u/oztrailrunner

I'm looking for ideas on seats for my bike. Thought about getting one from AliX, like a Bucklos or Ztto, but wanted feedback on anytime that has had one.

I'm rebuilding a bike on a budget and realised I don't have a saddle for it yet.

I can't tell my wife this as I don't want her to worry.

Background: I have spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine. This puts pressure on my spinal cord and nerves. My spine is also slowly "crumbling" where I get tiny fractures which heal with spurs which cause pain and reduces movement. Where my spine is deteriorating, it allows my disk's to periodically pop in and out causing immense pain, muscle spasms and basically the locking up of my back.

I slipped a disk last week and have been doing regular stretching and heat therapy as per my physios instructions, but last night in bed I got stuck.

It was midnight, I needed to go to the toilet and I just couldn't get up. I could roll over onto my stomach but that was about it. I tried getting up but my back wouldn't let me. I had tingling down my right leg into my foot, and no matter how I tried to get up, my body just locked and wouldn't let me.

I really needed to go to the toilet and started to panic. I can't get out of bed. I tried to get up again several times, I eventually managed to get to the floor where I collapsed with pain. I was getting frantic, I was about to lose control of my bladder. I tried to reach the laundry basket thinking I'll pile clothes under me and just go and deal with it in the morning. I couldn't quite reach it though.

I grabbed the edge of the bed, pulled myself up to my knees. I was feeling dizzy from the pain. I grabbed my pillow, held it to my face and forced myself to stand, yelling into my pillow while I did it (didn't want to wake my son)

I managed to get up but by this time I'm crying from the pain. I had to get downstairs to the toilet asap.

Thankfully I made it. I took some more pain killers and got myself back to bed, where I managed to get another 2 hours sleep.

My wife was sleeping with my son as he was having bad dreams the last few nights, so thankfully she missed the whole thing.

I'm just writing this out to yell into the void. I'm only in my 40s. I'm worried about what my back will be like in 10-15 years.

I don't want my wife to worry so I won't tell her about how bad it was last night. Feeling reasonable today, so I'm at work trying to keep busy and comfortable.

I buy, rebuild and sell bikes.

Word is getting around that I do this in the side, and I had someone request for a bike for themselves the other day.

Anyway, I found one that is almost perfect got what they are after.

I messaged the seller on Sunday morning and it's now Tuesday morning with the message still unread. This guy has a huge inventory of sold bikes, and a few unsold, so I know he's active.

The bike is almost perfect (I'll change bars, seat and grips to what this woman wants) and it's 20 minutes down the road, so I'm keen to get it.

How long do you wait to resend a message on messenger? I don't want to come off as a knob, but I also just want to get this done.

3 weeks ago I weighed 89.2kg and went on holidays for a week. I ate whatever, I had a few beers, steak sandwich and pizza were some pretty good dinners. I generally just enjoyed myself. I didn't weigh myself afterwards. I spent another week gently going back to eating cleaner, more water and gently resetting myself.

Last Monday I did my first OMAD of the week and finished up today (Friday) and weighed in at 88.6kg. So a 600g loss from pre holidays. No idea how much I weighed at the start of my latest OMAD week as I didn't want to know about it. I kinda wish I did, as it would have been interesting to know just how much I lost.

My last OMAD week I lost 2.3kg.

My BMI is now 32.5. I have a goal to get down to 30.9, and that's where I'll start running again. I gave it up earlier this year as it was just too hard on my body. My BMI then was 34.5.

I really want to get back into ultra marathon trail running, but I can't do it when I'm that heavy.

Once I'm at that 30.9 (for me that's 84kg) I'll sign up for one and give myself at least 6 months to train for it.

Gotta have goals to drive forward.

I've got 5 hours till I can eat today, and we just had a 1hr long meeting with biscuits, cakes and pastries sitting on the middle of the desk. Then the pies and quiches came out.

They smelt delicious, but the desire to lose weight was stronger. So I had a piece of gum and called it good.

He will always come up to me, turn his back into my body and lean in. That's the norm. I put my arms around him and hug him.

I'm the last week or so he's been coming up to me and leaning against me but facing me, which I thought was awesome.

Today though, he ran up to me and put his arms around me! I couldn't believe it. It's been years. I've only ever had 3 or 4 hugs from him. He cuddles mum, but no one else, ever.

I'm holding back tears of happiness, coz if he sees me crying, he'll freak the fuck out and be off for the next 24 hours. Don't know when I'll get the next one, so I'll cherish this one !

I buy, repair and resell bikes.

Had one that I just sold, and I don't feel good about it. Not about the bike, that was solid, but the poor kid that was forced onto it by his dad.

The bike was too big for the kid. The dad kept saying it will work, you'll be right etc. The poor kid was like no, it's too big and dad ignored him.

I said to the guy "it's too big for him, you don't need to buy it" but he pushed the money into my hand with the bike in the other and walked off.

The kid said "but mum said..." And the dad told him "don't worry about her"

I feel for the kid.

The top tube was low enough that it he stepped forward of the seat he could touch the ground without hitting the top tube, but that's not how it should be.

Anyway, I didn't force the sale, I said he didn't have to buy it to give them an out.

It was a $45 sale, and I made $35 off it.

Normally I feel excited after I sell a bike, now I feel like crap.

I'm half expecting the mum to message me about it. If she does I'll happily offer a refund .