# Hey maximum



## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

I just wanted to let you know and maybe some others that have some chafing going on. 
When I started riding almost 4 years ago I use get knee pain all the time. I tried everything,I though. Everybody I talked to said raise the saddle. So I raised the saddle, but for got the other side of the coin. Now I'm been fighting this and I thought this is no big thing and I was determined to get it my self. I did have 3 fits and I still had the knee pain.
I started to play around with the Vargas wedges and ended up leaving one in my right shoe. That's the knee that was bothering me all along. So now the pain was gone, but I just couldn't nail the chafing part. I tried heal on pedal. I started stretching more, since I ride in the drops a lot. Anyhow I could go on and on and here's what happened. I know this shop that I'm on pretty good terms with, or would like to think that anyhow. I took my bibs in and showed the fitter and he said, hum. So I went back to the mechanic and I showed him and he said, by looking at the skin that was still on the pad, that it's the saddle.
On the way home I started think of different saddles I've tried. Out of the 8 or 10 I tried, I said to myself, it's not the saddle it's me. So anyhow, I started to dig out all my fit books and thought I would take some of the figures they use and apply them to myself. So I dropped the saddle a half an inch. checked my leg bend with a gage and put that at 30 degrees WOW I thought this is going to kill my knees. I went out for a 35 mile ride and no pain or chafing. I thought to myself how could I be so stupid. I'm going to play with it some more and probably have to move it up a few mm, but for now I feel like I finally done it, and I'm very very happy.
I hope this may help some of you guys, with similar problems.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

Well thanks for your concern GM, but I don't have the chaffing thing going. 
And statements like this are causing me alarm....


> I took my bibs in and showed the fitter and he said, hum. So I went back to the mechanic and I showed him and he said, by looking at the skin that was still on the pad,


You're leaving skin in your bibs? That's not good. 
Have you had a bike fit? Are you using quality bibs? You NEED to use Chamois butter if you're not.


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

Yes, it was just a general statement about my chafing and anybody else that has that problem.. I was trying to fit myself where I wouldn't need any Bag Balm or anything else and it just wont work. I tried anyhow and I did succeed a few times, but not enough times to do away with it. I have talked to some riders that don't use anything, but they were few.
Anyhow I went for a 41 mile ride today with no problems at all. I ran into one rider and asked if I was to low and he said I could go up about 5mm. I did change it when I got home, but changed it back again. My wife talked me into it. She said your knees don't hurt and don't have any chafing why change it. 
We'll see, because I know it takes some time to get use to the new settings. I really feel good about this, because of having one problem, or another and I hope I finally got it squared away. Anyhow thanks for the tip.:thumbsup:


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

I'm glad you got the pain thing figured out, but dude, if I were the mechanic and you brought your used drawers in for me to have a look at I'd be locking the doors next time I saw you roll into the parking lot.


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

Weav said:


> I'm glad you got the pain thing figured out, but dude, if I were the mechanic and you brought your used drawers in for me to have a look at I'd be locking the doors next time I saw you roll into the parking lot.



Not to fear, I just pointed it out, he held the new saddle to show me what was going on and he let me hold the shorts. 
Hey Weav, I cant help thinking about how high your saddle is. It seems to me you would have some chafing going on as well. I think you said your saddle was set at 80cm and your inseam was 35". I'm only 34.5" and with the new setting I'm at 30.58. 
Anyhow thanks for the reply and it sounds like it's working out pretty good for you.:thumbsup:


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> if I were the mechanic and you brought your used drawers in for me to have a look at I'd be locking the doors next time I saw you roll into the parking lot.


That's what I was thinking, but GM is such a nice guy that I thought I'd let you say it. 
GM, are you really almost 70?


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

maximum7 said:


> That's what I was thinking, but GM is such a nice guy that I thought I'd let you say it.
> GM, are you really almost 70?


Come on, they didn't smell that bad and I brought them in a bag from Target, which drew a few looks. 
Yes, old man time is catch up, but I try to keep running away. I'll be 70 in August.

Something a little funny happened a short time ago. I was riding myself when a group of guys came up and I think all of them were yelling on your left. I decided to jump on the back. Them were going about 20 mph and they kept looking over there shoulder at me and whispering something, but I kept smiling. They kept changing positions to take the lead, but I just stayed in the rear. I stayed with them for 6 or 7 miles, until I looked at my HRM (164) I thought I would slow down before I blew up. I'll try again this summer though.

Nice talking to you guys, but I got to get ready to go riding.:thumbsup:


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

Glad you have kept your sense of humor GM I hope I'm still riding at your age. The bike is great. I have been tweaking my seat height. I think my bike shop had it too high. I was feeling uneasy going fast downhill, so I dropped my seat just a bit while out on a ride one day and it made a world of difference, I can go as fast as my legs will take me now with confidence. My inseam is around 31 inches and my seat height is 72cm measured from center of bottom bracket to top of saddle. I was getting major chafing and soreness with the stock seat (Selle Italia XO) and I was about to go with a leather Selle An-Atomica when I came across the Cobb saddles. I found a shop that had a loaner program and I ended up with the Cobb V-Flow Plus. I got the white one. It's very light and very comfortable, my issues disappeared right away.


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

Looks good Weav, your saddle looks pretty close to the height I have mine. I ended putting a Fizik Aliante on mine and so far so good.

As far as riding at my age, if you want to, you will. I've gone through a bout of cancer, have Rheumatoid and Osteo arthritis and Asthma and I'm getting stronger and faster, so never say die.

I use to sail a lot until all this crap started hitting me. I had to sell the sailboat because I just couldn't do the work anymore. We had to move to Katy Texas where it was warmer and a little easier on the joints, than Chicago was. My wife has Rheumatoid arthritis worse than I dne day she asked what are we going to do without the sailing, that we did for the last 25 years.

One day we were driving around checking the new area out and I couldn't believe all the people riding bikes. My wife said we should try that.Well I use to ride and race motorcycles up in Chicago, so I was thinking more in that line. Anyhow she won and I'm glad she did, the rest is history. Sometimes she starts ragging about the money I'm spending on cycling and I say your right, we should start sailing again.

Anyhow, you will get challenges in life that will slow you down, but don't let them stop you from doing what you want to do.If I knew I was going to last this long I would have saved more money. I figured if I don't spend the money my kids will.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

You guys need to ditch those Fulcrum 7's.


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

maximum7, If you'll deposit $800 in my paypal account I'll be more than happy to ditch those things.


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

maximum7 said:


> You guys need to ditch those Fulcrum 7's.



Funny you should say that. I was just looking at Eastons when I went into the shop with my bibs.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> maximum7, If you'll deposit $800 in my paypal account I'll be more than happy to ditch those things.


Well let me think about it... 


George, I know there are a ton of people who say custom is the cheapest, and best, to which I mostly disagree. But, I think that you can't go wrong with the Eastons, especially the EA90SLX's. They are a fantastic wheel. Comfortable, smooth, good looking. Especially when you can sometimes find them on clearance for under $500 bones. 

The only reason why I said anything is because I just put a pair of the Fulcrums that my buddy gave me from his 566 on a winter bike I just got. 
I'm running Krysium SL's on my regular bike, and couldn't believe how much of a difference there is between the two. I know everybody hates the SL's but when I first got on the winter bike and headed down the small hill out of my neighborhood, they seem to top out and only went so fast. With the SL's I have to brake cause they just keep accelerating. 
It would probably be the best, next upgrade for your 566.


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks max, but I was checking some of the prices on the SL's and they averaged about a $1000. That's when I started to read some good reviews on the Eastons and thought I may go that way. There some more I have my eye on, but really haven't made my mind up on yet.
You would think that the money you pay for a bike, they could put better wheels on them. I got real close to buying a Cervelo, but they had some crappy wheels on that bike as well. I think they were the Shimano R 10 or something.
Anyhow, I'm looking at getting some nice road shoes next and the wheels after that. Thanks for the tip.


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## Weav (Jun 21, 2009)

maximum7 said:


> Well let me think about it...
> 
> 
> George, I know there are a ton of people who say custom is the cheapest, and best, to which I mostly disagree. But, I think that you can't go wrong with the Eastons, especially the EA90SLX's. They are a fantastic wheel. Comfortable, smooth, good looking. Especially when you can sometimes find them on clearance for under $500 bones.
> ...


maximum7, you take what ever time you need to think about it Christmas could come early for Weav this year.

You are right that a good set of hoops is the best thing I could do to upgrade my bike. I'll have a year on my Fulcrum7's this summer so I should notice the difference a good set of wheels makes.


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

After a quick look around, here is a pretty good price on some SLX's

http://goforitsports.com/shop/proddetail.asp?prod=Easton_EA90SLX


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## George M (Sep 25, 2008)

maximum7 said:


> After a quick look around, here is a pretty good price on some SLX's
> 
> http://goforitsports.com/shop/proddetail.asp?prod=Easton_EA90SLX



Man, I wish you didn't do that. I just bought 5 pair of bibs
http://www.velowear.com/products/1110272BLKXSM.aspx
and a Fizik Aliante saddle. I almost wish I didn't buy the saddle now, because I have one already. I thought I would get it for a backup, but I really don't need it. 
That is a great price on the wheels though. Thanks again Max.

ps, I'll sell the saddle if someone wants it at a good price.:thumbsup:


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