I haven't always been a Clydesdale, in fact, I used to be a bean pole until my mother learned how to cook. Since she learned how to cook I would eat excess carbohydrates from the pasta (I am Italian) and I packed on weight pretty quickly. However, I started getting in to sports and most importantly, cycling, not too long ago. I have been trying to lose weight and I managed to go from 296 to 270 doing a keto diet, but that wasn't a good lifestyle change and I gained it back.

Fast forward to now..

I am 5'11 290Lbs. I have reevaluated my goals and my dieting and training, so I now visit the gym 4 times a week with integrated cardio each day (I get there with a bicycle of course) and on off days I do long rides. I have cut out all corn, refined foods, white bread, simple carbohydrates, fast food, etc. And I have replaced them with portioned meals of lean chicken, brown rice, spinach and eggs. Of course I eat other proteins and vegetables, the chicken and rice is a main staple in my diet. I have already lost around 9lbs and I hope to be 250 or less by this time next year.

I plan on doing triathlons and races in the future, and I also plan on becoming a competitive cyclist.

My fellow Clydes-
After recovering from a metatarsal stress fracture and a strained knee, I am a newly converted mountainbiker. Officially addicted. Used to run as my main form of excercise. Should have started years ago.

I am 6'7" with a 37" inseam running about 240lbs. First bike is a Giant Escaper XXL. This is a great starter bike for me and it was at the right price. It is a tank, but I love it. So far I have only switched out the cranks to 180s. BUT already I am looking into further upgrades or move to something like a 29er.

I have been crashing around forums looking for info for equipment tips for Clydes like (me) us.

Anyone got a any suggestion on bikes and gear for stretched out Clydes?

Eric671

Well after not riding for over ten years I felt more like a circus bear on a unicycle than a Clydesdale.

Hi All,

Joe from Las Vegas here.... Officially a Clydesdale. 5'10" / 201 lbs. just getting back on the bike after some years off. Getting my diet on a healthy track and hoping to get down to 170 by late Sept. I have always loved cycling- especially since I hate running ! Will be starting to ride to work ( 16 mile daily commute total ). Reading the posts here are certainly inspiring me to do more !

Good luck to all in your own goals.

Cheers,

Joe

PS: I'm signing up for the Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo :>

Well that surely makes me feel better! I am 6' even and currently 235, but excited to hit my goal weigh of 215 by November. That will be 50+ lbs, and hopefully drop some more body fat%.

Really enjoying this community here in on BF.

Hello all. I'm 5'10", 220lbs (down from 232lbs), 44yrs old, and I'm reacquainting myself with bicycling again. These past few weeks I've been riding back & forth to work on my Puma bike, and I've actually dropped a few pounds. I didn't get these type of results when I jogged - but plantar fasciitis made me quit before I could see any real progress.

So far I'm mostly biking because I just enjoy the ride. But if I manage to get myself below 200lbs I'll be quite happy. 11 miles at least 3 days a week,...I think it's a nice start.

Thanks for that posting.

I am a Clydesdale. I am an Athlete.

at 51 yo, 6'4, 225# and 16% BF I am larger than "normal" athletes.

Clydesdale is (as Tom indicated) a racing category such as "Masters over 40). Physiologically, i cannot compete with an athlete who is in the same cardio shape (resting heartrate) as me when they weigh 50 or 75 lbs less.

Cycling is a poor choice for weight loss. LSD doesnt work (Long Slow distant). I used to compete Nationally at 5k and 10k's as a clydesdale. My 5k PR at 216# is 19:15. Half Marathon PR 1:25.

At my heaviest 8 years ago; 258# (bad marriage and divorce) i was fat. the best way for me to lose weight was by cutting out carbs, wheat and more greens and protein. i did indoor spinning for years with great results. Lots of HITTS (High Intensity Tempo Training )or ****TS (Super High). For old farts like me, think of doing 100 yard dashes over and over again. it is challenging, but not hard and it works. It actually took 10 years off my ass.

Training towards a goal is great too. Cycling to "lose" weight is boring and not effective. The Masculine self needs goals to achieve. Kill the deer, empires to build, dragons to kill and kingoms to rule.

I am a Clydesdale and I am an Athlete.

I just got into bicycling. Bought a Trek "comfort bike". At 6' and 232 I fit the class. At age 61 it is even tougher to come back, but I will. Cycling is an entertaining form of exercise for me. Treadmills just were not going to do it for me. Hello to all. And Merry Christmas! Good luck to us all.

Good to have you Rev Dennis. Hope you post often and let us share in your journey!

Giraffe?
I mean that in a good way. I am a Manute Bol fan - he helped people.

equipment for clydesdale cyclist
 

Eric671

Check out podcasts for www.cycling360media.com

They have a great show on bikes for bigger guys. The most interesting item was most bikes are not rated for over 250#'s. With you at 240#, then throw on your kit and such, you are over 250#. Me too.

We can break frames over time, put wheels out of round, etc.

Great info for us.

Best piece of advice I could give you would be to have your bike Professionally Fitted; not just the bike store fit, but go to someone who does this for a living. This will protect your knees and make the ride more comfortable.

BTW, I am a road cyclist and ride a Giant XL Defy 4 with mavic ksyrium rims. they hold up great.
Brad

Back when i weighed 265 my previous employer sponsored a "wellness program" where they measured your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and height\weight for their BMI ..... well, at 6'3" and change they told me my ideal weight was about 185-190.... I called BS on them and told them that when I was in college I was a roadie.... upwards of 1K miles a month. Had a hydrostatic weighing done and was 215 and 7% body fat... NO WAY I could be HEALTHY at 185... I DID get down to 245 as part of that program but stress and nearly 2 years of unemployment took it's toll (amazing how easy it is to just sit there and turn into a couch lump). Now, I'm on my second job in the past 2 1/2 years and I'm up to about 290.....I'm looking to drop it down a bit but it's gonna be hard to find the time. Have a friend that's working on getting me back on my bike, hence the reason I'm here....

Yes, the eating and nutrition will play a big role - and I do like to eat - so just stepping away from the table sooner will be a start. Next will be watching what is on the table a bit closer....

Oh, and I love it when a 20 something college hockey player tells me to get out of his way (when he bounces off 'cuz his head was down)... I just tell him, "I'm twice yer age, twice yer weight, and I can still skate with you. How would you have liked to play against me when i was young and in shape?" This usually shuts them up....

Clyde sounds better than "Fat F*&^". I'm not politically-correct though- so "fat F&*^" is fine with me..... (I can use the term with reckless abandon, since i used to be one...and now that I'm down to <190, I can also point and laugh at others!:) )

Yeah. Clyde is just like "Big Boned", another euphemism for "I eat too much and don't exercise enough."

BTW: Dayglo, congrats on the weight loss.

Thanks! I'm stuck at around 190 though....for like the last 6 months....I eat like a bird, and still can't seem to get down to the 170's where I belong. I might have to start using the "big boned" thing.... (Those darn stomach bones!)

Weight loss ticker from tickerfactory.com....

I have a ticker setup there but cannot figure which of the three "codes" I am to use as my signature on this board. Or does it go somewhere other than as a signature? I am down from 240 to 224 this morning! Mostly from watching what I eat, not too much riding in the cold weather.

Use the first, code, the one marked bbCode. Just copy and paste. I don't know though if tickers are allowed without premium membership.

I'm 5'11 and weigh between 212-216 lbs. I've just gotten my diet back on track and am starting to dedicate myself to riding again.

Anyway, on the, "Why call us Clydesdales and Athenas?" It beats being called "lard-ass" or another derogatory term.

Personally, I think "Clydesdale" and "Athena" are pretty cool names, but I guess I'd rather be referred to as something other than a horse though...like maybe a "Zeus" or something. :D

Huh..my first thought is "why so many light people on here? Don't they have their OWN threads?" Of corse I haven't seen anything NEAR 200 since 1978. Heck, I haven't seen anything under 300 since 1990!
At 6'3 and 380 (tho because I have a large frame most people put me at 320. Great way to win stuffed animals at the carnival 'guess your weight' games!) I don't care what people call me. Well, actually I do. If I stop and think, yeah, it does kinda hurt. And when I ride by (just started riding again-all the way up to 5 miles!!!) or when I hit the pool for laps (started that earlier this year) I know people stare. At first I would laughingly joke about "hey, it sucks getting old", but then it dawned on me-I have a goal of doing a tri in 4 years (I'm 51 this week) and THEY are the ones sitting around watching ME??? Hmmm...kinda makes me wonder what to call THEM? Which makes me think that being referred to as a "Clydesdale" isn't a bad thing. At least it indicates I'm TRYING.

First time I had heard the term Clydesdale was in the Army. My company commander (who was also a large man) called me that after a individual timed run, and said he and I would probably run against each other in marathons and such since our speed, size, and age was the same. However, the infantry also another name for the big powerful guys who could carry the most and keep on marching. They called us mules. I walked into my last duty assignment years ago, was looked up and down, and then walked over the armorer to meet my machinegun.

As any piece of solace I totally botched this original goal. I was probably 260 in November!! :cry:

But I am down to 226 as of this morning and should hit my goal of 210 but summer's end. Totally fell off the wagon last year, so any of you who struggle, I have basically lost a small teenager over the last year.

Thank YOU for serving my friend! If you're ever in Chicago you have a drink on me.

I am in south suburbs often. I have family who lives there. It is also those steep mountains of Peotone, Illinois where I started riding again.

It's interesting how many posters here are 6 foot and taller. I'm 5 foot 7 and 205. I must look like a trained bear riding my bike. I agree I am at a big disadvantage on a bike, but I'm also a martial artist and I have some definite advantages over a 150 lbs opponent. That said I'm looking it get down to 195 by summer's end (I'm down form 215). I'm a daily commuter going several miles a day and love my bike.

:eek:

So Clydesdale huh? If you've never seen one in person you should, they are magnificent horses so I'm okay with the name. As for Athena...hmmm, daughter of Zues, goddess of reason and brave in battle. She was the only god/goddess allowed to uses Zeus's thunderbolt. Sounds good to me.