Milton Keynes

I started riding two years ago at 280 lbs. I was on a Walmart Roadmaster mountain bike and could do about 3 miles or so when I first started. Kept at it and going further and further, eventually got to where I could ride 10 miles without stopping, rode up to the top of the hill north of town, which felt like a major achievement. Rode with a friend on a rail trail round trip 16 miles, felt like my legs were going to fall off. Eventually got a hybrid which fit me and was 1000% easier to ride, and threw the mountain bike back in the shed. Also started losing serious weight around this time, and my distances increased. Eventually rode to the next town over (about 18 mile round trip), rode to another town 17 miles away, and just kept going further and further until I was able to do 50 miles. Now at 230 & still working on making a metric century and eventually a full century, just need the time to train for it which seems to be elusive. But my longest ride was last weekend at 58 miles. If not for leg cramps I would have made the full 62 miles.

But the important thing is that I ride 10 miles or so about every day. Keeps my legs in shape and gives me the exercise I need. Then on the weekends I go for longer rides.

MikeRides

My first ride when I started my lifestyle change was 1-mile and I was beat afterward. Slowly moved up to 3 miles, then 5, 10, 15...and eventually capable of comfortably doing back to back 25 milers. Take your time, increase your ride times as you progress, most of all make sure you're having fun because if it's not fun, why do it at all?

Aahzz

I started riding again last month - June 11th, to be precise. My first rides I was beat if I pushed it to 3 miles. I added a little more every day, and have ridden all but 3 days in that time. I now do 7-10 miles on my morning pre-breakfast rides, and on Sundays we go to a local bike path and have been doing about 18 miles. If you increase a bit at a time, you'll be surprised how quickly your distance can increase.

bobwysiwyg

Smoked for most of my adult life. Rag on me if you wish, I deserve it. About 4 yrs ago finally saw the light. Asked my PCP for Chantix Rx. Knowing I had only about six weeks to affect a lifestyle change, chose cycling. Bought a Specialized Expedition, which I really liked, but eventually felt should have been one size larger. I seem to recall my first rides were 6-8 miles. Early this year suspected I preferred a more aggressive riding position but not a true road bike because I like to venture off pavement sometimes. I settled on what they call a gravel bike, road bike with 40mm tires in my view. Anyway, now doing 15-25 miles several times per week. My longest so far is 42 mi. last year and rode the Kal-Haven Trail a week or so ago. A minor achievement to most, but on my bucket list.

ChuckD6421 

Forget it. Just forget about it!
The mile chasing, that is.

Miles are just a curiosity. It's more about time. Go for a 15 minute ride. Or go for a 2 hour ride. I use a Garmin Edge 500 and like to chase my average speed for motivation, but I don't go out to "ride 20 miles". I go out to ride for an hour and a half.
The reason is because my 3 miles are going to be a lot different then yours or the next person's. Unless you're looking for guidance from someone who rides the same terrain and under the same wind conditions as you, miles mean nothing. Certainly your body has no idea how many miles, but it will respond to how many minutes of exercise you perform.
If you want to work up to being able to ride an Imperial Century (100 miles, not kilometers), plan on being able to ride for 7-8 hours.

Nimbuslove

2 i can now do 6!

Brooke1687

I was at about 300lbs when I started and couldn't ride a mile if it wasn't flat so it sounds like you're doing pretty great. I have asthma and get panicked and give up too easily. Initially I basically only rode one trail that is 18 miles all down hill. I lost a lot of weight and still had trouble going more than a couple of miles. When I finally started biking frequently I started with 2-3 miles and quickly worked my way up to 10-20. It gets easier fast. I'm way back down to <10 miles now because I'm rehabbing from a wreck, but hopefully I can be back to longer rides by the fall.

ash0

My first couple of days I rode a mile or two around my neighborhood. About 3 days in, I went to a bike path with a goal of 4 miles. I had so much fun with no traffic or stop signs! When I stopped and checked a mileage sign (and turn around) I had already gone 4 miles. I soon realized that these first 4 miles were downhillish and with the wind. The ride back to the car was the longest 4 miles of my life! Within 2 months my husband and I were up to riding 12 (me) and 17(him) miles on this same path 3 times per week, but we now park at the other end. Here in Texas, you have to really work on building tolerance to the heat as much as to the activity. I started keeping a calendar of my miles and setting secret goals for myself...20 miles per week for 3 weeks in a row, 50 miles per week, etc. My mother in law moved in with us last Spring and that completely stopped our riding. We just hired a sitter for Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings so we can get out some. First ride in over a year this Sunday was 8 miles, 100 degrees and kicked my butt!
There's a walking/running app where you pretend zombies are chasing you. Has anyone seen one like this for biking?

ChuckD6421 

Be careful what you ask for:

ash0

Haha! We are doing the zombie bike ride in Key West in October.

Myosmith

I started north of 317 (my highest recorded weight, but I know I was over that) on a 1990s steel MTB. I didn't have a way to track my first rides but they were probably in the 5 mile range on flat ground through quiet residential streets. I can remember coming into the house, flopping on the couch and moaning.

At about two months I did my first "destination" ride to a neighboring town about 9 miles away. I rested at the turn around and a couple of times on the way home but made it OK.

By mid-summer I was doing 15 mile no-drop rides with the club from an area bike shop. I got seriously hooked and upgraded to an entry level used road bike.

In June the following summer (about 14 months of riding with a couple off during mid-winter) I did my first century for the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure. Later that summer I did another century at the Headwaters 100 in hilly lakes country.

I'm still comfortably into Clyde territory and ride 20-50 miles two to three times a week with some family riding, commuting and errands by bike in-between. I haven't done a century this year but I hope to get a couple in before the snow flies.

Stick with it and don't compare yourself to others. Set realistic short-term goals and keep it challenging but enjoyable.

Pappamoto

I started riding 3 years ago at 5'9" and 335lbs doing 3-5 miles on a Trek Hybrid. A year later I rewarded myself with a Trek Domane 4.3 because of losing 75lbs. I did my first metric that summer and several metrics from then on. This year I am in the 220s and last month did my first 100miler. Basically like other on here have said, just keep at it and the miles get longer, as everyone is different.

ill.clyde

Very cool hearing all of our starts ... thanks for sharing guys

kc0bbq

Der Tuefel seems friendlier now that his beard is all white. He's more of an evil Santa now.

bgraham111

I rode a lot in my 20's. Then I stopped, and gained weight. I started again in 2010, after a 10 year break. So we'll use that.

First ride back in the saddle. 1 mile? Something like that. Threw up afterwords. Not good.
Longest single day ride? 270 miles. (Head on over to the Long Distance forum. We've got folks with "large fuel tanks")

cyclist2000

restarted riding about 10 years ago, distances were 10-15 miles. I was getting ready for a bike tour.

StephenH

When I started riding several years ago, it was a 10 mile loop on local trails and some roads. I was at about 280 lbs at the time. And it's fairly flat around here.
It doesn't much matter what other people do, do what you can. We're not you.

Chunky_Monkey

Alright so granted I'm quite new to this but I'll go ahead and add my first week results. First two days I did 2 miles and my legs were jello. I took a day off and went to a park that had some slight inclines and I could only muster about a mile. I ended the first week with a 5 mile ride on a fairly flat bike path and a brief break to admire the scenery. Progress is progress though so I'll take it.

philbob57

At the beginning of every season, I used to start at 1 mile a couple times, then 2-3, then 5. My legs and lungs could take farther, but it let them go for it, my butt would hurt so bad, I'd have to stay off the bike for days.

I did some trainer time last winter, so I started with longer rides this year.

Fishergrad08

For the first couple of weeks I stuck to about 10-20 miles. It wasn't so much endurance for me as it was my bum being sore after a while ( I never invested in a better seat because my bike was entry level and I wasn't sure if I'd stick with it). I bought an entry level GIANT for about $800 +tax to get involved with a Columbus, OH based non-profit (Pelotonia) to raise money for cancer research. Grass roots event where cyclists from around the country get together and bike 25-180 miles (depending on your route of choice and fundraising commitments). I did 43 miles the first year (no longer and option) and for the past several have done the 100 mile route. After the first few weeks in the first year of owning my bike i'd jump to 20-30 miles/day after work. On the weekends we'd squeeze in 60-75 miles on a Saturday. Again- entry level rider here working to a more intermediate status. Give yourself a chance to adapt anatomically, and then let your endurance speak for itself. Don't try to be all tough and go bust out 150 miles the first day you buy your bike. That's not good for anyone. After this- seek advice from a more avid cyclist that has good advice for training regimens if that's what your'e into. Best of luck!

dagray

1.5 miles round trip.

A year later and i was doing 15 miles regularly with some 25 mile rides thrown in.

Two years later 15, 25, and 33 miles with a 50 mile ride.

Tokwan

When I started cycling in 1998, the guys took me on a night run, 40km....that was fun!

mrodgers

Pretty close to me. First ride was 1.5 miles out and 1.5 back in the month of August. I'm in western PA, so, a lot of hills. Non-stop hills. I rarely see any kind of flat for even a short stretch. I had to climb a big hill to get back to the house. Thought I was going to die.

2nd ride was 5 mile total, same route just further. Again, thought I was going to die. That's when I determined the kids were old enough to leave for a bit and go to the local flat rail trail. Finished the first year off riding 12 miles daily.

Year 2 was daily 12 miles with increases to 20 miles on weekends. I didn't care to be on the bike more than that. It wasn't until year 3 after divorce that I went on a 60 mile ride that I was worried about. After that initial 60 miler, it was a year of riding 60-70 miles on the weekends. I struggled about mile 40 with these rides.

This year, the daily riding doesn't happen as often as it should. Now 70-80 miles is nothing with a group of friends I ride with and I went on my first trip beginning of July riding 70-80 miles 4 out of the 5 days Pitt to DC. The short day was 50 miles and it was a disappointment to only ride 50 miles. That went so well that I was talked into riding the Erie Canal trail 2 weeks later which I just came home from on Saturday morning. We rode 7 days about 60 miles a day. Loved every minute of it.

bunkerman

I started out with 7 miles. Ride 6 days a week and mondays off. Weighed 255 and in a months time adding a 2-3 miles per ride each week got it up to 25 miles on a mtb in a month and 30 or so on a road bike. weight is down to 244. Looking for 200 lbs and I would be pretty thin. I gave up sweets and added some HIIT training and I'm getting fitter, resting heart rate in the high 50s now and looking to improve. I'm 60 btw.

Podagrower

Late 2012, made a 6 mile ride. Set a goal of riding 50 miles at my local Tour de Cure in March 2013 after reading about it here on BF.
2013, rode 60 miles a couple of weeks prior to the TdC (which was my longest ride until mid 2015), actually rode a lot of miles in 2013, transitioning from a hybrid to a flat bar road bike.
2014, lost my way a bit, didn't have anybody to ride with, bored of riding the same places.
2015, joined a club, joined their Couch2Century program, rode a crapload of miles in different places and different conditions. Rode my first metric century, my first century, my first 200K, and a total of 5 centuries that year, transitioned to a high end road bike, even managed a couple of Strava KOMs.
2016, joined the BOD for my club, rode a lot, help a club member rebuild base miles in preparation for a century, rode 2 centuries.
2017, VP for the BOD for my club, assistant couch for the Couch2Century program, miles and miles have been ridden.