Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Hi! I used to post on this board ages ago under a different handle, but it was so long ago that I forgot what it was, so I made this one. Beyond that, since sustaining a lot of severe injuries and making many major lifestyle changes, my goals are a lot different from what they used to be anyway.

It would be great if someone could give me some advice about cycling with a severe injury.

In 2010, I got hit by a car while cycling. The car snapped my leg in half. Owing to sequelae from an intramedullary rod implantation to "fix" my tibia, many nerves in my left leg are destroyed, and there are lots of extensive scars and weak spots on this leg. I later had the rod removed after the skeletal pain it caused became unbearable, but this did nothing for the neuropathy.

I have a lot of neuropathic pain and numbness in my knee, and I cannot feel most of my foot (where the screws that held the rod used to be and the surrounding area). I am thinking that I need to spring for clipless pedals; I've never used them before, but as I've been cycling on my platform-pedaled beach cruiser for a while now, it's quite clear that my foot doesn't have enough sensation to stay on the pedal for very long.

I also have extensive muscle atrophy in this leg. I've done lots of physical therapy, but the leg is still like a shriveled-up toothpick. I naturally have a stick-thin frame, but I want legs like tree trunks and to be able to cycle a hundred miles with this leg, even if it kills me.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Im an avid cyclist and worked in a bike shop for years. I suggest you give them a try. If you can't stay on the pedal now you can't ride the distances you want. Any good shop will let you try Them on a Bike locked into a trainer. This is great because it will help you try before you buy and you will see if they will work or you.

If you need anymore info just ask.

I use XTR 980 clipless pedals on all my xc and road bikes. They are cheap off wiggle.co.uk

Look into getting some b12 shots. Do your homework. Read a book called 'could it be b12?' by Sally Pacholok. She talks about how accidents can deplete b12 stores. Ive given out over 100 b12 shots and most of those to my meat eating cycling and running friends.

You want to get big strong legs from cycling? LOL! Doesnt happen mate. I was riding with Andy Schlek in Jan and he has a twig body. He said 'Ive actually got to lose a lot of weight before the TDF...'.

Cycling + high carb low fat makes you lean as.

Do you have a road bike? You won't be able to do many miles on a beach cruiser, and the seats that comes on those could cause some nerve issues.