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07-14-11, 02:06 PM
Greetings everyone~!!!
I'm Bryan, from St. Augustine, Florida. I am 43 years old, and just getting back into shape from previously weighing 408 lbs. Change of lifestyle, and bariatric surgery changed my life!!! and my body!! :lol: When I was in high school I used a bike for my primary transport since I couldn't afford a car. That is pretty much the extent of my cycling experience! I've had a Free Spirit 18 spd MTB from sears for about 18 years now, and it's like new.......Hardly ever ridden!! I put new tires on it, greased all the bearings, oiled the chain, replaced the tires and tubes and took it out for a ride...... I've been riding it for about 2 months or more and have since upgraded to a Kona Dew.
I started riding again to add a Cardio aspect to my workouts other than just strength training on the bowflex!! A friend of mine announced they were riding in the MS 150 this year and when I contacted her about sponsoring her {My wife has MS, so we always sponsor someone we know who rides in it** and maybe get some pointers from her about riding, where to and such... She said I could join her for riding and at first I thought she meant on some of her training rides..... Wrong!! She meant on the MS 150 itself!, and after some chiding and encouragement....... I have committed to riding in this years MS 150 Cycle to the shore in October.
So, now I am riding a better bicycle and enjoying the freedom and pure pleasure I get from the ride!!! I am enjoying finding "new" places to ride, moreso I am enjoying the different perspective of riding the roads and areas that I have only driven before. I absolutely LOVE the Morning rides along A1A as the sun rises over the ocean, down to Marineland along intercoastal and over the inlet at Matanzas. I guess its another bug and I have definately been bitten.
And now, my time on the computer is spent looking for a good road bike to upgrade my riding to and increasing distances and speed. Or looking for new trails/roads and mapping out routes to ride my bike.
I've given the MTB to a friend at UF since I don't do trails/off road riding. Primarily I will be riding roads, commuting to work and charity fundraiser rides like the MS 150. I like my Kona Dew, and will get a lot of miles from it as a commuter and such, and will probably spend a lot of time on it training for now for the MS 150 ride. But, I am also looking for advice and input from other cyclists out there about rides, styles, bikes and other equipment, so if you've got something to share, I would greatly appreciate your input. Keep in mind, I work for the state of Florida and income does not support a fully loaded, uber equipped machine that costs more than my Jeep!!! I look at quality/cost vs. cheap!!! and I am not looking to be the next Armstrong, Cavendish or Gilbert. I do not aspire to race, compete or attain high speeds or speed/performance adrenaline rushes!! but I am looking to find out more about my re-appreciated love of cycling and meeting new friends and making a difference on 2 wheels (by saving gas, or awareness rides). So, that's me, more or less..... it's good to be here, looking forward to "meeting" Y'all on the forum and we'll see you on the trails....
Bryan Wolfe.
I'm Bryan, from St. Augustine, Florida. I am 43 years old, and just getting back into shape from previously weighing 408 lbs. Change of lifestyle, and bariatric surgery changed my life!!! and my body!! :lol: When I was in high school I used a bike for my primary transport since I couldn't afford a car. That is pretty much the extent of my cycling experience! I've had a Free Spirit 18 spd MTB from sears for about 18 years now, and it's like new.......Hardly ever ridden!! I put new tires on it, greased all the bearings, oiled the chain, replaced the tires and tubes and took it out for a ride...... I've been riding it for about 2 months or more and have since upgraded to a Kona Dew.
I started riding again to add a Cardio aspect to my workouts other than just strength training on the bowflex!! A friend of mine announced they were riding in the MS 150 this year and when I contacted her about sponsoring her {My wife has MS, so we always sponsor someone we know who rides in it** and maybe get some pointers from her about riding, where to and such... She said I could join her for riding and at first I thought she meant on some of her training rides..... Wrong!! She meant on the MS 150 itself!, and after some chiding and encouragement....... I have committed to riding in this years MS 150 Cycle to the shore in October.
So, now I am riding a better bicycle and enjoying the freedom and pure pleasure I get from the ride!!! I am enjoying finding "new" places to ride, moreso I am enjoying the different perspective of riding the roads and areas that I have only driven before. I absolutely LOVE the Morning rides along A1A as the sun rises over the ocean, down to Marineland along intercoastal and over the inlet at Matanzas. I guess its another bug and I have definately been bitten.
And now, my time on the computer is spent looking for a good road bike to upgrade my riding to and increasing distances and speed. Or looking for new trails/roads and mapping out routes to ride my bike.
I've given the MTB to a friend at UF since I don't do trails/off road riding. Primarily I will be riding roads, commuting to work and charity fundraiser rides like the MS 150. I like my Kona Dew, and will get a lot of miles from it as a commuter and such, and will probably spend a lot of time on it training for now for the MS 150 ride. But, I am also looking for advice and input from other cyclists out there about rides, styles, bikes and other equipment, so if you've got something to share, I would greatly appreciate your input. Keep in mind, I work for the state of Florida and income does not support a fully loaded, uber equipped machine that costs more than my Jeep!!! I look at quality/cost vs. cheap!!! and I am not looking to be the next Armstrong, Cavendish or Gilbert. I do not aspire to race, compete or attain high speeds or speed/performance adrenaline rushes!! but I am looking to find out more about my re-appreciated love of cycling and meeting new friends and making a difference on 2 wheels (by saving gas, or awareness rides). So, that's me, more or less..... it's good to be here, looking forward to "meeting" Y'all on the forum and we'll see you on the trails....
Bryan Wolfe.