gtbii

Hey there, I'm new around here. Name's Gary, I'm 5'10 and was 278.5 lbs as of last thursday when I took my first ride. When I was a skinny little kid I BMX'd a ton, but now that I weigh a ton I really need to get back into shape. So I decided to get back into biking. I bought a Redline R550, I haven't taken a good pic of it yet. I'm a little worried about it holding up under the stress of a Clydes. I've only rode it 4 times and I've only ridden about 15 miles, but I'm just trying to build up stamina and also get my feet, hands, and underside accustomed to the bike.

Is there a certain type of saddle that y'all from works well? Do I have a bad saddle or just is discomfort normal at first?

Cyclist0107

I folks, Been hanging around the Commuter side. Maybe the wrong place for me?? (Denial)
Been off a bike for 2+ decades.
Just started riding to work on my new Fuji Absolute Hybrid. I've been hovering in around 220-225 for sometime now, 5'10". Commute is only 4.5Km's one way. Slowly adding stuff to make the commute easier, Fenders, next will be rear rack and trunk.

digitalsolo

Well, growing up with my parents, my Mom was an excellent cook, and scratch made everything (but cooked healthy) so it was easy to eat "right" and stay in shape. I also had a lot of free time to excercise.

Once I moved out and got my own place, I was so busy at work (60-70 hours a week) and dating (ate up a lot of nights) that I grabbed whatever food, wherever I could. Mostly pizza, soda and fast food. I had a huge appetite due to the calories I used to burn when I excercised, and combine those two things and BAM, massive weight gain.

I weighed ~255 the day I got married. I weigh 220 now (hey, down 5 lbs from my first post in the thread!). My 3rd anniversary is Wednesday of this week. I guess I'm the exception to the married = weight gain rule. For what it's worth, I didn't gain weight in college either. The food was too crappy to eat. LOL.

Joeleo

6' 240 lbs, down from 250 of winter weight. I ride a LeMond Poprad Disk that I bought at the end of 2008. Love it! Steel frame (STEEL IS REAL!!!, or whatever), disk breaks, and fast. I considered a LeMond Buenos Aires but I'm a little nervous about a carbon frame at my weight.



I got back into riding after seeing a weight gain trend ever since college. I put on 60 lbs in about 8 years and that scared me. Now I commute to work a few times a week and ride with friends on the weekend.

wilfreddrabble

Gary, This is a common query.

"Is it just me or is the saddle all wrong for me?"

If, after riding daily, 5 or 10 miles at a time, for a couple of weeks at least, you are still sore, some equipment changes are in order.

First thing: Buy yourself a pair of gel-padded cycle shorts. IMHO, they are the Clysdale's friends. I can ride any of my bikes, including the one with a cheap hard plastic saddle without discomfort (for a few miles, anyhow) with gel-padded's on.

If the new shorts solve the problem, well, there you are. Give 'em the two week trial as above.

Still got a problem? Time to head to the LBS. Let 'em have a look at you and see what they recommend. Bring your bike along - a saddle adjustment MIGHT fix the problem (tilt and/or foe-and-aft position)

Still not a solution? Most likely solution? You need a wider saddle, sorry to have to say.

If your LBS is a good one, they'll let you sit on a few of their stock saddles to see if you can see any improvement just sitting there in the store. If the LBS is REALLY good, they might let you do a test ride.

FWIW, I have had gel-padded seat covers (they worked OK for me but I didn't like the way they always needed to be snugged up), gel-padded saddles (they're OK, too), old fashioned leather saddles (an acquired taste but I did acquire it).

At the moment, I'm breaking in a stretched leather (replica of a Brooks) saddle - stiff as a board at the moment. The other day I rode about 40 miles on it without butt distress. Did have gel-padded shorts on, though.

Post again if you still have a problem or if any of this helps.

John Alldredge

wilfreddrabble

If you weigh over 300#, there are some things you can do improve bike reliability.

The first part is the hardest: a new wheelset with White Industries or Phil Woods 40 spoke rear hubs. It WILL be expensive if you have to get these wheels made new. You should be aiming for rims that'll take 700 x 38c or 40c tires as well.

IMHO, you should be looking for a Chromoly steel touring-style frame with a steel fork. If you can get a frame that takes a threadless fork (AheadSet-style), that would be a worthwhile advantage. The frame needs to have 135mm wide hub spacing in the rear (this is the standard mountain bike spacing).

A Shimano XT or XTR crank should be able to take whatever you can dish out on the road. As a bonus, it's easy to get the kind of gearing you'll be wanting on the road with an MTB crank. You'll be needing pedals that can take the gaff as well. If you want clipless, consider Crank Brothers eggbeaters with chromoly spindles - cheap & rugged. If you want road pedals, older Shimano Ultegra or DuraAce all alloy (not carbon) pedals will carry the weight without giving problems.

You'll be needing a robust all alloy seatpost. Shimano or Campy better quality older posts should do the job here, too.

I can still get by with Shimano XT 36 hole hubs on my hybrid "road" bike but I "only" weigh 238#

John Alldredge.

Joe Bicycle

"At the moment, I'm breaking in a stretched leather (replica of a Brooks) saddle - stiff as a board at the moment. "

Just curious, What's the brand name and model of this saddle your talking about? TIA.

couch_incident

Nice looking bike! And by the way, me thinks I owned a couch like that about five years ago. I accidently set it on fire on a hot July night. I loved that couch.

Couchy

Zermatt7

Hey from Cumming Ga.,
New to forum and just getting back into riding...grew up on bikes and used to ride constantly. Now 45 (wow, never thought I'd make it this long !)6'00", 225lbs @28% body fat according to my Tanita scale/b.f. monitor. Quit smoking and went from 192 last year to 232 ratrher quickly. Goal is 225 down to under 200 as quick as possible. Then ultimately 180. (My college weight). Even though i smoked I felt ALOT better at 192-195.

My bikes in order according to memory, tred ricycle, new red Huffy w/training wheels, new green Schwinn Stingray...banana seat, sissybar (eventually coverted to an MX bike), older brothers gold Schwinn Collegiate 5spd, other older brothers red Schwinn Varsity 10 speed (road into a brick wall & didnt faze the bike!), new light blue Concord 10 speed (road it until fell apart in under 2 years) new and my favorite 1977 Schwinn Super Letour 12.2 "all chrome version", new white Giant Rincon Mtn Bike...Currently have a Motive full suspension Mtn Bike with Michelin road tires, an ugly green Specailized Crossroads Cruz hybrid (1995 I think) that was a trash day save. Rideable but rims need trued.That I might or might not keep, and my wife has a new green Schwinn Hybrid.

Found that for riding around the neighborhood the Motive with road tires gives me ALOT more excercise/ better workout. About twice the effort than riding either the Schwinn or Specialized hardtails. It is alot better for trying to get in shape on. The main road by my subdivision is Post Rd. /371 which is 55mph, 2 lanes with deep ditches on either side. Staying off that for awhile.

Anyway, thats my sory and I'm sticking to it.

Eric
zermatt7

P.S. Does any one sell "Rat Traps" any more ? I like to ride my bike to the pool, to a hike etc...with tennis shoes, hiking boots and dont want to do the clip on thing or what ever is all the rage now. I never had a problem with the traps and I rode every where with them growing up.

GO BUCKEYES

ldeg

I'm 6'5" 286lbs as of this morning, down from 320 in February, i started riding again for fun and to loose weight, my kids are older and can join my wife and I on shorter rides (up to around 25 km so far...).
Stared the year with a Rocky mountain hybrid, that i sold last week and got a CAAD9 5, which so far i love!!!! great bike, the wheels seem a little weak, but will managge for now and upgrade once they start failing

It feels great to be back in the saddle again...

wilfreddrabble

At the moment, I'm breaking in a stretched leather (replica of a Brooks) saddle - stiff as a board at the moment. "

Just curious, What's the brand name and model of this saddle your talking about? TIA.

The company in Taiwan that made this saddle, which I bought off the Crow Cycle Co. website, is VERY shy.

There is no model, brand, or other identifying info on the saddle whatsoever. Ditto with the box & packaging it came in.

I know it was made in Taiwan and how to care for the leather & snug up the front bolt when necessary but that was all the printed material I got with it.

John Alldredge

luchador76

I am 5'4'' and weight about 240 lbs. I started working out back in February when I jumped on the scale and said 285 lbs is just too damn much. I started working out and remembered the good old days when I was young and rode my grandfathers Fuji road bike. I went to the local bike shop and bought me a Diamondback Insight1, it has been great! I have had the bike 2 months now and already put a good 600 miles on it!
Since I started to ride my bike, I find myself trying to go further and further, I even found myself in another town (San Jose to Morgan Hill)! Going to ride the crap out of this bike and hopefully one day move up to road bikes when I am hopefully smaller
This is my ride:

mdlynam

Hello folks... Newbie here--my name's Mark. I'm 40 years old & live in Cookeville, TN. 5'8" and 280 pounds at the present. Am looking to get back into riding again for enjoyment and to lose weight. My ride's a Specialized Sequoia Comp (08) and a GT Nomad. Have a 2 year old and another on the way. Would love to make more use of the child trailer and make cycling a part of lives.

Would love to hear and learn from others in this forum and maybe meet up for a ride?! More about me at: facebook.com/mdlynam

Cheers!

CarmineV

I'm 6'1" and 220. I ride because of Covert Bailey (Fit or Fat Target Diet). He says you can eat anything you want......if you excercise ENOUGH.

David Newton

I'm 5-11 and 250. I quit riding when I got a motorcycle about 15 years ago. Not as much exercise on a motorcycle, so I finally put a bike together and maybe get back my slim, girlish figure. That would be something, since I never had one before.

Wogster

Sounds like someone I know, he put on 60lbs by switching from pedals to a motor, got back on his bicycle a few weeks ago, and even a tiny hill required a gear that would embarrass granny.... I've suggested dumping the knobby tires for either a cross type tire or a slick.... He may bring his bicycle over to go riding sometime....

David Newton

I was telling my wife that my bottom was sore, and she said "do you not have the right seat for your bottom?" and I cleverly answered that I didn't have the right bottom for my seat.

gotls1

Nice picture! Can I ask where you took it?

downtube42

I think my body wants me to stay a clyde. I've dropped ~18 pounds, down to 203.5, but there seems to be a hard stop at that weight.

luchador76

Sure gotls, I took the picture at Lake Cunningham Park (Raging Waters is right next door). It is between Capitol Expressway and Tully Road. It was on one of the small piers they have right on the lake, it is a really nice park. You would not expect a park like this from the look of it from the outside. Downtube42, sounds like you hit a plateu man, you need to change up whatever it is your doing for your workouts. Your body gets used to the workouts you do and they become less effective, you might want to change it up to something else to get your body back in shock again.

JPritch

Hi guys. First of all, I'm grateful to learn that there is a name for bigger cyclists besides Fat*****! I started riding a few weeks ago with my wife in order to help shed some weight. I'm 6' and 47 years old. I was at 240 at the end of April when I finally decided I had to do something about my weight. As of yesterday, I'm now 219! I intend to get down to 180 then reassess how much lower I can go. I have a very light frame and not a lot of muscle so most of this weight is fat.

I've been riding 22 miles twice during the week and a longer ride or hike on Saturday. Last weekend I did a thirty mile ride which felt good, but Sunday my knees and hip joints were really hurting. (I did do some sprints.) My knees are still kind of bothering me. I've read that I should be riding more frequently so I decided to add a shorter ride on M,W,F. I started this yesterday and did 12 miles in an hour. This was solo so I was able to go a little faster than with my wife, and didn't require any breaks.

We are riding OLD Specialized Rockhoppers that we bought back new back in 1991 and hardly ever used.

I don't really know anything about bikes or riding and would appreciate some input regarding a training program. We are really slow and tend to get passed by everybody on the bike trail. I guess I'm pretty self conscious because I feel out of place among all the thin clyclists.

Thanks.

GeorgeVW

6'3" here who just dropped under 280 (started at 380 August 28th of last year) and heading for the general vicinity of 235 (I'm aiming for 225, my doctor says it might be more like 240 with my frame and musculature, so we'll see when I get close). Got an early '90s GT Karakoram K2 that I used to commute on and a Sun EZ3 USX recumbent trike. Just starting to ride again and it's mostly on the trike. Current training goal is to be able to do at least one, if not both, of the 30 milers in the Ventura MS Ride the first week of October. To help meet that goal, I'm planning on getting rid of the Sun and moving to a Catrike Trail in the next month or so and do the 30 milers on that. My butt is just not happy with the MTB these days.

My biggest challenge is shoes. I'm 13EEEEE and even the Megas aren't wide enough to be comfortable. I"ve never gotten along terribly well with toe clips (once again, feet as big as mine are the trouble - too long, too wide) and foot suck is a constant threat. I sure can't afford custom shoes, so I just kinda limp along. If anybody's got any brilliant ideas, I'm eager to hear 'em.

tsievert

One of these days I'm going to catch him. Pacman, the guy who is always at the front and rides back to make sure your ok every 10 minutes because your holding up the group ride.
I am 6'4" and currently < 350. I started at 420 so things are going well. I ride a Trek 200 Navigator. I seem to be in Weekend Warrior mode right now but I would like to ride everyday this summer if time permits.

I have a shoe challenge as well. I wear a size 16 and I can't afford $260 Italian shoes(Siti I think) If anyone know wear Bigfoot can get some shoes, let me know.

Anybody looking to ride in St. Louis, drop me a email.

-Todd

earthirv

I'm 6'3" and 245 down from 268. I too have big feet, size 13 street shoes and size 14 running shoes.I a saw a pair of Shimano size 49 MTB shoes on sale for $75 online and bought them. Shimano seems to be the most reasonably priced shoes for big guys. I love the shoes and the SPD petals. I don't know about the width but as you lose weight your feet will get narrower. I have medium width feet. I ride a Cannondale R700, CAAD5 with 700x25 tires. Sidi makes shoe in big sizes but are expensive. Hope this helps. I like bicyclebuys.com for shoes and and bought a second pair.

Froggy

I can't overstress the need for properly fitting shoes! I spent a lot of money on shoes that "almost" fit well before I finally broke down and bought the more expensive, but far better fitting Sidi Megas - I have wide feet. The vast improvement in cycling comfort I expereinced after buying these shoes was worth far more than the cost! I think this is particularly true for us Clydes, so, IMHO, don't spare the dime when it comes to shoes. I bought my first pair from a local cycle shop so I could try them out and then bought subsequent pairs online at discount.