Originally Posted by nerys

ahh ok (this is why I love forums you learn what you were about to do could be a mistake!). I was planning once I get better fit in a few weeks to just ride till I could not ride anymore. this is bad?

Understood about burning out. if you chase your self out of the activity you gain nothing.

Originally Posted by topher5150

I guess I fit this category. I'm 28 years old 6' -3" 285lbs. I'm beginning to think that my Cannondale's is suffering from it, I've already snapped four spokes on the back tire, and have only had this bike since this spring (2012).

Originally Posted by Chitown_Mike

My long term goal going into 2013 is to complete a century ride in 5 hours while still qualifying as a Clyde.

Originally Posted by ChrisM2097

5 Hours on a bike while averaging over 20 mph is pretty ambitious for any clyde. I know I couldn't do it. A 5-hour metric century is more my speed - but then again, I'm about 20lb heavier, and only ride about 150-200 miles a month.

Originally Posted by nerys

405 pound 6'4"

I LOVE cycling. there are so many reasons its hard to pin them all down. your more "connected" on a bike. its good for you and good for your environment and your health.

it fun. you can go place a car can never really go (ok my jeep can go almost anywhere a bike can but you get my point)

I was always a big boy. but college pushed me over the edge.

in school I ate emmense quantities of food. enough for 2-3 people sometimes (in hind sight) but I was also insanely active I NEEDED that much food.

if I came home from school at 3pm SOMETHING was wrong :-) I was usually out to 7-9pm every day doing activities.

Civil Air Patrol - NJROTC - Scouts - Debate - TSA (no not that TSA the other one) - Football - Wrestling - Rocketry - Hiking - Camping - Repelling. you name it I was into it. I am an activity junky.

Well college ended all that. 2 things happened. First for the first time my mind was "stressed" with learning (regular school was easy for me too easy) second I discovered my next passion. Computers. I ran a BBS and I had a Gopher page before their was a "WWW"

and that always on 19.2k connection was AMAZING for the time. I was STOKED and I mean STOKED when I got my 4mb ram upgrade for the low low price of $38 PER 1mb chip !! :-)

but I continued to eat like I "always" have and my mass exploded. I went from 200 pounds to 350 pounds in less than 2 years.

I have been fighting tooth and nail since them to lose it. its not easy. I have a much deeper respect for people who HAVE managed to lose the weight.

Cycling became hard. kills my butt kills my back and I kill bikes. I murder them. most just can't hold my mass (around 400 pounds)

I have been stalking recumbents (back and butt) trikes (mass distribution for the wheels) I almost got an HD SUN but it was gone before I could get it.

I found another one. I bought it. Should have it tomorrow or monday when I pay it off. I got a Day 6 Dream 21 for $400

I THOUGHT it was a steel bike and had a more traditional "frame" layout ie tougher. later I found out it was AL and that concerns me. IE how long will it last. I noticed they make a 400 pound version called the samson. so I am thinking of looking into having an al welder "beef up" the frame for me.

Cycling is not only a love of mine but its one of the few higher calorie burning activities I think I can safely do. Swimming is not an option since #1 its boring to me and #2 there is no place I can afford anywhere practically close to me that has a pool.

I can run. I am a physics geek too. All I had to do was rough out the "g loads" on my ankles and knees for running and I nixed that REAL fast. I would end up a cripple by 45

has to be cycling. but I am also "short on money" I can't afford $1500-$2000 bikes. I just don't have it.

I WOULD LOVE to just plunk down and buy a samson or a EZ3-HD but I don't have the $1300-$1400 plus tax/shipping that those bikes cost. I can't even afford HALF what they cost.

I only got this $400 Dream 21 because he was willing to take $100 down and let me make payments. or I could not have afforded that either.

I DESPERATELY need to lose weight. its quite literally DESTROYING my life and I can't take it anymore. I am tired of being inactive because I "can't" do something or am too heavy to be allowed to do something.

it really hit me when I had to watch my brother do alone what I had been DREAMING of doing since forever. Go Skydiving. they won't take anyone up over 225 pounds.

225 pounds is going to be tough for me. I am 6'4" and built like a brick $$#$ house. I have insane calves with zero fat in them (all my fat is in my donut or should I say earth mover tire and my thunder thighs)

I explained it to my sisters bfriend best when he asked whats the big deal with walking and running. I said go downstairs grab my backpack and fill it with 180 pounds of weights)

now go hump that for a day. I am not even sure if he could "LIFT" the pack. I said THAT is what I am doing every day. 24 hours. I am afterall 170-180 pounds over weight. well the result was GIANT calves that can leg press "max" any machine I have sat on.

so I have the legs for cycling. I just need a bike that can hold me in my price range and some way of combatting the butt/back/hand pain.

I have a trek mountain bike 26" I had to put TWO extensions on the handle bars AND those little curve extensions just so I could "sit upright" the lean forward put so much stress on my hands I would literally shred the skin off the palms of my hands.

and the seat. Don't even get me starts on the god *@#*$#)@ seats they design for these things.

and there is no "right" position. either I am sliding off the front of that point is ripping up my crotch something fierce. I never found an inbetween.

well when I went to go look at this dream 21 he let me take it for a ride. I told him upfront if I broke it I bought it so he said ok.

I only road it for 2 minutes but I can tell you those 2 minutes were a DREAM literally. ZERO butt or back issues. I think I could ride that bike ALLLLLLL day long and I Plan too.

I wanted to do the MS150 this year but I was not able to get a bike in time. I WILL do it next year.

hey iceberg. I beat you by almost 100 pounds so now I am the new "tub" :-) hehe

I accept that I am fat. it does not bother me "that way" but I also accept that its my fault and that I DO NOT LIKE IT and by jolly I am going to do something about it if it kills me.

I was reading an outside issue about straight lining DAMMIT I want to do that so badly.

I want to go downhill racing. I want to do a 200mile ride. I want to do some repelling and skydiving.

I WANT TO ENJOY HIKING AND CAMPING again

so the weight has to go. NOW. if this bike don't fold in half on me I plan to ride the living hell out of this thing. I WISH I could ride to work but 54 miles one way just takes too long for a work day.

Here is the actual bike I am getting.



and what is going to let me do it without the butt and back pain that keeps me off the bike



one problem I had was I literally SQUASH the rear tire on my trek. to the point where it gets dangerous. the tire wants to "roll out" in turns.

shop suggested kevlar tire and HD tube.

what do you guys think? that the way to go? its expensive so I want to get it right the 1st time. solid tires won't work I will just roll them off the rims.

I see people using the term Clydes I assume that is what you call "our" weight class?

if so I will always be a clyde. realistically my frame won't permit below 200 pounds. at 5'11" in grade school with no fat on my body I was 185 its going to be tough to get to 225 but I MUST since I want so badly to skydive and mountain bike again.

any help I can get from this forum will be so greatly appreciated. I SO hope this bike holds up because I am ready to go all in.

Originally Posted by Astrozombie

I haven't a clue what happened! Back in the day i was 210 and the doc told me to get to 190, in HS i think i hit 220 at one point and figured i was still there until recently. My family was weighing some luggage for a trip and i stepped on the scale....240!! WHATTT?? This thing can't be right! I think i know why i can't get comfortable on a road bike, my gut is in the way!

Originally Posted by AllieBaba

I'm so with you here.

Completely bummed that the first place to decrease is my upper body...not my waist. That's just not right.

Oh well, love this thread...I'm down about 15 lbs from 245 to 230 since I started riding (after not riding for 30 years) this spring. From spring until now, my riding has been sort of anecdotal...I would ride anywhere from 1-3 times a week, often with my kids, easy rides mostly about just getting comfortable with routes and (in my case) my bike...

I started out on an ancient Schwinn women's 7 speed with a huge seat. Now I'm using a Schwinn High Timber trail bike and I'm starting to want to upgrade, but I'm not going to yet. I think if I can I'll stick with this one through the winter...I think it will make a good winter bike, and there's this trail that I want to master on my route.

Then I need to upgrade my kids' bikes, then get a bike rack for the exploder...then I hope that the kids and I will be able to kind of get into trail biking. EASY trail biking. Flat, shady, quiet trail biking.

We'll see how that goes.

Originally Posted by Dad 2 3

Noob here and I certainly qualify as a Clyde.

First a little background I'm an RN and work in the cath lab (where the emergency heart attacks come for help) at a busy hospital in an urban area. You would think in my profession and dealing in cardiac issues it would keep me mindful of my health, but since becoming an RN I've packed on the pounds. 242 to be exact, and at 5' 8" I'm not exactly at a healthy weight. I guess the combination of high stress and boredom on my days off lead to very poor eating habits. Last month I decided that for the better of myself as well as my wife and children I decided I needed to make a change. Along with smaller portions and healthier eating came the thought to buy a bike. My wife and I bought a couple Trek 7.2's and after the first ride I was absolutely hooked. So after a month and a mere 223 miles here I am at 226.5lbs. I'm riding further each week (71 miles last week and 35 so far this week), and am feeling much better. I have a looooonnnng ways to go, but the stories here are keeping me going. Thanks!!

Originally Posted by topher5150

I guess I fit this category. I'm 28 years old 6' -3" 285lbs. I'm beginning to think that my Cannondale's is suffering from it, I've already snapped four spokes on the back tire, and have only had this bike since this spring (2012).

Originally Posted by starkmojo

WThe tire is Kevlar but the tube is just standard... Should I be using something else? It's frustrating because now I have lost a week of cycling due to the issue as I only have time to visit bike shops and such on my day off ( I go to work before they open, get off after they close) and momentum is key when you weigh this much

for clarity I am 6' 6" and was pretty happy at 245. I carry a lot of muscle mass under the lard, though dr says may be time to build down after I lose the blubber (she didn't quite say it that way, but she is ex navy so it was pretty close)