Thanks @spicer

Both my consultant and physio are over the moon with the straightness of my leg so working hard to keep it that way, apparently it can regress a bit as muscle use increases.

Yes, hamstring graft – my physio is wonderful/evil depending on how you look at it. :D She got me lifting my heel from day three (which was both impossible and painful at the same time) but the improvement has been really positive.

I can do bridges quite easily now, in fact the only challenge there is the stitches in the front of my knee are still quite sore when stretched so have to do them with a bit more leg extension than I’d like. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still *uber* weak, but getting there slowly.

Did you/are you using muscle stimulation? That’s been pretty good for me, bought a Compex unit and exercise with it every other day. Quad focus one day, everything else the following day.

My next ‘major’ goal is to get on the turbo again, I found that really good for both mobility and swelling last year (PCL in other leg but thankfully no surgery that time), can’t quite bend my leg enough just yet. Nearly there though.

Thanks for the tips, I’ve been doing most of those to keep me sane but you have the odd ‘meh’ day as I’m sure you know.

Good luck too, be on the bike again before you know it.

Your post comes at a good time for me, I’m now three weeks and one day post surgery and in a bit of a no mans land mentally – good to hear your progress.

I managed to get my leg straight in week two, can bend in slightly more than ninety degrees now. Still a bit of tension in there so not pushing it too hard. Regular daily ROM exercises are helping massively.

Still got a bit of swelling but not too bad considering the timeframe. Morning post-op knee is 0.5cm bigger than non-op knee.

I can walk with approx 90-95% of normal gait, it’s coming on well but not for too long, gets sore if I walk too far so still using crutches to take some of load off if I need to go any distance.

Like you I was expecting worse, it all seems ‘ok’ so far. No real pain apart from the initial exercises on the hamstring, and that dulled after a day or two. That said, because it’s not that bad I am struggling mentally as I can’t do anything so keeping meeting up with/talking to people whenever I can.

Same as @JonEdwards above, collar bone lasered by Brian Simpson many years ago. Distal fracture, healed very quickly (I’m a type one diabetic and healing is not my strong point…), snake oil or not it worked for me.

Yes, got one a while ago. Mainly to use for note taking at work and replace an old Kindle.

It’s OK, rarely use the note taking now but it worked when I did. There weren’t any particularly useful syncing abilities when I last looked (for me anyway), not sure if they have changed now.

As a reading device it’s too big and heavy (imho).

If I started again I’d probably buy a Remarkable or something similar and another bog standard Kindle. Only reason I got the Scribe was the offer on at the time (cost approx £300 including case vs £600 for a Remarkable and a new Kindle).

Sounds like a very similar conversation – I figured that the reconstruction would give me the extra support for the minor things. I also agreed that it won’t stop the same happening again, but if it did then the reconstruction would take some of the load and leave the remaining ligaments etc less likely to fail too.

Pencilled in for 6th August, privately. So another three-four weeks of prehab (done ten days so far) then hopefully fixed.

@downhiller – you’re almost identical to me, albeit I don’t have the meniscus damage, ‘just’ a fractured tibial plateau… I was offered both surgical and non-surgical options, also with a ‘either will work’ approach.

I also am not bothered by the riding bit, it’s awkward ground, running off road, climbing too. Those are the bits that I was bothered about. My main driver for the repair was that if I did the same again without the repair, the damage would likely be catastrophic, so that’s why I chose the reconstruction option.

Thanks @spicer – appointment on Tuesday to book in the op, lesser of two evils as I like to run offroad and climb too, so worth it long term I think.

Keep us updated, good to hear you’re recovering well. I’ll add to the thread in a few weeks with any luck!

And @spicer, good to hear your recovery is going well. I’ve decided to book mine in asap.

@susepic oh I probably wouldn’t, just being pessimistic. :D

I’m about to make the surgery or not decision myself – full rupture a few weeks ago. Already into the prehab exercises and coming on well.

Trying to decide whether to go for the Internal Brace or not bother with surgery at all. It’s not particularly unstable even with my quad not firing particularly well yet, and my main worry is going through a ‘normal’ graft procedure and then rupturing it again after nine months of hard work!

Absolutely yes, just about recovered from a PCL rupture a year ago only to rupture the ACL on my other leg this weekend. Very unhappy.

I used to have Code RSC’s, liked them although always had a bit of pad drag. Now got Hayes, they’re like the RSC’s but more of everything. Including pad drag, squealing and maintenance. Great when they’re not making odd noises. Just like the RSC’s were.

If it’s any consolation the LCL was the quickest of my tears to heal, very gentle turbo’ing after the initial pain subsided seemed to work really well. (I ruptured PCL and tore ACL, MCL and LCL about a year ago).

I use Argo’s between about October and March’ish, Kryptotal Fr both ends for spring/summer. Great tyres.

@chrismac production is very limited, mainly due to the lugs – they’re hand finished so many hours goes into each set (16 I think) before they’re ready for use.

Lead time was 18 weeks a couple of weeks ago.

I’ve got an 8 Black sitting in the cupboard somewhere, couple of batteries and a few other bits and bobs. PM if interested and I’ll dig it out. Only used it a few times since new.

I’ve got an RS Super Deluxe coil with WPS piston on my AM9 and an Ohlins TTX on my AM170.

Both feel great, would buy either again.

@muddyjames it shows 129cm on the ‘controller’, plus whatever desktop thickness you have (mine is set at 105cm, measures 107cm from the floor with a 2cm desktop).

I bought one of these a little while ago and despite having a 34″ widescreen monitor and small PC desktop on it it hardly moves at all. Impressed with it so far.

https://flexispot.co.uk/next-generation-standing-desk-e7-pro

I also use the Omnipod and I would struggle to go back to a cabled pump now, it’s pretty good. I also had the same concern as you OP but for me at least it’s a benefit rather than an issue (no disconnecting for a shower for one). Not sure if it’s still the case but Omnipod used to offer a 90 day trial with no tie-in, could be worth a go to cement your feelings about it (if still available).

Slightly OT (sorry OP) but @svensvenson if you’re happy to run open source stuff I’m pretty sure you can go closed loop with what you have. (Assuming you have the ‘cgm’ upgraded L2). I ran mine on AAPS (Android) for a couple of years, now running on Loop (iOS). Takes a lot (but not all) of the normal T1 mental strain away.

I’m a serial tinkerer with suspension and could never get Fox setup how I liked, despite going to J-Tech a couple of times.

I’ve gone Ohlins on my new bike and so far I have no complaints, seems to work really well for me, and I’m yet to muck around with any settings – admittedly I’m not riding particularly hard considering the sloppiness in the woods around here but the feel is exactly what I like.

For comparison my last fork was a custom tuned (shim stack and piston) Mezzer Pro which I really liked and the Ohlins are quite similar.

For me I’d choose Fox as my last choice so if you like the way Fox feel I’d probably stick with them.

I’ve been running Kryptotal DH on my new bike and they’re pretty draggy and *feel* heavy when pedalling in sloppy/muddy conditions, whereas in summer they were fine. Unless I’m riding uplift then the endurance/soft seem a good compromise if you need to pedal. Have two Argotals on order to get me through winter.

@asbrooks polar opposite of me, I’ve got a 33 inseam. :)

You’d be surprised, it’s such a good all round bike, easily my favourite over 20+ years of riding. I test rode the Aether 9 too and didn’t really like it, felt too long in comparison with the AM9. Horses for courses I suppose.

Good luck in your search, worth holding out for.

I’m *really* hoping that Bird release a shorter travel version of the new AM, would buy that in a heartbeat.

Similar to rockthreegozy I have an ML V3, I’m bang on 5’10 and run a 180mm OneUp, and if anything it’s a little too short, a 200mm would be perfect.

I seem to recall I test rode a V2 and bought a V3, the V3 does seem a little beefier than the bike I test rode, but over time I’ve also contributed to that (Mezzer Pro, SDU Coil and so on).I ran mine at 160mm and found it OK, upped it to 170mm for an Alps trip and tbh didn’t feel a lot different.

I’ve started pushing the boundaries of it a little bit so NBD on the horizon (tomorrow), going to swap the frame out for a more trail oriented build soon.

@Duggan I’ve got an original Neo too, no creaks on mine at all.

CRC are doing the Neo 2 Special Edition for £649 at the moment, bargain at that price. (Ordered one on Sunday, delivered Monday).

I recently tested both as I wanted something a little bigger than my AM9 for uplift/park riding.

For me, the Mega felt like a better race bike – seemed more planted, less poppy/playful but more direct. The Giga was an absolute hoot to ride, was really fun. Not quite as planted as the Mega but not quite as muted either. Of the two I’d have gone for the Giga if I wanted a play bike, Mega for a race bike.

As a comparison, my AM9 is setup fairly stoutly with an RS Super Deluxe Coil and Mezzer Pro fork, it’s not the springiest of bikes and takes a bit of effort to get in the air, the Giga took much less effort to move around, the Mega about the same.

Not ridden an Aeris 9 but based on mine would imagine it slots between the Mega and Giga.

I’m going the other way, currently got a v3 AM9 which has been my only bike since 2020. Doing more uplift and big mountain riding now so getting a 170mm for big days out and 130mm for local stuff.

It’s a little out of its depth on the big stuff and a little overkill for xc type duties, but as a one bike for all it’s probably the best I’ve had.

<edit> oh and I wouldn’t expect to get more than a couple of hundred for my frame now, they’re not worth a lot secondhand but a whole lot of bike for the money..

If it’s in stock in the UK, buy it here.

Most of the stuff I just bought (a week ago) wasn’t, so bought from Bike-Discount. Order was circa £420, just been charged £111 (handling charge, import duty and VAT).

Ended up about the same price as the UK.

@benpinnick any option of frame only at some point (as in, no shock at all)? Have an AM9 that needs an upgrade soon.

I found my X2 to be the most ‘coil like’ air shock, ergo linear and not that poppy, but I am on the lighter side so maybe the rebound was a little slow (73kg in riding gear).

For me RS Super Deluxe probably the easiest to source and maybe a bit easier to tune to the way you want it.

An FYI re the OmniPod – if you’re using an Android phone and willing to do a little legwork you don’t have to carry the extra controller around with you. If you build AAPS (https://androidaps.readthedocs.io/en/latest/) you can run it as a pump control only, so no closed loop, just ‘normal’.

After initial reservations I like the Omnipod, would struggle to go back to tubed now tbh, just need some of the competitors to release their tubeless pumps to bring a bit more innovation out.

I opted for the 2021 Factory 36 on my AM9. I’m completely underwhelmed and wished I’d not spent the cash.

They felt pretty much dead out of the box, did a lower leg service and added oil (there was a little in there, but not much) and removed grease (there was loads in there) and it was a little better but still hugely overdamped on the rebound circuit.

They’ve just had a visit to J-Tech and they modified the dampers for me. They’re approaching something usable after another couple of hundred pounds, but still not that good. I’m not willing to spend any more though!

I’d avoid and modify what you’ve got, suspect you’ll get more bang for buck and something that suits your own riding style a bit better.

Thanks swdan, received with thanks. :)

Missed the OP – but I’m similar to superman3000 above, and your experience shows a similar trend Clubby.

I’ve tried many strategies over the years and settled somewhere in the middle. If I’m out in the morning I’ll tend to run a slightly higher temporary basal and not have breakfast but start fuelling immediately. The carbs get covered by the basal and I can fuel 30g/h ish without much BG deviation.

When I did low carb I ran the same but dropped basal even further with very little carb intake, I soon got tired when did four or five rides a week though. If you get to that point could you split your basal so you could manage the earlier half of the day differently, ie up it slightly so you can take on fuel?

superman3000 – I suffer the same in the evening, an hour on Zwift and I’m left in a heap. I’ve got to the point where I stop basal 2h before, and assuming ok bg at start add a few dextro in mid ride. Bolus a unit and back to normal basal 15 mins before the end and I’m somewhere near OK. Much harder than riding in the morning though!

I missed the OP last week but at your weight I would avoid the Grip2 VVC – I’ve got a 2021 36 Factory and the rebound is far too slow, and I weigh 68kg without gear. I’ve serviced the lowers and removed the big blob of grease and it’s a little better, but the damper needs some work at my weight. I fell for the expensive marketing, bit gutted really.

scotroutes – I’m using an i5 based Intel NUC, about three years old. Works fine and is bolted to the back of the monitor on the VESA mount.

I got mine a couple of months ago. The two high modes look the same, but the low mode does dim a little. Battery life is awful though so possible it might be a bit duff too.

I started on Omnipod during the first lockdown, all virtual. Went well, it’s a simple system to get to grips with.

Re the remote, I balanced the fact that if my tubed pump got damaged I may have no insulin at all, versus if the controller got damaged I would only be sacrificing bolus delivery. It’s not a completely seamless integration, it’s a bit clunky (eg it sometimes takes a couple of attempts at reconnecting if I’ve been away from it for a while), but it generally works OK. YMMV depending on what annoys you.

The pods themselves work pretty well for me, it’s allowed me to use my arms (which I have never done, in 39 years of T1), but equally they can be a bit bulky when sitting down if you wear them around your back.

If I could integrate with my phone it would be much better, but I’m guessing there’s a reason they don’t do that. Maybe something to do with Horizon being on the horizon, so to speak.

My CCG said I could do a 90 day trial without committing.

You may not need to insure it either (I never have, even for the tubed pumps) as the handset is ‘only’ £250. The cost is in the pods, or at least that’s what I was told.

Happy to answer any questions/queries on anything specific.

I’ve got the same model, drilled 16mm holes into concrete for a ground anchor – no problems at all. Great bit of kit.

Might be worth calling the Motor Insurers Bureau, they provide an untraced service for hit and runs. Don’t know whether they could help in this situation but they would know the process to follow and might be able to advise.