Paulo Mesquita Posted February 23, 2021 Author Share Posted February 23, 2021 9 minutes ago, scubadragosan said: It might be time to consider a wheel that you can be seated when you get tired! hahaha...that will take a very long time. I'm still just making sure I don't fall off right now!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UniMe Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 1 hour ago, Paulo Mesquita said: and on day #21... I and paid the price of not resting.... I rode in the afternoon the usual 3 laps adding another 12,2kms to my outdoor distance. However, my calves started to have excruciating pains on the last lap. Why? Simple. This idiot, with all the excitement on riding...exaggerated. I had walked the day before about 5kms and then went EUC riding for another 2 laps. And then, yesterday morning I did a treadmill "effort" (as we call it in Portugal) ECG at the hospital. Not happy with all the walking, riding and walking in the past 24 hours...I went for another 12,2kms. ...and the pain on that 3rd lap....god...I was desperate. It was like the calves were on fire!!!! I thought I'd have to walk a few kms back home with all that pain. I was only able to get to the finish line, changing my standing position, either standing up completely straight or kneeling as low as I could (some wobble, of course). SO TODAY... this idiot stayed home and has been stretching and rubbing muscle anti inflammatory gel on his calves. Serves me right!!!!...idiot! No pain, no gain my friend. Just think about how fit you are getting! Some might argue that anti inflammatory meds slow recovery of muscle soreness. ... Sometimes is best to eat super healthy and hydrate. If you're in spasm, load up on potassium and magnesium rich foods, perhaps drink some beet juice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Mesquita Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 2 hours ago, UniMe said: Some might argue that anti inflammatory meds slow recovery of muscle soreness. ... Sometimes is best to eat super healthy and hydrate. If you're in spasm, load up on potassium and magnesium rich foods. Oh, I eat supper healthy and I hydrate a lot and take magnesium. This is just a gel for a pain relief massage. I don't take anti inflammatory meds. No beet juice... I consider it the worst food taste of my life.. It makes me puke!!! I know it's super healthy... but just can't stand the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UniMe Posted February 25, 2021 Share Posted February 25, 2021 (edited) lol, I drink Biotta Breuss, half a bottle has 1/2 my daily potassium needs. A great recovery drink and slightly (oh so very) more palatable than straight beet juice which I also find too sweet and distasteful. method of delivery doesn't really matter with the nsaids -- topical or oral, it all circulates. The research on longevity and nsaids is actually a bit mixed, probably in part because so many age related health problems have a root in inflammation. for a person prone to inflammation (genetic, lifestyle) nsaids are probably a good thing... in terms of muscle recovery, we're talking 10% either way, so no big deal if you're not on a training program with UEFA dominance aspirations Edited February 25, 2021 by UniMe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Mesquita Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) Day #22 & day #23 Day #22 - still paying the bill of having exaggerated with too much exercise, for "me ol' bones". did only 8.5kms and had to stop since the calves were still burning right after lap one. Dat #23 - I decided to do an experiment (mostly to understand footing sensitivity and also to see if all the calves pain could be associated with the motorcycle boots beoing a bit to hard. So... I put on some old Nike sneakers...but with good ankle and shin protection, knee, elbows, etc. the entire robocop outfit. ...well, aftyer 300mt ...my BLOODY CALVES WERE BURNING!!! And I'm "what the hell...am I going to be able to do only one lap of 4,2kms?) Very disappointed and with burning calves (and suspecting the sneakers were doing a worse job) I went on. As I was close to finishing this 1st painful lap...I had to stop at an intersection due to traffic. SURPRISE! I GET BACK ON AND NO PAIN! It felt so great I rode another 4.2kms lap, two more 1,1mk laps and the I ventured, for the 1st time, to the old village close to my condo. After 45 minutes of riding all over the place, including a very slippery cobble stone (we call it McAdam here in Portugal) road on the village square...I got back home with no calf pain at all. My conclusion: there must be some positioning of the feet on the pedals that cause the calf pains. The difference I saw of my feet positioning from ride one of the day (with pain) and ride two (no pain) is that on ride two my feet were about one inch more to the front of the pedals. Can this be the difference between a painful ride or a less painful one? after all, with the feet more upfront one tends to move faster and easier with less leg muscle effort. Or am I being stupid about this? Btw, I love riding with sneakers. Much more sensitive to the wheel. Edited March 30, 2021 by Paulo Mesquita 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) I ride near the front. Since we typically need to go forwards, putting your balance forward of center, enables us to move without needing bend the ankle and use the calf so much. If you notice, your leg is near center balance, even when your feet seem to be near the very front. Our feet are NOT centered to our bodies. Calves burning is probably from having to hold an ankle lean for extended periods. Try it standing and see. Step away froma wall and lean with the ankles and see how those calves feel after supporting your weight for a few moments. Now stand a bit straighter and see how much easier it is. Using your legs to grab the wheel a little when you need acceleration, also takes a little bit of the pressure off the calves needing to hold such a sever angle. If you're like me, you are leaning to the point that its a challenge to keep the heel down. If this is the case, 1" more forward and youll notice less effort for same speeds and less effort to keep the heel down. Resist the urge to curl your toes down to assist in grabbing the plate front. At any rate, you will quickly learn to move around on your plates. One reason is to put the balls of the feet at the very edge so you can maintain cruise speed more easily. Of course, another reason is youll find yourself moving back a little when you are going down hill. Same reasons only now you are mitigating how much backwards you need to lean at the ankles. MOving around on the foot plates also help mitigate pain from being in the same exact spot all the time. Sounds to me like you're getting good and NOW its just the little details that will make yuo great! Jut rememebr to be careful of being at extremes front or rear of plates when encountering bumps, or you've much less plates to bounce around on before you get bucked off. I ride in thin soled skate shoes. Its a compromise of course. Thin shoes lets you feel your position on the plates and seem more connected to the wheel. However, thin shoes tend to allow the feet to go numb fter many miles, from sheer vibration. Thin shoes also offer little ankle protection. In my skate shoes I feel great if they are tied tightly. So odd that a loose shoe REALLY screws with me on the euc. I accept the loss of protection on my shoes, as Im at a stage now where an accident is likely NOT going to be a mere ankle bite, but a faceplant. Man I love this game! Livin life and cheating death... does it get any better? I'll say it again.. MAJOR CONGRATS!!! GO watch your video from days 1-4 and then pat yourself on the back, you old bastard! Edited February 26, 2021 by ShanesPlanet 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawpie Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) It is amazing how shifting foot position (your stance) can make such a difference. As you continue you’ll find you have time to pay attention to what your feet and calves are feeling, and change your stance a little when they’re starting to complain. There no shame in stepping off for a minute or two to walk around and get everything loosened up again. I wiggle my toes and shift the part of my foot bearing the most weight pretty constantly when I’m riding. Remember that walking is pretty much always moving your weight around and your muscles aren’t locked into a single position—try (carefully!!!) to move around and change things up. Carving helps keep your lower half from being locked up for too long. Being able to shift my stance is the one part about my studded pedal experiment that I’m not totally happy with... it requires more practice to lift and move a foot rather than simply sliding it around on plain grip tape. I’m also bummed that the studs poke holes in my beautiful roll.nz... but I’m getting over that. Slowly. Always something to be working on, but that’s what I wanted when I decided to learn a new skill! Edited February 26, 2021 by Tawpie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UniMe Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) My feet and calves burned for the first while a lot, moving my feet forward an inch just like you describe helped a lot. The next evolution was simply installing power pads (in the right front to back placement) so when I flex my knees a bit into what is a proper stance on the wheel my shins come in contact with the pad and push it forward. If you're moving your feet forward, perhaps also consider resetting the pedal angle back a few degrees. This will help prevent you from sliding forward on the foot pads. I have mine set back 3.5 degrees and it also seems to be more comfortable for my feet and calves. The EUC is simple, if your weight is forward of the center of gravity down through the wheel it will move forward. You can achieve this by leaning or through foot position. The power pads are a bit of a hack because they create leverage on the wheel between your feet and shins. Edited February 26, 2021 by UniMe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pengloong Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 Paulo, 16X is a heavy wheel to learn on but you have come a long way in your very short time. You are doing great. Congratulation!!!. Most of us experience sore calves in the beginning, it is part of the learning process. You will find that in no time at all you will become so proficient, the soreness will go away. Basically, don't get tense but relax a bit when you ride. At the same time be aware of your surroundings. I can see you venturing into new territories very soon. ENJOY!. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Mesquita Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 @ShanesPlanet, @Tawpie, @UniMe and @Pengloong, your comments, suggestions and mainly your insights about the calf pain, foot positioning and other details, make all the sense to me. Thank you so much for this most recent step in helping me understand my little errors and corrections needed. Kudos to you all 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Mesquita Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) On 2/26/2021 at 5:28 AM, UniMe said: ... also consider resetting the pedal angle back a few degrees. This will help prevent you from sliding forward on the foot pads. I have mine set back 3.5 degrees and it also seems to be more comfortable for my feet and calves. @UniMe Do I do this mechanically or with the EUC World app? I have no idea but I'd like to try it. Edited March 29, 2021 by Paulo Mesquita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawpie Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 3 hours ago, Paulo Mesquita said: with the Roll.nz Bodyguard I cant install them "we" need to figure out a way to securely attach something that can hold power pads on top of a bodyguard so they don't slip or move. Maybe get U-Stride on it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UniMe Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Paulo Mesquita said: @UniMe Do I do this mechanically or with the EUC World app? I have no idea but I'd like to try it. ...also about the power pads...are they these things in the photo below? I ask because I bought a pair like these but with the Roll.nz Bodyguard I cant install them...unless you have another idea... Yes, those are indeed power pads. They are big and bulky for sure and most riders who use them don't also have the body guard on the wheel. They tend to opt for custom padding adhered to the 'corners' of the wheel where it is most likely to impact in a crash. The body guard is most important for when you first start out as you drop the wheel many, many times. As you gain skill though, wheel crashes become much less frequent and removing the body guard in favor of power pads starts to become a tempting option. The power pads provide some protection for the wheel as well. I think the ones you have pictured here are the best version, although I'm not sure how, exactly, they would adhere to your 16x as I have an 18xl. My suggestion would be to only remove a small strip of the double sided tape cover on the back and to experiment a bit with positioning before you pull it all off and affix the pads more permanently. They will always pull off with minimal damage to the pads (if you're careful) but this does compromise the tape and sometimes it needs to be replaced. For my kingsong 18xl the EUC world app has a fantastic feature where I can simply and easily adjust the pedal angle. Hopefully it's the same for your 16x. With my GW RS I need to do it manually but setting the wheel at a specific angle and resetting the calibration -- compared to the EUC Wold pedal angle adjustment functioning for the KS this method sucks. Edited February 26, 2021 by UniMe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Mesquita Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) On 2/26/2021 at 3:13 PM, Paulo Mesquita said: @UniMe Do I do this mechanically or with the EUC World app? I have no idea but I'd like to try it. ...also about the power pads...are they these things in the photo below? I ask because I bought a pair like these but with the Roll.nz Bodyguard I cant install them...unless you have another idea... @UniMeI haven't yet figured out which side goes to the front. I've seed dudes putting them both ways, and some complaining they think they glued them the wrong way. I suspect the bigger curved blocking side goes in the back and the straight blocking one goes front. Is this correct? Edited March 30, 2021 by Paulo Mesquita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawpie Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 Other way round. The top one in your picture is for the left leg, bottom for the right. Angled part forward so your leg leans into it at an angle (your ankle will be bent). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UniMe Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 ooohhh -- looks like Paulo is going for it! Have fun with the power pads and be careful. The acceleration advantage can be habit forming lol although they are definitely a bit weird at first. When properly placed the pads also make long, 10k and above, rides less fatiguing on the lower legs and feet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 (edited) 6 hours ago, Paulo Mesquita said: @UniMeI haven't yet figured out which side goes to the front. I've seed dudes putting them both ways, and some complaining they think they glued them the wrong way. I suspect the bigger curved blocking side goes in the back and the straight blocking one goes front. Is this correct? WIde at top, just as the angle increases from ankle as you get further from pivot towards the knee. Just as @Tawpie stated it. Sadly, I havent found an agreeable way to mount pads to my euc with an eucbg. I did have some very thin half circles I mounted UNDER the cover and they were right at the edge of the factory 18L pads. In the end, I gave up, as I didnt like bulging of the cover and my 18L isnt ridden like that for my needs. Small pads underneath DID offer a little bit more to grab while squeezing with the legs. It also was easy to use double sided tape and epdm, as the cover held the pads taught and traction kept from slipping. The cover CAN stretch a lot, so youll just have to try and see what compromise works best for you. You will find that how wide the pads are and WHERE you place them, maks drastic differences to ride feel. Just as shoes, its a very particular feel for even minor changes. Lucky you, you have two wheels, so you're the perfect candidate for testing. Especially with the matching eucbg's. Maybe try the pads and not us an ecubg on one for a few miles to get an idea if you even need or if its worth messing with. Fwiw, I have ZERO problems railing my 18L thru turns and up to tiltback, without extra pads. I quite enjoy the open feeling and looseness on that one. Yummm... Edited February 27, 2021 by ShanesPlanet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawpie Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 (edited) Illustrative pictures of power pad installation, the exact positioning is a matter of personal preference and varies quite a bit: Edited February 27, 2021 by Tawpie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Mesquita Posted February 27, 2021 Author Share Posted February 27, 2021 8 hours ago, Tawpie said: Illustrative pictures of power pad installation, the exact positioning is a matter of personal preference and varies quite a bit: @Tawpie, I saw the video and I think they're a very interesting and version's solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Mesquita Posted February 28, 2021 Author Share Posted February 28, 2021 (edited) Day #24 and day #25 ....PRECISELY 30 DAYS AFTER I STARTED EUC RIDING!!!! YUPIEEE!!! Day #24 - Went with the new KS 16x with a tire more full and as you teacher shave taught... it's more squirrely. The day was so warm that I I went further away and rode a total of 16.32kms and 50 minutes....Went out of the 4.4km radius condo, went through the old village where the American School is (wife is a a teacher there) and visited the neighboring big condo on the other side. Day #25 - bigger trip longer time...and 1st outdoor crash!!!! Yep! It had to happen! Fortunately I was fully geared up and so my left wrist, elbow and knee were OK...otherwise.... The reason: I went out with the older KS 16x that has a flatter tire. It is much less squirrily.. .BUT STRANGELY ENOUGH, ON THE BAD COBBLESTONE DRIVES (the McAddam slippery stones I mentioned our older roads in Portugal have) it seems more difficult to ride than with the other KS16x with a fuller tire. So I was curving -quite slowly - on the cobblestone road next to the Pestana Golf Hotel, and there was a big depression on the drive with some of these terrible cobblestones a bit misplaced. Not sure if it was the wheel or my lack of confidence... but I lost control and tried to get off. Unfortunately the wheel hit my legs and forced me down. I was up in a couple of minutes, after a breather, and back on the wheel. and I went and went and went. TO CELEBRATE MY 30 DAYS OF THIS NEW SPORT I RODE FOR 22,5KMS AND FOR 1h35m!!!! and I would have gone on if it weren't for it being almost 4PM and I still hadn't had lunch!!! ...and the wife didn't even know where I was!!! SPECIAL NOTES: 1) 30 days of something totally liberating, great for my soul, mind, self-esteem and mainly health!!! 2) I'm gonna make a t-shirt saying " 61 YEAR old fart, happy on an EUC" 3) ...still have to figure out what my favorite tire pressure is. I'm going to alternate between the two wheels for a couple more days without adjusting the tire pressure difference between them...until I figure it all out! Edited March 29, 2021 by Paulo Mesquita 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhpr262 Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 On 2/22/2021 at 5:48 AM, Tawpie said: Looking very solid. Spring is coming! Spring is coming! Soon, storms will abate and outdoor riding season will be here. You will be ready from what I can tell. (nice of the Tesla owner to have moved their car for you) It may be my age or the fact that I am still fairly new to riding but never has a winter sucked harder for me than this one. It is my own fault for being lazy and putting winter tires only on the front wheels of my car. If I had put winter tires on all four wheels we wouldnt have had more than two or three days below freezing and no snow at all. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Mesquita Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 5 hours ago, mhpr262 said: It may be my age or the fact that I am still fairly new to riding but never has a winter sucked harder for me than this one. It is my own fault for being lazy and putting winter tires only on the front wheels of my car. If I had put winter tires on all four wheels we wouldnt have had more than two or three days below freezing and no snow at all. You're just unlucky ...if you lived in Portugal like me you'd be complaining about having three rainy days in a row or having 15ºC/ 59ºF for a few days.... I've seen quite a few videos by now of mates all over the world riding EUC's in terrible temperature and even weather conditions...man, there are thing that i don't like about my country (mainly civil services and politicians) but all the rest is a freakin' paradise!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 22 hours ago, Paulo Mesquita said: I would have gone on if it weren't for it being almost 4PM and I still hadn't had lunch!!! ...and the wife didn't even know where I was!!! Isn't that a wonderful feeling? You are out there running around like a teenager ... better yet ... a 12 year old on his bicycle! 22 hours ago, Paulo Mesquita said: 1) 30 days of something totally liberating, great for my soul, mind, self-esteem and mainly health!!! The best thing about this is that the feeling doesn't stop. A year from now, you will still feel like that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambino Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Ola Ola, também sou de Portugal....Tenho a King Song 18s... Boas aventuras por ai. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulo Mesquita Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 1 hour ago, Bambino said: Ola Ola, também sou de Portugal....Tenho a King Song 18s... Boas aventuras por ai. Essa KS 18s é um bicho potente 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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