Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Total Newb from Kentucky!

First of all I wanted to say Hi! and the whole point of me joining this forum is because of this section, its nice to find a place that is specific for the big riders. I started riding again 3 months ago after a 7 year hiatus, before that i rode bmx but had to quit after a couple bad knee injuries that led to surgeries.

After being laid off for a couple months and the only thing consuming my time was and is my studies (I'm a college student at UK, GO CATS!!!); I decided that now was a perfect opportunity to capitalize on my newly found free time lol ;) and set forth to loose some weight that I've added on the past 5 years due to total inactivity that left me tipping the scales in the realm of 315-320 depending on the week. My ultimate goal is to get back down to the 220-230 range which is good for my build.

Anyways before I continue writing a novel I just wanted to say hi and I'm looking forward to talking to a lot of you and learning from others.

here's one of my rides, I'll post up a picture of my Raleigh Capri next.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2542/3756670028_09646925af_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2588/3755866611_5e32a6a62b_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3458/3755868091_6c4dcf7133_b.jpg

Nice to see another fixed rider here. :D

http://www.bikeforums.net/picture.php?albumid=11&pictureid=78

http://www.bikeforums.net/picture.php?albumid=11&pictureid=79

Welcome to C&A!

your one up on me tom, I'm a Single Speed guy. but hey its nice to see another guy missing gears :) not often do you see the bigger bunch on single/fixed bikes.

Seeing a fixed gear or a single speed makes my heart hurt:eek: I need all the gears I can get to claw my way up those monster (short, gentle, rolling) hills!!

hills are the devil and they must be conquered. i just choose shear power and will haha.

Whoooaaaa C A T S Cats Cats Cats

Pleased to meet ya, I'm from Louisville. Good to see another Kentuckian on the board. I can relate to a lot of what you said. January 1, 2005 I went to the doctor with pink eye and when he put me on the scale, it was one of the weight slider scales, I remember watching him select the 250 big weight, then start pushing the little weight over, and over, and over. All the while I am pleading with that little bastard to stop. Finally he pegs the little weight at the other end and the scale hasn't even come close to balancing. So, the doctor actually sighs as he pushes the little weight back to zero, and then changes the big weight to 300. He starts pushing the little weight and it FINALLY stops at 316.

Needless to say I was in shock, I knew I was fat, but I had no idea how far I had ballooned out of control. At that point I made a pledge that I would get my weight under control. Since then I have tried a lot of stuff, thankfully nothing too gimmicky and have been able to get my weight down to 250. I still have 50 pounds to go.

Bicycling is by far the best exercise I have found.

Sorry for the long story, but from one Kentuckian to another, I know where you are and hopefully we'll both get to where we want to be.

Don't know if you've heard of them, but there is a great cycling club in the area.
http://www.bgcycling.org/

Also, if you get the chance come on over to Louisville and do the Old Kentucky Home Tour.
http://www.okht.org (http://www.okht.org/)

Take care.

lol glad to see another ky clyde on here, and i've checked out both of those sites, and will probably join in on a few rides when i get to the point that i can do long distance riding, right now i'm cut from 5-10 depending on terrain, of course thats probably because i'm riding single speed and climbing hills in high gears is hard work haha.

How old is that thing? Slack angles everywhere, but looks beautiful. I was wondering how you rode fixed w/ no foot retention until I saw you say it's SS. There's a few enlightened clydes/athenas riding fixed gears hanging around here.

its a 1980 schwinn, and thank you for the compliment! i actually just made some foot straps out of a leather belt yesterday matter of fact.

Seeing a fixed gear or a single speed makes my heart hurt:eek: I need all the gears I can get to claw my way up those monster (short, gentle, rolling) hills!!Yeppers! Hills are the reason god made higher gears. :)

Welcome back to riding, justwes.