So, it is now six weeks out from my initial back injury. I went and saw a doctor, who is also a cycling teammate. After my examination, he said it is time to try a Medrol Dose Pack. Unfortunately, I had already gone down that road.
"Then it's time for an MRI."
Now, I believe I have said in the past that having an MRI is definitely on my list of things I don't want to ever do. This is due to the extreme confinement one experiences while in the machine; however, I am at the point now with the pain in my butt, ankle, foot, as well as the periodic tingling, that I welcomed the chance to have a magnetic aided peek into the inner workings of my back, and what could possibly be going on.
Ironically after I made the appointment, my back started feeling better. I was very happy. I thought I may finally be seeing the end of this. But the next day it was back with a vengeance, but then the next day it felt good again. I am in a cycle of waxing and waning, with some progress, but it has still been 6 weeks, and I am tired of this crap. So, I have my two Xanax to take before the MRI, and I will hopefully have some idea of what I am dealing with later this week.
The Colnago C59 frameset is selling for $5900. The retro Master 30th is selling for $4000, and it's a lugged steel frame. What does this tell me? One, Colnago has developed themselves as a great brand in cycling and has a rabid following allowing such crazy pricing. Two, the cycling world has gone NUTS! Now, I can understand some cost of R&D being transferred to the consumer. And, while I don't have a comprehensive understanding of frame building, the time put into making a frame by hand increases its cost. Maybe that is the logic behind the pricing of these frames, and they are limited editions.
But then how does one justify the cost of a Pinarello Dogma? For the Dogma 65.1 Think 2 the going price on Competitive Cyclist is $5300. I am fairly certain this is a frame that is made in Taiwan, the same as 90% of all other frames. Yes, read the elaborate, and well written, copy on the CC website, and you will see how Pinarello has done this and that, done analysis to add carbon here, take it away there, wind tunnel testing for air cheating aerodynamics. They even have nanoparticles that "explode" on impact to lessen the effect an impact has on the carbon. This last point is the best. Nanoparticles. Pinarello is now in the nanotechnology field. How does this even help the frame? As far as I can tell, it is cat effect: first impact exploding nanoparticles, one life left, second impact frame exploding. So I guess you get a second chance to destroy your carbon frame after your first crash.
I've had it with the exponentially exploding price of cycling. My wallet and budget do not have nanoparticles that can take the impact of a $5500 frameset. That is why I have decided to go steel.
The constant pursuit of less weight, more aerodynamics, better nanoparticles...it's absurd. I don't know about all of you, but I have been dropped by guys riding old steel frames with what looked like wheels that were made with spare parts salvaged off a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail (does that bring back memories of the classic game?). I have been dropped by guys riding no name frames, wearing a white tank top as their cycling jersey. I have also been dropped by a guy that had to be pushing 70, with a belly, wearing an old Motorola jersey (I tell myself this must be one of the original members of the Motorola team, probably Lance's first mentor). I am not a great cyclist, but I am no slouch. The point of this is that it is the engine, not the bike.
I know you have all heard that overused cliche before, but it's true. It is so hard to accept, though. We as cyclists are an achieving, competitive group to begin with. We look for any edge we can get, just so we can finish one position higher on the city limit sprint on the Tuesday night ride. But the fact is 99% of us would need an engine hidden in our downtube to give us the advantage we think the latest frame will give us. So, I am going custom steel. I am going to get a bike that is classic, comfortable, and made by a craftsman, just for me. We will see how it goes, for better or worse. My prediction? Once I get back into my old form, I think the same guys will be kicking my ass all over the road, and most likely the same guys will be behind me, though few they may be (the latter part, unfortunately).
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Sciata-what?
Ugh! This has not been my year. I started out the beginning of the year taking a trip to Arizona with my wife to visit family, and for her to get some CE done. Airplanes being the Petri dish of goodness they are, I became an unwilling participant in the global spreading of viruses via air travel. I am not sure what side I came in on, though. Vector or victim? The end result is that both myself and my son got the flu. Isn't modern travel wonderful?
But I have digressed from my point. The egocentric point is, I got sick. And before you ask, yes I also got the flu shot. After my bout with flu, I had about a three week reprieve before my son and I caught another bug. This one came after getting out on the first big ride of the year. I knew our team was going to have a group ride heading out from town along dirt roads to the next town, about 30 miles away. The total ride would be about 60 miles and based on my riding to this point, I knew I would need to get in some miles.
I got those miles, showed up for the ride, and just sat in for the ride. It ended up being a good ride, and I finished without trouble. Rolling up into my driveway, I was pleased with my effort, a little cold from the ride, but pleased. I came in the house and shed my layers, but soon found I was very cold. A hot shower should do the trick and warm me up. It did. But almost immediately after leaving the shower, I got the chills and shivers. I hunkered into bed and was soon running a 103.5 temperature. To make a long story a little less long, I got sick again. This time worse than the first. The coughing was horrible, and I believe it was at this time I struck the key blow to my persistently delicate back, which led to its eventual failure.
Fast forward two months. I had been having some pain in my left butt, but not enough to keep me from riding. My family and I headed south to California where we visited family, and I did some great riding; however, the riding, the car drive, the previous sickness, the phase of the moon, I don't know what. Some conglomeration of circumstances and fate led to my back giving out on me and the development of debilitating sciatic pain.
Four weeks after that, I have gone on my first ride. It was only 30 minutes, and it was still painful. I have been on a consistent regimen of PT, chiropractic care (believe me, this shows my desperation), massage, and stretching. My health insurance company is probably cringing right now as they receive claim after claim and are fearing the next claim from a back surgeon. I don't think it will get that far. It is slowly getting better, and by all medical recommendations, I am still 2 weeks out from really starting to look seriously at the next step, i.e., MRI's, CT's, injections, and whatever else they can throw at the mystery known as sciatic pain.
But I got out and I pedaled my bike today and that felt wonderful. I hope to soon be riding more. Road season is out the window, but there is still cross. And really, isn't that the most important season?
But I have digressed from my point. The egocentric point is, I got sick. And before you ask, yes I also got the flu shot. After my bout with flu, I had about a three week reprieve before my son and I caught another bug. This one came after getting out on the first big ride of the year. I knew our team was going to have a group ride heading out from town along dirt roads to the next town, about 30 miles away. The total ride would be about 60 miles and based on my riding to this point, I knew I would need to get in some miles.
I got those miles, showed up for the ride, and just sat in for the ride. It ended up being a good ride, and I finished without trouble. Rolling up into my driveway, I was pleased with my effort, a little cold from the ride, but pleased. I came in the house and shed my layers, but soon found I was very cold. A hot shower should do the trick and warm me up. It did. But almost immediately after leaving the shower, I got the chills and shivers. I hunkered into bed and was soon running a 103.5 temperature. To make a long story a little less long, I got sick again. This time worse than the first. The coughing was horrible, and I believe it was at this time I struck the key blow to my persistently delicate back, which led to its eventual failure.
Fast forward two months. I had been having some pain in my left butt, but not enough to keep me from riding. My family and I headed south to California where we visited family, and I did some great riding; however, the riding, the car drive, the previous sickness, the phase of the moon, I don't know what. Some conglomeration of circumstances and fate led to my back giving out on me and the development of debilitating sciatic pain.
Four weeks after that, I have gone on my first ride. It was only 30 minutes, and it was still painful. I have been on a consistent regimen of PT, chiropractic care (believe me, this shows my desperation), massage, and stretching. My health insurance company is probably cringing right now as they receive claim after claim and are fearing the next claim from a back surgeon. I don't think it will get that far. It is slowly getting better, and by all medical recommendations, I am still 2 weeks out from really starting to look seriously at the next step, i.e., MRI's, CT's, injections, and whatever else they can throw at the mystery known as sciatic pain.
But I got out and I pedaled my bike today and that felt wonderful. I hope to soon be riding more. Road season is out the window, but there is still cross. And really, isn't that the most important season?
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