[baj32161]

Like many of you, I rode alot as a kid and the bike got put away as I got older. I have always loved cycling and remained a fan of pro cycling throughout my life. In August of 2003 I was diagnosed as a Typr II Diabetic and lost 2 toes off of my left foot due to an infection. Running was difficult for me so most other sports were out of the picture. I brought out my old Falcon (now deceased) roadie and started riding again. In 2005 I got myself a LeMond Tiurmalet (since stolen...now riding my backup bike, Raleigh Grand Sport....2003) and the love was back.....still riding and loving it. In fact, some days I think I would lose all sanity were it not for my cycling.

Cheers,

Brian J.

[Brazenboy]

Congratulations Brian - in 2002 I received the same damning news re. typeII diabetes.... You scare the beJesus out of me with the loss of your toes!

Recently I hurt my foot; but my doctor still was optimistic. I only had to go get myself orthodics for my arches that bottomed out on me, which means my expensive Cidi's are now redundant and I have to buy a bigger pair!

Take care with the diabetes and all the best!

[retromike3]

I have had diabetes since i was three years old and have been riding seriously since high school (back when dinosaurs ruled the earth) I can say without a doubt one of the chief reasons I am still alive is that I ride a bike every day. Since most of the kids I went to diabetic camp with are dead now and I have out lived at least three of my doctors(when I got it your life expectancy was twenty years after you get type one) I am already way in the bonus round.

I have noted that If I haven't ridden my bike its really hard for me to get blood from my fingers for a blood test, But if I do the same test after a ride the blood just squirts out.(for those of you not diabetic you need to get a drop of blood in order to test your blood sugar, this is accomplished with a little needle that pokes your finger)

The draw back is that I have almost as much scar tissue as skin now. I always lived my life like: live fast die young and have a closed casket funeral. but because I ride my bike I am in good enough shape that I keep surviving. The old saying goes if I thought I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself.

Keep riding and you will keep living. Back when I had my retail shop I had a customer who was a diabetic and he lost a few toes and stopped riding (he was in his sixties) he died six months later. I wish I could have talked him into keeping up his riding. I have a friend who also ran a shop and had type one, but he did not ride his bike and they have amputated three of his toes and he has had a quadruple bypass already. I haven't seen him in a few years so I don't know if he is still around.

I have plans to start commuting from Beaverton to Portland in the new term so I have about a month to get into shape to accomplish that goal. So tomorrow I am going to try to get there by bike again.


Mike Frye

PS. I still have all my toes

[djcyberlegend]

What got you into cycling?

1. Slowing metabolism as I approached membership in the 4-decade club.
2. My wife's renewed interest in hitting the trails.
3. Inspiration from a neighbor who raced and did tris.
4. My wife tells me I look sexy in Lycra...

[E-Dog]

I grew up on a BMX bike, like most. I had not rode a bike in over ten years, then one day a friend let me take a ride on his Peugeot single speed. I had NEVER ridden a road bike before that. I absolutely had to have one!!
Two months later I bought a single speed road bike. I ride just about every day, love it!

[JK13]

Hashimotos started wreaking havoc on my body a couple years ago, my metabolism died, had joint pain/stiffness (running made that worse), and access to a lot of trails with our move to Colorado really made me want to try cycling. I didn't want one of those crazy road bikes - that riding position is insane and just hurts your back!!! So my husband got me a nice comfort bike for Christmas one year. I loved it! I rode all the time, in the morning before work, in the snow - it didn't matter. 7 months later I bought a commuter bike, lighter and with 700c tires, and I was unstoppable! In February of this year when I sold my motorcycle because of the Hashi's, I bought a cross bike (one of them crazy road bike type things!), and I'm scheduled to compete in my 3rd triathlon in 2 weeks, and put those cross tires back on it for a race in 3 weeks.
Riding does so many things for me - it's very refreshing for me to commute into work, starts my day off right. It clears my head. It challenges me when I'm doing speed or hill intervals, or trying something new and fun like when I did a mountain bike race a month ago on my friend's bike. It takes me places I can't go in a car, and it takes too long to get there by foot.
Now, with cycling, even when my Hashi's goes on a rampage, I still feel somewhat in control; I'm not as helpless I felt before.

[funetical]

Is everyone still in it for the same reasons?

I find mine has worked away from weight loss and is now about getting around. I guess I'm comfortable with my weight.

[SprocketGirl]

i started riding when i was old enough to understand how to pedal.... for fun and transportation. then as i grew up, i liked the challenge of off road cycling, xc, dh, dj, and all... road for speed.
never thought about doing it to stay fit but of course that is one consequence.
when we moved from Maxey-sur-Meuse, France to the U.S. i was high school age and road everywhere. once i became old enough to get a license never cared enough to go take the test.
so, i still ride for the reasons i have always ridden, to get from here to there, for fun, to see how far i can go, to go fast, to relax, to see places, to jump off rocks, and of course because bikes need riders as much as little girls need hugs! (especially from our daddy's when we have a bad day)

[BobH]

Gosh, what a great thread! Well, I'm 61 and I started fiddling with bikes again about 3 years ago.

Our communuty had a clean up weekend and I pulled 4 bikes out of the dumpster, 2 were 20" single speeds, one was a 20'' 21speed with front and rear suspension, and the last was a large framed MTB. All 3 20 inchers were put back into riding condition with penetrating oil and a tire pump. The 20 inchers were given to local grandparents for the young'uns to ride when they were visiting. My wife and I enjoyed riding the MTB, it was the first adult bike that we had ridden that actually fit us.

Last summer were were blested with our first grandchild, and I was so out of shape that I was having difficulty getting up and down off the floor. I found a like new 20" long wheelbase bike at a yard sale. It was a real slow start, my knees didn't like to bend. In a few weeks, I could ride a mile, by autum, I was riding about an hour a day.
I was hooked, and my bride was ridding that old MTB right beside me.
We took the plunge, we bout 2 new comfort bikes that fit! We are both really enjoying riding and we are both lighted and healthier. We are planning to do some bicycle touring this summer.

BTW, thank you for Two Spokes!

BobH.

[rola643]

What got me into cycling? It was really just happenstance! My wife and I quit smoking and were looking for something to do together. So we went to Dicks Sporting goods and bought a couple of Diamondback hybrids because who needs to spend a bunch of money on bikes, right? Her father had had the dreaded triple bypass and was riding 26 miles a day and we (maybe just me) thought if he can do that I can easily do more, yea right! The first ride around the neighborhood and a whopping 5 miles later and slightly saddle sore quickly gave me second thoughts about what I could do on a bike. We did enjoy feeling like kids riding around again tho and kept riding. Made several weekend trips to places like New River Trail State Park New River Trail Galax Va Pulaski Va Fries Va Rail Trails Virginia Bike Trails Virginia. We have been back serval times taking friends and family back. The more I rode the more I felt the need for speed and found myself in the market for a faster bike. I was dead set against getting a road bike...for many reasons but ended up buying a Specialized Roubiax Elite. Rode a little under 3k miles the first year I had that and have just kept going ever since. Asked a friend to ride with me and now we ride together, usually 3 days a week. I remember asking him if he would be interested in trying to ride a 100 miles with me and we rode the Southern Maryland Century - THE INDIAN HEAD 100. We did it in a six and half hours and learned a lot! I think we were some of the last to trickle back in. I swore I would never ride that slow in a century again and we have steadily increased our pace and distance over the past couple of years.

My riding style has changed a bit but I still enjoy riding with my wife. She does not like the road bikes at all so that's a bit disappointing but it's ok. We have even expanded into kayaking and are looking to purchase a couple of them this spring.