velojym

Yeah, it's almost a shame, but I need to shrink out of it, too. Though, I think it can be taken in a good bit before it gets awkward.
I'll see when I get to where I wanna be.

RiddleOfSteel

Looking sharp! Definitely comfortable in it, at least from my place here on the internet.

Rollfast

I'm LIKING it! That, sir is dapper

velojym

Sunday weigh-in was 253.4

I'll be heading back to NM in a few weeks to visit my family, and will bring my montague along. I plan to leave my car at my folks' house and just use the bike to get around.

Starting to get stuff together to freshen Jake up (2000 Kona Jake the Snake), and am realizing I seem to have gotten foggy on wrenching. That kinda sucks, as I used to be pretty decent at it. The Avid Shorty 10c canti brakes currently have the Kool Stop pads I installed over a decade ago, and they're hard as rocks. I don't see a model number on 'em, and IIRC, I'm needing to use the V-brake style, as that's the type of mounting post they have.
The cables had been re-done in the meantime, so I may just check them, but I do have brake and shifter cable handy if I need it.
I also had the BB replaced not many miles ago. I'll still want to check it and the headset.

Until I figure something more long-term for wheels, I think I may use the stock hoops from my LHT. They're heavier, but with nearly 40,000 miles on the cxp23 rims, I think it's safest to save up for some new ones. I may even find a new disc front fork and go Mullet.

After a few miles of gettin' back in riding shape, I'll figure out whether to keep Jake mostly as-is, retire him to the wall and buy a new bike, or strip 'im down to the frame and build Jake back up with newer componentry. I recreationally over-think things, so this is normal for me.

velojym

I replaced the washers on my Montague's stem riser with proper spacers last night, and this morning took it on a short ride at Tannehill state park.
4.5 miles is all I did, but I don't want to overdo it right away. I'm down more than a hundred lbs from last Summer, and while I've been working my legs hiking, the more bike specific
stuff needs to be eased in.

It felt good, though.

When I was somewhere over 350 (scale limit), and tried to ride, I was miserable. Even getting moving on a flat road was a pain.
With the memory of how I used to fly down the road, this was disheartening, and I've been slow to get back on a bike even with some fairly extreme weight loss. I've hiked until my feet complained, then kept going. Now, my ischial tuberosities are gonna need to take some of that load, and I did a hybrid workout today: 4.5 miles on my bike, 4 miles on the same road/trail on Shank's Mare.
I don't expect the bike to be my only calorie roaster at first, so I'm throwing in some walking to make up the difference.

However, my sit bones didn't feel as badly as I'd expected (100 lbs will do that, I suppose), though I was on a fresh (not broken in yet) VO leather saddle, and hiking shorts with no chamois.
I can feel that my legs will need a little work, just to supplement the fitness they've gained over months of hiking and adapt to cycling, but that shouldn't be an issue at all.

I heard some creaking in the bike... after easing on several parts as I rode, I think it might be that stem riser. Now that I don't have a huge gut pushing up into my lungs, I think I need to find a shorter stem bolt, and pull the riser off... bringing the handlebar height back down to only slightly higher than factory. There's a lot of leverage on the steerer/headset. Once I've done that, I'll see if anything else on the bike is complaining.

Anyway, thought I'd toss this in here, and make the thread a little more relevant to the forum.

velojym

I dropped my bars today.

A while back, I made changes to my Montague Paratrooper to more readily handle my bulk, weight, and height. Longer seatpost, downhill crank (after the cheap stamped factory went taco on a hill in Austin), and a few other odds and ends.
One of these was a stem riser, which allowed me to ride without my gut pushing so hard into my lungs. This had been a challenge, and made riding almost impossible, as I couldn't catch my breath.
It worked, and while I have respect for the likes of Sheldon Brown and Grant Peterson, the more upright position just didn't feel all that great.
Yeah, my physical condition had a lot to do with that, too.

This week, I got the Montague out to Tannehill and took a ride. Short, only 4.5 miles, but while my legs didn't feel bad, I'm trying to ease my Capn's quarters into riding again.
While riding, it occurred to me that, after losing over a hundred lbs, my gut isn't the obstacle it once was.

Today, after I finished work, I stopped at Bikelink to see if they had a spare stem cap bolt, as the one I had handy was way too long for using without the riser. They provided one gratis, so I went ahead and picked up a can of frame saver (need it for my LHT anyway). A little unscrewing, unstacking, and reassembly, and I had my riser, spacers, and long bolt in a plastic bag, and Sarge was looking pretty good!
Outside and around the parking lot, and horry cwap, Batman! It felt GREAT!

I can see the point of the above luminaries, but sometimes, getting over lower handlebars feels like flying. Also, lighter and less noisy, as there's a lot of leverage on those risers. I swooped around the lot for a bit, and am looking forward to getting out on another ride with the bars back in their old position.

velojym

Getting my hands dirty in the basement today, as I had a little home-alone time.




I couldn't get the brake pads not to rub on the wide tires on the M500, so I swapped 'em with the 1 1/4" tires from my wife's trek. All good now, and I plan to give that one a test ride this week, even though its mission has pretty much evaporated. I was building it as a weight-loss bike, for when I was well over 350 lbs. 250 now, and comfortable enough with riding my other bikes now. Still, I built it, and I'm gonna ride it some. Probably use it for the downtown casual rides.


Also, new brake pads.




Jake is my project now, and a little more involved, but still not too bad. I took good care of this bike over the nearly 40,000 miles we have together.

The st5500 105 brifters are gummed up. I'll give 'em a flush this weekend to see if that works, but that's only out of curiosity, as I've ordered a set of Dura Ace bar-ends, which will go on once they arrive. Also ordered some Tektro levers. I'll replace the hideous cow-pattern bar tape then, too.

The rear wheel is in great shape, built by one of the Erics at Chainwheel in Little Rock. Front rim was a bit worn, so I swapped it with my LHT's stock front (that bike has a Clyde wheelset right now), which looks close enough to matching that most won't even notice.

For the time being, I have a set of 35c Panaracer Paselas on Jake.

Brake pads on this bike, too, but I'll probably upgrade them with Kool Stops once he's otherwise dialed in.


Really looking forward to getting back on Jake.

bakerjw

I love to read stories like this.
I was up around 270 way back, dropped a lot and got back up there. The last time, I was angry that I'd let myself go. My doctor was trying to make me take a statin and I told him I was doing it my way.
In 3 months, I had dropped 50# by eating a healthy diet and exercising. He was amazed. I ended up dropping down to 175# and went and saw him. He advised me to gain some weight back as I'd lost too much.

My theory is that if our bodies have carried fat for a long time, it takes fat cells a while to get rid of it. I believe that they call it gray fat. I have found that weight that has gone on quickly also comes off quickly as that is what it is supposed to do.

Good job!

velojym

It took me a while to get up the nerve, but I joined a group ride this evening.

The last time I tried, thinking a casual ride would be ok, I got dropped and made my way back to the bike shop alone.
It took losing over a hundred pounds and a lot of hiking before I made it back, though my mind was swimming with excuses and reasons to opt out.

The ride was a little over 9 miles, and while we did get up to about 26 mph a time or three, the average ended up around 12, with stops to keep the group together.
Not only did I complete the ride, I stayed with the front group the whole way. Not a huge bragging point, being a 'casual' ride, but it beat the ever-lovin' heck out of my earlier attempt.

Also, I used my Montague with some pretty fat tires, and I was among many roadies. I think I'll bring along a road bike next time.
My Paratrooper did get quite a bit of attention, though.

velojym

I don't think I was quite ready for a longer ride, so I figured I'd join up with another casual ride, going only 6 miles or so.




Oops. We ended up going 20 miles.




That wasn't much distance for me in the past, as I was pedaling my way to work and back over some pretty steep hills for 26 miles round trip... every day. I was adding laps by the river to build up more mileage.




That was over a decade ago, and this was my third ride of more than 'barely leaving the driveway' distance in a decade or more. One was last weekend, a 4.5 mile ride at Tannehill State Park, just to get the wheels turning, and to see what I'd need to address on the bike.




Bike sorted, I joined the afore-posted Trample, which Strava recorded as just over 9 miles.




Today, when we rolled back into the Back 40 Brewing Company back lot, Strava read 19.8. So, naturally I pedaled up the road a little and back to clear a round number. I'm not OCD, but at this point, I'm calling milestones again, given the shape I'd gotten into, I'm a newb once more.

I do still retain some knowledge and experience on the bike, but my body has to catch up.




Feeling fine, though. My hammies are wondering what the heck happened, but they're just gonna have to get used to the idea.




Sarge did fine, but I'm looking forward to getting Jake back on the road.

velojym

I don't think I was quite ready for a longer ride, so I figured I'd join up with another casual ride, going only 6 miles or so.




Oops. We ended up going 20 miles.




That wasn't much distance for me in the past, as I was pedaling my way to work and back over some pretty steep hills for 26 miles round trip... every day. I was adding laps by the river to build up more mileage.




That was over a decade ago, and this was my third ride of more than 'barely leaving the driveway' distance in a decade or more. One was last weekend, a 4.5 mile ride at Tannehill State Park, just to get the wheels turning, and to see what I'd need to address on the bike.




Bike sorted, I joined the afore-posted Trample, which Strava recorded as just over 9 miles.




Today, when we rolled back into the Back 40 Brewing Company back lot, Strava read 19.8. So, naturally I pedaled up the road a little and back to clear a round number. I'm not OCD, but at this point, I'm calling milestones again, given the shape I'd gotten into, I'm a newb once more.

I do still retain some knowledge and experience on the bike, but my body has to catch up.




Feeling fine, though. My hammies are wondering what the heck happened, but they're just gonna have to get used to the idea.




Sarge did fine, but I'm looking forward to getting Jake back on the road.

velojym

As I've decided to take a recovery day today (seems sad, in terms of how I used to ride, but hey... here I am!), I'm posting yesterday's weight for my weekly weigh-in.

250.4

Wife is starting to ask me about the condition of her bikes, which I'm taking to be a good sign. I'll look over her Trek tonight which will probably need tires, tubes, and brake pads. Everything else will get checked and lubed, and I'll decide, based on whether she really starts riding or not, what to do from there.
The Sora brifters on HER bike seem to be working just fine after sitting about as long as Jake was... sheesh. I guess that's a win, though... since I'd be the one tasked with fixing the problem anyway.

zjrog

Sounds like she has a little interest, and I hope it is something that sticks for you guys.

I'm not ready for a group ride yet. But probably soon. So KUDOS to you for taking that plunge!!!! And CONGRATS on 250!!!!

I have Sora 3500 brifters on my 29er with drop bars. I like them in this application. I picked up a set of Sora 3400 brifters for a possible cyclocross/gravel bike in the future. And like my 29er, they include some cyclocross extra brake levers. I have that set up on my 29er, and if I do a cyclocross or gravel bike, I think they make great sense.

velojym

Rode Jake for the first time in over 12 years.

Just up the driveway and back, so tomorrow I'll take my bike a little farther and fine tune anything that comes up. I'm hoping I can get the rear mech straight... that's always been a problem for me.
Brakes need a little toe-in, too.

It's amazing that I was once "one" with this bike. Everything I've ridden over the last 12 years or so has a much more relaxed geometry, making Jake seem very 'twitchy' in relation.
I do remember the sporty handling, but it never bothered me, cuz I basically lived on this bike. Just take a little gettin' used to again.

velojym

New brakes. Now I think I'm just stalling...

velojym

I also mounted my Selle Italia saddle. I removed it long ago, thinking I could get back on Jake with a stouter saddle, but I think the SI will do just fine again.

velojym

Weekly weigh-in: 249.2

Not a big loss this week, but I'm not worried.
The gals are going to be out this week, one at camp, the other at a seminar, so I'll be trying to hit maybe 3 group rides during the week.
As of Friday, I'm heading out to NM to visit family, and hope to leave the car parked most of the time I'm there.
As currently planned, I'll have a road bike and my Montague with me.

RiddleOfSteel

Awesome stuff! I would also agree that your wife asking about the condition of her bike means that the gravity of your efforts is having an effect on her. I think you'll get used to the faster handling soon enough. An old friend back. And under 250!!

velojym

I took Jake for a short shakedown run just now. I have the brakes dialed in, and may need just a touch of tuning on the rear mech. We got along great, and felt a lot more natural to me than I'd feared.
3 miles on a stretch of road nearby, a little hillier than I'd choose for 'beginner' base miles, but we did fine.

As I figured, the Alex/XT wheels (originally from my LHT), 32c Vittorios, and slime tubes are a bit on the heavy side.... but so am I still. I figure that I'll be a lot lighter by the time my HW deadline hits, and I may use some of my winnings for a nice set of wheels.

velojym

Hmm.... I probably need to re-wrap that bar tape though...

velojym

Small group on tonight's ride, only 3 of us. Jake and I did really well, though I'm gonna bring my bike to the shop for a quick check and fine tune of the rear mech.
Feelin' really good after the ride.

velojym

..and I'm at my goal weight this morning! Now, I'll just see how much further I can go before the end of the challenge... in Oct. Thanks to everyone who cheered me on, it was a real boost to get that moral support here.

velojym

I used to be pretty decent at keeping my bikes maintained, but I guess I've gotten a bit rusty.

The rear mech was driving me nuts, as I couldn't quite get it adjusted right. No wrecks or anything that should have been able to knock the mount outta whack... or I didn't want to think about having to go that deep.
Turns out, when I installed the new cables, I ran the rear derailleur cable along the wrong side of the pinch bolt... which threw off the pull just enough that I'd never get it to shift right across the range.

All good now. Just got home from an 18 mile group ride, and Jake shifted beautifully.

I'm feelin' pretty good after the ride, too. Great thing is... after all the procrastination and avoiding the issue, I'm starting to feel like I can be a real cyclist again.

ManInBlack

First off, @velojym, WAY TO GO man! Your story is so inspiring.
I started reading and there's just too many similarities between us: 48, I'm weighing 347 right now, down from a max 2 years ago of 393. Both of us in Alabama, both of us with Surly LHT's, both in IT jobs (just started one last July that has me working from home).
My LHT is one of three bikes in the basement, and the only one close to rideable right now. Just bought new tires and tubes and working on freshening it up to get out and ride. I bought it when I dropped below 350 on my last 100lb loss diet when I was about to turn 40. I did lose down to 283 then, but ballooned right back up by the time I was 42. Hard times at my prior job plus travel, expense account meals, and a lot of sitting...
I've got a Concept2 rower downstairs, a whole set of Rogue weights, a full set of kettlebells and a shelf full of books by Dan John, Pavel Tsatsouline, and Mark Rippetoe, along with Dr. Michael Mosley's "The Fast Diet" and "The Clever Guts Diet."
I've got all the info anyone could ever need, plus motivational stories from guys like you and others on this forum. Analysis paralysis. I've got a very supportive, 105lb wife and 16-year-old, 175lb muscular football player son who loves Crossfit and has the best diet of anyone around me (fruit, veggies, hates pizza, hates fried food, avoids all kinds of soda/tea/coffee).
Gotta get the saddle replaced and the wheels back on the bike. Even have the neighborhood we moved to 2 years ago, that is "perfect" for bicycling, just waiting for me.
Thanks for the additional motivation. I gotta get below 300, and wow would I love to be 250 again. Haven't been there since *I* was 16. Have been planning/thinking about a big goal for hitting 50. I didn't think I'd live past 40. Now I want to get healthy again and stay that way!

Thanks again and "good on ya!"
John

velojym

I was able to ride my LHT at 350, and it survived just fine. I can't speak for extended heavy use, but my fear that the wheels would go full taco didn't come to pass.
It wasn't fun, though. I took to hiking and walking to get my weight down, as I have a pretty good memory of flying along on my bike... and that wasn't anything like what was happening
at anywhere over 300 lbs. Still a great exercise, but every time I did it, depression set in.

Now, at 250, I'm nowhere as good as I was in my heyday, but being able to keep up with some of the local group rides does help a lot.