Hello folks;
Hope you don't feel this to long.
I've been itchin to get in and chat a little and I guess it's finally time to tell my story and come clean. I didn't want to at first because I didn't want to tell the truth. I received my Freerider early in August on a very hot day, so I put it together in my kitchen and couldn't wait to get it out to try and see just how these things are. It was at least 104 degrees that afternoon and I threw my leg over and pushed tentatively off. coasting around a bit. It did feel strange & as I looked at the pedals hanging out there thought, man, how am I going to swing this. So as I coasted around, I sat back into the seat, put one foot up then the other and it was so comfy. After a few minutes pushing and coasting w/my feet up I grabbed a little pedal & a little more And soon was riding up and down the street. turning seemed most perilous and starting off of course but it was already starting to feel natural. It's a whole new balance thing. But I thought, give me a week and I'll do great, but right now I'm gettin outta this heat, so I began a long sweeping turn back to my driveway when the bike fell down onto it's left side which surprised me so much that I didn't even grab the brake when I still had the bars in hand, but my left foot did go to ground and I watched in slow motion though somehow detached as my left leg bent 20-30 degrees laterally at the knee. There was no pain yet you see since both my knees are titanium implants so I picked up the bike, glanced to see no damage but a little scrape on the L. pedal and walked it into the house, put on a knee brace and took a pain pill. I knew what was coming. Happily, Xray, confirmed no damage to mechanism but lots of torn tissue and ligament. I was laid up, on a cane w/brace for about a month unable to bend the knee. So, You might wonder what a guy with artificial knees and heart bipass and a 26" inseam is doing trying to ride one of these. Cycling is my therapy and I like to move when I pedal if I can and as long as I can & it keeps my legs range of motion at max & also keeps my heart in shape, also to mention the process of creating new brain neurons after 55+ yrs of riding conventional style.. I felt like a 6 year old trying to learn to ride for the first time. As well, I had tired of the sore butt & tingly hands syndrome after a short jaunt on a safety/comfort mtn bike which is one the things that attracted me to Cruz. So then as soon as I could, I put the bike on a stationary stand and began to use it as my therapy machine. When I could do that, my R O M improved significantly and quickly. I had put a computer on while waiting to get back out and saw that I rode about fifty miles in few days. Streched the chain a little and had to adjust the derailleur. Though the knee was still sore and stiff, I took the bike out every other day and sat on it, put up one foot then the other and felt great trepidation as I considered pedaling off. Neighbors would come to see if I was OK; but each day the leg grew stronger and eventually I was able to push off and coast around and trust putting that leg down to hold my weight although I had to get on and off on the wrong side using my right leg because the L. knee would try to dislocate from the twist. I really had to overcome a new fear that had been implanted by the incident. Finally, I began to make peace w/the horse that threw me & I began riding and pedaling, though turns still feel scary as well as a pedal take off and while I still don't leave the neighborhood, I'm steadily gaining in confidence and skill. certainly no hands free yet. I wonder if it takes longer to get used to the long bars on the Freerider since I'm so used to shorter bars these seem so sensitive. I hope to ride a sofrider V-2 (V-3?) someday for comparison. I found that I didn't know how to turn right very well on this when I tried and fell over (to slow), just dropped over w/my foot still on the pedal as I had tried to power out of it. I had to let it rest on the derailleur to get my foot out and scratched it a bit. I was thinking, I wish there was a guard that would fit it at least temp. in lieu of training wheels. I know I must sound like a real klutz though I'm improving steadily by the day. redeveloping what I had lost and gaining the recumbent muscles that heretofore had not been developed. The perma-smile is starting to show & my sphere of travel grows evermore. I can hardly stay off the bike for long before I'm back out improving my skill & tone and now the weather is co-operating w/cooler temps. Wow this thing really rolls out and I have to hold it back sometime. My dog can't keep up with me any more till she gets in better shape now, I have to stop and let her catch up. She gets upset when I go w/out her. As I relax and let it flow, it just feels better & better. When I can do tight and competent smooth figure 8's I'll finally feel that deep sense of accomplishment and be in shape & ready to go on that cycle camping tour. You guys make it look so easy & one day soon so will I too. I'll be more brief in future.
Sorry for making this so long but now I just want it known that it was not the bikes fault that I injured myself but my pre-existing condition that I chose to put at peril to learn this new skill, just as I've done by learning to fly ultra-light aircraft though I've not fallen.
Hope you don't feel this to long.
I've been itchin to get in and chat a little and I guess it's finally time to tell my story and come clean. I didn't want to at first because I didn't want to tell the truth. I received my Freerider early in August on a very hot day, so I put it together in my kitchen and couldn't wait to get it out to try and see just how these things are. It was at least 104 degrees that afternoon and I threw my leg over and pushed tentatively off. coasting around a bit. It did feel strange & as I looked at the pedals hanging out there thought, man, how am I going to swing this. So as I coasted around, I sat back into the seat, put one foot up then the other and it was so comfy. After a few minutes pushing and coasting w/my feet up I grabbed a little pedal & a little more And soon was riding up and down the street. turning seemed most perilous and starting off of course but it was already starting to feel natural. It's a whole new balance thing. But I thought, give me a week and I'll do great, but right now I'm gettin outta this heat, so I began a long sweeping turn back to my driveway when the bike fell down onto it's left side which surprised me so much that I didn't even grab the brake when I still had the bars in hand, but my left foot did go to ground and I watched in slow motion though somehow detached as my left leg bent 20-30 degrees laterally at the knee. There was no pain yet you see since both my knees are titanium implants so I picked up the bike, glanced to see no damage but a little scrape on the L. pedal and walked it into the house, put on a knee brace and took a pain pill. I knew what was coming. Happily, Xray, confirmed no damage to mechanism but lots of torn tissue and ligament. I was laid up, on a cane w/brace for about a month unable to bend the knee. So, You might wonder what a guy with artificial knees and heart bipass and a 26" inseam is doing trying to ride one of these. Cycling is my therapy and I like to move when I pedal if I can and as long as I can & it keeps my legs range of motion at max & also keeps my heart in shape, also to mention the process of creating new brain neurons after 55+ yrs of riding conventional style.. I felt like a 6 year old trying to learn to ride for the first time. As well, I had tired of the sore butt & tingly hands syndrome after a short jaunt on a safety/comfort mtn bike which is one the things that attracted me to Cruz. So then as soon as I could, I put the bike on a stationary stand and began to use it as my therapy machine. When I could do that, my R O M improved significantly and quickly. I had put a computer on while waiting to get back out and saw that I rode about fifty miles in few days. Streched the chain a little and had to adjust the derailleur. Though the knee was still sore and stiff, I took the bike out every other day and sat on it, put up one foot then the other and felt great trepidation as I considered pedaling off. Neighbors would come to see if I was OK; but each day the leg grew stronger and eventually I was able to push off and coast around and trust putting that leg down to hold my weight although I had to get on and off on the wrong side using my right leg because the L. knee would try to dislocate from the twist. I really had to overcome a new fear that had been implanted by the incident. Finally, I began to make peace w/the horse that threw me & I began riding and pedaling, though turns still feel scary as well as a pedal take off and while I still don't leave the neighborhood, I'm steadily gaining in confidence and skill. certainly no hands free yet. I wonder if it takes longer to get used to the long bars on the Freerider since I'm so used to shorter bars these seem so sensitive. I hope to ride a sofrider V-2 (V-3?) someday for comparison. I found that I didn't know how to turn right very well on this when I tried and fell over (to slow), just dropped over w/my foot still on the pedal as I had tried to power out of it. I had to let it rest on the derailleur to get my foot out and scratched it a bit. I was thinking, I wish there was a guard that would fit it at least temp. in lieu of training wheels. I know I must sound like a real klutz though I'm improving steadily by the day. redeveloping what I had lost and gaining the recumbent muscles that heretofore had not been developed. The perma-smile is starting to show & my sphere of travel grows evermore. I can hardly stay off the bike for long before I'm back out improving my skill & tone and now the weather is co-operating w/cooler temps. Wow this thing really rolls out and I have to hold it back sometime. My dog can't keep up with me any more till she gets in better shape now, I have to stop and let her catch up. She gets upset when I go w/out her. As I relax and let it flow, it just feels better & better. When I can do tight and competent smooth figure 8's I'll finally feel that deep sense of accomplishment and be in shape & ready to go on that cycle camping tour. You guys make it look so easy & one day soon so will I too. I'll be more brief in future.
Sorry for making this so long but now I just want it known that it was not the bikes fault that I injured myself but my pre-existing condition that I chose to put at peril to learn this new skill, just as I've done by learning to fly ultra-light aircraft though I've not fallen.
