Very useful advice there, ASC, thanks. I even went off to google ''grid roller''You may need a programme of stretching. After decades where my main exercise has been cycling (and often up big hills in too high a gear), I was starting to get pain in both knees and in the tissues around my right hip joint.
GP - "It's the start of arthritis. You're in your 60s. Do less and take painkillers".
Physio - "Cobblers. You have chronically tight calves, quads and right IT band. That is pulling your kneecaps into the joints. Do these specific stretches, every day, and get a Grid roller or similar and use it."
I found an immediate reduction in discomfort and after eight weeks am pedalling in a more relaxed stroke with a bit more seated power. But it takes me half an hour to go through them and it will be the work of months to undo all the various imbalances. Then the difficulty, as with everything the physio tells me, will be to carry on doing them - less often - after I'm mended.
It really curls me up when people say “It hurts when I climb hills on my bicycle.” This indicates they cannot carry a 25lb back pack up some flights of stairs.
The gear on a bike dictates the ‘rise’ per ‘step’.
When you do all the maths, a 1:1 ratio on a 700C wheel bike has a development of 2 metres. On a 10% hill, upward movement will be 200 mm per wheel AND crank rev. On a 20% hill, upward movement will be 200 mm for every pedal stroke ( Half a crank rev ).
A bike with a 32 ring and 32 sprocket will climb a 20% hill with the same effort as carrying a 25lb package up a flight of stairs.
A bike with a 52 inch gear will ride up a 10% with similar effort.
When a cyclist can get a 23lb bike with 2lb of kit up a 10% hill on a 52” gear, that’s when he’s starting to become good.
Starley's Rover safety bike was 25lb, and had a 52" single gear, and I've seen these ridden up a 10% by some mediocre owners of vintage bicycles.
Very useful advice there, ASC, thanks. I even went off to google ''grid roller''
Ha, I'm not moaning it hurts when I go up hills as such, just wondering if it could be how my bike is set up, not taking enough fluids etc.
I'm only new, I just jumped on the bike pretty much and started riding! Hopefully it will ease off as I get fitter.