Outdoor vs indoor

[KiChakayan]

I am 66, and am riding 8000 to 10000 km yearly. I have am suffering from a very large prostate with chronic prostatitis, I am also under active surveillance for a low risk prostate cancer. To add insult to injury, my doctor reckons I am developing arthritis in the wrists. 

As you'd have guessed I am constantly adjusting my seat, trying to find the right balance between pain in the wrist, and pelvic symptoms, not easy.

So, I got to the point where I am thinking of buying a recumbent indoor bike, which I could set up in the toy room and work out while watching TV. This would have added the added benefit of being able to control temperature, and not being exposed to the mad dogs and mad drivers. 

I'd like to get feedback of people here who have gone through a similar adjustment, I am an outdoors guy, and I am worried...

[robblok]

I am not a cyclist, but I do have experience with cardo (rowers / elepticals / bikes) in my home gym. 

 

I would say in your case you have no other choice as your health forces you to do this. Your only alternative is not doing anything at all.

 

I hate cardio, i am a weight lifter / bodybuilder / whatever but i found it is ok if you can watch some TV or have good music on. I still don't like it and don't do it as much as I should but it is not too bad.

 

The fact that you can control temprature is huge for your performance. If you place it in front of a TV it could help with the boredom. I know it helps me a bit because the biggest drawback of cardio is how boring it is. On the road its a lot less boring, you have to watch for dogs, cars and that helps keep you alert ????

 

Anyway good luck, i hope it works for you.

 

Your a cyclist, there are certain setups for your excising bike too. Maybe its cheaper ? Like platforms that turn your current bike in a stationary one. Though a recumbent bike is even better.

[Moonlover]

If you search the internet you will find numerous references that eschew cycling if you have a prostate condition. Both indoor and outdoor.

 

I only use my indoor 'bike' for short HIIT exercises now and have adapted my exercise routines in order to minimise irritation of the prostate region and, thankfully am able to control the issue without recourse to medication.

 

I have found that walking, targeted Qigong exercises and limiting caffeine and alcohol intake all very helpful.

 

Do your homework. There's a lot of self help out there. Good luck.

[SpokaneAl]

I am 66, and am riding 8000 to 10000 km yearly. I have am suffering from a very large prostate with chronic prostatitis, I am also under active surveillance for a low risk prostate cancer. To add insult to injury, my doctor reckons I am developing arthritis in the wrists. 
As you'd have guessed I am constantly adjusting my seat, trying to find the right balance between pain in the wrist, and pelvic symptoms, not easy.
So, I got to the point where I am thinking of buying a recumbent indoor bike, which I could set up in the toy room and work out while watching TV. This would have added the added benefit of being able to control temperature, and not being exposed to the mad dogs and mad drivers. 
I'd like to get feedback of people here who have gone through a similar adjustment, I am an outdoors guy, and I am worried...

If you want to make time stop, exercising on an indoor treadmill or stationary bike are great solutions. As a many decades endurance athlete, the thought of moving from the joy of riding and running outdoors to the drudgery of watching the clock move in slow motion while I complete my prescribed time on the bike/treadmill depressing. But we gotta do what we gotta do.


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[robblok]

58 minutes ago, SpokaneAl said:

 

If you want to make time stop, exercising on an indoor treadmill or stationary bike are great solutions. As a many decades endurance athlete, the thought of moving from the joy of riding and running outdoors to the drudgery of watching the clock move in slow motion while I complete my prescribed time on the bike/treadmill depressing. But we gotta do what we gotta do.


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Sounds a lot like the OP only has 2 choices.. stopping or doing it indoors.

 

I agree that inside is a lot more boring then outside but it still beats doing nothing plus the TV could help against boredom.

[StreetCowboy]

16 minutes ago, robblok said:

Sounds a lot like the OP only has 2 choices.. stopping or doing it indoors.

 

I agree that inside is a lot more boring then outside but it still beats doing nothing plus the TV could help against boredom.

I don’t know how far you can go with a product like Zwift to liven up an indoor ride.

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

I don’t know how far you can go with a product like Zwift to liven up an indoor ride.

It depends on the person, but I assume the OP likes biking and the endorphins it produces. I hate cardio (boredom) but doing it behind a screen with some youtube vids helps a bit. Good music helps too, many people can do long cardio sessions with a TV present. (unfortunately i never developed the willpower to do it long, i had periods of months on end that I would do it but I quit it just as easy)

 

When i did a lot of rowing, i had a program that would connect my rower to the computer and you had yourself (animation of yourself) on the screen racing against other computer opponents (could also connect to real people). I could even race against myself (previous saved sessions). That did help against the boredom. 

 

I don't have much experience with how it is to bike in nature vs in a room. So I can't be sure. It also depends on the OP of course but if health forces you to change then there is not much choice I think.

 

 

[KiChakayan]

3 hours ago, robblok said:

It depends on the person, but I assume the OP likes biking and the endorphins it produces.

Indeed, I ride 4 days a week and indeed I feel much "older" the days off. And my wife pointed out that I am much more "cuddly" after a good ride..

Anyhow thanks to all for commenting.. I'll probably look at the possibility of kayaking on the lakes near Lahan Sai to keep close to nature.

[robblok]

8 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

Indeed, I ride 4 days a week and indeed I feel much "older" the days off. And my wife pointed out that I am much more "cuddly" after a good ride..

Anyhow thanks to all for commenting.. I'll probably look at the possibility of kayaking on the lakes near Lahan Sai to keep close to nature.

I don't know how expensive your bike is but you could buy something like this

 

 

So you don't have to buy a total new bike. It might be cheaper that way just to test if you like it. 

[KiChakayan]

14 minutes ago, robblok said:

I don't know how expensive your bike is but you could buy something like this

 

So you don't have to buy a total new bike. It might be cheaper that way just to test if you like it. 

The problem is the saddle and handlebar pressure, hence the shift to a "recumbent" bike. 

 

[robblok]

I have used these bikes in the gym, i like them. Have you ever tried one ? Maybe first visit a gym (pay once) to test. Then you know if you like the movement or not.

 

Because I think buying a good one will cost quite a bit of money.  

[StreetCowboy]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

It depends on the person, but I assume the OP likes biking and the endorphins it produces. I hate cardio (boredom) but doing it behind a screen with some youtube vids helps a bit. Good music helps too, many people can do long cardio sessions with a TV present. (unfortunately i never developed the willpower to do it long, i had periods of months on end that I would do it but I quit it just as easy)

 

When i did a lot of rowing, i had a program that would connect my rower to the computer and you had yourself (animation of yourself) on the screen racing against other computer opponents (could also connect to real people). I could even race against myself (previous saved sessions). That did help against the boredom. 

 

I don't have much experience with how it is to bike in nature vs in a room. So I can't be sure. It also depends on the OP of course but if health forces you to change then there is not much choice I think.

 

 

EDIT: I think Zwift connects to your exercise bike or bike trainer to provide resistance according to a virtual route, and shows your position relative to other riders on the internet in first-person point of view (or from a camera view following you) on an animation of the route.  It also gives you a Strava trace of the virtual route that you rode.  My acquaintance regularly rides in virtual London, New York, or I think Fiji.

 

It might be too complicated to connect the exercise bike to a fan for the headwind, as well as the animation on your computer screen.  Zwift gives you Strava maps of nominal routes, but I think you would have to do the research yourself to find out where the pubs were, to stop for a can of beer as you passed.

 

One of my friends who uses Zwift on Strava occasionally posts routes that go out over the sea, and I doubt his cycling trainer accurately simulates a pedalo. 

Edited February 28, 2019 by StreetCowboy

[Lacessit]

Take up golf, give up caffeine and alcohol, tell your GF/wife she can't ride you anymore. Start taking saw palmetto to relax the prostate. Consult a good urologist for when they think more drastic intervention will be necessary.

[StreetCowboy]

You could always get a recumbent bike and take your troubles on the road.

 

I think they look horrendously easily over-looked, but a fox-tail with a flashing lamp ....

 

Desperate times call for desperate measures

[ChristianBlessing]

I switched to recumbent in my 50s because of joint pain and discomfort. I can't address the prostate issue, but if being on a recumbent inside works, why not a recumbent outside? I've done two 900km + tours in Thailand along with long tours in the US and Europe, and recently bought a recumbent trike for my riding in my mountainous home in the US. Give them a look.

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[StreetCowboy]

14 hours ago, ChristianBlessing said:

I switched to recumbent in my 50s because of joint pain and discomfort. I can't address the prostate issue, but if being on a recumbent inside works, why not a recumbent outside? I've done two 900km + tours in Thailand along with long tours in the US and Europe, and recently bought a recumbent trike for my riding in my mountainous home in the US. Give them a look.

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How do you make sure you are seen? It seems to me recumbents are very easily over-looked.  At least on a bicycle you are as tall as the cars

[ChristianBlessing]

14 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

How do you make sure you are seen? It seems to me recumbents are very easily over-looked.  At least on a bicycle you are as tall as the cars

Lots of lights and a flag. Frankly, in 20 years of riding recumbents I don't believe I've ever had an issue with being seen. When I first began riding, most recumbents were long and low; other than trikes, most modern 2 wheel recumbents are "high-rider", with 700cc/27/29 wheels and a high profile. Performance trikes tend to be lower but their high-back seats add some visibility. That said, lots of lights and a flag.

Edited March 4, 2019 by ChristianBlessing
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