Out of shape...

[cypherus]

Hey all,

I just picked up my new Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30 last night and took it for a spin a couple times today. I am around 315 lbs. and I could only ride it for seven minutes or so before having to take a break. Now I know I am coming from little to no exercise at all so I expect not to be able to ride for miles yet, but I wanted to know what it was like for you all starting out. I'm 26, but it wasn't that long ago that I road my bike around with my friends in high school all day.

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Well, my first ride was 1/4 mile and I was so beat, my wife had to roll the bike in. Soon came a 7 mile ride though and inside of the first year, I accidentally rode my first Century ride. ;)

[bcc]

Hey all,

I just picked up my new Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30 last night and took it for a spin a couple times today. I am around 315 lbs. and I could only ride it for seven minutes or so before having to take a break. Now I know I am coming from little to no exercise at all so I expect not to be able to ride for miles yet, but I wanted to know what it was like for you all starting out. I'm 26, but it wasn't that long ago that I road my bike around with my friends in high school all day.

That's pretty much how I started 5 or 6 weeks ago. 1.5 miles was painful and left me exhausted. Now I'm cycling over 5 miles of hills without too much effort, and I'm starting to feel that 10 is well within my reach. It will get better, and you'll be amazed at how quickly that happens. The trick seems to be riding as often as you can - I've been out on the bike 6 days a week. Now I find it a struggle to have a day off!

[SkippyX]

Hey, man, don't get discouraged. We all start somewhere.

A couple of months ago I tipped the scale at the doctor's office at 299 pounds. I'm 43 years old. I was thinking "there's no history of heart disease in my family, but if I keep going this way, there will be. I sure don't want to be the first."

So, I bought a Trek 7100. It sat in the garage for a month. I did start watching my diet. I have almost totally eliminated fast food from my diet. I started eating more fruit & vegetables and I've gone to eating quite a bit more sensibly. Sandwich here, banana there, grilling meat and completely eliminating deep-fried foods. I rarely fry anything anymore.

A month ago I started riding it. I started out w/ little spins of about a mile. Last Sunday & Monday I commuted to work on it. That's a 22 mile round trip. 44 miles in two days.

I just got back from a four hour late-night ride through downtown Houston. I've no idea how far I rode. Whenever I got tired, I started looking for a convenient place to dismount, sit & chill for a few minutes. I had a blast, and it was fun riding past the nightclubs and seeing all the people going in & out. I wish they had lycra when I was a kid. You should have seen some of those young ladies. :eek: :thumb:

Right now my legs are tired, but I feel fantastic. And I got on the scale here at the house yesterday. 282. I'm down 17 pounds. My clothes fit much better and I might even be able to back into a new wardrobe soon. I never threw out my clothes from the last time I weighed in at 250-270.

Bottom line. Don't get discouraged. Keep after it and you'll be amazed.

[cypherus]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to ride as much as I can each day and know I'll get better. Here's a shot of my bike.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/2502484862_f0e82bfc3a_b.jpg

[rdmjr]

You'll be surprised how quickly things change. I got a trike on Feb. 15 this year, and my first ride was 2.6 miles - accomplished as ride a 1/2 mile or so, rest (more accurately, get the breathing and heart rate down to a survivable level!) and repeat until I just couldn't face another spin of the pedal. Then I had knee surgery March 3; from that, I know that my weight then was over 430. I got back on the trike March 22, for a 3.5 mile ride. I just got back from today's ride a little while ago - 52 miles, and according to the scale, 359 lbs. Like I said, you'll be surprised just how quickly things improve!
- Bob

[richking1953]

Wow Cool looking bike!
Best of luck in your continue riding improvement

[ScrubJ]

You'll be amazed how fast things will change, just don't be disappointed when you hit those occasional slumps.

Nice bike, already made the clipless plunge huh?

[Big_e]

Hang in there and go easy on yourself. Take a small ride every day and increase your travel distance gradually. I started about 9 months ago and and just now getting to where I can go on long trails and not get worried about getting too tired. When I first started I could barely go around the nearby park once (2 miles). When I would come home, my legs would be shaking and I had to wait for about 20 minutes before I could eat or drink anything. I was really out of shape! I still am, but if I can get my ice cream gut down, I'd be happy...I'd still ride but I'd be happy. Make sure your bike is tuned up (no low tires, no dragging brakes and derailluers work properly). Drink water and eat a small snack before heading out, really lite like a banana, orange or apple or just half of one. Something with simple sugars so your body don't run out of fuel before you start to head back. Enjoy the ride!
Ernest

[B Piddy]

Hey man I used to be bigger than you and same age. I could only ride ten minutes at a time when I first got back on the bike.

Everyone else is right. Just ride about a half hour every day or so and before you know it, you're hooked and lookin superfly.

[WhichWay]

Don't get discouraged. For me I've found having a goal keeps me going.

I had a mountain bike for years that I probably put 20 miles on if that. After going to the ER in January and finding out I had a heart condition my doc said something had to change with me being 320 lbs at the age of 31.

I started with a riding to the train and from the train riding to work. This was 4 sets of 5 miles or about 20 miles. The first time was tough but it gets easier. Having the goal of getting to work is what did it for me. Had I tried to just ride with out the goal of making it to work, I would have quit after about 10 minutes.

Also, do whatever you can to push past the first 15 minutes. I still find the first 15 minutes to be the hardest until my breathing and heart rate get under control. Once I get past the first 15 minutes, I can ride for at least 2 hours without needing a break.

I'm now 2 1/2 months into mostly commute rides. Down to about 290lbs and did 150 miles last week. I'm actually going to try and ride 200 miles this next week :)

[The Historian]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to ride as much as I can each day and know I'll get better. Here's a shot of my bike.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/2502484862_f0e82bfc3a_b.jpg

Nice bike. You've gone clipless already?

I have two 'first time' stories.

When I first began exercising, I was 385 pounds and completely sedentary. January 3, 2006, I rode a recumbent exercise bike 7 minutes before I was completely exhausted.

When I first began cycling, I was 280 and no longer sedentary, but I'd never ridden a bike before. So on December 24, 2006, I began to teach myself to ride. I went a mile before crashing while avoiding a mailbox that jumped in front of me. Ten months later I'd completed a century - 100 mile ride - and by the end of 2007 I'd logged more than 3 thousand miles on my bikes.

If I could do that, almost anyone can. And I suspect you can to. So if you ever visit Southeastern PA, look me up and we will go for a ride.

[cypherus]

Nice bike, already made the clipless plunge huh?
Nice bike. You've gone clipless already?
Yeah, that's the way the bike came and the clipless were a snap to get used to (pun intended!)

Hey Historian, where are you are in Southeastern, PA? My sister is in Middleburg so I might take you up on that offer someday to come ride.

[mangosalsa]

What the cost on those Sherpas? Anyone know a Rocky Mountain dealer in the Triangle are of NC?
I had a Blizzard in 96' ... great MTB!

[lil brown bat]

Hey all,

I just picked up my new Rocky Mountain Sherpa 30 last night and took it for a spin a couple times today. I am around 315 lbs. and I could only ride it for seven minutes or so before having to take a break. Now I know I am coming from little to no exercise at all so I expect not to be able to ride for miles yet, but I wanted to know what it was like for you all starting out. I'm 26, but it wasn't that long ago that I road my bike around with my friends in high school all day.

Eight years is a long time to be sedentary. Before you can develop fitness, you need to develop patience, perspective and determination.

[jyossarian]

Like everyone said, keep riding regularly and you'll make rapid improvements in stamina, endurance, etc. Just make sure your saddle fits and is comfortable (after the 1-2 week "adjustment" period wherein your sit bones get used to being used).

[The Historian]

Eight years is a long time to be sedentary. Before you can develop fitness, you need to develop patience, perspective and determination.

+1. I know, since I'm learning this truth every day.

[DTSCDS]

Just one more (long!) note of encouragement.

I had gastric bypass surgery this past August (Aug 30 07) and weighed in just shy of 400 on surgery day. I literally couldn't walk one block without huffing and puffing! One flight of stairs was a major endeavor! Put them together and it was time for a nap.

By January I was below 300 and found out about Tom Stormcrowe. Inspired I went to the bike-o-plex and the wife and I bought Trek 7.3FXs. My first ride was near where my wife works. It's in a secluded area with not much traffic. We rode about 2 miles. There are some "hills" in that two miles--not REAL hills, more like oversized overpass like hills. As we got back to the parking garage there was the last uphill section. I hit granny low and almost came to a dead stop. Meanwhile my heart was beating out of my chest and I was sucking air as fast I could. Just about the time I was going to face the crossroads of either getting off and walking, coming to a dead stop and falling over or start backing down the hill I reached the top. I could barely stand when I got off the bike. I was seriously questioning the wisdom of wanting to bike and wondered if it was too late to get my money back from the LBS.

This weekend we rode a local charity ride and did the 16 mile route in about an hour and a half counting our rest area stop for potty and bananas--not in that order! We made it to the finish line and kinda regretted not going for the 40 mile option! If the next longer route had been 30 or so we probably would have done it instead of 16. Yesterday we wanted to go out for a quick ride and did 10 miles and wished we had time to do more.

I just came back from WALKING 3 blocks to the bank to make a deposit and took the stairs up to our 4th floor apartment instead of the elevator. Tonight I am taking our tandem out when I pick up the wife and we are planning on trying for 20 miles on those same hills that caused my near-death experience a couple on the first ride!!!!

This is sounding like me trying to toot my own horn but that really isn't my point. I was in HORRIBLE shape and headed for the coffin in short order. Now, I can FEEL the difference and love being able to get outside and DO stuff. I look forward to getting out of the house and spend time thinking about how I/we can push ourselves to do more. (We have just about decided to do another charity ride in September--Lone Star Ride. (http://www.lonestarride.org/) It will involve a full century the first day, then about 50 or so the next. Pretty big steppin'!

Anway, if you are still reading after the novel I just wrote...
Keep at it and do whatever it takes to avoid the temptation to stop riding. It will be very, very easy to find excuses not to ride. If you only have an hour, head out and ride as long as you can. EVERY little bit helps!!!

Keep reading this forum and you will find story after story that will keep you inspired and make you want to get your butt off the couch and into the saddle.

[cypherus]

What the cost on those Sherpas? Anyone know a Rocky Mountain dealer in the Triangle are of NC?
I had a Blizzard in 96' ... great MTB!

I got mine for $1399, which I thought was a good deal. I think normally they run around $1599.

[cypherus]

Wow, thanks a lot to everyone that posted. I am encouraged and plan on riding every day. It's going well so far because I am only able to ride for about 10 minutes tops right now, my muscles aren't feeling too bad...if I was able to do more than the 10 minutes I think I'd be in major pain and would have to take time away from the bike already.

My ultimate goal is to commute to work (10 miles each way) and eventually actually tour, but that's down the road. It's good to set goals though!

[v1k1ng1001]

That is an awesome clyde bike. Just keep riding and you'll see incredible improvement in no time.