Using Ebikes As Tools For Meeting a Health Challenge

I just found this post
Best wishes on your recovery
You have inspired me to keep my tandem recumbent bike for now I was going to get rid of it because I didn’t think I would be able to safely ride it again balancing both myself and my wife on it ever again
I have had to have 1 surgery after another for the last 3 years and I’m looking into getting ebikes to try to get back into riding after my next surgery in a couple of months
with what you have been able to do I don’t feel as bad about myself and my situation
Thank you for sharing and inspiring people like me Alaskan and the others here hopefully I will start riding again this late summer to fall and eventually get strong enough to get back to riding our long rides on our tandem
 
I am sad to have read the trial by fire you walked through over the entire winter. Your absence (sincerely missed here by many for your opinion, your spirit, walks in these digital pages and always will) made me suspect you were undergoing some kind of battle and I believe it was Ravi who informed us you were not feeling well.

Your latest post has brought smiles and fist pumps from all here. Keep them coming, when you can. That smile in your photos says it all! We live in a distorted reality where too many people make overpaid basketball, baseball or football players or actors into some kind of heroes we are supposed to adore and emulate. Bollocks to that. The real heroes are the good hearted working people from all walks of life who are forced to step over their own rubicon and yet, have the will, the luck, the humility, the courage, to step back.

Looking forward, with anticipation, of your Spring 2022 ride reports, @Alaskan! :)
 
Alaskan, I understand, and share your pain. I've been battling cancer for 14 years now, after receiving a diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer on a Friday just before 4th of July weekend. Turns out not all pancreatic cancers will kill you quickly...but it's still a roller coaster, with three surgeries over the years, a DVT, a treatment failure after the "latest" "highly successful" treatment (which did a number on my blood counts and kidneys....), a failed clinical trial experience...a constant sword over our heads - what will the next scan show?

Yet we continue on, and our bikes are a great release, aren't they?
 
Richard, I haven't been here for a while so I was unaware of your unfortunate circumstances. I am very sorry to hear what you've had to go through.

At the same time you are amazing in how you react to adversity and how you fight through these things. I admire your perseverance to get through these situations.

Good luck with your health.
 
Great to hear from you, Alaskan! Like the others here, I, too, had missed your posts, and am very glad to hear from you.

I actually read your post a couple of days ago, and it really inspired me. My latest diagnosis is nothing serious, in the scale of issues we're talking about here-- bilateral rotator cuff syndrome and osteoarthritis-- and I left my doctor's appointment feeling a bit glum. Just another turn of the screw, no idea whether these two issues are related to the connective tissue disorder, no clear instructions, prognosis, or treatment plan. My rheumatologist was actually really irritating: "I'm going to retire, so I can bodyboard and bike like you do!" (Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it. Doesn't seem like the kind of guy who's very good at playing hurt, but hey, I would love to be wrong about that, hope he has a great retirement, if his bedside manner has decayed this much, maybe it's time for him to hang it up anyway.")

Anyway, I left the appointment feeling listless and sorry for myself, determined to stop doing everything until I was certain everything was completely safe... sit quietly in my office with my hands folded and wait until I felt much worse, maybe eating a few worms for good measure... not bother pushing for scans and tests and good PT and sports medicine...

And then I read your post and thought, "Or maybe I'll try door number two = not feeling so damn sorry for myself" and had my first ride over 10 miles in about six weeks, about 12 miles and 1,700 feet of vertical.

So, thanks! Your posts always help me get my ass off the couch and back into the saddle. Boo-ya!
 
April 24 update -

I was back on the bike for about two weeks when I started experiencing tachycardia (elevated heart rate) while riding up hills. My pulse was climbing up to 145 bph riding home, up the hill, at the end of rides, in turbo and the lowest gear. Normally it would have been around 100-110 bpm. I am seeing my cardiologist and a pulmonologist this week to get to the bottom of it, I but I suspect it is a combination of the chemtherapy and reduced lung capacity due to the loculated fluid remaining in my pleural space after this winter's illness.

Bottom line I was grounded...no bike riding. I was getting a bit discouraged but realized, if I let go of some of my biases, I could get riding again. All my ebikes have been mid drive, Bosch equipped bikes with no throttle. I realized that with a bit more power and throttle, I should be able to continue riding. After doing some research, I settled on the Evelo Aurora Limited as the solution to my quandry.

On Tuesday, I made some calls to Evelo, I got through right away to Thomas who, is a support tech/bike mechanic who helps out on the sales line from time to time. He was knowledgeable and quite helpful. Later that day I put in a call to purchase the bike. Evelo is a Dircect to Consumer company with no retail locations or dealers. The bikes are made in Taiwan and come with a complete 4 year/20,000mile warranty as well as a 21 day no-risk decision period that begins when you actually get your bike and allows a return without restocking or return shipping fees. This results in a supply of "open box" bikes, offered at a modest discount but also available for immediate purchase and delivery within two weeks. They had an open box bike with one mile on it and a slight paint scuff on the rack. More importantly they allowed me to come by on Friday and pick up the bike in their Seattle warehouse.

The bike has a 750 watt Dapu middrive motor that puts our 105 Newton meters of torque, a 800 wh battery, Gates carbon fiber belt drive and and Enviolo 380 Automatiq drive train that shifts automatically to keep you at the same cadence going up or down hill....no shifting needed (you can actually take the wireless shifter off the bike once it has been dialed in) and it really works! This combination gets me back up the hill to our house (and other hills) and still keeps my heart rate and breathing within safe parameters.

I spent Friday afternoon putting on my own pedals, grips, Kinekt seat post and Selle Anatomica saddle and other custom details. A few calls to Thomas for tips on setup, all of which happened with less than a one minute wait. I rode down the hill and then came back up with a big grin on my face. Yesterday I rode down to the public market and then took a 5 mile loop around town. I got a call from Thomas just before he was heading home from work. He wanted to make sure all was going well. They seem to have put together a great team at Evelo.

Today Nancy and I are planning a ride together. So happy that I let go of my preconceptions and got the right bike for my current circumstances.

Problem solved...at least for now.

20220422_180002_2.jpg

20220423_131326.jpg
 
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Good for you, Alaskan for listening to your body and taking action.

As you've pointed out, riding can be powerful medicine, so it's great you've found something that works for you.

I'm just coming back from an injury/surgery enforced layoff and I swear the sun shines a little brighter every day I get out on the bike.
 
^yes…the sun is shining brightly here today and I’m about ready to shove off for my longest of the year before surgery on Tuesday grounds me. Fortunately my surgeon is a roadie and promises to get me riding again quickly. Why are so many doctors, Physical therapists and even my dentist riders. Don’t they have something better to do?
 
Cancer is a journey, one with many detours and a uncertain destination. Just as I started our spring riding, I started getting back pain, probably due to a pinched nerve. Fortunately, it doesn't interfere with riding. It is leading to yet another round of scans - a full spinal MRI (two hours in the tube) and a PET scan. Just scheduling things takes quite a bit of time. Who knows what's next.
Meanwhile, weather in the northeast has never quite warmed up yet this spring - we have yet to see even 60 where I live and ride. Fortunately, we felt in March that it was going to be a cool spring (unlike last year, which was glorious) so we decided either wait until May or get warmer clothing. We did the latter...stretchy balaclavas do a great job under a helmet, and those Bosch ebike controls can be worked with pretty heavy gloves!
 
Richard, that is a great idea that keeps you doing what you love doing, riding, the idea of increased power to make up for what you have temporarily lost within your recovery. And what a beautiful bike she is, a very pleasing color combo, IGH and the proven Gates Carbon Drive. What is especially heartening is to know there is a bike business out there that really cares for the customer. How refreshing is that, after reading so many disappointing posts here on various ebike builders/manufacturers & how they have treated the customer after the credit card or paypal payment went through? Sounds like Evelo needs to be a first-look for any future ebike buyer, based on your experiences with them. I'm happy for them as I am happy for you! :)

Really looking forward to some ride reports with your new Evelo as time allows.

And @PatriciaK pretty much sums it up perfectly when she mentions your smile!
 
Alaskan said:
April 24 update -

I was back on the bike for about two weeks when I started experiencing tachycardia (elevated heart rate) while riding up hills. My pulse was climbing up to 145 bph riding home, up the hill, at the end of rides, in turbo and the lowest gear. Normally it would have been around 100-110 bpm. I am seeing my cardiologist and a pulmonologist this week to get to the bottom of it, I but I suspect it is a combination of the chemtherapy and reduced lung capacity due to the loculated fluid remaining in my pleural space after this winter's illness.

Bottom line I was grounded...no bike riding. I was getting a bit discouraged but realized, if I let go of some of my biases, I could get riding again. All my ebikes have been mid drive, Bosch equipped bikes with no throttle. I realized that with a bit more power and throttle, I should be able to continue riding. After doing some research, I settled on the Evelo Aurora Limited as the solution to my quandry.

On Tuesday, I made some calls to Evelo, I got through right away to Thomas who, is a support tech/bike mechanic who helps out on the sales line from time to time. He was knowledgeable and quite helpful. Later that day I put in a call to purchase the bike. Evelo is a Dircect to Consumer company with no retail locations or dealers. The bikes are made in Taiwan and come with a complete 4 year/20,000mile warranty as well as a 21 day no-risk decision period that begins when you actually get your bike and allows a return without restocking or return shipping fees. This results in a supply of "open box" bikes, offered at a modest discount but also available for immediate purchase and delivery within two weeks. They had an open box bike with one mile on it and a slight paint scuff on the rack. More importantly they allowed me to come by on Friday and pick up the bike in their Seattle warehouse.

The bike has a 750 watt Dapu middrive motor that puts our 105 Newton meters of torque, a 800 wh battery, Gates carbon fiber belt drive and and Enviolo 380 Automatiq drive train that shifts automatically to keep you at the same cadence going up or down hill....no shifting needed (you can actually take the wireless shifter off the bike once it has been dialed in) and it really works! This combination gets me back up the hill to our house (and other hills) and still keeps my heart rate and breathing within safe parameters.

I spent Friday afternoon putting on my own pedals, grips, Kinekt seat post and Selle Anatomica saddle and other custom details. A few calls to Thomas for tips on setup, all of which happened with less than a one minute wait. I rode down the hill and then came back up with a big grin on my face. Yesterday I rode down to the public market and then took a 5 mile loop around town. I got a call from Thomas just before he was heading home from work. He wanted to make sure all was going well. They seem to have put together a great team at Evelo.

Today Nancy and I are planning a ride together. So happy that I let go of my preconceptions and got the right bike for my current circumstances.

Problem solved...at least for now.
Click to expand...

Way to go, Richard! Very happy to see this update.
I am cheering for you and look forward to riding with you wherever I visit PNW.
 
Alaskan said:
Those who know me are aware that I have been using my ebikes to rebuild my heart and general fitness after having had a major heart attack three years ago. It has worked incredibly well. However this winter I got a cancer diagnosis, ironically in one of my legs, the engines of my heart's recovery.

I have been fighting a cancerous tumor (soft tissue sarcoma) in my left thigh since February. After chemo and radiation, I had to have surgery on my leg ten days ago which will keep me off my bike for a month or more.

What a blessing to have a good ebike to encourage and facilitate my recovery and rehab. It is the perfect tool as it is so much fun, encouraging me to ride whenever the weather allows and adjustable for my changing needs.

I started chemotherapy in mid February. I kept riding although as the chemo progressed my energy level declined and there were days I just didn't have the energy to ride. My rides got shorter and I started using more assist. That lasted until the end of April. Keeping my body moving, getting out into the fresh air, watching life return with the blooming spring, really helped keep a good attitude during a difficult time.

In mid May, I moved on to the next phase of treatment, daily radiation therapy and the University of Washington Med Center. It was an 85 mile drive back and forth. I would leave the house at 8:15 and get back home by noon. The weather was warming and the chemo was working its way out of my system. I rode just about every afternoon when it wasn't raining. I rode almost every day with almost 30 mile daily average distance, racking up over 800 miles in July and over 600 miles in August prior to the surgery on the 24th. I focussed on reducing the electric assist and putting out as high wattage from my legs as I could, wanting to to into surgery in the best possible condition.

Riding on a daily basis and getting outdoors despite what was going on was so helpful in keeping my mental state and attitude on the positive side. It was an embrace of life made possible by my ebike. I wanted to go in to surgery strong and fit. My doctors encouraged this saying that having good muscle tone and vigorous circulation would facilitate and speed up healing and recovery.

Post surgically they are encouraging me to get back riding as soon as I can. When I get back on my bike I will have to use much higher assist until I can retrain my left leg to overcome a 50% loss in the quadriceps. Hopefully I can get close to my prior riding power.

The prognosis is good, radiation had left no living cancer cells, but they had to take out some muscle from my quadriceps and I have a long road of rehab and PT ahead. Hopefully, I get back on my bike by October

My goal for recovery is by next summer, repeat the Mount Baker climb I did last month, 48 miles with 5,000 feet of elevation gain.

Ebikes have been the perfect tool, adapting to my changing needs, keeping me fit, keeping me smiling, helping me fight cancer and heal.

Life is better on an ebike!


Last Month at Artist Point - Mount Baker
View attachment 64374
Click to expand...
That's some tough karma, my friend. It's great to see you, and folks like you not letting things stop you!
Ebikes are da bomb!
 
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