I weigh about 260 pounds and I need to lose about 40 pounds. I used to be embarrassed riding a bicycle being overweight but I am also embarrassed about being overweight in general. So I decided to start riding my bicycle, and if somebody does not like the fact that a fat guy is riding a bicycle, they can kiss my fat you know what (I am not cursing on these forums just in case a child that love riding bicycle is reading this forum).

And even if they do, I always remember how happy I am making the people that love me happy by getting my weight under controlled. My doctor even told me if I lose 40 pounds, he will donate money to a charity of my choice.

For whatever it's worth...

I am a new rider, I am a small guy but I was just kind of reading around the forum. I found this thread to be pretty damn inspirational if I do say so myself. I also want to add that even at 150lb, I went out for my first real city ride yesterday and people literally laughed at me. (I must just be ugly, At least I look like I have potential from behind! ha! ) It's nothing personal, people are just jerks.

I'd consider myself a pretty big A-hole, I mean, really... I love making fun of people. However, when I see bigger people doing active stuff like cycling I am impressed and as I started above, inspired.

Good reason. This is often the most important motivator for myself to do things I should've already been doing for myself.

Well I got on a bicycle for the first time since age 13 about a month ago. I had a rocky start, within the first week I had been run off the road three times and had a car clip the basket on the back of the bike causing me to take a header into someones yard. But I'm glad to say I've stuck with it I'm commuting to and from work averaging 62.5 miles a week and have dropped 30 pounds as of today.
Now I'm looking to get a hard tailed mountian bike to get a little better speed than the 3 speed beach cruiser. I'm 261 pounds as of today and 6ft1. With a bad knee and all Im actually enjoying riding after 23 years off of a bike.
I felt extremely emberrassed that first day but hey at least I'm doing something and to the one jogger that made the comment my first day riding about "Fat boy's should stay out of her way." I enjoyed what I told her and I still feel the same... "I may be fat but I'm working on that. But there is nothing in the world that can cure your kind of ugly."

Give so e serious thought to a road bike...your not too big, and getting smaller all the time...plenty of them with Rack and fender mounts.

Good job on the weight loss

I'll second vesteroid on that one... try out a road bike. I got one early this spring and love it. I had been riding a hybrid all last season. This thing just feels like a hot rod! It's much more comfortable, because it has so many more hand positions to use. I have no problem jumping on it and riding 20+ miles.

Oh... just so you know... I bought this bike when I was well over 250. My weight loss has slowed a bit. My official weight is 246.6 at the moment. I've had zero issues with the bike, wheels, 23mm tires, etc... holding up to the punishment I put it through.

You can change. Look how we have changed ourselves on this forum.

What a tough start! Do you have a safer place to ride where you aren't going to get run off the road? If you get a mountain bike get one with a fork you can lock out and put slicks on it for riding the streets.

I've looked at the road bikes but those were what stopped me riding the bicycle in the first place. I never was comfortable on it. The beach ruise I'm on now is a heavy bike but it's comfotable I tend to lean a little on it but want something I can hop the curb on if need be thus one reason that I am looking towards the mountain bike.

I've lived with the motto what doesn't kill us makes us stronger and alot of that week I blame on my own lack of experience riding in a city... Where I grew up there aren't even sidewalks now I'm in the middle of Dallas. I rode nothing but dirt bikes till age 12 when I outgrew them my folks got me a 10speed road bike that I couldn't stand. The next year I bought a 250 street and trail motor cycle and tossed the bicycle in the trash. Thanks for the info on the locking fork for the mountain bike.

Keep on pedaling!

I love the success stories and the community on here.

I am a "fluffy" 240 at 6' tall, I used to cycle a lot as a kid/teen and recently getting back into it (not that I am THAT old at 28). Originally because I live 6.5 miles from work and in Chicago with traffic, the travel times are pretty similar. I have a goal of doing a century ride by fall time, and a weigh loss goal of 20 lbs by the time the first snow falls.

And if it makes any of you fellow big guys out there feel better, I am by no means a speed demon, but with a backpack full of water and gear (extra 10-15 lbs) strapped to a rear platform on an '82 Schwinn 10 speed, I can run a pace with some of those fancy shmancy bike guys for a while (and pass some!). I am also blessed with the muscular legs of a Clydesdale but that's something else entirely.

Thats really amazing and you should be very proud of yourself:thumb:

Your giving me encouragement because I need to shed some pounds too and want to be a fitter more toned rider but I do need to change my diet and do more miles.

Keep it up!

Riding will get you lookin and feeling good.

Loosing weight is about eating LESS.

I started at 223 lbs, Got down to 190 lbs.

Now after many centuries and a cross country tour (4200) miles I weight 210 lbs. which seems to be my cycling wieght.

I have been very consistent in what I eat, when I was going to different workout classes I lost basically 40 lbs, but when I stopped going I plateaued where I am at now. I figure with some cycling and using a suspension trainer I figure I should be able to get to my target.

Cross country, how long did that take?

Just wanted to stop in and feed off of the good vibes. :D. At 5' 10" and about 220lbs I fit right in. Now that my car took a dump I'll be riding to work more often. It's hard being a big dude on bike but I don't let it get to me. I'm about having fun, and riding with some good tunes and the cool morning breeze is all I need to put a smile on my face.

It's good to see all the positive feedback in here, keep up the good work :thumb:

Hello, I am not a new rider, but I just weighed in and turns out I'm 200lbs. I'm wondering how this changes the game. Do I have to change things on my bike to accommodate my weight?

I know 200lbs isn't a lot and maybe I'm worrying over nothing, but breaking that mark scared me like none other.

57 days and nights.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ide-Ends-in-LA

Yesterday at 215 lbs
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...ikeRide016.jpg

Hey David...you may wanna make this a post of its own in the Clyde forums. It will get much more traffic there and you may get a lot more advice.

Sometimes, you just got to ignore all the morons on the road. It doesn't really matter what you look like, what you wear, etc. I weigh 220 lbs but I'm quite fit so look about 180 lbs. I was in another city - supposedly one famed for its "friendliness" - riding back from a conference to my hotel, not particularly dressed up as a cyclist, and some idiots in a car lobbed a lit flare/sparkler at me. They didn't hit me, but if I had been going a bit faster, they would have.

Ignore the world and its low lifes. Do what you want, enjoy it, and enjoy the ride. :thumb:

Never worry about what other people say. Never worry about what other people think. Never worry about how fast you're going. Never worry about how far you're going. Just keep going.

Look at it this way:
You're on a bike! You're actually ___________ (exercising, helping the environment, modeling a healthier life for your kids - you fill in the blank)! Most of the people who say things are too lazy to get out of their cars and actually pedal somewhere. No matter how slow anyone is, and even if you're only biking 3 miles, you're doing better than 75% of the people in this country. Nothing makes me happier than to see Clydes, 80 year old women, families, on bikes. Good for all of them!

I was just the opposite, in 71 (at 7) I got a Schwinn 10 speed Varsity in the middle of Dallas (Inwood and Northaven). I had to hold the bike at a 30 degree angle to keep from racking myself. That bike lasted me till it was stolen in college in 87. I bought a speedometer for it and tracked my highest speed 48 mph and mileage. The odometer went up to 999 miles and I stopped tracking the turnovers at 8 in '80 (probably cause of the car). I remember seeing it and likeing the bike, but hating the color (brown). That was one tough bike, in '87 all but tubes, tires and one pedal were original equipment.

Congradulations on the start. Getting started is the hardest part, once you done it for a short while you will start feeling better about the whole thing (and feeling physically better as well). Have fun and don't worry about the rest.

Two points:

1. If you really want to see a ridiculous rider, go back about thirty years when I was wearing toe clips for the first time. I couldn't get my feet out at the light and toppled right over. I weighted less than 140 lb. at the time.

2. When I see a big fellow on a sofa pushing his sixth slice of pizza into his face by the glow of "Toddlers in Tiaras", I might think an uncharitable thought or two. When I see a big fellow riding on a bike, I think "wow, look at him, he's awesome, look at him making a change for the better -- that takes guts, and strength, to get up there and ride. Go, man, go!"

Myself, I just started riding again after topping out at over 230 lb., and all I can say is, I should have never stopped.

Feel good about yourself. I started out at 370 . After a year i was down to 290. One thing that helps is get a bike that fits you i Commute 20 miles a day. I purchased a diamondback 29er MTB and put commuter slicks on it. I compare it to a guy driving a truck. I ride alone so no one can judge. I ride about 50 on the week ends. How good i feel and the weight i lost out weighs any embarrassment. Rode in the Hotter than Hell 100 in Wichita Falls this week end 100K. First time with a group of riders .They asked me a lot of questions about my bike and they were super supportive.If you want Motivation my doctor asked me to look around and count how many guys over 300 and 40 you see in a day.You do not see many because they dead or can not get of the couch.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=269671