Tednighs

So I am new to the group, but was a pretty avid cyclist about 10 years ago, and would do about 60 to 75 miles a week. I absolutely loved to ride, but since I was in my late teens and early 20s And broke at the time I was always riding frames from the 70s or before, with parts I was constantly pulling off bikes I would buy at garage sales or bikes I would pull from the trash, it never bothered me and I seemed to have an endless supply to keep building these Frankenstein bikes. I know I shouldn’t of ever stopped but life got in the way of me being able to spend my days doing what I loved. Recently I was given a new used bike from my grandpa, a bianchi sport xs and it has totally rekindled the joy of riding again, but I have put on a significant amount of weight in the last 10 years, probably about an additional 120lbs, and am finding out that there are a whole set of aches and pain that come with that added weight. I would really appreciate any advice/recommendations on saddles and other parts that could help ease some of these issues and allow me to ride longer distances Again.

sledgefisher

Welcome back to cycling. I returned to my bikes again this year after a short time away and also put on a few lbs while away. Before you start changing anything ask yourself a few questions.
Have you got the saddle set correctly? Is this bike the correct size? Are the handlebars set to the correct height and position for you?
If you are happy with the answers to these questions, remember it takes a few weeks to build up the miles / kms. Don't be in too much of a rush to replace things on your bike until you have done the basic fit above and cycled for an hour or so a day for a couple of weeks.
Best of luck

Thomas15

When I restarted my bicycle hobby it wasn't to lose a lot of weight. I was in fact what would be commonly called skinny but out of shape anyway. Between the day I first mounted my bicycle and today I have made numerous visits to the hurt locker. Hands in particular were so bad I considered cutting my losses and finding another hobby.


The reason I say this is if an individual is getting back to riding a bike and intends to take it seriously then for different reasons and with different solutions he/she will still have aches and pains. A simple ride around the block will probably not cause any discomfort but start putting on the miles and things will be different.


BTW as I mentioned I wasn't looking to lose weight but have lost some anyway. After the first few weeks I put on a few pounds but then started to shed more and in the last 6 months have lost 23 pounds. I do not want to lose any more.


I hope you find your happiness in and exercise in bicycling. I believe what you are up against is more mental than physical. Set some tough but realistic goals and be flexible but take any move, however small in the right direction as a win. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds in a year then work hard at it but if you only lose 40 pounds you still won. But you have to think long terms with baby steps. Once things start moving in the right direction you will compartmentailze your aches and pains and deal with them in order of severity. Routine becomes obsession which will lead to doing longer and more challenging bike rides and buying expensive bikes and bike related brick-a-brac.

alo

I suggest a large saddle.

I suggest raising the handlebars, so you sit more upright, and have less weight on your hands.

You decide what is best for you.

AnthonyG

Drop bar road bikes are in no way comfortable to ride when carrying excessive weight. Nothing much can be done about it really as they were never designed/built with comfort in mind from the start. They are designed primarily for efficiency and/or racing.

For comfort your going to have to sit more upright and use wider tires. MTN bikes fitted with slick road tires are far more comfortable to ride than racing bikes.

sledgefisher

This may be your opinion, however I have found the opposite to be true. My thick tyred commuter bike with MTB geometry and setup only carries me about 20 miles without real pain. My drop handle barred bike with 28c tyres carries me endless miles without any real discomfort. When returning to cycling the trick is to break yourself in gently with a well fitted bike.

Tednighs

I have never been one for mountain bikes, and it’s not so much that I am expecting a leisurely ride, if that were the case I’d get a cruiser. It’s more that there’s certain things like my hands and ass that hurt like never before when I ride. I have a bike I really enjoy I am more just asking for advice on minor adjustments I could make to this bike I currently am using.

sledgefisher

When I returned to cycling I found the same things. Sheldon Brown's website was a great help to me on bike adjustments saddle setup and bike fit.
Tyre pressure is a big contribution to your overall comfort on a bike also.

livedarklions

Might want to post in the Clydesdale/Athena forum as well--basically, it sounds like you're looking for parts and adjustments and the members there might have some tips specific to your type of bike and size.

To be honest, I tried biking when I was about 120-140 pounds heavier than I am now, and I really couldn't hack it. I came back to it after I had lost the excess weight and am now riding very long distances. Hopefully, if you work out the aches and pains, your ability to distance ride with weight will be better than mine and you won't have to wait to do this great activity.

Good luck to you!

RH Clark

Honestly,at more than 100 lbs overweight,you are just going to have to do the common sense stuff like a heavier built bike with larger seat and drop some weight. I have personally lost nearly 190 lbs in just 2 years cycling going from 360lbs to just over 170lbs in about a year and a half. Diet did it though rather than cycling. I gave up all sugar and processed foods. Cycling will help but you won't ever out exercise a poor diet.