Instagram Post

Clean air, quiet streets and humans walking, running and cycling during COVID-19.

My Instagram

Rear Brake Change for Sprint

Update March 2021... After using the  disc brake setup for a parking brake I went back to a v-brake . Due to the flex of the rear wheel in turns the disc brake pads would slightly rub on the rotor while turning. I don't light rubbing noises, especially so close to my head, annoys the heck out of me. If I were to adjust the disc pads so they wouldn't rub then it would become useless as brake for parking.

_______________________________________

I changed out the rear rim parking brake for a disc brake. 

What I've learned:

1. With a rim brake removing the rear tire from the trike requires an extra step...reaching underneath the trike and releasing the brake cable so the tire can slip past the brake shoes. Doing it with one had   requires a bit of dexterity. Doing it with both hands requires getting down on your ass to reach under the trike or putting the trike on its side. With a disc brake no extra step required.

2. The rim brake doesn't have the same holding power to prevent the trike from moving while trying too dismount on a hill. The disc brake has better holding power.

BB7 

Handlebar mounted brake lever. 

Recumbent Trike Store has a rear disc brake kit so you don't have to accumulate the components.

ICE Ergo-Luxe Seat Cover

Updated June 3rd, 2020 - Please go to new post ICE Ergo-Luxe Seat Re-reviewed and forget about this post.


Not only is the "stay at home order" helping to mitigate COVID 19 in California it is also giving me time to see how I can spend money. So I popped on an ICE Ergo-Luxe seat cover for my ICE Sprint FS E8000. I purchased an Adventure Ergo-Luxe cover because I use an Adventure seat frame on my Sprint. The seat of the Adventure frame is a bit longer and I find it more comfortable.

I rode with it for 12 miles and concluded that it might not be the right seat for me. It's super comfortable but I have two issues with it. I ride a lot of hills and I felt that the Ergo-Luxe was a bit too cushy and absorbing some of my power when pushing pedals going up a hill. Even with the E8000 assist I still like to do most of the work when riding. The only other issue is the 7" scar on my back from a recent back surgery. The extra padding on the Ergo-Luxe was causing chafing on the incision area. This issue will probably resolve itself in time but I'm not sure if I want to wait.

Right now I have the Ergo-Luxe seat cover for sale on the Bent Rider classifieds. I know that 12 miles is not a long enough ride to draw a fair conclusion so if it doesn't sell I'll keep it and give it another try when my back toughens up.

An issue some are concerned about is heat. It was about 70 degrees when I took the seat on a spin and I felt it was a little warmer than the mesh seat but not of any real concern. That being said 70 degrees is not hot enough to really know how the Ergo-Luxe will perform on a hot day.

End Of The World As We Know It

"It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine"

Michael Stipe

First ride since back surgery February 19th.

So few cars and so many adults and kids walking, and cycling. 

And then there was this at the trailheads. What the hell. Social distancing? The National Park Service trail head at Satwiwa/Rancho Sierra Vista. I've never seen it this crowded. I saw some groups of hikers bunched together. Time to close the Parks to save people from themselves. Oh well...wash your hands.

ICE Sprint FS E8000 Bugs and Fixes

In total I've had only three issues since picking up my new ICE Sprint FS E8000 on May 13th, 2019. All the issues centered around the Shimano Steps E8000. And all the issues were easily remedied.

1st issue September 2019 - Steps Error Code E043.
This is the most common Error Code and was resolved by downloading 2 firmware updates.

2nd issue September 2019 and later on October 2019 - Display Problem.
The display problem is an inherit design flaw that was easy to resolve by securing the display in it's holder with a small plastic shim (a plastic toothpick from my Swedish Survival Knife).

3rd issue October 2019 with followup January 2020 - Integrated Light  causing major range reduction. And Integrated Light Followup.
Simple, I decided to not use the integrated light.

Pain Free Back

Minor to severe spinal stenosis down my entire Lumbar column and minor spine instability at L4-L5 is now a thing of the past with minimally invasive surgery performed February 19th.

As soon as I went on Medicare a little over a year ago I put getting my pain issues resolved as my top priority. Pre-Medicare I self diagnosed the pain I was having as Piriformis Syndrome post hip replacement. An ultrasound later confirmed I had an inflamed Piriformis and scar tissue on the Piriformis. But in the end it was my back that was limiting my life style. The Piriformis tissue urned out to be a minor player in the pain issues I was dealing with.

Before going on Medicare the cost of further testing and what that might lead too was a deterrent. Finally with Medicare and a Medicare Supplement in hand I got my pain issues figured out. It was my back that was causing nearly all the pain. The last three months in particular saw my pain escalate and made it clear my back was shot. I had surgery February 18th. What would have cost about $15,000 out of pocket prior to having Medicare and a Medicare Supplement now cost me $0. This could easily be a whole other conversation but I keep my politics out of my blog.

I learned from an earlier back surgery eleven years ago that I should only trust my spine to a neurosurgeon. Based on my personal experience from eleven years ago and meeting with many doctors it is my opinion (and only my opinion because of what I went through eleven years ago) that Orthopedists seem to view the spine as a column of bones whereas a neurosurgeon sees the spine as a conduit for our entire nervous system. Where an orthopedist seems to think fusion with rods and screws regardless of diagnosis a neurosurgeon thinks of maintaining spinal function with fusion used as a last resort when the severity of spine instability warrants a more aggressive approach. The surgeon who repaired my back eleven years ago got me back on my feet again. 

The only instability issue I had was at L4-L5. The rest of my lumbar was stable but with moderate to severe stenosis. A combination of foraminotomy, partial laminectomy and discectomy were used to deal with the stenosis. The L4-L5 instability issue was corrected with a COFLEX device. I was up and walking the day after surgery. Now after two weeks of recovery I have to force myself not to overdo it. I'm anxious to get back on my trike and also to start hiking again. Other then some back stiffness I can walk again without pain. 

All the years of exercise has paid off. There's not much you can do about stenosis. For many it comes with age and life, But spinal instability can be minimized with exercise and a strong core. This was confirmed by my surgeon who said my back muscles were strong and it took a little effort to open them up to gain clear assess to my spine. My recovery is progressing quite fast for which I credit my commitment to exercise, weight lifting and of course riding my trike. I remember all the times I dragged myself into the garage to lift dumbbells and exercise. Now with a free gym membership through my Medicare Supplement Plan and it's Silver Sneakers benefit I can drag myself into the gym to exercise more productively.

That sums it all up. Now I'm ready to move on.

COFLEX Device

My neurosurgeon Dr Amir Vokshoor operates out of West Hills, CA and Santa Monica, CA.

Instagram Post

Clearing my head on a sunny winter day. Mentally prepping for back surgery next week. Last back surgery was back in 2009 and it gave me a fresh start. I expect the same again this time around. More boring details another time. 

Go to My Instagram