Just had some letters in the post!!

Pre Op assessment : 26th May.

Operation : 23rd June.

“Shit” as they say is getting real !!

This was part of the reason I left the RAF in the end. from 2017 to 2020 I was based at RAF Brize Norton and my family were living up in the midlands as we had managed to get the children settled into a school up there to concentrate on GCSE’s without the worry of having to move again, so too far to commute each day.

I ended up being a weekend dad which was pretty crap as I feel like I’ve missed a good chunk of seeing lads grow up.

It was good when I joined in 1998 but the novelty soon wore off. Everyone is different though.

good luck for the future renton, and all you other blokes with heart issues.
i wish you all a good outcome.

Thats excellent news Ton.

Thanks for the kind words too, I will keep everyone updated on progress etc. Currently booked in for a CAT scan on Thursday where they are going to inject some dye into my veins to look for any other issues.

How has the mechanical valve caused your TIA/Strokes

Because I wouldn’t need the blood thinners with a biological valve.

Sorry to hear this @jamj1974

I was just trying to get some context on how long you’ve had your valve for and how the INR testing has gone. I’ve read some people or fine but other struggle to get consistent readings and that levels are all over the place.

I’ve opted for a mechanical valve which the surgeon said was the right thing to do due to my age. I really don’t fancy more than one OHS either.

Had a letter through yesterday for a CAT scan, I think they are going to pump a dye into my veins and look for any other issues before pre op.

I have had several TIA’s and a stroke since having my valve replaced with a mechanical one. Despite my very disciplined approach to taking my meds – my INR isn’t that stable and that’s part of the cause. If I had the choice again I would have an animal valve or one of my own valves from the femoral artery.

My agreement to the surgeons preference for a mechanical valve is one of my biggest regrets.

@jamj1974 Not what I wanted to hear !!!

A few questions….

What mechanical valve do you have
Do you do your own INR monitoring
How has the mechanical valve caused your TIA/Strokes

Hi all.

Hope you are all doing as well as you can.

I’ve seen my surgeon last month and he has provisionally booked me in for my open heart surgery at the end of May. It came as a bit of a shock as I was expecting a 4-6 month wait but after all is said and done it’s better to get it sorted.

After being told initially I had to stop exercise the surgeon has had a rethink and has now said I can ride my bike but try and keep my heart rate down.

Did my first ride today after a couple of months off the bike and it was absolutely amazing. 23 miles but nice and flat so steady away.

@ton good luck with your procedure mate.

great that you’re allowed back on bike renton, you must be kicking yourself about selling the carbon Levo..

It is great. It does suck about the expert and I was quite annoyed when the surgeon back tracked on what he had said in the first instance. It is what it is though.

Bizarrely I feel more relaxed riding the alloy one as I was always worried about crashing the carbon and damaging the frame.

I’m nearly the same weight as you Ton and have had a few ebikes over the past year or so.

Had a Whyte E150 and that was a solid bike however the rear suspension wasn’t very plush. Would definitely consider an E160 or E180. There is an E180 for sale on Facebook for 3750. 2021 model.

I also had an Orbea Wild FS. The XL was quite small even for me at just over six foot. It was also quite flexy at the rear end.

Also had a new Gen3 levo expert that was absolutely amazing. Sold it on advise of my heart surgeon (who has now changed his mind about the amount of exercise I can do)

Now have a gen3 Levo comp alloy in size S5 and couldn’t be happier. It actually feels a bit more rigid down the length of the bike compared to the carbon expert.

700 battery gives me about 25 miles over winter on trail mode.

Focus have just released a new jam or Sam that is rated for heavier riders too.

Some that I still listen to:

Faith no more – Angel Dust
Senseless things – First of too many
Sugar – Copper Blue
KLF
Leftfield
Anything by EMF

A recent one that I think was overlooked but is a truly brilliant album:

Editors – In Dream.

Shameless plug but Ive got a set of CERO AR30 disc wheels fitted with 28c conti tyres for sale.

Sapim cx ray spokes and 1400 grams.

https://www.cycledivision.co.uk/cero-ar30-disc-alloy-clincher-wheelset

They cost me just over £500 with all the adaptors and tyres. Only done one ride then Ive sold my bike.

Looking for £350 ono.

Any good to you?

Cheers all.

Short notice appointment with the consultant on Monday so fingers crossed get an idea of the surgery date and start making some plans.

Removing the health side of things, which sucks, probably not what you want to hear but I honestly think unless you get a very lucky break, you won’t even get close to £8k for it.

There are Pro’s selling for less than that. I sold mine a few months ago for a decent amount less & that’s when they were like vapourware with zero availability. I’m fortunate enough not to pay close to retail, but it only ‘just’ covered it’s cost.

For a grand extra, you can go and get a brand new on 0%, for a few hundred quid a month, which opens up a massive market vs someone with £8k burning a hole in their pocket. Which, if they have, someone one like Berkshire Cycles will do them a deal on a new on for similar.

It might change your outlook on keep or sell, but you might need to adjust your expectations if you want it gone. £6-6.5k is more realistic based on what I have seen them going for (and experienced).

Just sold it for £8k.

Still not sure it was the right thing to do but the new owner seems very happy with it.

Fair point Hob nob about the 0%.

The bike is currently £9250 from spesh and I think stock is still scarce so I thought at 8k with the remainder of the warranty was a good buy for a bike just under 4 months old.

I’ve contacted spesh. Had a bit of a confusing reply back saying that they can’t extend the warranty but that the motor has five years anyway ?? Not seen that written anywhere before ? So may go back and check again.

At the end of the day the bike is brilliant. I’ve done more mileage on this than any if the other ebikea I’ve had. I really do like riding it so if it won’t sell for 8k it’s going in the loft.

Thanks all

Good to catch up with you earlier @ruddy

@natrix Interesting you say about having children checked. Both of mine have got a couple of the symptoms of Marfan syndrome which is linked to the bi cuspid valve so we are definitely going to get the checked.

Yep got a Garmin. Never looked at it so much !

Chief… As well as a bicuspid aortic valve I also have an enlarged aortic root which isn’t far off the max measurements for having an aneurysm.

It’s not only the raising of the heart rate from exercise but also manhandling the bike down a track etc. Not allowed to do any pushing or pulling or lifting etc

Also got to get my blood pressure down.

If the aortic root pops I’ve got a 50/50 chance of surviving depending on where I am.

If I stop all exercise now and have an op the risk is a kit lower around 1%-2%

I did tell him it was ebike but he just reiterated wha the said “no exercise that will raise your heart rate”.

Cheers superficial. Appreciate that.

Some more context:

The bicuspid valve is regurgitating quite a lot and as such I’m always tired and have recently started to get a lot of swelling in my lower legs.

My ascending aorta is now at 5.2mm which is about the intervention point.

The surgeon I spoke with yesterday is the hospital’s leading heart surgeon and wouod the person carrying out the operation. It’s him that has said to not do anything that will raisey blood pressure or heart rate. So pulling and pushing or riding and running. I’ve got to try and keepy heart rate below 115 and blood pressure as low as possible.

I know it’s for the best long term but it’s still a kicker hearing that I can’t ride until I’m fully recovered.

yeah sorry, the other Renton!

Haha no worries !! I did wonder :)

This reminds me of Renton’s colonised by **** rant

Ermmmm… What??

Just to catch up on this thread.

I’ve sent off all the information I had about my whereabouts and the condition of my car showing it hadn’t been crashed to my insurance who passed it on to their fraud department.

They have going back to the solicitor of the people making the claim denying liability and have asked them now to prove evidence it was me and my car. They have strangely gone quiet despite pushing hard for me to accept liability early on.

Also, not sure how much difference it makes but the people making the claim actually sold the car I was meant to have hit in October last year. So why are they making a claim in December?

They all seem to have their foibles too.

This is so true, many people complain about the wandering bite point on the Shimano. Ive never had it occur on 5 different sets of brakes.

I just want fit and forget. If I went Magura I would eventually update to their rotors too.

Ive got SRAM code RS and whilst they are ok Ive gone through 2 sets of pads in 200 miles and they have gone spongy.

Whilst reading up on this it mentions sticky pistons and how to exercise them to free them up. Dont ask me how but Ive managed to snap the tang off that the pad bolt goes through on my front caliper.

I also prefer a slightly firmer feel at the bars too.

They have been fitted with new pads about 50mile ago as the original ones worn really quickly.

They are brand new brakes that come fitted on my new levo.

Don’t get me wrong they are good brakes. Just wish they had more of a Shimano feel at the lever.

I recently bought an SUV in the shape of a VW Tiguan. I swapped from an Octavia VRS so I could have a higher seating position and a more comfortable drive. So far I’ve not regretted it once. Sure the Tiguan is slower 150 bhp v 245 bhp but I don’t care. The Octavia would get around an average of 35mpg whereas the Tiguan is doing 55mpg.

It’s spacious, the rear seats move forward and backward. It’s nice and airy with a big glass roof that also opens. The boot is big, not Octavia big but big enough to get an XL full Susser in with the seat down and the front wheel off.

Nice that Mark.

My Sonos with built in Alexa is doing the same this morning.

Glad its not just me then !

Ive been wearing a pair of cheap disposable rubber gloves under my briskers and they have helped massively.

Initially the dealer said the parts weren’t affected by the chip shortage issue but now seems to be back tracking and now no longer offer a timeframe.

That would be great thank you !!

Does it not have Apple car play and Android Auto?
Plug the phone in to the USB and use that until the new part arrives.

Not working either unfortunately. Apparently its quite complex module that’s broke.

Cheers all,

The garage is the end garage in a row of about 8. The shelves are against the single brick outside wall which looks ok to be honest but there is signs of damp at one bottom corner. The guttering for the whole row is crap and sends all the water down my side.

When I replace the shelving in a direr weekend I might move it to the other side of the garage which will hopefully help a bit.

Cheers all,

I probably should have mentioned my apprehension comes from being knocked off my road bike at night on two occasions many moons ago despite having lights, helmet etc.

The one time I got knocked off by a girl driving her boyfriends Toyota MR2 at some traffic lights where she jumped a red…… The boyfriend jumped out the car and started beating me up for damaging his car!!

These are the shelving sets you can get off ebay fairly cheap.

Shelves are 90 x 40 cm. 5 on a rack and 3 racks so 15 new shelves needed. Was thinking of some cheap plastic panelling from Wickes or something similar.

BTW OP, is there a reason why it has to be road riding? MTB night riding is way more funner than night roadie IME

TO be honest there aren’t really any trails that are rideable from my house. The nearest off road is the Wyre Forest about half hour away. By the time Im back from work had tea and packed the car up etc its all time I could have spent on a bike.

Running isn’t an option for me, I tend to suffer with shin splints quite a bit.

For me its an aid to help with weight loss and overall fitness.

I’d be up for an indoor trainer but to be honest the only place I have to put one is in the garage at the bottom of the garden and that has an asbestos/concrete roof so not ideal to breathing all that in.

Wife has said no to in the house !!

This suits my current needs quite well to be honest.

My back and knees are pretty shot after years under jets etc and getting in the Octavia was a job in itself as it’s quite low down. So the more upright position is lots better. Plus this model has a driver’s massage seat which is pretty cool.

I’m also doing more miles with my job so the switch to a diesel is ideal.

I’m also visiting some more remote sites with work and some of the tracks down to these sites used to make me wince in the Octavia for fear of potholes or hitting the front lip. Tiguan is higher up better.

I know it’s not to everyone’s taste but I quite like it.