Hey there,
Just having a bad day and as usual when I have a bad day, I spend more time googling info on AFs.
Anyways, this has been something I wondered about in the back of my mind, but was hoping there was no correlation. I love bicycling. I always have. Until this fissure became more obvious, I would bike every day. It was my favourite mode of transportation and exercise. I feel set free when I am on my bicycle.
But I have gradually come to the realization that this will have to be a thing of the past.
I don't know how I ended up with a fissure. There is no 'smoking gun' in my case. So I constantly wonder what the underlying cause is.
I found this blurb of a study today and wondered what other people here think about bicycling and fissures.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17427020
the only thing is, I hardly biked for the last year as I recovered from ativan, but I suspect my fissure predates even that by about 6 months on a small scale. I didn't know what it was and it was misdiagnosed a lot.
-Tanya

Tanya, I too have a love of bikes, from my vintage Chicago built Schwinn balloon tired beach cruiser, to my '97 Specialized Rockhopper, all upgraded with Shimano XT parts, to my 'bookends,' a '91 Schwinn Crisscross hybrid and a matching '91 Schwinn Crosscut hybrid, and even the little Ratrod I built using a chromed 24" Giant mountain bike, converted to single speed and equipped with ape hanger bars. I just gave my 6 speed 100th Anniversary Schwinn Cruiser to my brother-in-law for Christmas after a complete restoration. That, and the old Schwinn are what I ride down to our town's weekly Cruise Night in the summer. And of course, because I live up in the snowy confines of the Chicago metro area, I also have an old classic Schwinn XR-7 exerciser bike for when it is too snow bound to ride.
In fact, I'm about to tear down the Crosscut for a major rework. Due to its age, it features cantilever brakes and 7 speed gearing. I would like to update that to either Ultegra or 105 triple in front, and XT out back. Then maybe some Tektro or LX V-brakes. while it is completely stripped down, I'm going to have the frame custom powder coated. It's a lugged triple butted True Temper CroMo frame, and at present, I'm trying to decide between Bright Orange, with Electric Blue for the lugs and forks, or Bright Yellow, with Fire Engine Red for the accessories. These bikes were some of the best Schwinn put out after he Chicago plant closure. Whichever way I go, I will have custom decals made in the correct color, so it appears as a one off stocker. My old friend and LBS down in the city sad he even still has a pad of their old design shop sticker for that final touch. Hey, enough about my love f bikes, lets talk about yours.
I read the article to which you linked and immediately picked up on two things, and they were the two groups of cyclists. The article cites that the test group were a bunch of PRO mountain bikers, and the base group were recreational cyclists.
Now, I'm not much of a mountain biker (there aren't any mountains in Chicago), but I have done enough single track along the Des Plaines River to know that my bod, and particularly my arse takes far more abuse in the dirt than on the paved and limestone paths and streets I spend most of my time on, and I do believe that is the key.
I was quite careful to ask both my CRS and the pain specialist I saw today about bicycling. They both assured me that after my LIS heals, getting back on the bike should not be an issue and should not bring back a fissure. So, all I can say is take that for what it's worth, and then ask your own doc. Unless your one of the heavy duty downhillers out in Marin County, Cali, you should be OK.
Good luck, and keep the rubber side down!

You know I did use to mountain bike in marin county with my hoo-koo-ee-koo, but that was 15 years ago. I stick to the roads now.
That's good to hear Rasmith, thank you. I never could master the maintenance side of biking, but I would miss riding if I couldn't do it again. Heck I had to get a bike I could sit more upright on because of my bum shoulder. But I love it! (specialized globe carmel) Kinda heavy though.
I will ask my crs. I think I didn't cause I was afraid of what he would say.
-Tanya

I started playing with bikes when I was a teenager and worked at the local Schwinn store after school and on weekends. By 13 I'd learned to weld and raked the frame on my old StingRay so I could extend the forks by almost a foot. Then came mini bikes, cars, a stint in the Navy with jet fighters and finally a first career twisting wrenches in a car dealership.
Then I got into IT but still found time to stop at my friend's shop on Friday nights for a bike building pizza extravaganza! Oh, I almost forgot, I also have a custom assembled sport custom tandem, just no stoker, so it sits.
I know what you mean. I am so looking forward to at least the Chicago L.A.T.E. Ride (absolute midnight insanity on 2 wheels with 15,000 of your cycling buddies), the North Shore Century, and if I'm up to it by then, the Udder Century.
Funny you mention the Globe. I was just looking at this sharp neon green or yellow Globe Vienna, but there's also a real nice camelback framed Specialized Crossroads in electric blue with a few nice upgrades. Perhaps you've heard of the bicycle ownership theory "N+1" (N being the number of bikes currently owned). Yeah, I'm bitten bad, but I figure it's better than spending my money getting all roasted out at the bar on weekends. The Carmel looks like a nice bike. I saw one recently at our local Specialized shop. My Chicago built beach bike is a single speed and weighs 48lbs. Makes for some fun up hill climbs.
I have installed 100mm riser bars on my Crisscross and plan to go with 50mm risers for the Crosscut. Yeah, I need that upright position too. At 58, I'm too old to do that bike weennie stuff with my chest resting on the top tube. I'll leave that to the younger set. I'm about as aerodynamic as an old Volvo Estate anyway. Plus, you can't smell the flowers as well if your nose is buried in your crotch! Upright works for me.

Hey, if the need arises, you could possibly add a suspension fork and seat post to lessen the stress. That is of course, if yours doesn't already have that.

I asked my CRS about exercising and he said I can go back to the gym and do most cardio with the exception of the exercise bike. He told me that you tend to pull the fissure from side to side when cycling which opens things up again
Be careful not to go riding again too soon!
(I miss my biking too)
Davo

you know, i am prepared to live with that, especially now that i live on the side of a mountain. But it would be nice to take my bike to a flat path now and then. But I would consider it a small price to pay if I could be fissure free for ever and ever.
I have really gotten to enjoy walking over the last year. It isn't so easy on the side of a mountain!
Thanks for the info.
-Tanya

Walking on an angle, whether up and down, or across, has to physically stress your rear end. I know when my sciatica acts up, inclines handled in any direction are quite unpleasant, and I am beginning to note that things which either help or hurt my back issues also seem to have at least some effect on the fissure's behavior. I'm assuming this is do to the proximity of the two. If your hips and pelvis aren't level, you sphincter is going to be moved in some direction, at least I would think so.

Hey Rasmith,
Most days I find it helps to walk the hills. But I walk slower on the steep bits. Slower than I used to :)
I feel better walking, than I do standing still or sitting.
-Tanya

I'm hoping that with my recent spinal block, I will be up and walking like a trooper again soon. I've been mostly couped up in the house for months now, and that alone has a stress level attached to it. Just remember that when your pelvis is not level, you sphincter muscles are being pulled one way or another, and do take care.
Rob