Lowering a seat

On 20/07/16 03:36, Frank Krygowski wrote:
My wife's favorite bike, her Cannondale touring bike, is becoming
unusable for her. Due to stiffness in her hips, she's becoming unable
to swing her leg over the saddle in its normal position. The frame is
not a step-through design like a mixte or "girl's bike," although the
top tube is much lower than typical.

I thought I might solve the problem with an ancient Hite Rite spring and
quick release unit
https://i0.wp.com/oi50.tinypic.com/124zyhi.jpg
so she could come to a stop, then lower the saddle before swinging her
leg over. But the seatpost motion is far too stiff. Despite several
hours of effort to be sure there are no burrs, despite trying different
lubricants, etc., the seatpost doesn't easily drop under her weight.

I can try to locate a much softer spring, I suppose. But I wonder if
anyone has come up with another solution, other than a
multi-hundred-dollar dropper seatpost, or a new bike. Ideas, anyone?



Yoga?

--
JS

On Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 4:43:52 PM UTC-7, SMS wrote:
On 7/19/2016 1:40 PM, Joerg wrote:
On 2016-07-19 10:36, Frank Krygowski wrote:
My wife's favorite bike, her Cannondale touring bike, is becoming
unusable for her. Due to stiffness in her hips, she's becoming unable
to swing her leg over the saddle in its normal position. The frame is
not a step-through design like a mixte or "girl's bike," although the
top tube is much lower than typical.

I thought I might solve the problem with an ancient Hite Rite spring and
quick release unit
https://i0.wp.com/oi50.tinypic.com/124zyhi.jpg
so she could come to a stop, then lower the saddle before swinging her
leg over. But the seatpost motion is far too stiff. Despite several
hours of effort to be sure there are no burrs, despite trying different
lubricants, etc., the seatpost doesn't easily drop under her weight.

I can try to locate a much softer spring, I suppose. But I wonder if
anyone has come up with another solution, other than a
multi-hundred-dollar dropper seatpost, or a new bike. Ideas, anyone?


If money isn't too tight consider a "seat dropper". Hardcore downhillers
use those to drop the seat by several inches right before barreling down
a hill, for a lower center of gravity which reduces the chances of an
endo, then back up at the bottom of the hill. Very fast action. But they
cost well north of $100. Some can be activated from a remote switch on
the handlebar. The work similar to an office chair gas spring.

Other than a new Mixte touring bicycle, this is probably the best
option. You want to be able to drop the seat to get off, as well as to
get on. But a dropper seatpost is several hundred dollars.

Transferring components over to something like
http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/buena-vista is probably a
better long-term option.

My wife doesn't have stiffness that would make it hard to get on a
regular diamond frame, but she very much prefers low-step-over frames.


After Brexit, this might be a deal: http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/frames/23/miss-mercian Dude! $299 complete! http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...gesport_xi.htm

Frank, this is the big chance for your wife to jump to a Utopia Kranich. http://coolmainpress.com/AndreJute%27sUtopiaKranich.pdf There is no finer bike, and once fitted with a Rohloff Speedhub and chain-case, you will never have to do any maintenance of any kind, ever -- even if the bike is hit by a car. The car will require significant repairs, but not the bike.

-- Jay Beattie.

On Tue, 19 Jul 2016 13:36:40 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

My wife's favorite bike, her Cannondale touring bike, is becoming
unusable for her. Due to stiffness in her hips, she's becoming unable
to swing her leg over the saddle in its normal position. The frame is
not a step-through design like a mixte or "girl's bike," although the
top tube is much lower than typical.

I thought I might solve the problem with an ancient Hite Rite spring and
quick release unit
https://i0.wp.com/oi50.tinypic.com/124zyhi.jpg
so she could come to a stop, then lower the saddle before swinging her
leg over. But the seatpost motion is far too stiff. Despite several
hours of effort to be sure there are no burrs, despite trying different
lubricants, etc., the seatpost doesn't easily drop under her weight.

I can try to locate a much softer spring, I suppose. But I wonder if
anyone has come up with another solution, other than a
multi-hundred-dollar dropper seatpost, or a new bike. Ideas, anyone?

I have had this problem twice, once a "frozen shoulder, and once after
I fractured my pelvis.

Assuming that there is no actual deterioration of the hip joints, like
arthritis than two things.

(1) start an exercise/stretching program to stretch the tendons in
the crotch area to regain flexibility.

(2) in the interim, just lay the bike over, almost horizontal, and
step over.

Note: Stretching tendons to treat a "frozen" joint will either entail
considerable pain or take a long time to regain flexibility. I've done
it both ways, with a frozen shoulder at a clinic (very painful but
regained flexibility in less than a month) and by my own efforts
(almost painless but took a year).
--
cheers,

John B.

On Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 8:35:52 PM UTC-4, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 4:43:52 PM UTC-7, SMS wrote:
On 7/19/2016 1:40 PM, Joerg wrote:
On 2016-07-19 10:36, Frank Krygowski wrote:
My wife's favorite bike, her Cannondale touring bike, is becoming
unusable for her. Due to stiffness in her hips, she's becoming unable
to swing her leg over the saddle in its normal position. The frame is
not a step-through design like a mixte or "girl's bike," although the
top tube is much lower than typical.

I thought I might solve the problem with an ancient Hite Rite spring and
quick release unit
https://i0.wp.com/oi50.tinypic.com/124zyhi.jpg
so she could come to a stop, then lower the saddle before swinging her
leg over. But the seatpost motion is far too stiff. Despite several
hours of effort to be sure there are no burrs, despite trying different
lubricants, etc., the seatpost doesn't easily drop under her weight.

I can try to locate a much softer spring, I suppose. But I wonder if
anyone has come up with another solution, other than a
multi-hundred-dollar dropper seatpost, or a new bike. Ideas, anyone?


If money isn't too tight consider a "seat dropper". Hardcore downhillers
use those to drop the seat by several inches right before barreling down
a hill, for a lower center of gravity which reduces the chances of an
endo, then back up at the bottom of the hill. Very fast action. But they
cost well north of $100. Some can be activated from a remote switch on
the handlebar. The work similar to an office chair gas spring.

Other than a new Mixte touring bicycle, this is probably the best
option. You want to be able to drop the seat to get off, as well as to
get on. But a dropper seatpost is several hundred dollars.

Transferring components over to something like
http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/buena-vista is probably a
better long-term option.

My wife doesn't have stiffness that would make it hard to get on a
regular diamond frame, but she very much prefers low-step-over frames.


After Brexit, this might be a deal: http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/frames/23/miss-mercian Dude! $299 complete! http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...gesport_xi.htm

Frank, this is the big chance for your wife to jump to a Utopia Kranich. http://coolmainpress.com/AndreJute%27sUtopiaKranich.pdf There is no finer bike, and once fitted with a Rohloff Speedhub and chain-case, you will never have to do any maintenance of any kind, ever -- even if the bike is hit by a car. The car will require significant repairs, but not the bike.

-- Jay Beattie.

right Frank doahn be tight here spend some dough for a quality bike....

what is the old girl's exercise regimen ?

Uncle Charlie of Tucson Ford piloted a bomber over Germany. Collingsworth flies in every winter for tour rides.

I chose machine gunner entry thru a small hatch afore the tail. No ladder*

I stayed on the crete boosting the old farts into the plane caws they cudnah do it...no way. Castroed

and then I kipped in zip no problem do it every day...

WHA how do that Dude ?

stretching ex every morning for uh 36 years. lube thr grooves.

On 7/19/2016 5:35 PM, jbeattie wrote:

snip

After Brexit, this might be a deal: http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/frames/23/miss-mercian Dude! $299 complete! http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...gesport_xi.htm

I bought that Mixte, but I think they are no longer in stock.

There's a lot of used 1980's era Mixtes being sold around here.


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

On 7/19/2016 8:35 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 4:43:52 PM UTC-7, SMS wrote:
On 7/19/2016 1:40 PM, Joerg wrote:
On 2016-07-19 10:36, Frank Krygowski wrote:
My wife's favorite bike, her Cannondale touring bike, is becoming
unusable for her. Due to stiffness in her hips, she's becoming unable
to swing her leg over the saddle in its normal position. The frame is
not a step-through design like a mixte or "girl's bike," although the
top tube is much lower than typical.

I thought I might solve the problem with an ancient Hite Rite spring and
quick release unit
https://i0.wp.com/oi50.tinypic.com/124zyhi.jpg
so she could come to a stop, then lower the saddle before swinging her
leg over. But the seatpost motion is far too stiff. Despite several
hours of effort to be sure there are no burrs, despite trying different
lubricants, etc., the seatpost doesn't easily drop under her weight.

I can try to locate a much softer spring, I suppose. But I wonder if
anyone has come up with another solution, other than a
multi-hundred-dollar dropper seatpost, or a new bike. Ideas, anyone?



After Brexit, this might be a deal: http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/frames/23/miss-mercian Dude! $299 complete! http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...gesport_xi.htm

Problem is, my wife really, really loves this Cannondale. It's the one
she rode coast to coast. Despite being a touring bike, it's probably
the lightest bike in the house (partly due to its small size, I admit.)

She once had a mixte frame, and that bike is still in the extended
family. But the difference in frame rigidity was pretty extreme,
especially when loaded with panniers - but even without.

As illustrated by this story: We used to live where there was a short
steep hill right outside our driveway. At one point, her bike made a
horrendously loud clanking sound when climbing that hill, loud enough to
hear from at least 50 feet away. The sound occurred in time with the
crank rotation, but was far, far too loud to be any bearing or pedal sound.

I finally figured out it was the kickstand. (Back then, she used one.)
The lowest tip of the kickstand cleared the spokes just fine; but when
she pedaled hard, the frame flexed enough to send that tip into the
downward traveling spokes on the rear wheel. That slapped the kickstand
downward, and when its spring pulled it back up, it made a loud clank.
Naturally, I fixed the problem by rotating the kickstand further out.
But short version: That frame was too flexible.



Frank, this is the big chance for your wife to jump to a Utopia Kranich. http://coolmainpress.com/AndreJute%27sUtopiaKranich.pdf There is no finer bike, and once fitted with a Rohloff Speedhub and chain-case, you will never have to do any maintenance of any kind, ever -- even if the bike is hit by a car. The car will require significant repairs, but not the bike.

Trouble is, we keep our bikes in the basement. I'd have to hire help,
or install a pulley system, to get that beast up the stairs.

Which, I hasten to say, does not mean that it is the absolutely perfect
bicycle, the standard by which all two wheeled vehicles should be
judged. ;-)


--
- Frank Krygowski

On 7/19/2016 8:59 PM, John B. wrote:
On Tue, 19 Jul 2016 13:36:40 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

My wife's favorite bike, her Cannondale touring bike, is becoming
unusable for her. Due to stiffness in her hips, she's becoming unable
to swing her leg over the saddle in its normal position. The frame is
not a step-through design like a mixte or "girl's bike," although the
top tube is much lower than typical.

I thought I might solve the problem with an ancient Hite Rite spring and
quick release unit
https://i0.wp.com/oi50.tinypic.com/124zyhi.jpg
so she could come to a stop, then lower the saddle before swinging her
leg over. But the seatpost motion is far too stiff. Despite several
hours of effort to be sure there are no burrs, despite trying different
lubricants, etc., the seatpost doesn't easily drop under her weight.

I can try to locate a much softer spring, I suppose. But I wonder if
anyone has come up with another solution, other than a
multi-hundred-dollar dropper seatpost, or a new bike. Ideas, anyone?

I have had this problem twice, once a "frozen shoulder, and once after
I fractured my pelvis.

Assuming that there is no actual deterioration of the hip joints, like
arthritis than two things.

(1) start an exercise/stretching program to stretch the tendons in
the crotch area to regain flexibility.

(2) in the interim, just lay the bike over, almost horizontal, and
step over.

Note: Stretching tendons to treat a "frozen" joint will either entail
considerable pain or take a long time to regain flexibility. I've done
it both ways, with a frozen shoulder at a clinic (very painful but
regained flexibility in less than a month) and by my own efforts
(almost painless but took a year).

There certainly is some arthritis involved, but she's resolved to do
more stretching exercises. And regarding the other common solution, she
does try laying the bike down. The problem came to a head when she
finished a fairly long (for her) and hot ride. In the process of trying
to lower the bike, she toppled to the ground. We'd prefer not to repeat
that. So I'm still hoping for a quick and easy tech solution.

She's very familiar with a frozen shoulder, BTW. She had that once, got
physical therapy to cure it, and was so impressed that she went back to
school to become a licensed physical therapy assistant. She worked in
that field for many years.

But we're older now, so she's seeing things from the patient perspective
now.

--
- Frank Krygowski

////////////


There's a lot of used 1980's era Mixtes being sold around here.

passe ?

On 2016-07-19 18:53, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 7/19/2016 8:35 PM, jbeattie wrote:

[...]


Frank, this is the big chance for your wife to jump to a Utopia
Kranich. http://coolmainpress.com/AndreJute%27sUtopiaKranich.pdf
There is no finer bike, and once fitted with a Rohloff Speedhub and
chain-case, you will never have to do any maintenance of any kind,
ever -- even if the bike is hit by a car. The car will require
significant repairs, but not the bike.

Trouble is, we keep our bikes in the basement. I'd have to hire help,
or install a pulley system, to get that beast up the stairs.

Which, I hasten to say, does not mean that it is the absolutely perfect
bicycle, the standard by which all two wheeled vehicles should be
judged. ;-)


It's on sale but they only have the 5" version left:

http://www.pricepoint.com/Brand/Grav...P-Seatpost.axd

If your wife's Cannondale has less exposed seat post length there are
also shorter versions of such droppers. Without remote cable they might
fit better.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Tue, 19 Jul 2016 13:36:40 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

My wife's favorite bike, her Cannondale touring bike, is becoming
(...)

How about a Magura Vyron electric dropper post?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbRMlxUR4gY
http://www.bikeradar.com/us/mtb/news/article/magura-drops-electronically-controlled-seatpost-45105/
http://www.magura.com/en/components/bike/elect-connectivity/

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558