Back in the Saddle

Of course, on a recumbent there is no saddle, but rather a gel foam, mesh-backed, lumbar supported, very comfortable seat. It gives you something to push against when going up hill.

Back in my gel foam, mesh-backed, lumbar supported, very comfortable bike seat after a vacation break, I managed to sneak in a 40 minute ride on Heartbreak Hill (around 5 miles) yesterday morning. I am pleased to say that riding a recumbent is just like riding a bike (you don't forget how).

I did notice, as I had on my half-century ride last week, that the outside of my feet seemed to be bearing most of the pressure of pedalling. Given that I have clipless pedals I decided to chat to the folks at Wheelworks about that. I had thought I needed small wedges on the cleats to even out the pressure.

However, one of the knowledgeable staff suggested two things that made more sense. The first suggestion was to get some cushioned insoles, and the second was to make sure the shoe is not too tight. Apparently it is a common problem to tighten cycling shoes too much. Given I was feeling the same pressure wearing my cycling shoes for a brief fitting session, this makes lots more sense. I was asked whether the shoes are wide enough - I just hope so, since I don't want to have to buy another pair because of incorrect fitting.

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