DMC707 

“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” (popular quote, but applicable)


In other words --- put the fear aside and just do it while you still can

Gerry221

Hi Elizabeth. Understand totally what you are saying. I was 24 stone, 336lbs, when I started cycling last year - Not even been cycling for a year yet.

Like you, I was embarrassed to wear clothes that were, shall we say, tight. Very self conscious.

After a few weeks, I began to think, "F**k it!", if people look, then they look. If they point and laugh, so what! I am on my own journey. They mean nothing to me. My friends, family and colleagues supported me. encouraged me. then very quickly, other cyclist were offering advice - never criticism. Never!

10 months on....

I wear lycra, dropped 4 stone. Regularly cycle 30 to 40 miles. Feel brilliant.

Yes, there have been moments. Times where I struggled. but, I had a destination to go to. Never took my eye off of the prize. If I fell(metaphorically and physically) off the bike, I got back on it. It's a long journey. And with every long journey, there will be problems along the way.

I don't know you, but I know you(if that makes sense??). Don't let ANYONE deter you from what you want to do.

I applaud you and support you....

Go GIRL!!!



This is the difference in 10 months....I am half way through my journey.

Very proud of you!

Rovinato

I'm 330 lbs. I started riding 5 years ago and I was close to 400 lbs. I bought a Surly LHT, a great bike for a heavy rider. I started out riding 3 mile loops. I wore jeans and a t-shirt. I worked up to longer rides, bought a Specialized Roubaix, got a proper lycra kit, and I put 7000 miles on it. I dropped 100lbs, put 30 back on, and so on. I haven't ridden much this year due to an injury, and I don't have the Roubaix anymore, but I rode an old Moser steel road bike today on a quick 12 mile ride with a couple sharp climbs over 8% and I was surprised that I didn't totally suck. I'll never climb 3000m in a day, but it's perfectly possible to be heavy and ride around for a few hours and thoroughly enjoy yourself. Will you get the occasional rude comment? Sure. But it's better than staying inside and fretting about yourself.

amchef

I'll reiterate what several have said, including me: I have never heard a snide comment from a rider, not on the road, not in any of the events we ride that include thousands of others. If some toad in a battered F-150 cruising down to the local Piggly Wiggly to buy more wife-beaters shouts something, be thankful the fates have put your fat ass on a bike and that it is his bottom-dwelling ass in that truck.

hadassah

I love this! True determination...

Always keep your vision ahead of you, keep it big and meditate on it throughout the day... your concern of what others think will become very small because you will be so excited about the future.

ECB1

I was able to go from 340lbs to 180lbs on my bike. I sold that one to a fellow who is currently 360lbs and wants a life change. I hope it helps, I gave him a sweet deal on a Treck 1200 with mavic custom wheels from my old days. I am very glad that I had this thread to look at when I got started, no judging or laughing. Thanks

temoniprince

I love seeing riders in all differ shapes and sizes. Keep up the amazing work everyone.

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KraneXL

Hey, is OP even still around? In any event, to anyone that feels the way he does, it is as stated, being oversensitive. However, he and anyone else should keep in mind that its not cycling that makes your thin, but it is a catalyst that helps speed thing up.

Your weight loss, just as it was to your weight gain, is predominately the product of your diet. That should be the true focus and the foundation behind any weight loss.

cyclintom

There may be a few people laughing at your size on a bike. Get over it.. There are people that would laugh at a billionaire because he doesn't know what he's doing.

Most people would appreciate that you're attempting to get your health back and perhaps your weight down to a healthier level.

When I restarted riding I was a physical wreck. I had no endurance from inactivity. I had the gout from various foods but especially from anything that had chocolate in it. I am and EE and my fingers were beginning not to work properly when I was typing. And other things more personal. After I began riding I began to recover from all of that. I can actually eat a chocolate bar again without pain in the area of my left small toe so that I can barely limp. I rode 47 miles yesterday and a high average for city streets with only a single stop for a breakfast sandwich at a GREAT café washed down with coffee. Today after some 40 years of riding I can say that my health has never been better though of course my performance suffers each year from increasing age. I have watched all of the old deserted country roads disappear over the years and housing projects fill them with roads and cars driving at high speed. I'm not particular fond of that but everyone to their own.

Welcome to the brotherhood of the wheel.

cyclintom

In many, many cases it IS the riding. Though it can have a catalytic action for most people ANYTHING would be exercise and lead to a healthier and lighter body. We had this one guy that rode with us that started out at 250 lbs. He was big and not fat as you would mean fat. He played and even taught tennis and was pretty good at it. After he started riding with us his weight came down to about 200 lbs. It stayed at about that level which I would estimate to be a healthy level for his body type. Too bad he got a different job which absorbs most of his daylight time. He's now back up to 250 even though he is still playing tennis and teaching it.

wvrick

No he passed.

thehammerdog

Narf

I'm 5'9" and 214lbs. I used to be a pretty serious gym rat, but my old "V" shape looks more like a "W" now. Back then, whenever I saw someone 300+ lbs in the gym, my sentiment toward them was always one of admiration. Today, when I see someone heavier than me on a bike, I find that has not changed.

Clydesdalecliff

Find a local group you can ride with or join a club if one is close enough to be convenient. Even the skinniest/ fittest/ fastest cyclist will applaud you riding your bike, and encourage you. Who cares what motorists think of you on your bike, you're working on your fitness, who knows what they're doing. Of you're close to your bikes suggested limit, you may have to spend more time inspecting your bike, getting wheels trued, etc; this is where a good mechanic, possible at an LBS comes in handy. Get a bike fit, you won't believe how much more comfortable your steed is.
Most of all, enjoy it, find an eating plan that works, stay hydrated, and keep pedaling.
Here's to many years of riding.

Jac of Hearts

When I changed the way I eat I did it for blood sugar control but then guess what? I lost weight. I have nere been an athlete, nor am I now, but I've always returned to cycling for exercise. When I hit 300, down from 355, I bought a used mtb from a friend and started riding again.

I decided to own my appearance on the bike and wore a bright yellow shirt so I could be seen in traffic. I also started to track my progress on Facebook. My hashtags are #fatboyfattires and #imlosingthisgut .

I have received nothing but positive vibes and support about taking charge of my health.

When I got ready for a new bike I hit the embarrassment wall. Because I am a professional Santa Claus, and I try to down play that off season I did not want a red bike. But the one I wanted was available either in matte black with ugly yellow letters or red with white. I eventually decided on a used DS 8.5 that was matte gray so dodged that bullet.

Keep riding my chubby friends and screw them if they are laughing because as you take charge of your health you'll be the one laughing.

XLB

In the beginning I felt embarrassed, but then I started XL Biking on Instagram and found more people who share the same passion. You're welcome to join us! People here in Sweden are tough, some spat at me, others yelled that I took too much space on the cycling path, competitive cyclists laughed at me. I still scare a person or two, but at the end of the day it is my life and I'm doing my best to live it fully
Cheers!

XLB

This is awesome!

XLB

Thanks for sharing! Quite an encouragement!

alo

I am tall and fat challenged. I have often ridden inexpensive mountain bikes. I do break bikes. The most common thing to break is the spokes in the back wheel. It may take two years or more of riding on rough tracks. Then one spoke breaks. It is normally not until riding several more times that another spoke breaks. Then it becomes time to replace the back wheel.

You are unlikely to have several spokes break on one ride. You can normally always side home.

alo

Cycling one day, I saw a man on a motorbike who was much fatter than me. I felt like saying, if I rode a motorbike, I would look like you, and if you rode a bicycle, you would look like me. I didn't say anything, as he may have got upset.

But it is true. I am fat challenged. I would be even fatter if I didn't cycle. It is very difficult to get down to being slim. But keeping some weight off is very beneficial.