long term endurance exercise is linked to atrial fibrillation, this is attributed to the nature of exercise increasing the size of the heart and thus the left atrium which causes the 'flutter' - check out the work of Andre La Gerche, Paul D. Thompson and Benjamin Levine. It also increases your CAC score (calcification) but the main takeaway is exercise reduces overall cardiovascular events but if you have been a long term endurance athlete and you feel anything untoward get it checked out immediately. BTW that paper is a pre print and hasn't been peer reviewed.
Pinched nerve in my neck which tweaked several back/shoulder blade muscles, swollen knee, then there's the crash injuries, fractured clavicle, concussion and a broken leg which required surgery. All were separate injuries. I'm 62 and really don't need any more injuries. 🤣
In response to the Hack/Bodge segment, the person with the trail broom on their bike was brilliant. Did it take care of leaves? No. Would that sweep walnuts off of the trail? Yes. Do you have walnuts in the UK? They're about the size of a cricket ball and not fun to hit on your bike. This time of year in particular they are a menace. Sweep them away sir.
Thanks!
I don’t suspect this will help me with the Caption Competition…
wow! thank you so much for your support!
I feel like you’ve returned to the “true spirit” of GCN. I don’t even know what that means but I like being a snob about it.
we take it as a compliment!
You now fully understand Gravel.
Got to love it. “Ollie’s wrist injury caused by cycling”? ….. “I believe so”….
You gents are harsh. 😊
But gentlemen at the end of the day.
29:45 I nearly cried when Ollie got his GCN award with his photo on it and numbers of his documented climb ride. That hit hard because he was just saying he knew he will never be the best cyclist in the world but he wanted to finish the ride and be known to do it. When he was receiving that hit hard! Congratulations, Ollie!
Being recognized for an achievement by your coworkers is an honor; when your achievement is recognized by coworkers who are former pro cyclists...(and you are not)...an even greater honor.
Well done Ollie, just goes to show failure is not an option when you have a positive mental attitude; being half daft is certainly a benefit.
Get a grip
Vitamin K2 helps to remove calcium from your veins and arteries and deposit it in your bones. Do some research!
This August, I was the final finisher of gbduro in 14 days +change. Plenty of mechanical issues, but no injuries. Three days back in the office and I was grumping and groaning about a sore back - not from cycling, but from my office chair. My conclusion:
37hrs in the office bad, 37hrs on the bike good!
A Zwift trainer setup with a desk, the perfect combination?
@gcn 👍#plan 😁
I'll send this comment to management, labelled as "Occupational Health advice"
When I started bike commuting I ended up with sciatic pain. Doctors quickly sent me down the path of MRI's and possible surgery. A colleague suggested piriformis syndrome. Stretching and a lot of core work fixed the problem and balanced things out. It's little scary how easy I could have ended up with a cure that made things worse.
Actually I've had the same situation! I've gotten MRI, and possible surgery, and then I started Physical therapy of core workouts and stretching, now I'm back to enjoying cycling!!
YT channel physiotutors has a video about piriformis pain. 1 % of pain cases are from piriformis syndrome you need to check 13 other places for pain causes in the pelvis and low back. My physio confirmed this.
3 month ago I was diagnosed with a herniated disc. The orthopaedist told me that was from too much cycling and I would never get on a bike again. My back is fine now but now I have piriformis syndrome as a consequence. On my bike is the only position I'm completely free of pain and any other symptoms, so I continue cycling (besides of physiotherapy).
I can relate to being on that path. I have had spondylolisthesis now which was wrongly diagnosed firstly as hamstrings, then glute tendinopathy which the docs said was due to too much cycling and would need surgery. Instead I followed Dr stuart Mcgill's approach and have been fine for years now, the back mechanic is worth a look for future proofing.
I've originally started cycling 6-7 years ago, when I was 150kg. That's also when I became a lifelong fan of GCN lol. I got under a 100 through diet and cycling (among other things), and my heart health went WAY UP. No more chest pain ever (I was never fit in my life before this), was not out of breath easily etc. Unfortunately life happened, and I had to sell my bicycle, and later I bloated out again to almost right back where I started. But my heart never went back. Yes, I was out of breath easier when not keeping up with exercise, but I've never had chest pains, I've never had to sleep on one side of my body, you name it. I'm back on a bicycle now, and even after 2 years of no exercise at all - it was so much easier to pick up where I left off previously, like I definitely didn't feel that I was starting at the beginning, even though I was as heavy as ever. And I think that's definitely due to heart health. This time I'm gonna also pick up jogging, in case I ever find myself with no money again.
Ollie looking all shy and humble... This was very classy from the GCN team and well deserved Ollie.
I'm in my 50's......I cycle 15k to work at a fancy restaurant, put in 10 000 steps a night, then cycle 15k back home. Once a week I do a 100k ride. When I compare myself to colleagues my age, I feel about 30 years younger than them......and I've been doing this since grade school. If there are drawbacks from cycling too much, I can't imagine what they are.
damn i cycle 5km to work at an unfancy restaurant i cant imagine doing 3x that amount it must take you an hour to commute??
21:10 gotta love the two brooms attached to the bike. Btw congrats to Ollie. Wolves are common in the region where I live and I love them so much, he is a lucky guy, for seeing one.
Commenting for Dan because I also just don't think to comment very often, even when I really enjoyed a video. I don't know if I'm just shy on the internet for whatever reason, or if I just assume that whatever I could think to say has already been said by at least one other person... haha and I'm so tempted to hit "cancel" instead of posting, so if you're reading this you can blame Dan for this bit of drivel even existing! Great video, guys!
Caption contest:
Operator: What do you need? (Besides a miracle)
Neo: bikes, lots of bikes
Me (at home on my computer): Hey, wait a moment, I think I downloaded the wrong Matrix... probably gonna watch it anyway
💊 🥏
I love when Si and Dan take the pish out of eachother, its GCN at its finest!
Awww we all love Ollie ❤ he did so well and it's nice when he is allowed to join the grown up presenters!!
About 10 years ago I significantly ramped up my daily mileage in order to earn bragging rights amongst my riding friends for having the most mileage for the year. I started to get a hot spot on my right foot and just ignored it attributing it to the increased time on the bike. It got to the point where I couldn't complete a 50 mile ride. I had developed a neuroma that required surgery to remove. The healing from the surgery was not successful and I developed a stump neuroma that gives me pain 24/7 and I can no longer ride clipped in with that foot. The doctors have given me less than a 50-50 chance of success for any of a number of corrective procedures with the likely outcome being worse that I am now. Don't ignore cycling pains. They may be with you for the rest of your life.
Sorry to hear that. I hope you do recover from it. In the meantime, is there some kind of work-around, like orthotics?
As someone who lives in Central Arkansas (about 2 hours from Fayetteville), I love that we have so much cycling infrastructure so close. What's cool is that Bentonville isn't the only place in Arkansas that focuses on cycling. This infrastructure includes America's longest purpose-built multi-use bridge that's part of a dedicated trail system in Little Rock.
I think you missed the point about "too much" exercise. It's endurance athletics over the course of forty to 50 years that causes AFIB and other arrythmias in endurance athletes. Our rates of AFIB are 4-5 times higher than those who do moderate exercise. So, you are correct that exercise is absolutely beneficial, but prolonged exercise over decades is actually bad for you. You aren't immune to heart problems. The heart gets inflamed by endurance exercise and if you continue to do it the heart doesn't have a chance to heal and tends to scar up. Too little exercise is bad. Too much exercise is bad. But moderate exercise over the years is just right. You have no idea what a struggle it is to have AFIB which is not curable.
When you’re young i would imagine you can do as much as you want
I developed AFIB in 2012 after about 12 years of serious cycling at age 52. I went for an Ablation in May 2013 and was absolutely successful. Not sure if it was due to my lifelong commitment to being Fit or just my genes. It did start off as PAC’s & PVC’s(Skipped Beats/Palpitations) in the late 1990’s. Picking up cycling and proper training along with nutrition helped immensely. However AFIB did rear its ugly head in 2013…… Don’t rule out an Ablation from a very reputable Electrophysiologist. I actually did mine in the UK at the Royal Brompton Hospital by the best EP available. I’m now 63YO and still riding lots along with some much younger blokes and holding my own. I have a rule to keep my cycling to max 300Kms per week and try to get good sleep and don’t do intense sessions to two(2) times per week…….Recovery is KEY for older athletes and acceptance of diminishing returns and levels and being HAPPY about that……Oh and I’ve started the last year back in the Gym 2-3 times per week keeping my strength and flexibility up……….Nice topic today gents…Keep up the great content.
With respect to Zoe Backstadt's teammates' travails at the Simac Tour, Chloe Dygart seems to have had a fall or injury in almost every major race she participated in this year. However, her injury at the Simac Tour takes the cake. Before the first TT stage, she broke her nose on the bathroom door at the hotel. She did race the TT, finished tenth, and then dropped out of the race.
Probably a bit late now, but for what it's worth, gravel riding is everything you can a do on a bike that fills the space from pure road riding all the way to technical mountain biking.
I was a high level competitive gymnast the majority of my life, competing on the national and collegiate level. At the age of 16 I had a major injury that required me to have a knee replacement. Fortunately, this is when I was introduced to cycling. My mother purchased me a road bike (Specialized Allez) to help me with my recovery. I would cycle an hour to practice, workout for 4 hours, and cycle home. It really helped me recover, return to Gymnastics and obtain a gymnastics scholarship to college. After gymnastic I had back surgery for a herniated disc. I always kept my bike near by but it was only 6 years ago I had the opportunity to really dive into cycling. It’s been amazing and I’ve been loving this change to an endurance sport. My multiple injuries, including my knee and back, have not given me any issues. I do lots of preventative work like stretching, core strength, and icing after hard rides. A week ago I got another bike fit and I haven’t felt better on my bike! I hope to keep cycling, injury free, for many more years to come!
I totally use a towel over the bars for zwifting! No need for the Velcro stuff!
Everything in moderate, three times a week on the bike is enough for me, two short and one long ride.
31:20 - did Ollie just leave without saying "love you bye"???
He did.
he totally did.
...... 😢
He doesn't love us anymore 😢
@@hotsky83 😭😭😭
I use cycling as my secondary alternative to my cardio. It's better than people think.
Unfortunately I’m a dirty runner now, but I do like to cross train on the turbo (Zwift) 2-3 times per week and it definitely does help with the cardio base!
1) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE bring back the GCN app and GCN+ videos as soon as you have funding. 2) I live in the US and bought a Black & Decker modular leaf VACUUM on Amazon. Noisy, yes, but much faster than a rake or broom. So I use it on weekdays when all the young ‘uns are at work.
Thanks for the comment. We miss the app too, but at least the documentaries are back!
Reading tip: the midlife cyclist, by Phil Cavell
Forget the stand, 19:50 Did you see the saddle tilt angle on that tt bike?!... 😵💫🥴😵
I noticed that as well. Yikes
Before I really start to ride a bike like 4 and 1/2 years ago, I had heart problems and I was taking medication to reduce my heart rate, because of average heart rate of around 110 while resting and now 4 and 1/2 years later I'm not on the medication anymore and during rest I have average heart rate of around 50 7:46
#CaptionCompetition: The peloton is just saying: "Wheely well done, Christine. Wheely well done..."
What eventually stops me riding is saddle sores. Decades of cycling and trying everything and still haven't found forever comfort. Sometimes I get to ride 5-6 days consecutively. Sometimes I have to take a break after just 2. We're talking 50-80km avg rides. I guess that's not the worst "health issue" to get from cycling.
It's likely not that but since you said you tried everything - have a look at Akne Inversa, it's a skin condition and what I thought of as a saddle sore problem for me ended up being that. Which ultimately only is of limited help as it's not cureable. But it helps treating it.
Try the 143mm Bucklos 3D Printed Saddle from China. I have yet to get a saddle sore on it, it's perfect. Saddle sores are usually saddle too wide.
I'm 68 yrs old and my yoga instructor says that "back bends" are the fountain of youth for your spine.
For sure. I started practicing yoga asanas around the same time I started cycling. Love back bends to combat the hunch-back effect that comes from long hours on the bike. I also love the pranayama as it helps me re-energize when I feel the fatigue starting to take hold.
I have several endurance-cycling chums, all used to doing 1000+ km rides against the clock, who now suffer from atrial fibrillation. All of them have been at it for well over 20 years. When I accompanied a family member to see a cardiologist years ago and he heard what my sport was, he immediately said "we'll be fitting you with a pacemaker in a year or two, then". My opinion is that it depends on the length of time you've been doing long-distance cycling; I started late and do not have Afib, although I do have hyper-excitable atria. I don't go over 200k in a day now because I'm old & decrepit.
Of my chums who have/had atrial fib, one had atrial ablation which stopped it in its tracks and it hasn't returned, another has stopped cycling because of it, and yet another had unsuccessful atrial ablation several times before his wife woke up one morning to find him dead beside her.
I tore my patella tendon nearly 10 years ago after a year of big mountains, 200+km rides, etc... Funnily enough I didn't feel it til the day after a ride, when I got up in the morning and walked down the stairs. What followed was around 6 months of riding like a granny (soft pedalling, flat roads), after which I threw the kitchen sink at it - bike fitting (including foot stability), wider shoes with orthotics and neuromuscular therapy. Happy to say (knocking on wood) I haven't had a serious injury from cycling since then, and now at the age of 49 am still doing big challenging rides in the late spring/early summer (with a steady build up), but prudently taking it easier for the other 9 months of the year. I've also discovered that yoga really helps in terms of restoring flexibility after hours locked into your riding position. Lesson learned - although you can achieve way more than you intially thought on a bike (cycling being addictive - the more you achieve, the more you want to push it), everyone has limitations and you won't always know you're injuring yourself while you're doing it.
I did PBP last year and still get numbness in my toes and fingers occasionally. I had loss of feeling and strength in ring and pinky fingers after all the qualifying rides. It would go away and then return on the next ride. Turns out mine is due to myelopathy due to cervical stenosis (a herniated disc in my neck at c-4 that impinges on my spinal cord and causes radiating nerve effects. I'm not a doctor, so excuse the shorthand.). It might be helpful for endurance athletes who watch GCN to be aware of this problem as I've found it's pretty common in high-mileage cyclists. It's my understanding that if this type of thing is not caught early enough it can lead to catastrophic physical problems, but if it's treated it can be nearly eliminated as an issue. Defective discs in your spine can be replaced with synthetic discs that can return normal function and feeling. I haven't had the surgery yet but am considering it because I think it may allow me to cycle more comfortably and reduce risk if I have a crash.
thoughts on trail ambassador Joe's sweeper: First off, thanks Joe for donating your time for the betterment of trail users in your community. regarding the broom contraption, it appears to be a bodge in actually not clearing much of the debris off the trail. However, if the fact that it works so slowly and you must repeatedly ride up and down the trail--thereby avoiding chores at home--it is a brilliant procrastination hack that I fully applaud and may copy with your blessing
My daughter and I hadn’t heard the word “niggle” before, but when my daughter heard it, she said “what did he say?????” We got a good laugh on that one. She looked it up and now we’ve been saying it all morning. Thanks for yet another British word that we Americans have never heard. I was crying laughing.
I think injuries and “civilians” is an interesting subject. As a classical musician, I’m familiar with stretching and repetitive stress injuries. When I start a new activity or sport, or when I have had a break in cycling and I pick it back up, there are always some pains as I get back into it. I find that stretching doesn’t usually cut it in my late 30s, but a great full body massage with someone who specializes in musicians and athletes is key. It is a life saver, and it really is the only way UCI racers keep going on epic races. When even us mortals come close or start on that path our bodies need help as we get into it, even if we’re not putting out 340 watts in zone 2.
Injuries - so far I think I've pretty much got away with it, especially last year on my charity challenge where I did 143 miles a day for 8 days, where the only real problem was the width of my saddle (too wide) and the subsequent chafing - frequent noises were squeaked - it meant it took me 15-20 minutes to get properly 'sat' on the last day! Next year will be tougher still - 170 miles a day, 14 days. I've already had the bike fit to ensure I'm right, but still getting used to a slightly more aero / efficient position without causing neck pain. As I'm now entering my late 40's, I feel a benefit from stretching each morning (as well as rock climbing / bouldering 2 or 3 times a week) to keep a more full-body fitness.
I am 54 and been cycling since 1991. I always did SOME weight lifting and functional training. But certainly not enough. Now I have a slightly "degenerated" backbone - and just started to get it back in position with dedicated weight lifting to strengthen my back.
Thanks for the chuckles regarding Dan's Comedy Club visit. Here's a challenge. You should step out and attempt an open mic night as the comedy duo of Whir and Whirnot. That is if you don't already have nicknames.
On the topic of "too much cycling being bad", can GCN do a deep dive into hip impingement? (FAI, Femoroacetabular impingement)
#captioncompetition: It happens to me, too. Every time I stop at the local bike shop for a new tube, all the new bikes respond, "Pick me! Pick me!"
Cycling in the Ozarks? - I can already hear the banjos!
I think Oli deserves to have his favourite bike (his pinarello) custom painted to celebrate his achievement.
i agree! 😂
#CaptionCompetition: We put a one wheel in, we put a one wheel out. We put a one wheel in and lift them softly up. We do the Pogi wheelie after winning Tour de France, that´s what it´s all about! (THANKS CHRISTINE!!!)
I was out from riding after doing 800 miles (Pacific Coast Bike Race in California) in 6.5 days for a year because of IT band pain in my left leg. Granted I had really bad mobility which caused a bunch of problems. I went through a bunch of physical therapy to get my mobility back to normal, but lifting weights was the thing that helped after that.
#captioncompetition Everyone agrees that Cristine has had a wheely good career.
good one.!
That poster is awesome!
Good job Si and Dan, massive Kudos to Ollie and what a highly laudable gesture regarding Ollie’s award. Keep up the great work.
I have been having knee trouble all year, which i think originates in a long time off the bike after a bonkers 5 hour 180 km time trial September 2023. Had been feeling over trained for ages. And history seems to repeat itself now, after coming back from a week of cycling in the Pyrenees, my body seems to be drained of energy, even catching shingles. It's frustrating.
On bike servicing speed: now age 69, my eyes don't change focus like they did. Spent yesterday resetting the Tourney TX cable operated disc brakes on my just 3 years old Orbea Car-Pe bash about town bike. Cables had been snapping. Turns out the brake to frame/fork mountings have dodgy quality control. Took ages as my eyes struggle to look at pad to rotor gaps, alignment of calipers to rotor, calipers to frame, two sizes of allen key, Wera mini torque driver, cable grabbing tool.
Weirdly... I didn't explode with rage! I think I'd resigned myself to dealing with dodgy quality control. Brakes now taught and functional but I've booked a free check at an excellent shop where I've spent a fair bit of money over the years. If relevant for secure braking or passing the bike on to someone else, I'll buy new brakes from them But I think the problem is the QC on the frame
Next week So borrows Dan leaf blower and submits a Hack / Dodge
I think the "random child" you've described standing on the podium with Zoe & co was the same kid who was seen on the socials climbing on her bike ahead of the women in a pro race (sorry for the vague description). From what i've heard, it was a way for the organisers to inspire the next generation, a bit like the kid who raced the peleton in the Tour of Britain a few years ago.
So brilliant seeing you give Ollie the prize for his epic achievement on Mont Grappa, his face was a sight to see. I also agree about his support team, as the supposed "tech man" Alex should have been sacked, the first puncture of the ride and he says to Ollie "I suppose I should really be repairing that" 🤣🤣
6:17 niggles? Interesting word.
Also, cyclist only train 1 range of motion.
Cyclist NEED to stretch and train the lower half to extend range and reduce injuries.
Deep squats, pistol squat and dragon squats will massively help.
Doing active and passive stretching work outs; touch those toes, and split those legs.
If you are an active cyclist; you are fit enough to stretch.
Dont niggle and your niggles.
Niggle, please! My daughter and I had never heard that word before. Guys, thanks for a really good laugh.
Before GCN i never commented on UA-cam videos. I started because you said it helps the channel
#CaptionCompetition A 21 wheel salute for Christine
Bleeding brakes is super easy, easier than messing with cable tension and pad alignment in my opinion. At least easier to get a consistent long lasting result.
Ollie's Freudian slip @ 29:11 "It's on Connor" shows how ingrained the Connor-blaming culture seems to be there at GCN. He wasn't even in the same country! I'm not sure what he's done to deserve it poor Connor. Maybe you guys should give him a break! PS Unbelievable effort Ollie!
The best moment was when you both said you have little idea about bleeding brakes, then mention something about it being maybe dangerous, or not, then remember something about some seringes, all while looking pretty uncertain about all of that.
If anything, he may have been in a little danger of making a mess, spilling that brake fluid.
Otherwise, definitely not more dangerous than using the proper tools. Bled brakes are bled brakes. Were working under the assumption that the cone was clean and the cut didn't leave any flakes behind.
It's no secret that many riders on a racebike get back problems. Eddy Merx was always adjusting his saddle. Later on, when he retired, he said that he had been struggling with his back a lot.
Dan Lloyd our model of consistency!!
@20:08 "I feel like if I'm capable of making it, it's probably a bodge"
Two minutes prior, dish towels wrapped around a handlebar, "I'm going hack".🤣
First of all, I’d just like to say how much I enjoy your shows and all the videos you all do. You all seem like you genuinely enjoy yourselves (even when you’re suffering… lol ) my friend’s son - George worked with you for a while and confirmed that you are all as lovely as you seem on the videos 🙌🏻
Anyway …. To my point …. Re the discussion about too much cycling causing injuries….
I started riding a bike again when I turned 50, after my horse was diagnosed with arthritis in his hind legs and had to go to sleep 😭I built up my fitness and was eventually able to do 60 - 100 mile rides 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 Then I hit menopause and had been struggling with menopause related health issues for about 2 years, this meant I was unable to do any real exercise. I won’t detail what the issue was …. Many male friends have asked, stating they could deal with whatever it was …but on hearing the details have backtracked and confirmed it’s too much info !!!! I finally got the issue sorted after visiting a fantastic private gynaecologist 🙌🏻 in Jan 2024. Since then, I have been able to drop 22 kilo - still k to lose 🙈 but well on my way 🎉
Anyway to the point …. I have been training and getting fitter/ faster using indoor (zwift) and outdoor rides, but then pushed it too hard on an outdoor ride, followed by helping my cousin raise the frame for her new extension. Long story short, I upset my ilio tibial band and had to take 6 weeks off - I could barely walk … even yoga was a challenge 😱. Am hoping to get back on my bike (for a gentle training session this weekend) The aim being taking part in my first TT (10 miles) in May 2025
Love you all - Keep up the fab work ☺️
This first topic is very interesting and my take is listen to your body. I've been cycling for over 40 years and three years after getting a diagnosis for leukemia (blood cancer), fortunately a more benign form of the disease, I am exercising more intensely than ever but know when to step back and take it easy for a day or two. Zoom meeting this very evening with my homebrewing mates (consuming each others beers!), studio cycling session tomorrow evening at my gym. Then I'm itching to get on the bike later in the week, once the weather clears up. Strangely, on those 'days off' I actually relax and breath easier. It's all about balance. Never felt better! Ollie's climb ride was epic BTW. Respect to him.
#captioncompetition you have reached cycling top tier when the peloton parts for you like the Red Sea
can't get over Si being 41... Dude looks brand new!
I have had so many injuries I won't have time to describe them all, but usually I get some kind of niggle when riding or doing some activity a while. BUT I recently completed a LEJOG in two weeks, and had zero physical issues (other than exhaustion). I put it down to the bike fit just before setting out. .
Thanks for shout out about the track pump, or lack thereof, gentleman! That just made my day. Great work once again to Ollie and to all of you at GCN! :)
#captioncompetition Christine better not be looking for a new job already. Moses might be in trouble!
How nice to see my home city of Albuquerque NM, our mountains and hot air balloons to introduce your show. By the way the best way to see the Balloon Fiesta is by bike. There many bike trials that lead to where the balloons take off. Thank you GCN!
Lost feeling in my fingers for 4 months after 330 miles in 48 hours. Felt great on the bike at the time and the injury only appeared the day after the ride ended. Medical tests were unable to determine the issue
#caption competition: ‘thanks ladies that was wheelie nice of you’
Totally unrelated to the video, but I had a strange dream last night, which was Dan and Si acting out a cycling product advertisement as if they were Gen Z instagram influencers. We need a video to this tune!!
Feeling better physically since I started to cycle intensively, but recently developed a tight hip flexor which is quite painful while wearing socks. So, I guess there is a fine line between doing good and bad for the body.
Caption Competition: Navigating the chaos; parting the sea of wheels!
Misread the award and thought it said "Calories Consumed: 30 Sheep"... like how Zwift counts calories burned in pizza slices. Anyway, congratulations, Ollie!
As a 7000 km per year road cyclist who hovers between 220 and 250 lbs of personal weight, I permanently injured nerves in my urethra.
Too much cardio can give you a big heart and heart problems later in life. Very known among cross country skiers.
I have to say, hydraulic brakes are great for guys with unlimited money/support. Mechanical disc brakes are reasonable but for anything but the most extreme riding, a good rim v- brake is adequate. I chose to quit chasing technology a while back.
16:20 I remember Ollie did some swimming too, even while cycling.
The day after I finished my 100 hour triple everest in 2017 my pinky fingers on both hands went completely numb. Tests showed I had compressed my ulnar nerves in my elbows probably because most of the climbing was done out of the saddle. It took over a year and a half before the numbness completely went away !
Hi team. My Big issue after monumental rides is CRAMP, to the point of bruising and once being hospitalised. Even after being careful and watching fuel loads for a week prior.
About 9 years ago to celebrate my 50th year I decided to do the round lake taupo 8 lap challenge here in NZ. Only 8 laps of 160km non stop; the aim was to qualify for the RAAM. I did some training a couple of years earlier when I decided on a whim to cycle from Paris to london one weekend for a party and made it unscathed. Unfortunately, my left knee medial meniscus decided that enough was enough after 30hrs in the saddle in all weathers. The double vision, neck pain and chaffing recovered but the knee remains a niggle. Still it hasn't stopped me. With RAAM off the list I took up ironman, and the niggle got me at 29km in the marathon after 180km on the bike so had to walk/jog to the end. The niggle is still there, but hey ho, it hasn't stopped me yet!! Wondering what to do to celebrate 60 now I have spondy!!! As a brit watching your channel makes me miss blighty.
I recently did a group ride for the first time with GCN, thank you. Riding along I saw one cyclist who was wrapped in a golden hue, with a bright light upon him, he was untouchable, you couldn’t get close enough to speak, each and every cyclist that tried to ride on his wheel or ride next to him was simply dropped. Who is this God of cycling I thought, this beast of an endurance rider, a non-droppable figure riding in the distance leading us ever on, a veritable symbol of humanity and humbleness. I have since found out that my thoughts were not misleading me, it was indeed that God of non-dropability, the all knowing God Nerd of Aero & Tech, the newly crowned champion of correct nutrition & drinking, a mountain eating God of endurance & leather hoden: Cycling God Dr.Oliver Bridgewood esq. (dead horse & donkey buyer). Words nearly failed me 😘 Thank you that I was allowed to follow you (albeit at a fair to middling distance)
I'm now in the grips of severe sciatica pain after attempting an uphill sprint, probably due to setting my saddle too high and not stretching properly before heading out. I won't ever say it's from "too much cycling" though...! Maybe from "suboptimal" cycling...
#captioncompetition: "Christine Majerus, the Moses of Cycling".
I’ve had a number of self-induced injuries all in the name of my cycling addiction. Since racing in the 80s and early 90s as a junior/Cat 3 hack I’ve been on-off the bike but always active running, lifting and back to riding hoping to be better on the bike. About 15yr ago I tore both calves from lifting with cramp from rides. Back on the bike full-time and getting 12k miles a year I think I overdid it last year with miles and flights… DVT and now bilateral pulmonary embolisms that will keep me off the road for a few months. Praises for blood thinners and Zwift!
#captioncompetition: "Wow, I doubted this Phospholipid Bike Layer would be hydrophobic, but it really Worx!" (ask Ollie😊)
Have you had any health-related problems happen after an epic endurance ride? 🧐
After doing Lejog in 11 days … I had the worst sore head a day after finishing ! …… Some say it was due to too much celebrating afterwards… But I dunno , you never know 🤷♂️ 🤔
🍺 🍾 🍺 🍺🍺🥳😂
"Accute tired-initis" - everything is tired, and everything hurts...
Slipping on ice or mud, even at very low speeds, have caused me the most health problems. Includes a broken wrist, torn MCL, weakened legs, head hitting the ground, and so on.
I have made many upgrades to my ebike to reduce vibration transmission to my hands, arms, legs, and spine. Includes a suspension seatpost which also rotates a little bit, thick rubber grips wrapped in used inner tubes, and double, padded gloves.
I also force myself to stay on smoother routes.
I have 3 sets of tires for safety:
- A soft compound summer set with super grip;
- Continental Winter tires for Fall and Spring. Lots of sipes, water channels and cold-weather soft rubber compound for 12C to 0C. Not good for snow or ice, but great for crappy, wet asphalt and crushed gravel trails.
- 45NTH Gravdol studded winter tires for my more powerful ebike. No worries when on ice. 4 rows of studs across the tire, so there are always multiple studs gripping the ice and slush. Deep, soft rubber tread pattern grips soft ground and mud. Recommended.
I have a mobility disability and consider my ebikes to be Inline, 2-Wheeled, Pedal-Assisted, Electric Wheelchairs. 67km, using 2 batteries, has been my longest ride.
My "fellas" went numb during a century once. It was a bit bewildering. I got off my saddle quickly and stayed off until things felt more normal.
While not being a real endurance feat, I forgot my socks recently after I packed up my CAAD10 and all my gear and drove to a spot to go for a ride. And because I live in Hawaii my footwear was a pair of slippas. So, I did a little 15 mile ride around Diamond Head and local neighborhoods. Climbing in flip flops is good fun. I had a slight.... "tinge" I believe is the medical term....tinge in my right knee afterwards. But definitely worth it.
You should do a video with Blummenfelt and Pogačar! "The best triathlete against the best cyclist!"
I herniated a disc after riding a lot of gravel on a bad bike fit. I wasn't looking after my core, I wasn't weight training or stretching regularly. Very scary to wake up the next day in pain and with a paralysed foot. I needed surgery and spent months off the bike. Look. After. Your. Back!
I got injured from running. I used to race marathons. I was fast, and put a lot of miles down every week. But I slipped while walking (yes!) and popped a knee ligament. Two years on, I still cant run. But I can ride a bike, and im putting down the miles and building up strength.... I still get runner envy, but I'm a bike convert.
Thank you for sharing your story; we hope you recover soon and gradually get back to doing what you love. But hey, don't forget about the bicycle!
Very sore achilles tendons after riding up 20% slopes with a fully loaded bike this summer. After a bit of rest I found lowering my saddle height cured that, though for the first time ever I've been getting lower back pain on longish rides so might have to take it up a bit.
It should be said whenever talking about the effects on the human body of extreme exercise when coming to conclusions from tests on Mark Beaumont that he is, in every sense, an N of 1.
#Captioncompetition Christine Majerus is a wheelie big deal!
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I can relate to Dan’s internal chuckling!
I highly recommend wearing a Leatt 3DF Kidney Belt, which I wear on every MTB or Road/Gravel ride after suffering a herniated lumbar disk. Wearing this, I am now back to 50-80 mile road rides without coming back in pain or any reduced flexibility.
There is published evidence that long term endurance exercise is linked to atrial fibrillation, this is attributed to the nature of exercise increasing the size of the heart and thus the left atrium which causes the 'flutter' - check out the work of Andre La Gerche, Paul D. Thompson and Benjamin Levine. It also increases your CAC score (calcification) but the main takeaway is exercise reduces overall cardiovascular events but if you have been a long term endurance athlete and you feel anything untoward get it checked out immediately. BTW that paper is a pre print and hasn't been peer reviewed.
Pinched nerve in my neck which tweaked several back/shoulder blade muscles, swollen knee, then there's the crash injuries, fractured clavicle, concussion and a broken leg which required surgery. All were separate injuries. I'm 62 and really don't need any more injuries. 🤣
In response to the Hack/Bodge segment, the person with the trail broom on their bike was brilliant. Did it take care of leaves? No. Would that sweep walnuts off of the trail? Yes. Do you have walnuts in the UK? They're about the size of a cricket ball and not fun to hit on your bike. This time of year in particular they are a menace. Sweep them away sir.