need your expert advise again

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Good points from everyone!

We are all different and we all have our particular fortes and fears.

For myself, I am most comfortable on highways and in town on the streets. I have ridden once in a while on 'bike paths' and find them very scary! People walking, dogs, strollers and kids all every which way....I'll take the street traffic any day, thanks!

I know Crankin's problems have nothing to do with her getting better as she rides more....that gal has ridden a GAZILLION miles under all kinds of conditions!
She's little but she's tough. She gives her fears the respect they deserve, yet she doesn't let them take over her life. And the fact that no one who rode with her would ever guess she has any fears or balance issues says a lot I think.
I have my own demons while riding my bike too- don't we all? And I guess if one has no demons or fears- then I'd be afraid of that in itself!

[Triskeliongirl]

I only know what I know the hard way, from having so much damn trouble finding a bike that fit, which for me was a custom bike friday. After it was stolen, I was prepared to go purchase a carbon fiber racing bike, and the more bikes I rode the more I realized what a big problem I had. So, I had to learn about bike geometry to solve the problem (granted my brain likes techie things too).

I analysed the geometries of the bikes that worked for me in the past, and those that didn't. I noticed the ones that worked all had slack STAs, short top tubes, small front wheels, and a medium amount of trail. So, I scoured the published geometries of all the bikes out there, and that was why I ended up going back to terry (I had a classic before buying my custom bike friday), this time for a titanium isis. I too am not that short, 5 ft 4.5", and I have this problem. I didn't even trust a custom frame builder to get it, what if I ordered a custom bike and hated it? I only ordered the terry cuz they gave me a 30 day return guarantee and I've never looked back. Then I loved it so much I picked up a steel isis on ebay for a song, and had a framebuilder install s/s couplers to solve my travel problem.

Maybe someday I'll let Margo build me a bike. I think its so great she is now an active member of TE. I think she gets it too, judging by how happy Lisa is with her bike, and it would be great if I could have 650 c wheels, but right now I am putting 2 kids through college, and I LOVE MY TERRY BIKES, even with their funny small front wheels! And to be honest, if I got another bike it would to go superlight and sleek, i.e. carbon, and I think Margo only works in steel. So, my terry isis bikes are probably it, but I love them so much I really don't get bike lust all that much anymore. Sure, I like how the modern bikes LOOK, but I know they won't work for my body.

[RolliePollie]

Very interesting thread! I'm glad I read it...like Crankin and Zen, I have balance issues in general. Last year I had to go to PT for an ankle injury and the therapist told me I have about the worst balance of any patient he's ever treated

A lot of my problem is in my head though. I can't stand up to pedal and at this point, I know it's only because I'm scared as I can easily do it on the trainer. Same with stopping...I have developed quite a complex about it. So I try to either avoid stopping whenever possible, or I'll look for a very slight side slope to the right so my left foot will be closer to the ground when I stop. Luckily there aren't any intersections with stop lights around here...just stop signs, and I run them whenever possible

Just like Crankin, most people probably don't notice me compensating for these things. But I know my balance and coordination issues are not getting better and I don't think it has anything to do with my bike's fit. I'm still somewhat of a newbie with just two seasons under my belt, but I've ridden 6,000 miles in those two seasons so I should be doing better on the basics. I think some people (i.e. me) are just uncoordinated by nature and can't do much about it.

I have never had a professional fit and I didn't get to test ride a WSD Madone in my size before I bought my new bike. But I am extremely comfortable on the new bike and I'm not having any pain issues. It feels SO much better than my old bike, which was too small and cramped. I'm all for changing things out if it makes a difference. If road handlebars were not comfortable for me, I'd change them. Why not try different things and find what works best!

[OakLeaf]

I think some people (i.e. me) are just uncoordinated by nature and can't do much about it.

Well some people are uncoordinated by nature, but balance comes from muscles and nerves, and it CAN be improved the same way strength and cardio fitness can be improved: by working on it in a focused way. I hope your PT gave you plenty of balance exercises and that you HAVE been able and continue to work on it!

This doesn't have a whole lot to do with this thread... but I always make sure to incorporate balance drills into my aerobics classes at least once a week. Start with your basic one-legged drills, with a handhold if necessary (google "senior fitness" or "fall prevention") and work up from there... I don't know if I'll ever be able to do squats standing on a stability ball as I've seen people do, but it certainly is a goal!

Balance is only beginning to be recognized in fitness culture. So often people neglect it until their lack of balance is actually life-threatening to them (which is why there's so much about it in senior fitness circles). I just read that Americans are the only people who sit down to put on our shoes! Once I read that I stopped doing it, for sure.

[Crankin]

OK, I'm breaking my statement with another post. Yes, balance can be improved. If mine hadn't improved, I wouldn't be doing what I am doing now. But it's still pretty awful compared to most people. In the course of my PT for other things, she did give me balance things to do, and I also did them with a trainer a few years go. I continue to do them at home. Yoga has helped, too.
This just brings up lots of bad childhood memories. I can't play any sport that requires eye hand coordination and I was always picked last for teams. Then, when I was 15, I flunked the physical fitness test which was basically balance and eye hand stuff, they put me in "flab lab." Nice name, huh? Especially since I weighed about 90 pounds. But, this is where I discovered that I was good at endurance activities because they had us run and do calisthenics instead of stupid basketball shots. Of course, I aced the running "test" which got me out of the class and then promptly flunked the skills test again, that had put me in remedial gym to begin with! My former gym teachers are rolling in their graves, because I doubt they could ever think I was an aerobics instructor and a ride leader.
I can put my shoes on standing up, but it's not easy...
PS. Thanks for the kind words, Lisa. I am pretty tough now, mostly because of cycling!