thanks for answering my question, I was saying in my diary that the problem (i dont' believe) is the seat, its fine while i'm riding it...but its the bruised bottom that is the problem. Is the pain an effect of a bad seat??
Oh no, the brused bottom is normal for either extremely long rides or your butt isnt used to it. When i did the 160km long hilly ride i had a bruised butt afterwards also, but a lot of it is just your butt muscles being sore from clenching and supporting. it will go away within a few weeks.
Super, Super cool, Wishes!
I'm curious... And I know it's a stupid question... But do you ever get nervous with all of those other bikers around you? Like, if one wipes out you're all gonna wipe out!
Yes! most of the time its fine, but the race i did on the weekend was scarey because some of the bunches got so big.
Cycling in bunches has an etiquette, heres the general gist.
By following very close behind somebody you can go faster because you dont have wind resistance, so you get a group of 4-5 people and only the first person gets the wind resistance. So person in front rides as hard as they can for as long as they can, when they are worn out they move outwards and let the rest of the bunch go past and then they move back into the end of the cue, the bunch rotate all the time so the guy at front is always fresh and this way the whole group goes a lot faster than they could on their own. The bunch is referred to as a Peloton.
In larger bunches the same basic principals apply only you can be 2-3 riders wide (dependant on traffic and road etc).
So of course now because you are travelling fast and close together, you dont see any potholes or glass or even parked cars. So this is where general politeness and signals and calls come in.
If a car comes from behind the person at the back yells out 'CAR BACK!' the person in front of them yells, then the person in front of them and so on so everyone knows to move left a little or if they are sitting out move back into the line. The person in the front keeps an eye out for potholes glass or parked cars and will point to any potholes (sometimes they call them but often its just signals), glass is a palm down shaking signal (or rough stones), a quick hand behind the back pointing away from the curb means parked car or passing something slower/stopped (ie moving away from the curb).
Rules of the bunch are - no wobbling, no sudden turns, no sudden stops etc. If for some reason somebody gets a flat or chain falls off, that person will yell 'STOPPING!' and usually a few people around if they notice will do the same.
So when you are in super large bunches and wanting to move left or right to get to the outside of the bunch you can raise the fingers off the appropriate hand outwards pointing, look back out the corner of your eye and wait for other riders to gently slow so you can fit in, if they dont then you call out. Most cyclists and bunches are easy to ride in, and people are nice and polite
You have already accomplished so much more than most people will in their whole life, Wishes. You have done great things! Thanks for sharing your ups and downs and being an encouragement to others along the way.