Tom Stormcrowe

Don, it happens and when it does, all you can do is climb back on the wagon and get going again. Don't beat yourself up for being human

donhaller 

Tom,
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I plan to log onto Bike Forums at least once a day to keep my motivation. Perhaps look at some new stuff for the bike to get me recharged.

Athanasius

Don - Sorry to hear about that mate. It's so easy to let a week of not riding turn into a month and right on down. This forum is great for motivating us to get out and just ride (that's why I got on this evening!!). Look forward to getting to know you (I'm a newbie) over the next bit.

Jtgyk

You guys are light years ahead of me. I'm 6' and 380lbs. Currently riding an older Specialized Hardrock
and dreaming of finding a Road Bike that's robust enough that I won't destroy it. :-/

bigtruck

Hi
We all started somewhere, Just take your time and you will be surprised how the miles increase week by week

Goodluck

peacepoet

I am a fat guy (74 in 275#) who is retiring later this year. I live in S.W. Washington State where it rains a fair amount. I will be living atop a hill that is about 1/2 mile. I haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid so know next to nothing about bikes. I have looked thru about 1/2 the pages in this thread but haven't seen anything about how to decide what bike to buy. Most people seem pleased with the various bikes they have bought. I don't much care how "cool" the bike looks nor am I likely to be riding in any races (at least until I lose a lot of weight) and I'm not interested in spending thousands but I want a bike that will take my weight. I would appreciate any advice from the Clydesdale crowd as to how they chose the bikes they did and any recommendations. Thanks.

Tom Stormcrowe

Take a look at the Specialized Hardrock. It's a tank and is still fun to ride.

metal_cowboy

You are on the right track: you need to find an exercise that you find fun, not work. Cycling is a great means of exercise for those of us looking to find better health.

I am glad to hear you are not falling victim to any fad diets or exercise programs. Loosing weight is simply a matter of burning more calories in a day than you take in. It has taken me many years to believe in this philosophy, but in the last 5 months I have lost 70lbs by simply burning more than I take in. I eat what I want, when I want. I just do not eat as much.

Good luck to you.

P.S. Get some fenders for that new bike of yours. Do not let the rain keep you from riding.

Neil_B

Hi Don,

The best of us will allow it to happen. I'm hardly the best of us, and I'm up 20 some pounds this off-season. So I'm trying to motivate myself to get back on track. I'm sure you will find a way too. After all, you did it once. You can do it again. Ride, post, repeat.

Neil B.

Neil_B

Hi Michael,

I can't give you a recommendation on a road bike, but I can congratulate you on losing 140 pounds. That's the same amount of weight I lost. I don't have your speed, otherwise I'd ask if I could ride with you sometime. We could compare notes.

Neil B.

brillodelsol

I am riding currently at 240 but that is because i quite smoking finally last year. the last 30 years i was riding at about 210 and smoked a pack a day and didn't slow me down a bit, regularly spun past much younger riders decked out in their 'race' gear. Now am even faster without the smokes, so i am looking forward to dropping 40-50 lbs. this year. Am in Seattle, so lots of climbs of course. I just put Veloce on my old Basso Gap and a 52-34, the Seven has Centaur and a more reasonable 53-40, both cogs 25-11. I just lengthened the cranks to 175mm and that has helped older legs climb too. Bigger is not neccessarily slower. I met a guy recently who raced with the US Olympic team in '88 who was at least 230 and 6'4".

Blanchje

6'2" and 245. I'm turning 50 in a month and am looking for my first road type bike as I've set my goal to complete a century by summers end.

cohophysh

^^dude, your not a clyde your more like a stud, gees, I hope I look that good when I turn 50

cohophysh

Welcome welcome from another Pac norwester. I am about sick of the rain this winter, but Tom is right, a hard rock is a good bike, I have an old beater diamond back mtb that I have fixed up via craigslist and ebay.

Wogster

Trade ya, I'll take your rain, you can have the 25cm of snow we will have before it's supposed to quit at 04:00........

Neil_B

Ditto that.

Halthane

The R-3 would certainly be appropriate, if I had the cash I'd have bought one of those instead of my roubaix, if flexibility is an issue you might also look at the new RS, which is the R3 with a slightly different head tube height.

Bambam72

Hi. just found this thread after checking out the road section.

I am pretty new here on forums. I certainly qualify! I'm 5'9" and 250 lbs.

I've been riding for a few years (inconsistently), but wanted to get into it more formally. To give me the added incentive I just upgraded my bike to a Specialized Tarmac Team Expert - with Ksyrium SL's. It's a sweet ride. I ride recreationally - 40-50 miles mostly on weekends. No weekday riding because of work schedule. I hope the biking on weekends, with perhaps 2-3 weekday visits to the gym and then the obvious eating less helps me lose some weight. I would be happy with 220 lbs as a first goal.

I plan to do some charity rides (MS150, a century here and there). My cardio is not there yet, my legs are. Just need to keep putting miles on my bike. Oh, and I have this tiny, hardly padded saddle that I have to see if I get used to (Body Geometry Specialized Toupe). I'm sure it's a great saddle, but not sure if for someone my size. I would like a little more comfort!.....but it could just take a few more Sundays to get used to it.

starkmojo

Hey everyone- I am nearly two meters (6' 6") and 250 lbs. I sure could use to lose 20 lbs, but 230 is where I feel best. My BMI ideal weight is 210- but I havent weighed that since college, and when I did I always felt tired and cold.

I quit drinking beers and bike/ski/hike everyday I can. Maybe my BMI says I am obese, but if I think of a 40 mile bike ride, ten mile hike or CC ski as a nice day, I can't be in that bad a shape.

I havent had any issues with my carbon seat post or my wheels, although I do get the rear wheel trued every 3 months or so.

Tom Stormcrowe

Welcome Bambam and starkmojo

starkmojo

On a side note, I want to say that the two things that made me lose the most weight were eliminating beer and HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) from my diet. I didn't drink any beer for three months (switched to wine) and to this day I have to work out for at least an hour to have one 12 oz beer. I did these two things at the same time and my weigh t dropped 30 lbs in a month and a half, and has never come back.

I have seen studies that suggest that Americans Drink 1/4 of their calories. switching to tea, black coffee and WATER (lots of water) and you will feel better, lower intake, and avoid crashes in blood sugar. To this day when I feel down, I drink a glass of water and wait fifteen minutes- about half the time I feel better. Using sugar to get quick energy is a Faustian bargain- start managing your energy with day-long goals in mind- more carbs and fruit in the morning, more protein and vegetables in the evening.

I have used this diet concept to lose weight, work out more, quit smoking and deal with depression. (wow thats an overshare, sorry). I don't count calories, make diets or lists, I simply ask myself what I need based on what I am doing. 60 mile bike ride? Ill eat whatever I damn well please. Day at the office? granola and fruit breakfast, sandwhich lunch, one protien, one veggie, one carb (bread...sigh) and wine for dinner. I look at food as a tool not a drug I guess.

I mean I havent lost that much weight (40 or so lbs), but I feel better, look better, have more stamina (in all my endevours ), enjoy life more. Hopefully you will all know that I am sharing not bragging.

TrumpetMurph

I'm a clyde, and new to the forums. I'm just getting back into cycling, mostly because I enjoy it, but also to meet my goal of being under 200 by Labor Day. I'm currently 240lbs, 5"11. Last thanksgiving holiday I was almost 280, and I've dropped the 40 lbs in the last three months just by limiting my calorie and fat intake. No beer, no soda, no more than 1500 calories and 40g of fat per day. I haven't really made exercise a part of my weight loss regimen yet, but eating less can only go so far, and my pace of losing weight has slipped off in the last few weeks. I'm built on a very large frame, so I figure if I can get down to 200, I'll be satisfied, even though my BMI number will still consider me overweight.

I just want to say that it is really awesome that these forums have a category for larger cyclists. I'm not bothered by being larger than average, but I do feel a little strange walking into my LBS and being surrounded by skinny people.

I'm looking for a new ride, something fairly nice, dropped handlebars, probably a triple crank or a large cassette. I used a Schwinn Prelude off and on last summer, but looking for something I can use to commute every day, to climb some serious hills. Ideally I would like to go car-less for the summer months. I'm looking into a cross bike, they seem versatile enough to meet my needs. I've got three major choices, the Specialized Tricross, the Surly Cross Check, and the Kona Jake the Snake. In every case, I'd have to change out the crank to a triple or the cassette to a larger one. Anyhow, just wanted to introduce myself to the clydes here on the forums!

Air

Welcome starkmojo and TrumpetMurph; keep it up!

Bifnasty

Checking in....6'1" 232, down from 240 about a month ago. My Fiance and I went out and bought some bikes. I am riding a 2008 Lemond Tourmalet now. I have about 18 miles on it. Goal is to get back to somewhere in the 175 range. Hope to get into the 220's this week!

Tom Stormcrowe

Welcome aboard, Bifnasty