We would have to create a sub-forum for each small increment. Whatever number you would come up with someone else would have the same issue. Soon, of course, we will have to remove the forum itself so nobody gets triggered.

My thoughts exactly [MENTION=190382]PhotoJoe[/MENTION] [MENTION=29415]BillyD[/MENTION]

There's a fine line of how many sticky threads can be helpful vs. just cluttering up the home page of the specific forum. A while back, an effort was made to clean up the forums and a bunch of threads got un-stuck. One large criteria is activity. If you look back through this thread, it was getting just a few posts every couple of months. I think that's what got it un-stuck. I'll go ahead and stick it again and see if traffic justifies leaving it that way. Carry on.

By this standard the locked sticky does not seem to fit...... Heck the views is not even as much traffic as the current Pizza Port ride thread....... As such I don't really care for sticky threads and I think most forums overuse them. That said as long as you are going to have sticky threads this one seems to be worthy given the subject matter.

this was my thought. Mostly for how the thread explains what the terms mean and where they come from.

It's not, by any means! I know of cyclists who are over 250, and have a body fat of about 10%. It just means that you're physically bigger than the average cyclist, for whatever reason.

My sister had 2, only horses I ever knew that were "nice"...

hmmm awesome

I like the names. I first ran across it in a 5K I ran where I got the distinction of being a "Master Clydesdale" Over 40 years in age and 220+ lbs!

Hello 5-11 here and down 28lbs from 228. I guess I'm barely a Clydesdale. Cycling is my new fitness program.

Thanks for explaining the term, I had read it and heard it once in a bike shop while looking over some accessories but not understood it until now. The one time that I heard the term at the bike store I am sure it was meant as an insult, and your definition explains why the sales person quickly distracted the offensive, and giggling, shoppers to another part of the store and apologized to me later. The exact comment made does not matter.

I do not choose to take it as an insult; true I am grossly overweight (380lbs) but I am also 6'4" with shoulders that require me to turn sideways to enter some doorways. I am also massively muscled (my wife says that I am not fat, I just have layers of dormant muscles, ) When people see me riding along the pathways I sometimes get a double-take and one small child commented to his mother (after which she quickly covered his mouth) "Mommy that fat guy on the bike is GINORMOUS!" I still get a laugh out of that, mostly from the astonished expression on the kids face.

My wife and I took up bicycling a couple of months ago as a way to get into better shape and have very much been enjoying our 13 mile daily rides (weather permitting). We are fortunate to have a very nice paved bike path that forms a loop around the small town that we live in (Greenville MI.)

If anyone makes it to this part of Michigan I am sure that they would enjoy the local ride as well as a the Rails to Trails Fred Meijer Heartland Trail that passes through on it's way north.

We have been searching for other bike paths (multi-use?) that form pleasant loops to visit. We have found several around the state including Grand Haven's Spring Lake, and BattleCreek's Linear Park. If anyone knows of others within a four hour drive of Central Michigan please do let me know.

Welcome to the forum. I think it's great that you're searching out new routes to ride. As you ride more, that 13 miles is going to get really small, really quickly. I'd suggest you also post your route questions in the Great Lakes Regional sub-forum.

I like the Clydesdale name...I've been called a lot worse!

Ditto, not such a bad label as far as I'm concerned.

I wholeheartedly concur,...

PS: I'm 5'11", and stay between 235lbs-240lbs. I guess I just need to make more of an effort eventually.

We is the Horse in Horsepower.

I'd like to suggest that, in a thread that aims for positive body-image, the term "stick girl" in the original post is derogatory and should be left out. A lot of effort is spent on explaining the positive connotations of "Clydesdale" and "Athena," so unless the positive connotations of "stick" can be spelled out, it's probably better left unwritten.

-A proud Clydesdale

While I see your point, that post is 8 years old, and the original poster, who started this site, has since passed away. I'm sure Tom meant no harm in it

It never occurred to me to check the date for the OP. Thanks for pointing that out, as well as pointing out that he'd passed away (I've been away for the forums for a long time). I'll just consider my "complaint" above to be academic.

Its sad to say, but the obese in this country are now the majority. A horrible byproduct of our fast food and video game culture. Being overweight is acceptable in some places, but I have never felt accepted in the bicycle community, despite my ability when younger to stomp a good majority of recreational riders. Your bike does not care how much you weigh, it only cares how many watts per pound you produce. But everyone around you (even those you pass!!) will look down on you if you have to ride with your knees pointed outwards. For the longest time, this attitude bothered me a little. Now that I am older, it bothers me a lot more. But not enough to go on a huge diet and exercise regime. I once weighed 320. With the bike, I was able to work that down to 223...where I managed to stay for a few months. I have been at or around 240 for years now, and basically have stopped trying to lose. I am a fat turd on a saddle. And am not going to change. You would think the bike shops would be more accommodating but a ton of them are not. Hence, I bought all the tools I needed to do 95% of my own wrenching. People can call us whatever we want, I guess. But it would be nice if we could be called "valued customers!"

but one week I had 7 flats in five day's(I'll come back to that). I was in the Air Force and part of a squadron than ran the times a week. Along with that, I weight trained 7 days a week, played/trained in Table Tennis three times a week resulting in a BFI of 8% and a bodyweight of 185 lbs.

My shop was located on the back side of the base and it was 108 degrees with a five mile jaunt to my apartment off-base. Once I got home, it was time to go to the gym.

One day led to a week, month and years. I gained 60lbs after I retired(I have both types of Arthritis and multiple tears in each meniscus)which meant no bike for 14 years.

You know I wanted to say that while I don't view my bike as a crutch,
it does allow me to exercise even if overweight. It is not a form of
denial. It is a fact that while I still need to lose weight my
legs and arms are in much better shape. Even my digestion has improved.
I may never be a trim bike racer. Life is certainly much more enjoyable now.