CFS, what it's like to be exhausted after a hard effort, but instead all the time. Plus no recovery with all body parts deteriorating. Tragic and we need research to what causes it.

Years ago I dug his group rides, the party, sessioning out difficult uphills. It's exactly what we do here, kind of like rock climbing but on a bike. And I noticed the lack of Steve's videos like this the last few years but still learn from his hardtail reviews.

 

Oh wow!! I've been watching HP for years, so sad! Thank you for posting, really appreciate it. 💔

 

My mom who is 80 has add Chronic Fatigue for 20+ years. It has wrecked her body and mind.

 

oh no. sorry to hear this.

 

Damn. Sad for Steve; wish him the best.
Glad he still plans to ride, even if he has to do so on a FS.
Whatever it takes to get healthy, stay happy & positive.
=sParty

 

Sad to hear. His channel was one of the reasons why I purchased a HT when I returned to the sport after a very long break. I love his attitude and approach to riding.

 

Same. Bummed to hear this. There aren’t many videos I like about mtb on the web but his are good.

 

I've enjoyed his product reviews as he's got a good eye/feel for details and communicates them well. He's a great person to be making mtb content.

Maybe we'll get an #ebikeparty in the future as I imagine that's the direction he'll have to go in now. I'm not on a moped yet but would absolutely value his take on ebikes and feeling out the nuances between them.

Hoping he can find a way to manage his new normal and keep riding.

 

I rarely go into the Hardtail forum so I'm putting this here.

Steve has posted a long, difficult video talking about a recent neurological disease he's been diagnosed with. He has been suffering for a long time, both on the bike and in life and he talks about this and the future of his channel. Watching it will make you realize the gift of being able to ride a bike.

Please don't start flaming over this post. At 75 with a blood cancer, I was saved from the flats by a pedal assist bicycle. Steve might want to try this out. It has me back on the trails, not fast, but riding.

 

I’m sorry to hear that he is sick with CFS.

A nice hardtail eBike sounds like a great idea for him to possibly get cycling more!

we’re all hoping he can fine a treatment or exercise program that will help!

Ezra

 

Really hate to hear.

 

Heavy stuff. Best to ya, Steve-O...


A writeup on the Mayo Clinic's site myalgic encephalomyelitis

 

I never watched HT party. My daughter has. I’m shocked to see he’s a little fluffy like me. [emoji12] Best wishes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I'm not sure an ebike will do for him what y'all seem to think. according to him, a 90min ride wipes him out for 4-5 days, with all the extra effects of his condition (pain related and others) on top of it. 90 minutes on a mtb is 90 minutes on a mtb. it's taxing on the body, even if you're reasonably well. and he's not. the way he describes it sounds rather different from my own experience with blood cancer. the fatigue sounds next level beyond that even.

I acknowledged for myself long ago that there are certain things that would just keep me from riding mtb anymore. things where it would honestly be irresponsibly risky for me to ride an emtb to prop up my riding for a little while. leukemia (with the very serious risk of spontaneously bleeding out, and the stress my meds put my heart under) kept me from even touching my bike (and pretty much any physical activity beyond walking) for almost a year. and kept me off the dirt for more than a year. emtb would have changed none of those things.

 

As someone who's been dealing with CFS for a while, I don't think an ebike solves anything, but it's the only option. Of course everyone with CFS is dealing with varying symptoms so I don't want to generalize too much. For me, when I'm doing better an ebike allows me to ride with my friends- I'll run it on a medium assist to get a reasonable workout, and I might ride 1-2 times a week. When I'm not doing well, riding once a month at full assist is still a struggle, but challenging ourselves is what got us into the sport in the first place, right? But yeah, if he's progressed this far, just the upper body workout can be too much.

I had to give up MTBing a decade ago, so I don't care how much it costs or how pathetic a lot of people think it is, for me eMTBing is the best thing ever, even if it's just an hour ride. I don't even mind all the mean comments in the parking lot.

Cherish the riding you can do while you can.

 

It's a pity as he runs one of my favourite youtube channels, I'll stay Subbed and see what content he comes up with, It'll still be good stuff IMHO.

 

As someone who's been dealing with CFS for a while, I don't think an ebike solves anything, but it's the only option. Of course everyone with CFS is dealing with varying symptoms so I don't want to generalize too much. For me, when I'm doing better an ebike allows me to ride with my friends- I'll run it on a medium assist to get a reasonable workout, and I might ride 1-2 times a week. When I'm not doing well, riding once a month at full assist is still a struggle, but challenging ourselves is what got us into the sport in the first place, right? But yeah, if he's progressed this far, just the upper body workout can be too much.

I had to give up MTBing a decade ago, so I don't care how much it costs or how pathetic a lot of people think it is, for me eMTBing is the best thing ever, even if it's just an hour ride. I don't even mind all the mean comments in the parking lot.

Cherish the riding you can do while you can.

Well stated! Haters can kiss my everlovin a$$

 

He should be checked to see if he has a condition called Chiari Malformation. I have the condition. It can be genetic or it can be caused from a hard hit on the head. And, I’m guessing he’s had a couple hard hits, considering the amount of time he has spent on a mountain bike. I’m pretty sure mine is from a hard hit on the head. I’ve had at least 6 concussions. I’m lucky that it doesn’t seem to cause me any symptoms. But, it can cause all of his symptoms. For some people, it’s life threatening. It’s a condition that often goes undiagnosed.

 

It is a challenge to hear of such things affecting good people.

The thing with Hardtail Party/Steve is the attitude, the joy and the positive vibe that comes from what he has been doing. Sharing the mountain bike experience. For all to take in and enjoy.
Genuinely, a cool cat. I will venture to say, all respondents in the thread wish you well, Steve. And would love to hear of success in getting through this ailment and getting back in the groove!

@hardtail party, Here's to wishing you the best, most expeditious recovery!! Godspeed...

 

Sad news indeed. I hope Steve is one of the lucky ones that sees some real improvement in their condition. 💖

 

I know how he feels. My chronic pain syndrome is constantly with me. It never ends. I go to bed aching and I wake up aching too. It sometimes feels like I was MMA fighting in my sleep. My body doesn't recover well after rides. I am taking a high dose of turmeric which helps quite a bit. However it doesn't fix the issue. These days, I'm riding my bike like I stole it because I don't know when I'll be done riding bikes.

My ebike is essentially my saving grace for big climb rides due to my chronic pain and fatigue.

 

I know how he feels. My chronic pain syndrome is constantly with me. It never ends. I go to bed aching and I wake up aching too. It sometimes feels like I was MMA fighting in my sleep. My body doesn't recover well after rides. I am taking a high dose of turmeric which helps quite a bit. However it doesn't fix the issue. These days, I'm riding my bike like I stole it because I don't know when I'll be done riding bikes.

My ebike is essentially my saving grace for big climb rides due to my chronic pain and fatigue.

Just cause your bike rides you hard n puts you away wet...

 

I'm heartbroken. I love watching his videos: dude can scramble up anything! I also appreciate that he includes his friendly interactions with other trail users. Class act.

Our bodies can turn into weird tangles of broken feedback loops. It can take a long time, and the right conditions, for them to settle down, unlearn, relearn. Even if this is a disease with no clearly understood mechanism, Steve is fortunate to have a doctor who at least recognizes the nature of what they're grappling with.

 

Tough news. Steve is a good human. Glad he has a diagnosis. There is nothing worse than being sick but not knowing for sure what the issue is. The good news is the ME isn’t life threatening so I hope he starts to feels better and can continue to do what he loves.

 

I’m a big fan of HT. It’s tied for favorite channel with Berm Peak. Both Steve and Seth make mountain biking accessible for the average person even while it’s clear they have loads of experience and knowledge. No matter what happens—even if this is the end of HT—the videos that have already been posted on HT have made a remarkable impact and are a treasure trove for us everyday riders.

 

My wife and I will do the same and keep you and yours in Prayer. Thank you for sharing Steve. You're needed in the MTB scene for a long time still!!! Hang in there.