Wish me luck
 

After reading the post here, you guys have me pumped up. I'm not sure why but for the last few weeks I've been tossing around the idea of riding a bike again(it's been over 30 years). I answered a ad for free bicycles on Craig list last Monday,had to wait until today for them to get the bikes "dug out" to see what they had. While waiting I found this forum, read the post in this section and realized how good a move it would be to start riding not only for fun but exercise and weight loss.I picked up the bikes a few hours ago (4 mountain and 1 tandem), replaced the chain and finished a tune up on the Lady's mountain bike for my wife just before dark. I took it for a 2 mile test drive and I'm all excited!!! I've never ridden a MB before and it felt really strange at first but I really liked the quick response it has. BOY what a work out!! Yep I'm in that bad of shape. I hope to get the Specialized mens bike on the rode tomorrow so I can start riding again. I've read about heart rate range for weight loss is around 60-70%. I'll have to get me a monitor. I started counting calories last Friday. I'm 47, 5'11" and 235lbs with a 42" waist. I hope to some day (I know it won't be real soon)shed 10" of waist and around 50-60lbs. I think I can do it with your help,advice and inspiration.

Sounds like you stumbled onto some nice bikes. Welcome!

Welcome to the clan of clyde! It does sound like a great find of bikes. Give us some pictures when you get a chance.

There is a lot of that here. Welcome aboard!

http://img125.echo.cx/img125/8038/01welcome7jb.gif

Hey Mike, welcome to the group, and congrats on your (free? sweet!) bike finds.


Scott

Hey Mike, I've only been posting here about a week and I'm in pretty similar situation. Don't worry about 2 miles being such a work out. My first ride was around 2 miles too and I sure was winded at the end of it. This was three weeks ago. Yesterday I decided to take my new bike to the LBS to get something checked out and it was around 2.5 miles and I didn't even notice the ride really and I wasn't winded at all. When everyone says tha you will be up to long rides in no time, they really aren't kidding. :)

You know, sometimes I do 10 or 12 miles and do so at a good pace, but sometimes 2 miles is more than I can complete. It will just take a little consistent riding and we will all be putting in the miles.

Welcome to the group. I have never talked to a better, more supportive group of people than the people on this forum. They have helped me alot and I have learned that when you are struggling to get in shape the motivation that is offered here is awsome.

Welcome and enjoy your new life. You will be amazed at the difference you will feel in just a few short weeks.

I started out doing 3 miles...and it took a while. I just stayed there for a long time.

I think those mountain bike miles are tougher miles than road bike miles, but that's just me.

I got a new bike about 3 weeks ago, and increased my miles slowly* so that I wouldn't get any aches and pains that would put me off biking. Then I decreased my miles accidently because my odometer reset to kilometers and I didn't catch on. But today I was able to bump up the gearing I usually ride in and added 1.2 mph to my speed and was not at all tired after 8 miles. But, I'm forcing myself to slowly add the miles. They say to increase your distance by 10%, but I'm not sure what time frame that's in. So I'm doing it twice a week.

In the beginning, that meant only adding 1/3 mile to my distance twice a week, but what's cool about that is you can pay close attention to any discomfort you feel and fix the problem without actually hurting* yourself. If you're at 6 miles and you feel a little neck twinge, it's a good thing you didn't push it, go 12 miles and end up with a sore neck for a week and not be able to ride!

At least, this is my opinion about it! But my nature is to let things progress slowly.

P.S. Wise BF people say it's good to get on the bike 5-6 days a week, even if you only go around the block. I think they're right... somehow it helps the body get adjusted to it. My bottom's never been sore, even on a new leather saddle.

All of the above is very, very good advice!:D

"P.S. Wise BF people say it's good to get on the bike 5-6 days a week, even if you only go around the block. I think they're right..."
I totally concur. Each day you don't ride, you regress. Even a bit of riding will at least, reduce the amount of regression.

ok this thread totally inspired me to go on a smal ride today, i was gonna take today off because my legs are pretty sore, but im just gonna go a few miles down to the park and back!!

I try to and do 5-10 miles a day since I'm just starting out. My legs sure are tired every night though.

WOW Thanks for the great comments everyone! I spent most of the day working on the bikes. They were in pretty rough shape from hanging on a rack on a RV outside for years. I used a whole can of liquid wrench between two bikes :eek: I got the wifes bike in really good mechanical shape now and started on my bike. I got ALL the bearings cleaned and greased,2 new tires and tubes,brakes adjusted etc etc. I still need to "tweak" the front derailer a bit and replace the rear shift cable and seat but I did manage to ride it about 1/2 mile stuck in 12th gear just to see how it handled. It felt really nice. Especially since it's more my size and the seat is adjusted to me. I live out in the boonies and will have to make a 45mi trip into Austin Tx to a bike shop somewhere to get a new cable if I can't rob one from one of the other bikes. I've been walking every morning since my heart attack last August but I think I'll be riding every morning now.:D Heck I'm so excited I think I'll ride the wifes bike in the morning. Luckily it has a quick release for seat adjustment. I'll try and post a "Before" pic. of me and the bike(we both look pretty rough) soon.

hr2510, congrats on getting on the bike. I started riding for many of the same reasons, and found out (as I already knew) it's great fun riding. Since I had to quit playing basketball, keeping in shape has been no fun. As I got older, it became even harder. The bike is a great way to have fun, enjoy the family (I ride with my wife and son whenever we can) and stay in shape. Oh, and welcome.

• UPDATE:

Just after I made the first post I had a DR visit and found my scales were wrong. I weighed 241 not 235 like I thought:eek: I just weighed and I'm down to 223 this morning :D I credit the weight loss 98% to riding the bike and the other 2% to not cheating on my diet sometimes on the weekends like I used to do. I'm still only riding 2 miles on gravel every morning. I'm a little afraid to increase the distance yet. I'm still in pretty sad shape and don't want to "push it" and end up so sore I couldn't ride the next day. So far it seems everything is going much better than expected. Maybe by the time I start to "plateau" I'll be in better shape and can increase the distance. Every time I complain to myself about how hard the MTB is to pedal with the fat tires I try to remember that it's just giving me a better work out. 18lbs down, 43lbs to go. You folks are such a inspiration!

Great job and keep it up!

hey there and good luck

edit - oops, and keep up the hard work too

Welcome to Clydes/Athenas.

If you can, toss in some light calisthenics that emphasize strength training like push ups, sit ups, etc. That extra muscle will help you lose the weight much faster! Right now I am not practicing what I am preaching, but, when I do, it works wornders.

Welcome to the forum. It's a great resource and inspiring stories have been posted to keep you going.
Starting to ride a bike is the best thing you've done to yourself.

Always nice to see those updates! It sounds as if you are doing a great job, just keep it up and go slow. We don't want to see anyone having another heart attack :eek: !

Have you managed to keep the rest of the family roped in?

East hill

Oh yes. The Wife is really enjoying riding although she mainly just rides on the weekends. She is also losing some weight. We rode our singles for over 2 hours Saturday then yesterday we rode the "Ol' Clunker" tandem for 22 miles with a avg speed of 12.2 MPH! Even with two people pedaling, that old single speed tandem with close to 400 lbs is a pretty good work out. We have been having a BLAST on the tandem. She don't know it but I'm buying a new tandem for us in a couple more weeks to surprise her. That leaves me a couple of weeks to figure out how to get the bike home and put together without her finding out. I ride a motorcycle,she drives the truck.