Hi,
Just wondering what your experiences are bike riding. I'm ok riding a
stationary bike, but outside really hurts my hip. My bike is the
cheapest i could find, so I was thinking maybe a better one might help?
Not sure. Any thoughts? Or what to look for in a new bike?
I am not sure a cheap bike is the best for your hip. I have two bikes.
One is a hybrid which has a big comfy seat. Changing the gears is very easy. Both may help with hip pain. This bike cost somewhere between 300.00 and 350.00.
I also have a racing bike which I bought before my recent flare and diagnosis. I had planned to do more triathlons this summer. I absolutely love this bike but I have problems with my hands riding it. In particulary I have a hard time squeezing the right brake. However, I do still ride it. This bike was very expensive even on sale.
I am a cyclist through and through! I raced MTN bikes when I got RA and love road bikes too... and tandems. My man is also an expert on bikes and bike mechanics... and he manages a bike store and is a fit expert too... we are all bikes! Point is... QUALITY TOTALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE with bikes. When you have good quality, its easier on the body too... not only in performance, but in fit and comfort. See your local bike dealer, the more upsale, the better... you can still get bikes for under 400 in those stores too... they can usually order what you want also.
Also... FIT is esesntial and not having the right saddle height, etc can cause pain in the hip or knee, etc. A good saddle is a must too... some like gel ones, but I like the ones made for women with the cut out section. Its really an individual thing. There are so many choices now compared to even 5 years ago. I notice my hips and sit bones hurt at times too and I just cannot ride. I cannot ride most of the time, but I will always love it. Also... if you get a good bike, you can use get a trainer to place your bike on indoors to use it as a stationary bike too. (like rollers but with resistance and you can shift your bike as you would a statoinary to get more resistance... they are usually used for training like spin classes... but nice to just move the legs in an easy gear too for us gimps! hehe!)
Basically, bikes are like cars, the more you spend, the better you usually get. If you want to look at our bike shop site for examples and fit info and links to major sites... its mcghies.com
i had to give up cycling/biking all together becuase of the persistent pain in the knees.it was getting far painful for me to handle even if i would go biking for barely 15mins in a week. so i was advised to drop it. i do miss biking. I bought a Trice XL recumbent bike when it became too painful on my wrists/elbows to ride a traditional upright bike. The recumbent has allowed me to continue cycling - although I do get some strange looks from passersby!