poisoning yourself by riding

02-08-2007, 04:15 PM

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Has anyone here experienced chronic lung sickness that can be traced
back to when they started riding more/harder?

I think I have developed chronic lung inflammation after an enjoable
season of riding on urban CA. By riding a road bike alongside with
cars you are reduce polution and get in shape, but you are poison
yourself with car emissions. Cyclists, especially when going hard,
expose their lower airways and alveoli to pollution at least 10 times
more compared to the case of no exertion (i.e. compared to car
drivers). A cyclist going hard passes at least 100 lliters of air
through his/her lungs per minute (compared to ~10 liters per minute
when not exertiing, assuming 500 ml average breaths and ~20 breaths
per minute). Not everyone will develop problems, but susceptible
people will. If I could go back, I would have switched to m.biking or
trail running.

02-08-2007, 04:29 PM

"[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>Has anyone here experienced chronic lung sickness that can be traced
>back to when they started riding more/harder?
>
>I think I have developed chronic lung inflammation after an enjoable
>season of riding on urban CA. By riding a road bike alongside with
>cars you are reduce polution and get in shape, but you are poison
>yourself with car emissions. Cyclists, especially when going hard,
>expose their lower airways and alveoli to pollution at least 10 times
>more compared to the case of no exertion (i.e. compared to car
>drivers). A cyclist going hard passes at least 100 lliters of air
>through his/her lungs per minute (compared to ~10 liters per minute
>when not exertiing, assuming 500 ml average breaths and ~20 breaths
>per minute). Not everyone will develop problems, but susceptible
>people will. If I could go back, I would have switched to m.biking or
>trail running.

Hmmmmm... the information I've read suggests that the air the cyclists
breath is CLEANER than that of the motorist (at least, those in a
closed vehicle), because of the trapping of the noxious gasses in the
****pit, and the fact that they tend to trail along nose to tail.
You're absolutely right about us using more air though - but I have to
wonder how much getting in "in and out in a hurry" matters to how much
nasty stuff actually gets absorbed.

I've ridden in places that would make the air in Los Angeles look
positively pristine, and never had any major lung issues (though I
could feel "something wrong" after a long ride in really bad air).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Home of the $795 ti frame

02-08-2007, 04:44 PM

On Feb 8, 5:29 pm, Mark Hickey <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> "[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> >[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> >Has anyone here experienced chronic lung sickness that can be traced
> >back to when they started riding more/harder?
>
> >I think I have developed chronic lung inflammation after an enjoable
> >season of riding on urban CA. By riding a road bike alongside with
> >cars you are reduce polution and get in shape, but you are poison
> >yourself with car emissions. Cyclists, especially when going hard,
> >expose their lower airways and alveoli to pollution at least 10 times
> >more compared to the case of no exertion (i.e. compared to car
> >drivers). A cyclist going hard passes at least 100 lliters of air
> >through his/her lungs per minute (compared to ~10 liters per minute
> >when not exertiing, assuming 500 ml average breaths and ~20 breaths
> >per minute). Not everyone will develop problems, but susceptible
> >people will. If I could go back, I would have switched to m.biking or
> >trail running.
>
> Hmmmmm... the information I've read suggests that the air the cyclists
> breath is CLEANER than that of the motorist (at least, those in a
> closed vehicle), because of the trapping of the noxious gasses in the
> ****pit, and the fact that they tend to trail along nose to tail.
> You're absolutely right about us using more air though - but I have to
> wonder how much getting in "in and out in a hurry" matters to how much
> nasty stuff actually gets absorbed.

The air could be cleaner (I doubt it... I kee my car windows closed
anyway), but it would have to be 10 times cleaner to make biking safer
than driving.

I read that what separates elite athletes from others is the exposure
of their lower airways to the elements when breathing. There is no
distrinct boundary here: when you are riding you are naturally
breathing deeper.. If you are going hard, you are exposing your lower
airways.

> I've ridden in places that would make the air in Los Angeles look
> positively pristine, and never had any major lung issues (though I
> could feel "something wrong" after a long ride in really bad air).

You've got good genes. Just like those people who smoke and live to
100.

02-08-2007, 04:52 PM

Mark Hickey wrote:

> I've ridden in places that would make the air in Los Angeles look
> positively pristine, and never had any major lung issues (though I
> could feel "something wrong" after a long ride in really bad air).

OK, Mark. I'll bite. Where would the air in LA seem pristine by
comparison?

--

David L. Johnson

I believe that the motion picture is destined to revolutionize our
educational system and that in a few years it will supplant largely,
if not entirely, the use of textbooks -- Thomas Edison, 1922

02-08-2007, 05:54 PM

On Feb 9, 9:52 am, "David L. Johnson" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:
> Mark Hickey wrote:
> > I've ridden in places that would make the air in Los Angeles look
> > positively pristine, and never had any major lung issues (though I
> > could feel "something wrong" after a long ride in really bad air).
>
> OK, Mark. I'll bite. Where would the air in LA seem pristine by
> comparison?
>
> --
>
> David L. Johnson
>
> I believe that the motion picture is destined to revolutionize our
> educational system and that in a few years it will supplant largely,
> if not entirely, the use of textbooks -- Thomas Edison, 1922

Mexico City, or some heavy industrialized city in China.

02-08-2007, 06:14 PM

>
> OK, Mark. I'll bite. Where would the air in LA seem pristine by
> comparison?
>
> David L. Johnson

Several years ago, I was in East Berlin and got bronchitis just from
breathing the heavily poor coal infested air. They used to burn (maybe still
do) an inferior grade of coal and the air was sort of bronze colored....

02-08-2007, 06:15 PM

>
> I think I have developed chronic lung inflammation after an enjoable
> season of riding on urban CA.

Get yourself to a lung specialist. Don't speculate.

02-08-2007, 06:23 PM

> Get yourself to a lung specialist. Don't speculate.

I've had many, and they were all a joke (including very honored ones).

did you brochitis resolve when you left Berlin?

02-08-2007, 07:11 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] wrote:
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Has anyone here experienced chronic lung sickness that can be traced
> back to when they started riding more/harder?
>
> I think I have developed chronic lung inflammation after an enjoable
> season of riding on urban CA. By riding a road bike alongside with
> cars you are reduce polution and get in shape, but you are poison
> yourself with car emissions. Cyclists, especially when going hard,
> expose their lower airways and alveoli to pollution at least 10 times
> more compared to the case of no exertion (i.e. compared to car
> drivers). A cyclist going hard passes at least 100 lliters of air
> through his/her lungs per minute (compared to ~10 liters per minute
> when not exertiing, assuming 500 ml average breaths and ~20 breaths
> per minute). Not everyone will develop problems, but susceptible
> people will. If I could go back, I would have switched to m.biking or
> trail running.

Some have postulated that ozone damage to
the lungs is cumulative and irreversible.

The air was so bad in Denver today that
you couldn't see three #$@!*$# blocks.

I hope your lungs get better.

Robert

02-08-2007, 07:24 PM

"David L. Johnson" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>Mark Hickey wrote:
>
>> I've ridden in places that would make the air in Los Angeles look
>> positively pristine, and never had any major lung issues (though I
>> could feel "something wrong" after a long ride in really bad air).
>
>OK, Mark. I'll bite. Where would the air in LA seem pristine by
>comparison?

China, for example (and Khatmandu, Nepal - which came as a real
surprise to me - I was expecting the air to be pristine there). On a
bad day in China, you literally couldn't see a hint of a building
across a city street.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Home of the $795 ti frame