Originally Posted by Tailor

This post was going to be standalone, but I realized it would fit nicely into this one. It is inspired by those posts I've read from folks who for a variety of reasons are unsure about starting to ride, embarrassed about how they look, worried about being made fun of. Worried about getting on a bike and crushing it like a pop can.

An open letter to those clydes and athenas thinking about starting or returning to riding.

Do it. Do it, and then stick with it. Seriously. Just stick with it. The rest of the post is long and rambling, you could totally just stop reading here if you like.

Next week it will be one year ago that I had just moved from sea level to 4500' above. It was a move the family had wanted to make for over 10 years so we took the opportunity when it presented itself. That said, I was also well over 400lbs, (my scale stopped at 440) had only been able to walk.. well, hobble around for a couple of months after having been off my feet for 3 years due to a massive foot trauma and associated re-constructive surgeries. During one of the last conversations with my podiatric surgeon before moving, I complained that without even being able to walk, it seemed like no matter what I did I gained weight (and to be fair it IS hard to keep weight off if you cant even stand up, but its not an excuse, I wasn't a light weight before the server rack fell on my foot, IT can be pretty sedentary if you let it be). He mentioned off hand that my foot could probably handle an exercise bike if I took it slow.

His words stuck with me and after moving. Once I got thinking about it, I remembered how much I used to love riding my bike when I was younger. So I ordered a bike online during a black friday sale and received it late December.. Wont mention the site name, but the bike is a motobecane 9 iron elite (Its actually NOT a good commuter for various reasons, but it has held up under me very well). I can honestly say this thing has really stood up to my probably WAY over the limit weight. I've gone from none to many bikes for many purposes since then, but its still my main goto commuter now that I've modified it a bit here and there for my needs. Looking back, if I had found a way to ride during my 3 years off my feet, I might not have gained so much weight in the first place.

It had been a long time since I rode a bike. when I stopped riding (my last bike being circa '94ish), hydraulic disc brakes.. constant variable transmissions, belt drives, gas shocks.. these were future tech that people were talking about. It was kind of sad, I used to run a bike shop, but this bike had enough stuff I'd never worked on (or even seen before) that I took it in for final assembly and adjustment. My LBS was super helpful and while I didn't buy the bike there, I've certainly paid them a pretty penny since in various purchases.

That first ride. less than a mile at what was probably a ridiculously slow pace and I seriously wondered if I was about to die. My hands hurt, my butt hurt. my legs hurt, my lungs burned, my everything hurt.

A few weeks of riding every chance I got and I was able to make it several miles in a row.

I got permission from a coworker to park my bike in his backyard, and do a partial bike commute. At the time I still drove the other 25 miles each way. My bike commute at the time was only about 5 miles a day, but at first that 5 miles was a killer. Now days I wish I had a further place to start from, and I end up riding at max intensity for short periods to gain some HIIT benefits.

Without too many boring details, less than a year later I've dropped a fair bit of weight ( over 100 lbs, but I don't know how much exactly), I ride all the way to work a couple times a month (I just don't have time to ride 65 miles every day), do the hybrid commute the rest of the time.

I've still got a long way to go, but its hard to even compare where I was, vs how I am now.

I didn't really have a point, I just read a few posts from people who seemed like they were on the fence about starting to ride, or riding to work, etc, and felt inspired to write this up.


So for those clydes or athena's wondering if you should, wondering if you can handle it, don't wonder, just start riding the distances you can handle, and work toward those you cannot.