Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.minnesotamongo
04-22-11, 08:01 PM
Last year at around 400 lbs - I started riding bike again and got a lot of work out of a Specialized "Globe" Carmel. With an XL frame and those bulletproof Armadillo tires - I felt pretty good.
Move to this year - I'm now around 320 - a total of about 250 lbs off in total since I started - and was riding in a pretty strong headwind when a guy on a road bike with tight pants - a Camelback on and about 50 gel packs of insta-food jammed in the crack of his butt blew by me like I was standing still. I quickly dismounted - picked up some rocks to throw at him in anger - but he was already too far gone for me to reach him.
So I loaded up the Carmel with it's XL frame, tractor seat and huge tires and started looking for a faster bike - skinnier tires - so I could go faster and longer distances.
After some looking I settled on a Trek 7.2 FX with some new grips - bar ends and a panier/bag for my iPad and clothes so I can commute.
Now I fly with flat bars. I still have a ways to go with the weight - but I'm enjoying the speed - and the ability to climb the many hills we have in my area. I even getting used to a skinnier seat pad.
Don't know if I will ever be able to keep up with skinny butt with the gel packs crammed in his crack - but now I can at least give it a shot!!!
Move to this year - I'm now around 320 - a total of about 250 lbs off in total since I started - and was riding in a pretty strong headwind when a guy on a road bike with tight pants - a Camelback on and about 50 gel packs of insta-food jammed in the crack of his butt blew by me like I was standing still. I quickly dismounted - picked up some rocks to throw at him in anger - but he was already too far gone for me to reach him.
So I loaded up the Carmel with it's XL frame, tractor seat and huge tires and started looking for a faster bike - skinnier tires - so I could go faster and longer distances.
After some looking I settled on a Trek 7.2 FX with some new grips - bar ends and a panier/bag for my iPad and clothes so I can commute.
Now I fly with flat bars. I still have a ways to go with the weight - but I'm enjoying the speed - and the ability to climb the many hills we have in my area. I even getting used to a skinnier seat pad.
Don't know if I will ever be able to keep up with skinny butt with the gel packs crammed in his crack - but now I can at least give it a shot!!!