Sooo I leave the house with a new seat today. More of a saddle than a seat, but a seat none the less. With my bottom now feeling good and not wanting to kill me, it was alot more easier for the second commute. The only problem was...the rain. It was pouring rain about 10minutes after I started. Luckily I had a tailwind all the way to the office, but the rain was only sort of fun. I also got lost on my second day of commuting and barely made it to work.

So thanks to all you guys that told me to keep doing it!. The second day was much much easier, I made it to the office, soaked, feeling good, in an hour and 10minutes. 12 miles in an hour and 10 minutes (not alot to some but to me it was gold )

Tommorow is my birthday, looking to go do maybe a 10miles bike trail ride to celebrate.

Have an awsome weekend everyone!

Thats not a bad time at all considering your size. Feels good, doesn't it? Keep up the good work.

Your time is very respectable, and it will improve as you ride more, so its a nice way to set/track goals. Keep up the good work.

Commuting in the rain, deliberately, is a big mental milestone. My confidence soared after that. I imagine that my first true winter commute (ice, snow, salt, etc.) will do the same.

Don't wipe the smile off your face!!!

The more you ride the more you will become addicted, in a good way. Way to go.

If you think Day 2 was easier, just wait until Week 2.

Those initial mental hurdles are the most difficult to overcome. "I can't ride in the rain." "I can't ride in the cold." Etc. But once you've done it...suddenly it's not so scary.

Those first couple of weeks of commuting can be a mental hurdle as you must often will yourself to the effort to bike, if you're not already in shape for it.

Great job, and keep it up!

Considering your size, you should be moving much faster than that. Like they say, there's no substitute for cubic inches. j/k OP, 12 miles in just over an hour is a fine time and I'm sure you'll be seeing improvements to it as you progress.

Don't you mean "there's no replacement for displacement"?


Keep it up. Everyday it gets a little bit easier.

That is a respectable time!!!!!

Now I am really impressed!! Congratulations

Still .... pm me your info so i can send you the saddle

Well, I'm humbled. You bested my first time commute of 11 miles, back in December. Get a spoke wrench and check the rear wheel regularly. Your weight and power in your legs is going to place a tremendous burden on the rear wheel.

The bottom bracket will be a liability on the inexpensive bikes when ridden in the rain. My socalled Schwinn mtb bb didn't survive one decent rainstorm while parked outside my workplace. The caged bearings were washed clean of any grease the mfr might have used.

Anyway, don't stop riding.

Congrats on day 2! You're beating my initial times when I started my 12 mi commute last year. It will get easier and more comfortable as you spend more days in the saddle. I would definitely keep track of your stats (speed, distance, weight, etc.) it will be a great source of inspiration down the road. Even now I occasionally look back at last year's stats just to cheer me up when I lack motivation. So keep up the good work and let us know about your progress.

You go man, that's a avage speed of 10.28 mph. Thats a very good speed for any one starting out at you size. It will get a lot easier or the next few weeks and then you'll notice that your going 12 mph.

Good job! I agree that riding in the rain is a milestone. Some people just can't get past the weather and ride. Personally,I love the clean smell when it rains. Riding burns fat, I've lost 49 pounds in 6 months. The more you ride, the lighter you get, the better you feel, the faster you go. Also,commuting gives you exercise built into your day, no need to schedule it. Ride On. It is addicting, but a healthy addiction.

Congrats - and you have your first trash find! (read your blog)

Also, you probably burned about 2000 calories in the morning (given your weight/speed/time), which is a bit more than half a pound of weight (sugars/fats, etc., not including the water weight you lost). If you keep this up you're gonna lose weight fast.

/3500 calories = pound

if you're 411 lbs and your target weight is 220 then you are carrying an extra 191 lbs. on your ride. I consider myself a pretty strong cyclist. If I rode my 11 mile commute in tomorrow with an extra 191 lbs. on my bike and was able to average anything near 10 mph I'd be thrilled. I think I'm Hercules when I ride the 1 mile back from the grocery store with 40-50 lbs of groceries on the bike.

You are one strong, determined bike rider. Hang in there and don't wear yourself out. Make sure you're getting lots of rest and water.

Congratulations, you sure should be happy. Not only did you set a really good time, but also feeling good and happy with a rainy commute.

I have to admit that I was a little bit afraid that we wouldn't hear from you again after your report of the first commute. So thanks alot for sharing this with us, it makes us happy to.

p.s. Happy birthday

My thoughts exactly. I carry 1.7 pounds (less than a kilo) of tools and spare tubes in my bike and I scuff at weight weenies.

It might be useful for other people in your weight range if you plot your "hour" record while you drop weight, lets say in a 20 pound progression.

Congratulations! ... by the way ... how much faster is biking vs. walking to you? That is where the gain is at!

thorton is the man!
You blew my start times out of the water.
yikes!
Try 3.6 miles in 45 minutes. Now that was slow.
Your speed is quite respectable. Keep it up and in a year your speed will be nothing to laugh at.
Good job.

Tell us about what clothes you wear for cycling. At your weight I think you could overheat very easily. It has been cool recently but I found it comfortable in spandex shorts and cycling jersey. I carry a thin nylon jacket and pants in my pannier in case it rains. I see many cyclists on my commute with overpants, tights and insulated jackets - they must be boiling.

Hey everyone, thanks for the wellwishes

My time comming home was even better..but home is all downhill from work, and I had a tailwind We all know big guys love the downhills, and the tailwind was like a gift from god

I need to work on my diet a little more now, stop eating when I get home. Everyday I cycle I am starving though.

Andrew I'm wearing really light, really baggy basketball shorts, and either a tshirt or a tank top on the way to work. I shower and change at the gym, a mile from work, than bike to work from the gym.

Oh, the difference between biking and walking is 2 hours. It takes me three hours to walk to work. The big big difference is the difference between busses and biking. To take the bus usually takes an hour and 30 mins. So I am even beating that which is awsome.

Its birthday day today, so once the rain stops a little going to go try a bike trail I found about a mile from here.

Of course you're starving, thorton. YOU JUST BIKED 12 MILES, at a good speed too.

Nothing wrong with needing to snack at the end of the ride. If you don't, and if you don't give yourself enough fuel, you will find your riding will start to become more difficult...which means you will ride less...which means you will lose less weight.

Snack to assuage the post bike hunger. Just don't binge on un-healthy stuff. And don't worry about your snacking somehow setting back your weight loss plan...maybe you slow it down just a touch, but you'll be able to continue on this road in a healthy manner. Which means you'll stay with it, and reach your end goal.

Simple sugars and junk like that are obviously not the snacks to go for. Perhaps some fruit (I snack on Sunmaid figs when looking for a compact high energy pick me up, otherwise oranges and bananas), whole grain something or other, and don't forget to throw in some protein. It sounds like you have lots of leg strength, but help yourself out with building your new muscle.

Maybe after your ride would be a good time to just get dinner. An earlier dinner is good for weight loss anyway.

Keep at it thorton. You're the man, and incidentally your commute times practically put me to shame. (And I'm a 150lb lightweight!)

Sounds like thorton's hooked. You'll have to fuel up right too. For me that means oatmeal w/ brown sugar and dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, etc.) or cereal or a bagel w/ peanut butter in the morning, a balanced lunch, some fruit or granola bars to snack on and a balanced dinner. Chicken and fish are always good choices and are pretty easy to cook. Just be aware that some fish have higher levels of mercury than others. Lots of water and juice throughout the day. And of course, pie.

Even when trying to lose weight, I will eat some regular (not low-fat) yogurt or p.b. in the morning before I commute. When I get to work I am not starving, and it is easier for me to eat responsibly (not that I always do, but it is easier.)

If you do decide to get some shorts and/or tights, go to bicycleclothing.com or aerotechdesigns.com; they have bigger sizes. The lycra pants fit well (bikers tend to have bigger thighs and butts). I get all shirts from the Big and Tall store (they are now carrying wicking shirts in the big sizes).

Gratz !
Persevering thru the seat, the rain, and a fairly decent commute length and still feeling good about it all says loads to your determination.

You go !

Edit : fueling - I use oatmeal and a bit of real maple syrup to sweeten it, with some raisons added in for pre ride breakfast. And a banana when i get to work. Then a peice of fruit pretty much every 2 hours till I leave work. But im just tryign to maintain my weight and not lose it so that may be too much for you at the present time. But does get me my daily recomended 5 pieces of a fruit a day

... he beats the bus in his first commute .... at 411 pounds <huhenio walks out of the room in shame, while scratching his spandex wrapped butt>

You just made my argument of public transportation sucking in the U.S., and you just got your first kill.

I hope the people that did not want to seat next to you on the bus saw your dust from behind.

You are probably one of the fastest 400 pound plus guys in the planet too.