Part timer in a bike shop, that counts right?

I really enjoy it, it’s opened my eyes too!

What are “pain clinics”? I’ve seen signs for them in hospitals. Does that mean there is pain so bad that can’t be dealt with by painkillers or an operation?

Pretty much. Seems to be where you’re referred if you haven’t improved with “conventional” pain management techniques.

They can offer different drugs which deal with a different type of pain (things like progabalin), as well as things like injections of anaesthetic, acupuncture and counseling or so the leaflet they gave me said!

Get a magnetic one, with variable resistance. Don’t need anything too fancy. Spend and extra money on a Sufferfest video, or a fan!

I’ve stood waiting for water to boil in a pan (having come out of a boiling kettle) for 10 minutes once…hadn’t turned it on at the mains…

It would depend on the sort of pain – for the sort of pain you suggested I’d guess a physiotherapist, probably via a GP would be the way to go if it was me.

I am aware of pain clinics ran by specialist anaesthetists, I was referred to one but didn’t find it useful – but that was a combination of finding the particular doctor unhelpful, probably not giving it enough of a chance and being a bit of an awkward case to begin with. But if other things had failed then I guess that’d be where I’d want referring to…

I’m not familiar with SFBT. I can see CBT being useful in chronic pain cases, although again…I suspect it depends very much on the individual and the type of pain they are experiencing.

I haven’t had any information, other than the official postal voting bits and bobs. I could probably do some research into who is standing, but if they’re not making any effort to tell me about them then I’m not sure I want to vote.

Even if they did they’d have to say something special to get me to cast my vote, I’m sure I should, but I just don’t care…

That’s looking a lot better WCA! 🙂 How are you doing now?

Presumably the training you do over winter is going to heavily depend on what you’re training for, the amount of time you have, and the amount of winter riding gear you have!

I’m officially off the bike at the moment, but am trying to do 2-3 structured turbo sessions a week, I don’t foresee me having enough commitment to really keep it up, but when I can I’ll get back outside and just ride my bike! If I emerge into the spring with any fitness I’ll be happy…

Glad to see you’re on the mend WCA, looks like an horrific injury – hope you’re recovery ends with the best case scenario! (Although SPD attachments would be cool, doctors don’t seem to like the idea of amputating painful limbs and replacing them with something superior! 😉 )

No fruit. Don’t do it!

Aw bless. Hope it turns up!

I had to tell a young girl and her parents that we probably couldn’t get the bike she wanted in time for her birthday. There were tears. I felt so bad about it, despite there being no more I could do!

Thanks Mary – yes, that was a terribly odd experience! Glad it helped you – really hope it does the job for me too, surgeon reckoned it was 50:50!

Cheers CG. It’s certainly dragged on, had to fight for treatment (previous consultant dismissed it) so there was a bit of a wait! Tractors! 😛

Apparently half an hour of video watching isn’t good for an iPhone battery.

Thanks though – feeling better already!

I’ve got a half decent crash story…

Hope all is well and WCA makes a swift recovery!

How big is (was) it?

That was still pretty impressive! Hope it’s not put you off trying something similar again!

What did you do guys do to keep mobility in shoulder etc.?
I’ve just had surgery on my (not broken) elbow. Moving my arm around is rather painful but I can feel my shoulder stiffening up already so don’t know what to do!

All in the training I suppose!

If I ride to work (just over a 1 mile) then I do that in a t-shirt and jeans (my “workwear”).

Happily do mountain biking in normal clothes too, although not for racing, and do wear “proper” biking gear for that sometimes too! Although it’s been a *long* time since I’ve done any proper riding!

Always wear conventional cycling gear for road riding though, I guess it’s more comfortable and convenient when out on the bike for a while!

Always terrible to hear about a big crash, and any injuries. That sounds particularly horrific – best wishes for a speedy recovery! Hope his family + friends are all OK too…

Always do when I can – problems come with part time people (like me!) not being in on the relevant day to phone, and then other people forgetting/not seeing the message to do it on your behalf!

If you can have a go on the pinnacle first, and it’s comfortable then go for it.

Women specific bikes tend to have thinner tubing, and so are lighter, but also have a shorter top tube for the same height (due to the typical build of women). So if you don’t fit in to the “long legs/short torso” category, then there’s no point going for a women’s specific bike.

FWIW I ride a Trek Lexa (not much ‘cos I’m not supposed to be riding a bike yet!), it’s a world away from the slightly too big for me blokes road bike I was riding before!

I’m shore it was an innocent mistake.

I’ve just bought some Onken Vanilla yoghurt. Haven’t actually tried any yet but there doesn’t seem to be anything not to like…

Recent chemistry graduate here….and I’ve got no idea. I’m gonna say brown though.

Sitting in the garden in the sunshine, I need more sun in my life! (whilst enjoying the fact that ‘cos it’s September it’s not ridiculously hot!)

BODMAS/BIDMAS was drummed into us for far too many years at school. Far more than a lot of the basic grammar rules if I remember rightly (that makes me sound really old, school wasn’t all that long ago!).

Probably doesn’t help but one of the professors at Nottingham (where I’ve just graduated from) had a degree in something related to marine studies. Ended up going into chemistry/chemical engineering and is subsequently making a lot of money as he has his own business (with another of the academics) along with being a chemistry professor all to do with green stuff.

So I guess you can always diversify.

Good luck anyway! 🙂

It’s threads like this that remind me why I like STW! 😛

FWIW I enjoyed that episode, not quite so much of a complicated back story going on, so you could concentrate on “being scared” of the daleks.

Although if souffle girl is going to be the new assistant then I’m sure things are going to start getting a bit weird, and attention will have to be paid to follow the story!

I had NHS physio after my injury last year. Can’t prove it but I’ve convinced myself that they’re the reason I need to have surgery in a few weeks time.

Hoping to somehow afford private physio this time as I don’t want the same to happen again.

As I say, nothing proven, and even if it was proven I suspect on the whole, NHS physio is alright if you don’t mind perhaps a longer wait, and probably less convenient appointment times!

Other than occasionally missing segments ‘cos the GPS drops so I get a point to point reading that isn’t where really went, it’s been OK for me!

I don’t know but I have 3 of them (all current!)

Sorry, I’m a bit late to the party 😛

I’ve had some fun on a bike on campus at uni, either to liven up the ride to lectures or if I didn’t fancy riding too far to get a fun ride!

Hope you get on alright. Look forward to hearing from you when you get back! 🙂

Doesn’t really help you but I remember when I used to have a paper round there was one dog who’s owner was happy for it to wander the street – I had to stop to deliver 1 paper (to their house) and then I used to frequently have to pedal for my life and then rapidly dismount and jump over the next persons wall to avoid being bitten by the bloody thing.

I love dogs, it really upsets/annoys me when owners let their dogs do things that like. One of ours is a bit nuts, and doesn’t always come back straight away when called if he gets distracted but I know he’s safe to be let of the lead because he doesn’t aggression and always runs away from things instead ‘cos he’s a wimp.

Our other dog is normally fine but has bitten my dad once (it was his own fault for trying to steal his food!), but we’re always a little bit more careful with him around people or other dogs when we’re out just in case.

As far as repelling dogs when you’re out on your bike – either pedal faster or dismount and hope for the best I think might be your best shot!

Trek 7 and 7000 series all have a 23″ frame I believe, and I think the Spec Crosstrail comes in a big size too.

Both big enough to make me look twice when I see them in the shop ‘cos I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t even be able to reach the pedals! 😛

I won’t use the phone when in the car, except to check a text (and therefore stop my phone bleeping all the time) if I’m stopped at traffic lights.

One of my friends (who perhaps isn’t the best driver anyway), doesn’t seem to care and will happily text while driving. If he does it when I’m in the car with him I tell him not too, and I make my objections known if he ever texts me while he’s driving (and it’s obvious he has done so – i.e. “I’ll be there in 15 minutes, I’m just getting off the motorway”).

To me whether or not other things are just as bad, and yes lots of things are, using a phone is illegal and the other things aren’t. I won’t do lots of the other things either because I like to consider myself reasonably safe but driving whilst using a phone is illegal and therefore whether or not you “can” do it shouldn’t make a difference.

This Thread Is Useless Without Kittens.

^^ 😛

I think it depends exactly what you’re using it for. As I understand it it gives extra support during exercise if applied correctly so can reduce pain during activity etc.

I’ve used some, although not in entirely the intended manner – my physio suggested I use it to keep my hand pointing in the right direction!

I know a fair few people that use it in various places for running and cycling amongst other things – seems to work for everyone I know that uses it 🙂

I’d suggest different grips/gloves/both or try altering the angle of the bars if you’ve got risers as that should get you to change your hand position.