sebo2000

Hi Everyone,

I was lurking for last month and decided to introduce myself.
This is my first year with “a lot” of bicycle riding, and I’m totally hooked.

I’m 34; working in IT for last 9 years, slowly climbing corporate leather, eating pizza, drinking coca-cola, working 14 hours a day, day by day in front of few monitors without any other movement than typing, or trip to the fridge for another piece of junk food, smoking pack or pack and a half of cigarettes a day, each morning coughing big “green pieces” of my lungs. I was having problems with fast walking for more than 50 meters. I was looking at my big belly discussed but almost hopeless.
Yes, it got to the point when I didn’t see “it” when I was taking a shower, I was just saying: why the hell would I look at it anyway? And I was getting another piece of pica\burger or other food. I bought bigger plates just to load tons of food and to avoid second trip to the kitchen, this way I could say: I had just one plate.

I grew from size 32 when I was 24, to “tight 38” at the beginning of 2009 year.

People at work start telling me: Aren’t you to comfortable? During my best friend birthday, one guy was trying to pass me on the way in the hallway, with the big friendly smile said: Hey fat man let me go. At that time I was very close from punching him, but instead just smiled and moved my fat a$$. None of this was motivation good enough to change anything in my life, I was always finding excuses.

Then one day, I went outside on the balcony for cigarette, my 4 years old daughter said to me: Daddy, you should quit smoking, you are going to have a girl.

I looked at her face, she was 100% serious, I didn’t know what to say. I always considered myself a fighter not a looser, I looked at the cigarette in my hand and could not believe that little piece of crap had so much power over me. Then I looked at my belly, how I’m going to explain to 4 years old daddy is not pregnant?

In March I quit cigarettes, gained another few pounds in just 2 weeks, and then I decided to start waking; as I could not run as I felt pain in my knees. I went to LBS and wanted to try some light bike with xxx light wheels, sales guy asked me about the weight, I said 240lb, sorry can’t let you ride this bike. I told him right in his face FU and walked out. (I’m normally not this way)

I decided to go on diet, I’m not going to describe exactly what I was eating because it might be boring, I just say that it worked out. I bought myself hybrid bike from Craig list (beautiful aluminum frame and some strong wheels.) Since May my Garmin 305 shows 1990km, average 30km trips, with few 80km trips. My average speed in first few weeks was 10km/h and 27 km/h in last few weeks. I can feel huge improvement, and I want to go faster. My hybrid bike is way too heavy: 36lb to go super fast, my top speed on short downhill was 60km/h, it was very short and I really had to give all I got. Need for speed is what triggers in me to buy a road bike.

I never owned road bike in my life, I have built many bikes mostly hybrids when I was in high school.
I spend about a month on bike research, reading different posts, checking manufacturers etc. I like Trek Madone 6.9 but I can’t justify the price tag, I could myself, but my wife will never buy a story about superiority of bike for 6-8k over bike for 1-2k.

That is why I decided to build myself road bike with Ultegra 6700 built kit. I’m still waiting for all the parts to come in, and I will start build process. I can’t wait to start. I hope I get few tips on best way to built.

Psimet2001 

Good luck and keep riding.

Most of us on here have traded cigarette and eating addictions for riding. Almost always with good results.

DScott

Good choice.

Buy the 1-2K bike, get fit to it, and ride it into the ground. Then, buy the Madone. By then, you'll know what you want and what works for you.

It's really the riding, not the bike. Really!

Good luck!

10 Wheels

Ride slow and ride safe.
Speed will come when you are in shape with strong legs and lungs.

coasting 

experiences like this are great threads.

thumbs up, sebo2000.

blamire

if you're on the heavier side i'd suggest getting some real strong wheels built up for you rather than buying a stock set with low spoke count. that way you wont be constantly having to true them and you are much less likely to break a spoke.
speak to your LBS or speak to us if you want suggestions
good luck, you made the right choice and I'm sure you'll get some good results, you sound motivated enough.
keep us updated!

sebo2000

Thanks for all the good words,

I was really all excited about “cool looking” low spoke count carbon wheels, but after reading many threads, I went cheap solid way and got Mavic CXP22, I lost 60lb since March but even at 184lb I managed to kill my hybrid back wheel in one season. It would be shame to kill carbon wheel the same way.

I’m sure I will get nice set of wheels next year, when I get below 170lb.

All this weight loosing and quitting cigarettes is cool, I’m glad about it, but I think the best out of this year biking experience is:

I understand cyclists now, till now I was let’s say: not the most patient driver when I saw rodie going uphill on busy street. It happen to me using horn and head shaking plus eyes rolling, I’m really ashamed of that fact.
Now on the same hill I will slow down trying to protect the guy from other crazy drivers and will cheer him on the way up. My wife once said: I can’t believe you just follow this bike at 40km/h and not getting pissed as usual, it has to be bike miracle. Then I look at her, and say: Do you have any idea how hard this guy is pushing to roll at 40?

RichinPeoria

Thats great keep it up...I mostly stopped drinking beer that helped alot too. I gain weight when I drink plus I dont feel as good when I get out and ride.

I like the CXP33 rims myself.

I dont understand what you mean by "I hope I get few tips on best way to built." If you mean how do you put a bicycle together ... most of those parts should come with installation instructions. My Campagnolo stuff did anyway. I knew how to put it together before hand but any questions I had were answered by those for the most parts (in like 8 different langauges)

You need to get a tool set. If you have a good general set then a few parts specific tool may be needed. I like Park and OEM Campagnolo tools. Park also has some videos on line.

NorthEastNovice

Great story. I wish my over-weight freinds were as motivated. They are so close to making change, but don't realize it.

patentcad

+ 1000.

Welcome to BF. Great story, keep riding, show us pics of your bike build when you're done too.

IRONHEAD1

I personally lost 40 pounds in the last 10 months since I decided to do something about it. I started out around 230 lbs off the couch. I couldn't run further than around 200 yards before I would have to stop and walk some. I just completed a duathlon where i ran a total of 10k and rode 20k and placed 23rd overall out of around 100 ppl. nothing is impossible. good luck and keep us posted

crhilton

When I first started I told my wife $5k bikes were insane. I'm beginning to slowly replace almost everything on my $1200 bike with those same expensive parts (although I get to pick my particular favorites, and spread the spending out over years -- which I prefer). So, here's to hoping you eventually find yourself with a $6k bike and can't remember how you ended up there, but don't mind since you rack up the miles on it.

rouleour

your story just keeps getting better and better! Pretty soon you're going to have to change your srcreen name from sebo2000 To " Musculo3000

Good luck! and keep riding!

X-LinkedRider

Awesome story and riding is a much stronger drug than any cigarette you can roll, pack or smoke. Good luck. Even though you were not that big it would be interesting to have a show like the Biggest Rider or something and see who wins a bigboy race. he he.

patentcad

The MTB boys might disagree.

Whoah.

Nachoman

Nice job. Keep us posted on your progress.

stevegor

"Hey man...it's a conspiracy, the Government.......

Do you seriously think those MTB boys are only riding singletrack out in them woods?
I reckon they're checking out the hooch plantations, man.

Tcchap

It's fun to make the transition to a cyclist isn't it. Sounds like you are going great for all the right reasons. Keep up the good work.

KiuBWhy

Welcome, hope to see some pics of the build when you're done.

bubbagrannygear

+1,000

sebo 2000 - great story - keep it going