winston63 

That is great progress -- Awesome work!

Null66

Actually, yeah... Thanks... I always viewed at well, not there yet... But yeah, initial objective achieved...

bassjones

I'm 6'5" so I don't imagine I'll ever not be a Clyde. I'll be thrilled to hit 220.

Notgrownup

6'1" 250 lbs here, I want to get closer to 200, it will come, 190 is my optimum weight... That is why I sold my other bike and bought one that fits and rides better for me...and wow does it ride better... Just need to get on it more....my left knee is a bit week and only after 1 9 mile ride on Tuesday, it already felt better, amazing what moving a bit will do to the body.
Congrats Giant Fuji,

beakersbike

Doc says that at my height and bone density, ideal weight for me is 225. If I ever become a non clyde that may not be such a good thing.

Null66

Riding has (almost) always helped my blown knee...

ChrisZog

Willbird is a great motivator. I see his numbers on Strava and think "I will do that one day".

Willbird

OH heck what I do is nothing compared to the guys/gals who are fast and ride long distances :-).

Notgrownup

As long as you do is what counts...

ChrisZog

You consistently hit 30-50 multiple days in a row. There are 2 things I want to do in the future:

Century+ rides. That just involves riding and then resting until I feel better. My equivalent now is probably riding 30-35 miles. I made it about 11 today after 2 weeks of not riding and with the heat (95 at 10am? Really?!)

Touring with my wife. Riding like you do is probably what I am aiming for because riding 30-50 day in and day out is what I need. Right now if I ride more than about 75% of my max distance I need a day of rest. Sometimes 2 if we are riding hard. So even if it those consistent 40 mile rides are not really long distances, the consistency is still a goal of mine. Practice practice practice.

I've had family start cycling after the wife and I started. Many tell me that they are riding less than 1 mile and are impressed that we can ride well over 20 miles. I just remind them that for the first month I started at .7 miles and eventually worked my way up to 5-8. My first 20 did not come until a few months later (a few weeks after upgrading from a 30 year old bike to a brand new Trek Shift 4... aka not like the old bikes that they have in their garage). And my first 25 came about 2-3 months after the upgrade. 20+ did not get easy until the past month or so. I've gotten in the habit of showing family that talks about struggling my old MapMyRide numbers (what I used before switching to Strava) to show them how much we struggled at first. 5 miles at 8mph was pretty normal for weeks. The first time we cracked 20, the wife and I were still riding around 10mph and I hurt for 3 days after it. Now 20 is "We got 2 hours... lets get the bike rack and get to the trail!" Except for today. Oof. The first half of that ride was rough. Either the wind was harder than I thought, the heat was hotter than I thought, or 2 weeks really was enough to set me back.

RR3

I post once in a while but no longer a Clyde. I can relate. Can I ever feel like a non-Clyde?

I started riding again in February of last year. 255lbs, high blood pressure, over 30% body fat, lazy/bad habits, border line diabetci, and of course I struggled to do a 6 mile ride. Consistent exercise and adherence to a Paleo and Keto diet dropped my BF down to the 16-18% range and wieght down to 190. Building up the exercise week by week and burning 2-3 pounds of fat per week was my key. No backsliding. Like drunks, we can't just have a little ice cream binge or at least that is the way it works for me. I recently went back up to 199 recovering from an injury and feeling sorry for myself over it but brought it back down to 192....nipped it in the bud.

I still feel like a Clyde especially when I see the saggy skin in the mirror. Also, I think I need to get rid of my "fat" clothing. Burn that bridge.

I can ride very, very long rides now and am fit and feel great even if I am not yet the optimum weight for my height. I am entered into the 1230km bike ride called Paris-Brest-Paris this August......I set this goal laying down exhausted after my first 6 mile ride. I had 17 months to get there and it seemed insurmountable but a big goal is needed when the problem is equally large. The best result for me has been that my aches and pains are gone. When I was fat, I was constantly inflammed and just getting out of bed in the morning was a challenge-not any more! All my joints used to hurt. Climbing stairs are no longer difficult....actaully, I can bounce up them. How can a skinny racer ever relate to a Clyde. That is why I try to help a Newbie if I can. Maybe cycling will be their vehicle to improved health as it has been for me..

yankeefan

Trust me, at 199lbs you're still a clyde cycling wise for all intents and purposes. You only leave the clydesdale category when you drop below 180, at which point you can buy wheels without first checking if they have a rider weight limit or if there is a higher spoke count version available.

Willbird

It is somewhat about time management too, 2 hours on a weekday is all I have before supper time, I need to get back on the steed AFTER supper for round two :-). Still building mileage/time. I want to make a 30 mile random wind/terrain ride over 20mph average. At 17 now, it takes a lot more kj to run 20 than 17 :-). 20 does not have to be the upper limit :-)....nor is 30 the minimum distance, baby steps :-)

sjmacko29

I lurk here every now and then... And in the classic forum... It's great to see others who are on the same journey. This thread was a pleasure to read.

I biked a lot as a kid- Nothing intense in terms of racing, but I started doing centuries at 12. At around 20, life intruded, and I ballooned to just under 300 pounds. At 42, I just decided that enough was enough. I got back on a bike, and started counting everything that I put in my body. At first, I couldn't ride 5 miles on level ground without breaks. Like others, I used (and use) Myfitnesspal. I scrutinized every calorie for over a year. Although I bottomed out at 190, I settled in at 200ish, and that's where I feel comfortable. I ride mostly on the mountain bike now, but I've done a few road centuries in the last couple years with my teenage son. Now, I'm thinking about a "10,000 foot day", and maybe a double century. :-)

Keep pushing. You never know where the envelope ends!

ChrisZog

We just registered for a 45 mile ride in July and a 60 in September. I guess I have to train now

Willbird

Yea :-)......good friend tells me we can ride/run about double the distance we have trained to, but training to at least 75% is the more accepted number. I could probably rip off a Metric next sSaturday or maybe an Imperial, but the imperial would hurt :-).

ChrisZog

For us I took a century training program and cut the numbers in half. We have to complete the training by July 18th (the 45 mile ride in Flagstaff) so we are starting May 25th. In reality we are not starting from nothing. By then I'm hoping to finish at least a 35 mile ride. And we may attempt at least part of a 45 that our group is doing this Saturday. I'm doing the same thing for the ride in September... taking the century and going to cut the numbers by a third. Then do it one more time a week after that ride which will take us to the 70 on Halloween. The long ride for the century training I got was 75 miles so that probably should have us most of the way trained to a century. My original plan was for San Diego Century to be our first. But who knows... we may be ready by this winter. Assuming that we can ride through the heat. In other words... get used to getting up at 4/5am. Yuck!

Willbird

I went 75 on a group ride with my longest ride having been a 30 mile solo, the last 15 were solo, I made it, on a 700x35 tire hybrid even :-)

dr_lha

Just FYI if you could do 20+ mph average over 30 miles *solo* that would be extremely impressive.

baron von trail 

Good luck with the last 5.

BTW, once you drop below 200, you have to go to the roadie forum and start comparing watts while showing off your new spandex gear.

superdex

I was a clyde for a while, then not, then rejoined the ranks last year. Right about a year ago I was weighing the most I'd weighed in about 7 years (215). The combination of birthday (mid-May) and planning a January trip to Mexico triggered a renewed commitment to manage portions (really all I had to do). I was aggressive, dropping daily intake down to the 1200 calorie range. The first couple weeks was excruciating as I weaned myself off all the stupid snacking and multiple plates at dinner. I endured family ribbing (Italian family, not eating is a sin). Once the body recalibrated itself (took a couple months), I was on my way. I even kept losing weight through the Holidays, and not riding at all from Oct to March.

My goal was to get back into the 190's. I hit that in October. That January trip to Mexico? I was 185. I'm 6'2ish"

I'm sitting comfy at 180 and change now; I've been maintaining 180-185 since Jan. I physically can't eat the amounts I used to; I've reprogrammed what "a lot" looks like.

I'll still visit in here because, honestly, I get more motivation and encouragement to ride my bike here than any thread in the "33." Each and every one of you guys and gals going through a weight loss journey is truly inspiring, and I send you all my good vibes and thoughts. Cheers!

ColaJacket

Although, really, this group should have a sliding scale. If you're 6'4" and decently muscular, then you should always be over 200#. If you're 5'5", then 180# would still have you looking like a clyde. I'm hoping to be the latter. Right now, I'm ~250#. I wear the MTB shorts. I've set a goal, so that when I get to 200#, then I'll start looking at the lycra shorts/bibs.

GH

Giant Fuji

I am 6'2" and I think I look pretty good at 205. So good in fact that I already went and got me a pair of those lycra riding shorts with the chamois in it. I like them

dr_lha

I was wearing lycra at 290lbs. Why? Comfort. Who cares what I look like? 150lb guys in all lycra look silly too!

baron von trail 

I'm 6'2, 6'3 ish. So, for me, weighing over 200 lbs is the norm. There have been times when I was in the low 190's or high 180's, but there have been very few of those years, especially after age 30. For me a good weight is around 205. I'm about 20lbs above that right now.