Munga 2021

[walkerr]

14 hours ago, SSCC said:

If you cant get comfortable with aerobars then you have them setup wrong. Setup right you should be able to fall asleep on them and have no neck or saddle pain.

 

Even setup right, aero bars are a known contributory factor to Shermer's neck:

https://sportcoaching.co.nz/shermers-neck-a-guide-to-neck-syndrome

Not for everyone, sure. But those with a pre-disposition to Shermer's (e.g. existing neck & shoulder conditions, or flexibility issues) need to be aware and careful. Aero bars are a fabulous tool if you can use them - which loads of people can. I honestly wish I could, my hands and wrists would take so much less punishment. But, as with everything in long distance cycling, each of us needs to experiment and hone what setup works best for our own peculiarities. For me, Shermer's will kick in after about 3 or 4 days on the road if I'm not careful. My hands/wrists don't start to become a real issue until 9 or 10 days out there. So it's the lesser of two evils.

Edit: a very big factor for me, and one not mentioned in many articles is sleep. If I can get 5 or 6 hours a night, I'm much less likely to suffer. Much easier to do on a tour though than a race with cutoff times.

Edited December 10, 2021 by walkerr

[fanievb]

On 12/9/2021 at 6:56 AM, Vetseun said:

I am totally gutted to have at to pull the plug at 1060km. Unfortunately  I could not ride any further looking down at my top tube. I would have had an ugly crash.

The legs were there. My neck wasnt.

There are some hardcore okes here on the hub and I am sure some of them have experienced shermers neck. Not pleasant.

Anyway, no race report from me, my opinion of giving a race report when you had a DNF was clearly stated in the great Hub fight of 2017.

Anyway, I have to get on with life. Sorry Cois, really wanted to show that I could fight hard, as you have shown us all that you can. 

 

 

jy is nogsteeds 'n ****** LEGEND my pel.

keep your head up (so to speak) you are stronger and better than most of us.

[DIPSLICK]

I stopped off at Vetty on my way to the cape,

the race report MUST INCLUDE why his forearms are Blue

I only saw him for 3 hours, but I must say following dots, and reality beeeeeg difference

 

as he said everyone says well done and for him it doesn’t help/make him feel better,,,

but his story will shed another light on what he achieved to get there, as does everyone’s story

 

WELL DONE CHOM, you still my Camel man on a DIKWEEL

[tinmug]

+1 for a rider port from @Vetseun. I only followed two riders this year and Mr V was one of them. Impressed when he overtook the cut-off marker, marker when his dot stopped at Ceres. But bloody impressed with his tenacity regardless of not taking the cut ( ... this year 😸). 

[SSCC]

6 hours ago, walkerr said:

Even setup right, aero bars are a known contributory factor to Shermer's neck:

https://sportcoaching.co.nz/shermers-neck-a-guide-to-neck-syndrome

Not for everyone, sure. But those with a pre-disposition to Shermer's (e.g. existing neck & shoulder conditions, or flexibility issues) need to be aware and careful. Aero bars are a fabulous tool if you can use them - which loads of people can. I honestly wish I could, my hands and wrists would take so much less punishment. But, as with everything in long distance cycling, each of us needs to experiment and hone what setup works best for our own peculiarities. For me, Shermer's will kick in after about 3 or 4 days on the road if I'm not careful. My hands/wrists don't start to become a real issue until 9 or 10 days out there. So it's the lesser of two evils.

Edit: a very big factor for me, and one not mentioned in many articles is sleep. If I can get 5 or 6 hours a night, I'm much less likely to suffer. Much easier to do on a tour though than a race with cutoff times.

You could also say ;

Cycling is a contributory factor to Shermer's neck.

Saddles are a contributory factor to saddles sores.

Many people fail with aerobars because they don't come from a TT or triathlon background and think they can just slap aerobars on their bike a couple of weeks before their race. So sure if you don't set them up right for long distance riding (high, wide, short reach to pads) and you don't put in 100+ hours on them to condition your neck and back then you are likely to fail. 

[DIPSLICK]

11 hours ago, SSCC said:

You could also say ;

Cycling is a contributory factor to Shermer's neck.

Saddles are a contributory factor to saddles sores.

Many people fail with aerobars because they don't come from a TT or triathlon background and think they can just slap aerobars on their bike a couple of weeks before their race. So sure if you don't set them up right for long distance riding (high, wide, short reach to pads) and you don't put in 100+ hours on them to condition your neck and back then you are likely to fail. 

As long as I’ve known Vetty, he grinds hundreds of km/s per week tucked down comfortably in that “***” position, I couldn’t do 200m never mind kms,

I do agree it puts you in an unusual position, as Vetty said to me you can train for distances for sure, I think the extra few days(weather and and) not so much

then again my idea of distance is 100kms 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️

[Brakepad]

my Head lamp weighs 69 g. and the battery pack is either in the back pocket , strapped to the arm or in a rucksack dependent on the activity . at 700Lumen it runs for the whole night (about 10 hours). Why carry batteries on the head?

[_David_]

On 12/10/2021 at 5:29 PM, SSCC said:

You could also say ;

Cycling is a contributory factor to Shermer's neck.

Saddles are a contributory factor to saddles sores.

Many people fail with aerobars because they don't come from a TT or triathlon background and think they can just slap aerobars on their bike a couple of weeks before their race. So sure if you don't set them up right for long distance riding (high, wide, short reach to pads) and you don't put in 100+ hours on them to condition your neck and back then you are likely to fail. 

Agree 100% and that is the exact reason why my next long course tri will be done on a roadbile and not a TT bike. The marginal gains in time are not wort the discomfort.

[eala]

Never knew there was a specific name for neck failure in prolonged cycling .I most certainly had it in 2013 while riding the Joberg2C .Going down Umkomaas was really difficult on day eight .And yes!,you don,t have control over it .I looked forward to the climbs when i could just look straight ahead .I still finished but had numb hands and a floppy neck for weeks 

[walkerr]

8 minutes ago, eala said:

Never knew there was a specific name for neck failure in prolonged cycling .I most certainly had it in 2013 while riding the Joberg2C .Going down Umkomaas was really difficult on day eight .And yes!,you don,t have control over it .I looked forward to the climbs when i could just look straight ahead .I still finished but had numb hands and a floppy neck for weeks 

Named after Michael Shermer - after being 1st recognised suffererer on an early RAAM.