New here checking it all out while injured :-(

[MRS HORSEPOWER]

New here....great forum......I love bikes all kinds I used to bmx race in the 80's then got into long distance running in high school, raced 1 Mountain bike race, played volleyball in my 20's had just bought a rode bike at 34 and was thinking about road racing then we built our house... we were doing landscaping and I picked up rock that was waaay to heavy and it resulted in 2 torn disc's L4 -L5 S1 pain was aweful...had Epidural steriod injections after PT did nothing and that worked great, My Back doc said sell the road bike & stop running if you want to walk when your old ..ok super bummed now!!! I kept my core stong and the pain was at bay so I started BMX racing Last May at the age of 37..I Crashed really hard at the Grands thanksgiving weekend(biggest race of the year) I now am going in for a MRI tomorrow for a Hip muscle tear of some sort, after watching my video my left leg didnt un-clip soon enough and twisted my back and hip pretty good. heres the video ..Im the one that leads into the first turn in the blue and white, lucky me he was laying fresh water down to keep dust down and my front tire slid out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0S_53AuGTw&feature=channel_page

So Now tomorrow I will see how bad my injury is and decide what to do from there I can't imagine not riding my bike.. I have been told that Mountain Bike racing might be a better choice for me as crashes happen alot less..so Here I am peeking around trying to figure out what to do next :-/

-Tina :-)

[Trek420]

Welcome to TE.

Why does the back doc say to sell the road bike :confused: I'd say crashes happen a lot less often on a road bike than with BMX or MTB (as long as cars are not involved :rolleyes:)

[Zen]

That looks like fun. I'd try it if i could have the track to myself:o

[MRS HORSEPOWER]

well I added a reply to this days ago..I'll try again..Yes My Back doc said that Leaning over on a road bike would be bad for My discs..So I sold a brand new road bike :-(
Had My MRI on my hip yesterday the dye injection part sucked, Just waiting for a call on the results..hurts like crazy today from being stabbed...lol

[jobob]

ow! Back probs suck! :(

In theory, some road bikes could be set up with fairly high bars so you don't lean over so much.

Check out the kind with a "quill" stem, which can be raised reasonably high. Some manufacturers, like Rivendell, make bikes that take quill stems.

Wishing you the best of luck.

[Biciclista]

get well soon and welcome to TE.

I ride a road bike and i'm pretty upright (at age 57) i notice that road bike riders fall a whole lot less than MTB riders, so considering your history, that might be the way to go.
And you might get a second opinion from another doctor!

[arielmoon]

Hi and welcome! Sorry about your injury! I am on injured reserve too.

Welcome to TE.

Why does the back doc say to sell the road bike :confused: I'd say crashes happen a lot less often on a road bike than with BMX or MTB (as long as cars are not involved :rolleyes:)

or dogs!

[pfunk12]

Hi Tina,

Can you get a second opinion about your back or is your disc issue cut and dry? The reason that I ask is because I've been dealing with various back issues for a few years. I have a stress fracture in my L5 and last year I was diagnosed with spondylilothesis (disc slippage) and spinal stenosis. I was a competitive distance runner for years but due to the discomfort I was feeling (mostly after running), I had to give it up. I started cycling and my chiropractor thinks that the cycling is actually good for my back because I am leaning over (flexion) but any kind of back extension is bad for me. I realize that we are dealing with different back issues but I agree with Bicyclista that maybe you should get a second opinion.

Hope everything works out for you :)

Patty

[NbyNW]

Welcome to TE, Mrs. H!

Wishing you the best in your healing journey . . .

I fractured my S1-S2 a few years ago and I still have some minor soreness/range of motion in my lower back and right hip. I think road cycling has been really great for maintaining strength, flexibility and ROM after I was discharged from PT.

If leaning over is a problem, perhaps a recumbent bike may be a solution for you. There are a few people on this board who ride them -- they are beautiful bikes!

[Tuckervill]

I have had those two specific disks repaired twice, and no one ever said don't do anything I don't want to do. Riding a bike has not been a problem. I would guess that the doctor who told you that was not a cyclist. I'd get a second opinion from a sports doc or PT, and make sure it's someone who knows something about cycling.

I think as long as you have good core strength and you don't overdo anything (sounds like you are the "go-with-gusto" type--so learn your limits), there's nothing automatic about not being able to ride a road bike with a disk problem.

Welcome to TE!

Karen

[MRS HORSEPOWER]

Thanks for all the warm welcomes!!!
Well I just got the call from the doc that The MRI on my Hip is normal and that If I choose They could scope it because not all MRI's pick everything up. So I called My back Doctor to ask If it could be back related Hip pain and they said yes, And I should get another MRI on my back.. So Now I'm waiting for a call from my regular doctor as she has to do a referral for my Back doctor. My back doctor does TaeKwonDo herself so you would think that she would have a sports minded approach :-/
OK So after I sold my road Bike I bought a comfort bike, That worked well,But I felt the urge for something better so Then I bought a Trek 7.5 FX http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/75_FX_wsd_07.jpg,
I put a ton of Mileage on that bike had no back problems...Is it possable to put ROAD bars on this bike? or would geometry be all wrong?

Then they built a BMX track in my town and I felt the call to comeback...lol...But I think you guys are right That Road is where I need to head back too, as BMX Is killing me..lol
heres a few pics from my year back: Me beating a 17 year who is District #1 (in bmx beating young people is huge they are in there prime from 14-20)
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/elkhornmemanualing-1.jpg
airing it out
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/statefinbmx.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/FSCN1495.jpg
2 first MN. Nats
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/DSCN1375.jpg

So I'm sure I will have a ton of Questions for you guys in the future :D
Thanks again!!
Tina

[smilingcat]

Welcome to TE web site. First of all, please get yourself put back together. Injuries are no fun.

Now that you mention about questions?? sure I have a question :D :D I see lots of kids on BMX bikes and their seat is literally pointing straight up. What's up with that??

I'm a strict roadie no cyclocross nor mtn bike so I'm really ignorant about lots of things. the seat pointing straight up is one thing I'm totally confused. Why not just wrap some foam around the top of the seat tube with duct tape??

smilingcat

[NbyNW]

Wow, awesome pictures! You look so happy and proud . . . never say never again -- hope you get some good news from your docs!

I can imagine how hard it is to say goodbye to a sport that you have really loved and excelled at. (I've only been mediocre at everything I've tried:rolleyes:)

I've found that as I've aged and had to deal with injuries and change my activities and sports, there are always new and exciting things to learn and explore. So here's hoping that you can get the pain under control and discover new things that give you the same fulfillment you had with BMX!

[mtbdarby]

Welcome Tina!

I hope they figure out the source of the pain and you're on the mend soon. So where in WI are you?

I got a little confused between your selling your road bike and the mri, then the comfort bike and all the miles now the Trek? Guess it doesn't matter just get better soon and be kind to your body.

[MRS HORSEPOWER]

Thanks for all the comments Its helping alot...Its nice seeing so many strong women in one place!....I will never quit even though everyone I know says I should. They don't "get it".....I absoulutly love BMX and the feeling after doing well, and the people are so nice.

BMX Seats Straight up, Thats a Freestyle BMX thing and I seriously have no idea WHY?...We slam our seats down because we tuck over jumps I actually buzzed my butt in this pic..lol
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/mrshorseplay/Elkornstatequal182.jpg

MTBDARBY: Im in Waukesha, where are you?
As far as the bike thing goes, I HAD a road Bike when I hurt my back and my doc suggested to stop riding it, so I bought a comfort bike so I could at least ride something, then I started feeling good and Bought The hybrid put a ton of miles on it Started BMX racing and here I am re-injured.

I will do whatever it takes to get better but Like I said before I may need to rethink a new "form" of riding..lol

[mtbdarby]

Tina - I'm in Wausau in the center of the state. I know we have some TE'ers down by you. SJCzar is pretty close and she's quite the athlete.

[MRS HORSEPOWER]

TE's...Ok I'm a newb whats that? :confused:..lol

Yes, Wausau thats the Rib Mountain area correct.

A Guy and son On my Team Race the WORS series, do you do that?

[wildeny]

TE's...Ok I'm a newb whats that? :confused:..lol

It's Team Estorgen. I'm also a newbie. ;)

Thanks for showing your photos. I couldn't do that. Look very exciting.

I wish you can recover soon.

As for putting the drop bars in your Trek 7.5 FX , of course you can do that. It will be more like a touring bike, though. Check this Giant CRX 1, which has a a compact-geometry frame

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/_generated/_generated_tw/bikes/models/images/225/2008/Crx1-White.jpg

[mtbdarby]

TE's...Ok I'm a newb whats that? :confused:..lol

Yes, Wausau thats the Rib Mountain area correct.

A Guy and son On my Team Race the WORS series, do you do that?

That's right. Sorry, I'm more of a WEMS person when I mountain bike (endurance). Madisongirl on here races WORS. If you come up for a race make sure to email me so I can come meet you and cheer you/your friends on!

[MRS HORSEPOWER]

OK, Cool..I stared at The Letters TE for awhile too....lol ..I should have figured it out..duh!

Wildeny: Thanks for answering my Bar?.

MTBDARBY: whats the difference between endurance and WORS type racing, I assume its longer races?
I know My BMX team mates do MTB, Road, Cyclocross, and track. He was hit by a semi while riding on the road and was suppose to have his leg amputated but fought to keep and now hes just a awesome person I look up too, his attitude is amazing heres a link to his blog: http://teamvelo.blogspot.com/

[mtbdarby]

Tina - yes, WEMS are longer mountain bike races usually 3, 6 or 12 hour events (and some can be done as teams). It's a loop that varies in distance and difficulty that you ride for the time alloted. While it operates on a point system for the series, there aren't classes or levels based on ability. Here is their website: http://www.wemseries.com/.

WORS are mountain bike sprints and done individually. They also run on a point system but riders are in a class based on ability, much like road races I believe. The event is a shorter loop than WEMS and only 1 or two laps are done (I think - I know they added some distance to some events in the past years). Here's the website: http://www.wors.org/news/.

I have been to both events but only ridden in WEMS races so I may be biased. In my opinion (please don't shoot me if you disagree!) WORS events are much more competitive and aggressive with a lot of testosterone flying around. WEMS are more laid back, family oriented (kind of festival like atmosphere). Both have great athletes and the competition is tough, just very different atmospheres.

The two courses up here are completely different as well. Nine Mile in Rib Mountain (Big Ring Classis WORS, and 24 hr of Nine Mile WEMS) is fast with lots of single track compared to the Underdown in Merrill (Thunderdown in the Underdown WEMS) which was once motorcross trails. They have been working hard out there adding trails so they're softer and much more difficult with steeper hills and swampy moist soil. Again, in my opinion, the Underdown is much more challanging and hard core mtbers tend to prefer it while racers at heart would probably prefer Nine Mile.

Hope that helps.

[MRS HORSEPOWER]

Cool, Thanks for the breakdown!
Shoot you heck no!!
I appreciate all this info, I will take as much as I can get, I know nothing about how races breakdown for MTB and Road so Im soaking it all in.
Thanks