h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You have read The Rules, right?

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

Yeah, like the Evil Overlord List and others if it was distilled down to only 10 or 20 (i.e. the ones that actually_are_ funny) it would be more effective. Did you actually read them to the end?

I did, but found many of them a bit obscure if like me you're not a club cyclist. Some funny gifs and images in the comments though

I've got to admit that this fine summer we appear to have had this year (shock!) has had me obeying rule number 7 to the letter.
And last year had me being a full badass (no. 9)
I currently violate rule 12 but I will reach the minimum soon - I need a bike with a triple for these damn grimpeurs I keep getting sucked into.
And sadly I do obey rule 25 now.
I am pleased to not understand rule 45
But will obviously soon be violating rule 47
Rule 64 is probably the funniest. Rule 81 is good too
Rule 90 - yeah right - whoever wrote that hasn't got the Devil's Staircase up the road.

MTFU - definitely

I think I'm going to leave the Audaxing for a wee while. I've been getting a pain around my knee of late and I was suffering a bit after last week's Pedal for Scotland event. Maybe a bit of light work over the winter trying to figure out what's hurting my knee then have a go in the spring.

Are you riding clipped in? Has your saddle dropped?

The only knee injuries I've had were because of these.

1. Unbeknownst to me, a bolt came out of one of my cleats and the cleat had moved position. This caused all sorts of annoying knee pain but as soon as I had figured it out and amended things it went away.
Just having my foot pointing in the wrong direction slightly was enough.

2. My saddle slipped low under useage and I was getting knee pain - I only noticed when I was at some traffic lights once and noticed that I was sitting on the saddle and had both feet flat on the ground too - not correct! Again, went away when I sorted it out.

Of course saddle too high and other various things can cause this but you'd have probably noticed before with them...

I've got a feeling that I raised the saddle last Spring so that might be a cause. I need to check that.

Ah right - the only reason I missed that off is that it's not really something that happens spontaneously. But if you did it yourself then yes, that could be a possibility.

Your knee should have something like a 25 degree bend at full extension iirc.

Ah, now I saw a yoochoob vid that said 30 degrees and to raise the saddle 1mm for every degree over 30 degrees

I think opinion varies from 25° to 35° - personally i don't go for all this precise stuff as I don't have many fit problems. Plus I've never got a protractor on me when I get on the bike Although the nerve damage in my hands from long audaxes might hint otherwise

Aye, I keep seeing adverts for bike fits but knowing me, I'd take the bike in and get charged £100 to be told it's fine.

Naah, my brother had it done after 20 years of no problems. He wanted to improve his time trial times.
They tweaked things and gave him some funny insole inserts and...

... he *started* to have problems.

Seen this? http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/fat-lad-at-the-back-new-clothing-brand-for-larger-cyclists-38605/

That'll do me nicely, though I'd point out that due to the laws of physics the Fat Lad At The Back going up the hill rapidly becomes the Fat Lad At The Front going down the hill

Yes me too Yeah I had seen that but to be honest, I'm more of an Aldi/Lidl offer on a Thursday style of person

Definitely towards the back on climbs - but watch out after the top - no sense of self preservation