Alternate theory… Cuz I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express.
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I think it’s a combination of several different things. You’ve been forced to take breaks from riding and when you come back, you gravitate to your local spot (Chimney Rock). Fantastic park for sure, but not exactly easing back into it. Whichever muscle is the weakest in the system is always gonna flare up. I’ve also seen you ride. You don’t hinge at the hip as much as bend at the lower back and your seat is just a little too low to enable full utilization of all the available muscles recruited during the pedaling motion. Since the LaMere is set up more aggressively than say your old Pivot, I’d venture to say that the riding position is in a way, more similar to your road bike position. A position that you acknowledge has caused similar discomfort in that area. Quick question, what length cranks are you running these days? I ask because since we are similar height I know from my own experience that if I’m running 175’s and if my seat is not high enough to let my pelvis rotate forward enough, I literally cut off some of the blood flow at the top of the stroke. That’s all I got. It was a short stay at the Holiday Inn Express. 😇