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Posted

Those first 70 k's really eat the hands on a rigid, the shoulders also take big impact and by the time you leave the Spur tables you only want to slump.

[/Quote] As I reported somewhere here on the hub, I did Contermanskloof Blue Route on Sunday & immediately the hands mainly the palms took a beating on the rutted downhills but as soon as I hit the smooth section hands was good to go again. No after effects on the shoulders, arms or wrists as was warned to me beforehand. I think my upper body conditioning is to thank for that.

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Posted

As I reported somewhere here on the hub, I did Contermanskloof Blue Route on Sunday & immediately the hands mainly the palms took a beating on the rutted downhills but as soon as I hit the smooth section hands was good to go again. No after effects on the shoulders, arms or wrists as was warned to me beforehand. I think my upper body conditioning is to thank for that.

 

No amount of upper body conditioning can condition you for repeated hits on technical terrain. Totally different to gym work and lifting. It's like hooking yourself up to one of those electronic muscle actuators (no, not the Verimark ones, the proper ones) for a full 3 hours. And then doing it again.

Posted

No amount of upper body conditioning can condition you for repeated hits on technical terrain. Totally different to gym work and lifting. It's like hooking yourself up to one of those electronic muscle actuators (no, not the Verimark ones, the proper ones) for a full 3 hours. And then doing it again.

i promise you not a ache in the shoulder or arms today. I suppose you are right to an extent but I'm at least better conditioned than most. Strava says i even did a top speed of 45kmph with the rigid. Yeah i know not fast at all but fast for my first off road ride with a 1x10 - Rigid.
Posted

No amount of upper body conditioning can condition you for repeated hits on technical terrain. Totally different to gym work and lifting. It's like hooking yourself up to one of those electronic muscle actuators (no, not the Verimark ones, the proper ones) for a full 3 hours. And then doing it again.

 

Or using an unbalanced cup brush on an angle grinder, as I discovered yesterday. It felt like my whole body was vibrating when I turned it off again.

Guest Omega Man
Posted (edited)

As I reported somewhere here on the hub, I did Contermanskloof Blue Route on Sunday & immediately the hands mainly the palms took a beating on the rutted downhills but as soon as I hit the smooth section hands was good to go again. No after effects on the shoulders, arms or wrists as was warned to me beforehand. I think my upper body conditioning is to thank for that.

The condition is known as the claw. There are a few ways to condition your body to deal with it.

 

1. Do an Alps trip. Anything after that will pale in comparison.

2. Get a staffy and play fight with it and let it bite your hands.

3. Get one of those squishy hand stengtheners or a squash ball and get squeezing. Silicon breast implants are rumoured to work too.

4. Build some trails. There's a monthly build day at Tokai.

Edited by Omega Man
Posted

i promise you not a ache in the shoulder or arms today. I suppose you are right to an extent but I'm at least better conditioned than most. Strava says i even did a top speed of 45kmph with the rigid. Yeah i know not fast at all but fast for my first off road ride with a 1x10 - Rigid.

 

thats like 1hrs riding ... multiply that by 6 for Atta ?

Posted

 

thats like 1hrs riding ... multiply that by 6 for Atta ?

1 hour? Where did you get that from? Atta is rolling district roads after 60-70km, like riding on road with a rigid.
Posted

The condition is known as the claw. There are a few ways to condition your body to deal with it.

 

1. Do an Alps trip. Anything after that will pale in comparison.

2. Get a staffy and play fight with it and let it bite your hands.

3. Get one of those squishy hand stengtheners or a squash ball and get squeezing. Silicon breast implants are rumoured to work too.

4. Build some trails. There's a monthly build day at Tokai.

i have 2 rotties does that count?
Guest Omega Man
Posted

i have 2 rotties does that count?

Hahaha. They might just bite your hands off completely.

Posted

1 hour? Where did you get that from? Atta is rolling district roads after 60-70km, like riding on road with a rigid.

 

Up to the rolling district roads it gets bumpy, very bumpy.

The Kloof is as rocky and bumpy as hell, that decent is a monster on the arms, the district road is corrugated ,it's a long way even on conditioned arms and upper body.

Posted

Hey all,

 

I recently started riding with a 1x10, 34t up front (on a 26er). I went for 2 rides over the week end, the first one was alright, but by the end of the second ride my legs were dead dead dead. So I would like to drop to a smaller chainring. Would a 32t make a noticeable difference, or should I drop to a 30t?

 

I'm concerned that the top end on a 30t is going to be too slow. Anyone have words of wisdom regarding this? :)

 

Or should I just HTFU and deal with the 34? :unsure:

 

A 30t with the smallest gear on the back is about the same as a 34t on the 2nd smallest on the back - doubt that you will find it too slow.

 

Another option is to add a 42t to the back - although this will likely be more expensive

 

or get a bag of concrete and HTFU

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