Posts by Andrew Wells58

Layering is probably your best bet—that way you can just peel off a layer or add one whenever you feel like it.

When autumn and winter roll around, you're definitely going to want some good gloves.

It might be worth investing in some high-quality all-season tires with puncture protection.

And maybe carry a small hand pump in your backpack.

I honestly think we could turn this entire thread into a full episode of some drama series based on the idea that blood is thicker than water.😁

Edward Long2 said:The price is actually pretty good considering how thick the build is and the quality of the parts. Honestly, just the fork alone is worth that much, even if I ended up tossing the frame in the trash...

In the worst-case scenario, I can just use the spare parts for a buddy of mine who picked up a bum Specialized Rockhopper 5, so we could probably patch it up together...

Maybe just turn the frame into a barstool 🙂

If I'm understanding you right, your stool would actually have its own suspension 😁

velvetmoose9 said:It's a tough reality, but a hip fracture combined with advanced age is one of the most common drivers of disability. You end up dealing with serious complications like infections—mostly pneumonia or UTIs—and various blood clot issues that, unfortunately, can be fatal even when the doctors follow every single standard protocol perfectly.

The fact that she's 85—even if she’s surprisingly healthy for her age, which is pretty impressive—really bumps up the risks associated with any kind of general anesthesia.

A standard pre-op workup usually involves basic blood work, a quick stethoscope check, and an EKG.
An echocardiogram isn't actually part of a routine pre-surgical screening.

And honestly, a hip fracture isn't always caught immediately upon arrival at the hospital, even with a top-tier clinical exam and X-rays. In older patients, it sometimes doesn't even show up clearly until about ten days later.

If the medical board decides the surgical risk is just too high or the chances of a successful recovery aren't there, there's a very strong possibility they won't move forward with surgery at all.

Looking at the whole picture, in either scenario, the odds of your mom walking again are unfortunately pretty slim. 😢

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

My mom (85) broke her hip on Monday morning, so it’s been about 60 hours now. The hospital actually missed the fracture for the first 30 hours after she was admitted. Now, we’ve been waiting about 24 hours for a cardiologist to weigh in on whether she’s even cleared for surgery, given her heart issues. From what I can tell, the evaluation was pretty basic—just a stethoscope, nothing like an ultrasound or anything more intensive. I have this nagging feeling they might just tell us tomorrow that her heart is too weak and call it quits.

Based on what I’ve gathered, if she doesn't get the surgery for the broken hip, the chances of her ever standing on her own two feet again are basically zero, and she'll probably be in constant pain every time she moves. Am I reading this situation correctly?

Does it make any sense to go out and seek a second opinion right now? If so, how and where should we look, and is there a specific window of time after the break where surgery still makes sense?

Sean Gray24 said:Hey there,

I have a quick question. How long do you think it would take me to get to work if I used a decent road bike? The route is 14 miles. The roads are in pretty good shape—it’s basically out in the countryside, so there aren't any traffic lights or anything like that. There's just one slightly larger hill, but otherwise, it's mostly flat or very gentle inclines. I wouldn't be riding it like a casual tourist; I'd just go as fast as my legs could handle...

Do you think hitting it in 40 minutes at a really fast pace is doable?

Well, since tomorrow is Saturday, maybe you should just hop on the bike and time yourself instead of asking us to guess based on a coffee stain and your avatar.😉

I'll be looking for an update here tomorrow!

Lisa Evans3 said:I've been training daily for about a year now—following a structured split where I rotate through chest, back, biceps, triceps, and so on. About a week ago, I started feeling this pain near my left elbow—I suspect it's the tendon connecting the triceps to the elbow. It was manageable while I was working, but now I can't even manage a single push-up; the moment I descend halfway, the pain just cuts right through. I've been icing the area five or six times a day to cope. Has anyone dealt with something similar? If you have, please let me know what the move is—I'm honestly worried that once I recover, I won't be able to handle my usual intensity again, which would be a total disaster, haha. Any advice on how to speed up the healing process would be greatly appreciated. 🙂

Do you think your issues with push-ups have anything to do with your leg?

(check the thread title)

Look, I’m definitely no expert, but I dealt with being significantly overweight myself, so here are a few thoughts from my experience.

If you ask me, the top priority for anyone struggling with weight should be finding some kind of regular, sustainable physical activity. You really have to focus on minimizing injuries so there's actually a decent chance you can stick with it long-term. For me, I started out walking, and then moved on to cycling. Both worked pretty well because they didn't take up much extra time—I just built them into my daily routine, like my commute to work or running errands.

In general, it seems like the idea of "recreation" has shifted lately. It feels less about actual health and more about how you look. I don't mind if someone cares about aesthetics, I guess, as long as they don't push that onto others who might have much more important priorities to focus on.

For instance, my hips bother me enough that most of the stuff people obsess over at the local Planet Fitness doesn't really matter to me. Instead, I care about my resting heart rate, my blood pressure, and if I could find a way to accurately measure my VO2 max (I know there's that treadmill walk test, but from what I gather, it's a bit hit-or-miss).

For me, combining those activities—walking first, then biking—with some dietary changes totally fixed my blood pressure. I went from 155/105 down to 125/75, and my resting heart rate dropped from the 90s down to the low 60s. I couldn't track my VO2 max specifically, but I did undergo a cardiac stress test at the clinic. I don't know the exact numbers, but since my cardiologist mentioned I had the stamina of a lumberjack, I assume it wasn't too bad.😁 It all turned out to be something I could actually maintain, and I didn't deal with any major injuries along the way.

I'm not saying this is a magic formula for everyone. The right mix depends entirely on the individual, I suppose. But it's probably best to start with the right goals.

I think there’s some kind of helicopter tape out there that’s supposedly unbeatable if you actually get the real deal instead of some cheap knockoff, though I haven't had a chance to try it myself yet. I probably have some links bookmarked somewhere, but I'm just on my phone right now.

Michael Phillips8 said:I'm thinking about upgrading my commuter setup this fall. Since I'll be riding through what feels like the rainiest city in the country, I'm curious what you all think about fenders. Does it make any sense to pick up something like this:


Or should I just bite the bullet and pay for some "real" fenders?

Save your money for the high-end fenders. Either find a pair at a garage sale from an old pro, or just buy a whole vintage bike, strip the fenders off, and sell the rest for a profit.😬

jadetiger962 said:Miramarska is actually great, I don't get what the big deal is. You basically own the whole lane when you're passing through the underpass, and besides, nobody can really get around you there anyway. You just pick up speed going downhill. 🙂

No, it's more like once I get some momentum, it's hard for me to dodge the car right in front of me in the underpass😉

I guess I'm just unstoppable once I start rolling down those hills!

Just head past MIT, take that little underpass beneath the railroad tracks, pass by where the old wetlands used to be toward the botanical gardens, then go by the science building until you hit the theater, and you're there.

An alternative would be going through Miramarska, but I guess that's a bit stressful, at least for me.

But you'd end up hitting Savska near the outskirts.

Jeffrey Garcia11 said:Yeah, they did, but I don't think it was all that effective...

I usually take Savska over to Chicago Avenue (well, by car since the sidewalks are buried in snow), then near Vjesnik I hop onto a nice bike path and ride to the first left turn. From there, I end up right by the engineering and philosophy buildings and just head straight toward MIT. There’s hardly any traffic, and you get a bike path almost the whole way, except for that little stretch on Savska. It's actually a pretty quick trip.

If they don't fix the Liberty Bridge soon, I might try taking the bike path along Slavonska and then over the Brooklyn Bridge. As long as that part through Slavonska stays clear, I'll be fine.

By the way, there was a huge difference between the east and west sides on the Liberty Bridge. The east side was a total mess—and I'm talking about back in December, not right now 🙂 . The stretch from Central Park to the museum was cleared relatively well, so you could at least get through.

Jeffrey Garcia11 said:The main avenue is totally snowed in. I think the only way through is using the pedestrian path on the Brooklyn Bridge given this weather. My daily commute is usually from Kaiserica over to MIT, so 🙂

Back during that last snowstorm in December, I remember the bike lane on Liberty Bridge was cleared pretty well, maybe just a tiny bit left if I recall correctly. But right now? Nothing at all.

Once you cross the Brooklyn Bridge, which way do you head to get to MIT?

Anyway, does anyone know if there's a bridge in Chicago that's actually okay for cyclists? I checked the Liberty Bridge tonight and it was still totally blocked off. Does anyone know how things are looking over at the Youth Bridge or the Brooklyn Bridge?

Bryan Evans77 said:Jeffrey Garcia11 mentioned he’s got two sets of wheels👍

I put mine on back in early December, and I'm thinking about taking them off toward the end of February.

When the roads are dry, they have a slightly larger circumference, which causes this light rattling sensation, kind of like a small stream. They vibrate a little bit, too. So, I guess you have to stop more often just to let off some steam. Otherwise, it's smooth sailing.

Jeffrey Garcia11 said:Man, is it just me, or is it freezing out there? On my usual route where I normally run into at least ten cyclists, I only saw two this Morning. I didn't check the thermometer, but I think that might have been the coldest stretch I've ever ridden. Maybe it's just because I skipped breakfast, though... :/



// From SGS2 & TapaTalk2
caplja

Morning was definitely the coldest one yet. But honestly, I'm seeing more and more cyclists every single day—even some girls out riding too!

It feels like way more people are out this year compared to last.

cosmicscout9 said:I actually have my own ads posted on the forum, by the way...

If you've already got a sketch, I bet there's definitely something that can be put together from it.

I don't have a sketch to show you, but this is what the pros actually look like:

If you're looking to upgrade your home workshop, checking out Park Tool’s selection of repair stands is probably a smart move. They have a pretty wide range, from basic setups to more heavy-duty options. I guess if you're serious about working on your bike, having a solid stand makes everything a lot easier and more precise. It might be worth browsing through to see which one fits your space and budget.
If you're looking to upgrade your mobile workshop, check out these portable repair stands over at Park Tool. I was browsing their catalog recently, and they have a pretty solid lineup if you need to fix things on the go. Whether you're working out of a garage in Chicago or just setting up a quick station at a local park, having a reliable stand makes a huge difference. It’s probably worth looking into if you want to stop wrestling with your bike while trying to tighten a bolt.
I was browsing through Park Tool’s catalog earlier and stumbled upon their selection of bottom bracket tools and mounts. It’s a pretty solid lineup if you're looking to get serious about your home workshop setup. I guess it might be overkill for someone just doing basic maintenance, but for anyone tackling deep repairs, having the right specialized gear makes a huge difference. It seems like a reliable way to ensure everything stays aligned during a build. Might be worth a look if you're tired of struggling with improvised tools.
If you're looking to upgrade your home workshop, you might want to check out Park Tool's lineup of repair stands. They have a pretty solid variety depending on what kind of work you're doing. I guess if you're just doing basic maintenance, some of the lighter models might do the trick, but if you're diving into heavy repairs, you probably want something more heavy-duty. It’s worth browsing through to see which one fits your space and your budget. Maybe it'll save you some headaches down the road.

And here are a few different ways to go about it:

I found this guide on how to build your own bike stands at home. It looks like a pretty solid DIY project if you’re tired of tripping over your gear in the garage. I guess it might be worth a shot for anyone looking to save a few bucks instead of heading down to a place like REI to pick up something expensive. Maybe it's worth checking out if you have some scrap wood lying around.

I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to bike repair, but man, that valve you made looks really sharp. I guess maybe you could consider adding a bike repair stand to your product line too?

frozengardener8 said:Man, at least you don't have to worry about it. You could just hop on eBay and order whatever stickers you want. I actually used decals to hide some scratches on my scooter plastic once. I just sent a guy $6.75 via Zelle, and he mailed me eight different stickers I picked out right to my door. If I can track down his info, I'll send it over; he's a solid guy and pretty fast, too.

Maybe drop the link here? A few of us might be interested. Or you can just DM me on eBay.