6 responses so far ↓

• 1 Rick // Feb 20, 2008 at 9:08 pm

  You have already seen my daughters in the grocery gitter threads. The oldest is ready for one of these types of bikes.

  Here are my requirements: Quality and gears. That’s it. Would this be better than the Adams Trail-a-bike I was planning on buying when the weather finally breaks?

• 2 Will // Feb 21, 2008 at 12:07 pm

  this post is completely unrelated to the topic at hand, but i figured no one would mind too much. i was a smoker for years and quit for a solid year, maybe a little more. recently ive been going through some rough times and, as they say, “a smoker is always a smoker when the chips are down.” i was wondering if anyone in this community is a former smoker with advice on quitting. i am worried that it will affect my riding. whats the best way to approach quitting?

• 3 Lance // Feb 21, 2008 at 12:30 pm

  Will, I’m not sure what amount you smoke, but I was a one pack a week guy for a solid year. After I started riding, I’d get to where my chest was killing me and I had no stamina. Graduallly I’d just have to leave the sticks alone and starting weening myself off them. Mostly because I didn’t want to be in pain on every ride.

  If you are a one pack a day kind of guy, I’m not sure this method would work though. I never progressed that far so I’ll let someone else chime in for that situation. I used to thoroughly enjoy them but now I can’t imagine going back. Good luck!

• 4 Ghost Rider // Feb 21, 2008 at 12:55 pm

  Rest assured, smoking WILL affect your riding, and everything else you do, too.

  I smoked a pack or more a day for over 20 years. Willpower is ultimately the only thing that works — I tried the patches, the gum, hypnosis, etc. and always found a way back to cigarettes.

  I did have some success with Zyban, though. It killed a lot of the cravings, but you still have to work on finding distractions in order to be truly successful.

  Exercise is a greatmotivator, too. A friend of mine was doing 20 pushups every time he had a craving, and after doing 4 or 5 hundred a day at first his body started to rebel and he was able to quit over time.

• 5 Rick // Feb 22, 2008 at 7:07 am

  I was a pack a day smoker for about 15 years. I quit the day after my daughter was acting like a sucker stick was a cigarette.

  Chantix helped, but read up on it before deciding if it is for you. It can really mess with you. I actually miss the crazy dreams.

  Doing stuff can help. I bought three different bikes from VOA and created one decent bike.

  But, what really helped was wanting to quit. I tried so many times to quit before, but never really wanted to do so. This time, I wanted to.

• 6 Will // Feb 22, 2008 at 11:39 am

  thanks everyone, your advice is amazing. im glad im not the only cyclist out there who happens to be a former smoker too.

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