General Cycling Discussion - Question to Formerly Overweight Folks

After you lost all those pounds from cycling, how did it affect your riding position/style if any? Minus the tummy, did you then want/need more/less reach (ie longer/shorter stem)? Or, did you bike setup stay the same?

Maybe I can reply to this when I lose some weight.

I have lost 30lbs and notice I am much more comfortable in the drops. Most of my fat was in my gut so it kind of got in the way. I am 6'2 and down to 190lbs with 10lbs to go. What has really helped is that I quit smoking when I got back into biking as well and am finally noticing how much easier it is to breath after 4 months.

Well... I've gone the other way- gained 35 pounds over a year. When I gained the weight, I noticed I was a LOT slower- about half of my usual speed. I am finally getting the weight down, and as it goes down, my speed is slowly rising again, but I still have 18 pounds to go before I get to where I was when I was whipping down the streets and paths, and an additional 5 pounds to go from there to get to a weight that will put me in a competitive category.

I would think that when the weight comes off, you'll be a lot faster. It's pretty hard on the body to lug that extra weight around...

Koffee

When you lose enough weight, you get to buy a new bike. Sorry, those are the rules.

:D

RichC

Yep that is true. I got a new Klein.

Rich, Matt: You guys are right. I'm only 62.5 pounds away from a Lemond :)

Zack

Speaking on behalf of us women who've popped babies, I can relate to the difficulty of losing a lot of weight. (That's obviously an area men don't have to worry about), but the common denominator is still how tough it is. I had my last kid 8 years ago, but only now am I back down to my pre-pregnancy weight. It took me two years to go from 200 to 135, but I owe it all mainly to serious cycling. So that's why I heartily recommend cycling as an ideal, zero-impact way to drop weight. There's also the added advantage of not having to be overly concerned with diet (obviously one has to watch that, of course, but not to the degree you would if you weren't cycling.
So . . . get on your bike and ride!

Shari

I lost 60 lbs - mostly in the gut. The more I loose the better my position. Now I can get into the drops.

When I started I had to be almost vertical so that my knees did not kick my gut. I also had very little room between the saddle and my overhang. This put the squeeze on the part of me that is supposed to lay atop the saddle. You might say it was a nutcracker situation.

I still have more to loose I don't think I will have to replace or reposition equipment. My body position will just get lower and more aerodynamic.

Just to reiterate something most of us already know... you will initially lose weight, but if you cycle enough sooner or later I'm willing to bet you will actually begin gaining weight as you add muscle and lose inches instead as your body "rearranges" itself. I have gained probably somewhere around 10 pounds since I started cycling, but dropped 3-4 pant sizes. Not to mention jeans fit differently in the leg and butt now, too.

My brain has shrunk but my hat size is the same:rolleyes:
whats that ratteling sound :(

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
gained 35 pounds over a year. When I gained the weight, I noticed I was a LOT slower- about half of my usual speed. I


Half? So if I lose another 57lbs, I'll get twice as fast? (Possibly) Cool! ;)

Originally posted by belfast-biker
Half? So if I lose another 57lbs, I'll get twice as fast? (Possibly) Cool! ;)
Creative accounting, :confused:

Originally posted by greywolf
Creative accounting, :confused:



Very!

I have not been below 230 since I was 15. I have distributed the weight differently but it did not change my style or bike set up. The biggest diff. is there is no more belly-bumpin' on my knees:D

:beer:

Originally posted by Rich Clark
When you lose enough weight, you get to buy a new bike. Sorry, those are the rules.

:D

RichC

YAY!! I didn't know that rule...that will give me more of an incentive to get down where I want to be!


Yippee!


:beer:

Same for me. Most of my weight was in my belly and upper torso. After losing 30 pounds it is much easier to be in the drops. And, my new bike (see...they're right...lose weight and you have to get a new bike...its the 3rd law of biking, I believe) fits very well being 1cm longer in the top-tube and 1/2cm taller in the seat-tube (do ones legs get longer as they lose weight?). It is sooooooo much easier (and more comfortable) to ride after losing this weight. Only 20 pounds to go to get down to my fighting weight. Well worth whatever effort it takes.

Originally posted by Rich Clark
When you lose enough weight, you get to buy a new bike. Sorry, those are the rules.

:D

RichC

Yeah, I made the statement that I would lose 25 lbs before I bought a new bike, well, 4 lbs later, I could not stand it, I was hooked major bad on the Bianchi that I bought. I did not even want to go to the bike shop when I bought it, my son wanted to go look at bikes with gears for himself. Does this mean that when I do lose 25 lbs, I still get a new bike? - Ted

Originally posted by The Terminator
Yeah, I made the statement that I would lose 25 lbs before I bought a new bike, well, 4 lbs later, I could not stand it, I was hooked major bad on the Bianchi that I bought. I did not even want to go to the bike shop when I bought it, my son wanted to go look at bikes with gears for himself. Does this mean that when I do lose 25 lbs, I still get a new bike? - Ted

I'm afraid so. It's a safety thing.

Originally posted by supcom
I'm afraid so. It's a safety thing.

Absolutely! Everyone knows that a bicycle you ride when you are heavy becomes accustomed to your weight. Take too much weight off yourself, and when you ride it, the bicycle is too light to perform properly; that's just plain dangerous. The only solution, paradoxically, is to buy yourself a new, much lighter bike. It has to do with the ratio of rider weight to bicycle weight. Someone who weighs 250 pounds and rides a 25 pound bike must maintain the 10:1 ratio, rider weight to bicycle weight. Should that person lose 25 pounds, safety requires that he/she purchase a bicycle 5 pounds lighter. There's no getting around it, so everyone, tell your spouse (tell mine while you're at it).

Originally posted by Rich Clark
When you lose enough weight, you get to buy a new bike. Sorry, those are the rules.

:D

RichC

Now there something I can agree with you on Rich. -60 pounds just bought a new Bianchi Grizzly to add to my fleet its my reward for weight loss and a successful two years without a cigarette.
:beer:

When I weoghed 265 lbs, I only rode a hybrid, feeling that a bike with drop-bars would've been too uncomfortable. After losing my gut, though, I found the upright position of that bike too restraining. Now, at 185 lbs, 14% body fat, and a resting heart rate of 55 bpm, I'm in better shape than when I was 18.

Originally posted by D*Alex
When I weoghed 265 lbs, I only rode a hybrid, feeling that a bike with drop-bars would've been too uncomfortable. After losing my gut, though, I found the upright position of that bike too restraining. Now, at 185 lbs, 14% body fat, and a resting heart rate of 55 bpm, I'm in better shape than when I was 18.


Ahh....soon for me maybe..... :)*









* Well done.

D'Alex,

How tall are you? How did you lose the weight, and how long did it take? Your story may be an inspiration to me.

I'm 6'2", and it took me about 1 year to lose the first 40 lbs (through diet and exercise, including bike riding, swimming, aerobic machines, etc.). The second 40 lbs (and actually a bit more...) I lost during one hot summer that I spent doing roofing for a living. Yeah, I also exercised and I started riding my bike a lot that year, but I'm sure that broiling myself on hot roofs was directly responsible for at least 25 lbs. of that...

You use the word tummy so I'm wondering if you are a woman? It seems a guy would use the word stomach or gut. I am a woman and have lost weight. It did not change my stem length or height because I still have those womanly things up top that have to be accomodated.

I'm 255 right now, hoping to bring that down to under 190 eventually. I'm a little uncomfortable in the drops so I'm hoping that will get more comfortable as I loose the weight. I doubt I'll be buying a new bike when I get down there ( I have this one built just how I want it.......well.......ok......possibly a new frame/fork) What I really want to get for myself when I get under 190 is this:

http://www.vintagevelos.com/trainers1.html

I've loved this since the first time I saw it in Bicycling magazine, once I get fit enough to wear it I'm getting one.

I have been mountain biking for 3 yrs and road biking for about 10 months. Did 18 on the road at 17.6 mph. avg. Did not ride much over the winter and gained about 10 pounds. Am almost 43,5'10" and weigh about 200#. Have a stocky build and feel like I am in good shape. Just having trouble losing the belly. It's not huge but wish it would go away. Is this the imposssible dream? BTW,I have mansged to lose about 4-5 pounds over the past 3 months. Just looking for faster progress and would eventually like to be at 185#. Thanks for any replies.

I went from 265 LBS to 180 LBS on weight watchers and cranking on a cycle. When I lost all the weight I felt like many of you with rewarding the accomplishment with a new bike...and here it is.

Snowblower

Nice bike Snowblower! :)

Me too, Snowblower. Started WW a little less than a year ago, toodled around on my ill-fitting hybrid during the fall and about 60 lbs later bought myself a new bike.

Now my losses have stopped cold (actually gained at weigh in today #%&@!!!) because I'm riding so much more. So I've gotta figure out if I'm not eating enough or if I'm eating too much. Hmph.

Started at 242 and am at 177 today. Goal is probably 142, just to make it an even 100. :D

I am down 104 lbs. The only change I think I need to make is to move the seat forward a little. I can feel my sitbones much better now, and they need adjusted. I am just little shy to do it... don't want to screw anything up.

Oh, yeah, I got a new Cannondale - due to biking law #3.