Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - I didn't even know

Lol, I didnt even know there was a classification for people like me. Im 6ft 260 lbs and I started riding everywhere since I started my junior year of college this year.

It started the 2nd to last week of august and I went to sports authority to buy a bike because I knew it would be the best way for me to get around campus. So I went a dropped $250 on a diamondback outlook. I had a larger seat put on, well for my larger rear. I brought it home and the fist time I took it out the chain came completely off and and the wheels weren't true from the get-go. So I brought it back, argued with the dude a little, but brought it back. I am very much a loyalist. Treat me well and I will stick wit your products forever, I may be young, but I have been doing this for a while. The first time I take a bike out and I have a problem does not sit well with me. I went to an actual bike store for my next purchase, Bicycle Source in North NJ. I went in and told the guy straight, I need a quality bike that can support me and a fat seat. He hooked me up with a Giant Boulder SE. I rode it around it felt good, so I bought it. $278 fir the bike and the wider seat. The people there treated me well, were very cool, and seemed like genuine people, so if you ever need anything around North Jersey, hit them up.

I guess I should also state that I have left knee and ankle problems, I messed them both up pretty good this past January and have been in an ankle and knee brace since.

So now it's been a month of riding around my campus, which is all uphill, lol. And I feel pretty great. The bike it holding up well for being ridden 7 days a week by a 260 lb rider.

I do have some Q's:
-How can I keep my legs fresh? I ride everyday, and sometimes when I leave in the morning it is harder now that it was when I first started.
-Any weight loss tips for an everyday rider?

here is my ride:
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/BananaWagon/DSC03160.jpg

Thanks for your time guys.

Hey BigHindu - Come join our Biggest Loser Thread- Bet you will do awesome... Eat 3-6 meals a day - small meals if you go for 6 meals...Bigger ones if you have 3. Drink a ton of water- and lay off beer a bunch...

Oh and Subway if ya gotta do fast food... 6 inch think like Jared :) (No oil....)

Have fun! You rock, You the man! Bike is gorgeous!

Welcome big hindu. I don't know your experience with bikes, but as a general rule if you can "pedal" faster in a lower gear your legs should be fresher. If you use a high gear and pedal slowly your legs have to do more work. The comparison is would you rather lift 5 pounds ten times or 50 pounds once.

For weight loss you will get a ton of info. But, it comes down to burning more calories then you take in. There are various sites that can help you track your calories. I have used fitday.com and it helps. There are arguements about how accurate it is, but it is a starting point. One of the most useful things for me is to actually measure out a portion of food. It helps me to keep my servings smallers. Drink plenty of water and eat slowly (not easy for me).

If you want more specific info PM me. Good luck and it is great you are starting while you are young.

thanks for the advice, I actually pedal in a higher gear, that's probably one of my problems. I am trying to control my portions, but I can only eat around 3 maybe 4 meals a day. My schedule is kinda crazy. I do have a sub everyday, not from subway, it's from my nearest cafe.

Big Hindu, pedal in a lower gear and higher cadence. ;) You'll go faster in the long run, have less stress on your knees, and they will thank you when you're approaching 50 like me. ;)

As to those dead leg days, welcome to the club. They just happen to everyone. ;)

Make sure you stretch your legs out before riding. Makes a huge difference.

Thanks for the advise guys, I will def try this tomorrow.

As per my riding experience, I really haven't ridden since I was a kid. I got too tall for my "bmx-ish" bike a little while ago and stopped. I would really like to get involved in the cycling lifestyle though. Sadly my home is different from my school. School is like a city so I can bike everywehre, home is country and take 10 min by car to get to the grocery store, not to mention it's all mountain roads.

Is there anything a new rider should know?

Thanks for the advise guys, I will def try this tomorrow.

As per my riding experience, I really haven't ridden since I was a kid. I got too tall for my "bmx-ish" bike a little while ago and stopped. I would really like to get involved in the cycling lifestyle though. Sadly my home is different from my school. School is like a city so I can bike everywehre, home is country and take 10 min by car to get to the grocery store, not to mention it's all mountain roads.

Is there anything a new rider should know?

All mountain roads in New Jersey?!? Well, I think you should try it. If you walk some hills, you walk some hills.

And welcome to the forum!

Also read up on post ride recovery for any long rides. chocolate milk seems to be popular. It helps. Also be sure to stretch after riding. That has also helped me.

another thing to remember. Muscle weighs more than fat. When your legs start getting in tone and you build more muscle, you will not see a drop in weight although you will probably see a drop in inches on your waist and less flab in other places.

I guess I should also state that I have left knee and ankle problems, I messed them both up pretty good this past January and have been in an ankle and knee brace since.

So now it's been a month of riding around my campus, which is all uphill, lol. And I feel pretty great. The bike it holding up well for being ridden 7 days a week by a 260 lb rider.

I do have some Q's:
-How can I keep my legs fresh? I ride everyday, and sometimes when I leave in the morning it is harder now that it was when I first started.
-Any weight loss tips for an everyday rider?


Welcome aboard. I've had knee problems since a fairly serious dislocation in 2001, and I'd echo what most people have said - learn to spin in a lower gear - it makes a *huge* difference for me. The biggest problem I find is that I tend to mash more when I get tired, so that's something to keep an eye on, as it does make my knee ache...

The spinning at a high cadence will help with the leg freshness too, although you'll probably find if you keep up the pace your legs will nearly always ache a bit. The good news is that you'll be able to go further and faster with the same level of ache :)

As for weight loss - keep up the cycling and stick to a sensible diet. I've cut out the sugary sweet things (if I snack, it's on veggies or fruit), and I mostly just drink tea and water now. Besides keeping an eye on portion sizes I've not made many changes, and the weight is slowly but surely going down.

Good luck, and keep up the riding!

Welcome! Glad to hear you are riding. You got a lot of good answers, one that works for me as far as weight loss, eat slower. I tend to shovel food like some kind of starving dog when I eat. By the time my body tells my brain to stop, I've usualy eaten enough for two! If I deliberatly slow down, I eat much less before I feel full. I've even learned how to talk to my family at dinner time. How cool is that? Also, and this is big, +1 on lots of water. Loose the pop, juice drinks, etc. I'll have a sports drink if I'm realy sweating hard, other than that it's water. It reduces your caloric intake a lot more than you think and does a better job keeping you hydrated too.

And lay of the Monster.....that crap will kill ya!!!!! Just good ol' H2o is the fuel to Go.:roflmao2:

Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated.

As for the monster, I gotta have 'em on those exam weeks.

Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated.

As for the monster, I gotta have 'em on those exam weeks.

With all the sugar in that stuff you should stick to black coffee like I did when I was in college for exams. :twitchy: Energy drinks don't really help with weight loss as far as I know.

Ditch that fat seat too....longer rides are painful on a bigger seat.

Take those knobbie's off and put on some semi/slick road tires. That will help you with overcome the rolling resistance of that aggressive tread. (Unless, of course, you actually go off-road...)