Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Today I fell in love with cycling

So this is my third week with my bike and I've done two 25 mile rides this week. The first one on Monday was kinda rough. But TODAY...today I was really loving it. I don't really know what the difference was, but I tore through those miles like they were nothing. So glad I invested in a good bike. I think I've finally find an activity to lose weight that I truly enjoy.

That's the end of my testimony. :)

So this is my third week with my bike and I've done two 25 mile rides this week. The first one on Monday was kinda rough. But TODAY...today I was really loving it. I don't really know what the difference was, but I tore through those miles like they were nothing. So glad I invested in a good bike. I think I've finally find an activity to lose weight that I truly enjoy.

That's the end of my testimony. :)
I discovered the same almost 3 years ago and still love it.

Some days it all clicks and it will seem effortless while other days it seems to be a struggle all the way. Sometimes I can point to a reason while other days I have no idea why it was so easy or so hard. Just enjoy the easy days and consider the tough days as paying your dues. It's all good!

Glad to hear!! Keep it up

Kinda happened the same way for me. I bought a bike and figured, "Eh, it's something to do. I'll get good exercise and it'll be fun jumping over things like I was 14 again."

So, there I am, just riding along on the asphalt, not doing anything, and then all of a sudden this rush of pure bliss came over me, sort of like, "Wow, this is really great. I love this. I'm really glad I started biking again."

Since my "blissful moment," I've just been really happy while biking, almost sort of just a feeling of being totally content. What can I say, I'm just loving this renewed hobby.

That happened to me, too--only instead of going on a 25-mile ride, I was riding circles in a parking lot at 3 in the morning.

http://all.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/08/19/sleeping_with_bike_in_tent_while_gi.jpg

This guy knows how you feel.

http://all.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/08/19/sleeping_with_bike_in_tent_while_gi.jpg

This guy knows how you feel.

That bike's a little small for him, isn't it?

So this is my third week with my bike and I've done two 25 mile rides this week. The first one on Monday was kinda rough. But TODAY...today I was really loving it. I don't really know what the difference was, but I tore through those miles like they were nothing. So glad I invested in a good bike. I think I've finally find an activity to lose weight that I truly enjoy.

That's the end of my testimony. :)

I fell in love when I first began to ride.... once I taught myself how to at age 40. :-)

The first night I had my bike, I had planned out a course in my basement around all of the support beams and the pipes for the bathroom rough-in (The basement is unfinished...). Soon afterwards, I found myself riding around the basement.

It was about 3am and I just couldn't sleep. I got out of bed, put on a pair of shoes, and just rode around the basement in circles for about half-hour. My wife woke up wondering where I was, and when she found me riding around in the basement wearing nothing more than a pair of Hanes and Nikes, the look on her face was priceless. She just looked at me, then said, "Okay, I'm gonna go back upstairs now..." :lol:

While my wife (and DRs) will give many other reasons...

Cycling, and the ability to ride again after 30+ yrs of not riding is why I got my knee replacement (TKR), why I went through all those weeks of painful rehab, and why I spent months riding an exercise bike...

The reward is riding the 'towpath', and/or driving to PA to Meet and ride with the Historian :)

That bike's a little small for him, isn't it?

Hard to tell from this picture, but it has very narrow handlebars and I'm quite certain that is a Rock Shox Judy...looking at the head tube the fork is either fully compressed and/or broken...or it's a photoshop.

:lol:

The reward is riding the 'towpath', and/or driving to PA to Meet and ride with the Historian :)

I've never met a cyclist who described riding with me as a "reward." Especially after the ride.

level76 what saddle do you have?

...when she found me riding around in the basement wearing nothing more than a pair of Hanes and Nikes...

WAAAAAAAAY too much information! The image I now have in my head is rather distrubing, ahhhhhhhh!

level76 what saddle do you have?

I have the saddle that came with my bike - Fuji PGC UltraLite Racing. I'm still experiencing a bit of pain towards the end of my rides but the pain does last as long with each ride.

I'm already planning a 40 mile ride for Sunday. Seriously, I'm addicted!

Yes, this is a curious sport that we have endeavored to tackle. What's really crazy is when you're on a long or tough ride and you can't wait to be done, and in your head you're saying,"this sucks, why am I doing this?" And then, 2 hours later off the bike you start saying to yourself, "that was awesome. I bet I can do that ride better." I've never had a sport grab me like cycling has.

I fell in love with cycling last year when I upgraded from riding my MTB with slicks to a road bike.

Every day I love it even more. And lately, even though I have been having lower back pain (im pretty sure I have it narrowed down as to why) I cant wait to get out and ride my bike every day

I'm going on my first longer ride tomorrow with two co-workers. None of us are particularly fond of hard work, we are after all systems administrators. :)
Anyway we're going to take it easy, but the goal is to do about 25 miles. Should be a good time, and great practice for my upcoming daily commute.

The first night I had my bike, I had planned out a course in my basement around all of the support beams and the pipes for the bathroom rough-in (The basement is unfinished...). Soon afterwards, I found myself riding around the basement.

It was about 3am and I just couldn't sleep. I got out of bed, put on a pair of shoes, and just rode around the basement in circles for about half-hour. My wife woke up wondering where I was, and when she found me riding around in the basement wearing nothing more than a pair of Hanes and Nikes, the look on her face was priceless. She just looked at me, then said, "Okay, I'm gonna go back upstairs now..." :lol:

While this might be too much information, it's a splendid story. Thanks for sharing it.

While this might be too much information, it's a splendid story. Thanks for sharing it.

I guess I'd just have to look at it from her POV and think, "Okay, what if I found her doing this?"

I've never met a cyclist who described riding with me as a "reward." Especially after the ride.

Repeat (after the ride) - yes, for me the trip to your place, and the ride is/are/was a reward for my efforts :D

Yes, this is a curious sport that we have endeavored to tackle. What's really crazy is when you're on a long or tough ride and you can't wait to be done, and in your head you're saying,"this sucks, why am I doing this?" And then, 2 hours later off the bike you start saying to yourself, "that was awesome. I bet I can do that ride better." I've never had a sport grab me like cycling has.

+1 - that's it exactly~!

I just completed a 37.7 mile ride in eastern PA (Saturday) along with the 820 mile round trip driving to and from. I am not (yet) good on hills, and while the ride was bout as flat as possible, it surely wasn't flat to me - combine that with 85+ temps, fairly high humidity, and very little wind - I don't know which was worse, the 'inclines', or the heat, yet after a shower and change of clothes, I found myself wishing I could stay and do it again the next day (bout 3-4hrs from this post)...

I guess I'd just have to look at it from her POV and think, "Okay, what if I found her doing this?"The cover for Queen's "Bicycle Race" comes to mind...

The cover for Queen's "Bicycle Race" comes to mind...

:lol:

So today I decided to push myself a little bit by trying out a 28 mile ride that had a few small hills scattered around. Umm, yeah...not quite ready for that, yet. I learned two things today–1. remember to bring snacks, and 2. time for some new, sturdier wheels. I didn't break any spokes, but I could tell that the stock wheels on my ride won't last for very long under my large frame. Tomorrow I'm going down to my LBS to order a Mavic Open Pro wheelset

So today I decided to push myself a little bit by trying out a 28 mile ride that had a few small hills scattered around. Umm, yeah...not quite ready for that, yet. I learned two things today–1. remember to bring snacks, and 2. time for some new, sturdier wheels. I didn't break any spokes, but I could tell that the stock wheels on my ride won't last for very long under my large frame. Tomorrow I'm going down to my LBS to order a Mavic Open Pro wheelset.

Here is my ride today: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/36903364. I'm not sure why the Garmin included that straight line across the water like that.

Food is your friend and so is water. Definately need to have plenty of both along as you venture further out. Also, make sure you are well hydrated before leaving. Very hard to catch up once you start getting dehydrated. And remember to have fun!

Food is your friend and so is water. Definately need to have plenty of both along as you venture further out. Also, make sure you are well hydrated before leaving. Very hard to catch up once you start getting dehydrated. And remember to have fun!

Got that right. I don't go on any longer rides without having at least 2 Clif Bars and my water with me. It's a good idea to actually start hydrating your body 1.5 days in advance of a big ride. You can't just guzzle water during your ride, because it just isn't as effective.

Food is your friend and so is water. Definately need to have plenty of both along as you venture further out. Also, make sure you are well hydrated before leaving. Very hard to catch up once you start getting dehydrated. And remember to have fun!

Well, I had plenty of water so that wasn't a big deal. And I actually brought snacks but left them in my truck. By the time I realized it, I was 10 miles into the ride. I really felt the loss of energy the last 5 miles when I hit a few small inclines. I had absolutely no energy left.

I played basketball for 40 years and except for 3 seasons (played on 3 straight USAREUR Championship teams) in Europe I never felt this good about any games/seasons once they were done. Even on the days that I struggle I can't wait to get out there and do it again. My brother recently asked me why I had taken up riding and why I was riding the distances that I am. My answer to him was that I was going fight getting old with every breath that I have, and that it reminds me of when I was a kid flying around the west side of Columbus without a care in the world.