What got you into biking? [Archive] - Women's Cycling Discussion Forums

HappyTexasMom

07-12-2009, 06:00 PM

Hmmm, well, I rode my bike as a kid of course, but that was just playing around. Then when I was around 15, I went to summer camp. They did a 30 mile trip, I think it was. It may have been 20, I don't know. To a kid who had only ridden up and down the street, it sounded like forever. I started going on rides before I went to camp, probably still only 2-3 miles total. I had an old hand me down road bike that someone had given me. Then at camp, they taught us how to shift and use the proper gears, how to ride in a pace line, how to look behind us or grab a water bottle without crashing. ;) We worked up on our ride lengths. I remember the girls rode out to someone's house for a pool party while the boys traveled by bus. On the way back, the girls took the bus while the boys rode. I remember wanting to ride back with the boys, I was so thrilled with the whole thing.

I never really did anything with my newfound love, though. We lived in a rural area and I would have been terrified to ride on the narrow two-lane roads there. Then I went to college, got married, had kids. I rode a bike in college, but not far (I commuted 20 miles by car, but sometimes rode a bike around campus). About 10 years ago my husband & I bought matching mountain bikes from Sam's club. We went on a couple of trails but DH is the balls to the wall type and I'm...not. Plus I learned that I'm not really the offroad type. I just don't like the feeling of bouncing around so much...makes my vision go blurry and my head hurt.

Then one day a few weeks ago while I was out and about I saw someone riding. I see people all the time, so I don't know what was different here, but I thought, "I want to go ride". So I got home, dragged out my poor bike, and went for a 5ish mile ride at around 1 pm in 105+ degree weather. Dumb idea, but for whatever reason I felt that I *needed* to go on that ride. And I've felt compelled (most) mornings to go ride ever since.

Lakerider

07-12-2009, 06:01 PM

I hope to get in a ride tomorrow to add a few more miles to finish out my first year.

I should have said, tomorrow begins a new year. Today's the last day of my 1st year. Unfortunately, I didn't get to ride today.

nolemom

07-12-2009, 06:15 PM

I always considered myself to be nonathletic. When my brother passed away 3 years ago at 47, I decided that I would really try to get healthier. I was having a difficult time since I really hated to exercise, but I had managed to lose 20 pounds. My DH had taken up cycling because he could no longer run long distances and I thought I could give it a try. I started out on a 20 year old hybrid with one working gear last summer and my DH surprised me with a road bike on September 11 for my birthday. It was scary at first since I never thought I could ride with the group, but I have fallen in love with the sport. My DH bought me an even nicer bike for Valentine's Day and I have gotten stronger ever since. I rode 70 miles today and stayed with the group the entire time, even when we were at 22 and 23 mph. I have logged 9960 miles since September 11, 2008 and dropped another 25 pounds. I have a normal BMI for the first time since I was in my 20s. I love riding my bike!:D

Owlie

07-12-2009, 06:32 PM

The boyfriend actually got me into it. Well, him and a mutual friend. She bought a bike at a thrift store (the bike now known as DangerBike in polite company, less polite things otherwise) for transportation purposes--going from her house to class, around campus, that sort of thing, and she discovered she actually liked it. She bought a road bike (a Giant Defy 3), and the bike-nerd conversations going on in our dorm nearly drove me nuts. When she told BF that he should get his bike up here for the summer so that they could go on rides, I decided that I wanted to try it. I a) missed my childhood bike (and my parents were the overprotective sort and wouldn't let me ride it anywhere that was beyond the edge of the driveway :confused: ) and b) I was tired of being left out of things.
The other reason that I wanted a bike is that I want to lose a few pounds and de-stress. My first sport is fencing, and while I love it, I could never make the practices because of my weird class schedule. I needed some kind of exercise and stress relief (fencing is definitely good for that!), but something I can fit into my schedule. For where I am (urban campus), cycling works quite well for that.

MartianDestiny

07-12-2009, 06:46 PM

I've been a cyclist for 5 years. Can't say I had the purest of reasons for getting into it. Quite simply cycling (specifically mountain biking) was a replacement for the horses that I could no longer afford while in college.

I now road bike as well and have 4 bikes. I will say they do eat less and their "vet bills" aren't quite as expensive as the horse's. Still more than I bargained for when I traded one set of saddles for the other!

Zen

07-12-2009, 06:49 PM

I live on a popular cycling route and thought "hey, I want to do that"
And here I am.

Lakerider

07-12-2009, 07:27 PM

I have logged 9960 miles since September 11, 2008

Wow nolemom! 9960 miles since Sept. 11? I've got some catching up to do!

irrealised

07-12-2009, 07:38 PM

Quite simply cycling (specifically mountain biking) was a replacement for the horses that I could no longer afford while in college.

Me too, sorta. I managed to hang onto my horse through college, it was after graduation when I had to choose which one of us I would support. Luckily I found my horse a great home, and took a break from all sports. That didn't last too long before I decided I really needed a sport/hobby, and thought that mountain biking might be fun.

Really that was it - I like going out on trails (by horse, hiking, however), so mountain biking seemed like a natural thing to try, and I loved it from the beginning. I'm still not sure how I feel about road riding though. Commuting and running errands by bike is great, but one of the the things I love about MTBing is how dynamic it is - uphill, downhill, over stuff, and under stuff! Road riding is just so different... if I ever really get into it, it will definitely be because I started out MTBing though!

kenyonchris

07-12-2009, 07:42 PM

My husband rode, and got me into mountain biking. I was GOOD at it, i am pretty athletic, fearless, and tough. If I am good at something, I work at it. I had a stroke in 2007 (January) and was on blood thinners for almost six months while the doctors tried to figure out why a 36 year old, 12 percent body fat, non smoking, non-hormone-taking healthy woman with no family history of stroke would have a stroke. So, because of the blood thinners, no mountain biking. I was going nuts! So I stated on the road bike then, and was hooked. Now, almost three years stroke free, I do both. And I am FULLY aware how quickly your life can change. For me, it took about two minutes.

Lakerider

07-12-2009, 07:46 PM

Now, almost three years stroke free, I do both. And I am FULLY aware how quickly your life can change. For me, it took about two minutes.

Thank God that you recovered!

Aggie_Ama

07-12-2009, 07:48 PM

Wow kenyon, that is an insane story. When I was in college my roommate's now husband's sil had a stroke at 34. I never heard the final reason but she was in pretty good health, non-smoker, etc. No warning signs, glad you are back tearing up the pavement and the trails.

I started because I worked somewhere that would pay for charity rides. They sponsored my husband in the ride to Shiner, Tx. It looked fun and I was already running up to 5 miles daily so I didn't think it would be hard physically. I got my first road bikeon our first wedding anniversary and 5 years later I am about to get my second mountain bike and am on my second road bike. I just love that the girl who never wanted to go outside can be covered in sweat or dirt and no longer care. It is liberating. Plus it is a really fun way to sight-see. :D

Lakerider

07-12-2009, 07:54 PM

I just love that the girl who never wanted to go outside can be covered in sweat or dirt and no longer care. It is liberating. Plus it is a really fun way to sight-see. :D

It is kinda fun to get sweaty and dirty, isn't it! (Never thought I'd say that!)
And wow, what a view!

shootingstar

07-12-2009, 08:07 PM

I had a stroke in 2007 (January) and was on blood thinners for almost six months while the doctors tried to figure out why a 36 year old, 12 percent body fat, non smoking, non-hormone-taking healthy woman with no family history of stroke would have a stroke. So, because of the blood thinners, no mountain biking. I was going nuts! So I stated on the road bike then, and was hooked. Now, almost three years stroke free, I do both. And I am FULLY aware how quickly your life can change. For me, it took about two minutes.

Did doctors figure out what caused the stroke? :confused: Glad you're around!

Learned to bike at 11 yrs. old. Dropped out of it after 19 for various reasons. Was hankering to return to cycling but had to buy bike, become familiar with bike routes, didn't know how. Coincidentally met my partner a few months later. So returned to cycling at 32.

I wanted to be freer, see more that's what got me into cycling: I don't drive and was walking alot, taking public transit. First it was fitness, recreational , shopping/chores and bike trip touring rides. Started work-bike commuting 1 yr. later. Social circle widened to include more friends that cycle regularily. I was burnt out from other community volunteer work and found the cycling community as a great transition cross-over.

So over 17 yrs. later..am still at it. As many folks know here already, Lakerider, I've been car-free for over a quarter century.

By the way, it's alot easier for car-free me, to bike home 15 lbs. of groceries vs. carrying and walking same weight home.

sarahspins

07-12-2009, 08:18 PM

I live on a popular cycling route and thought "hey, I want to do that"
And here I am.

Yeah, that's kind of where I am.. lol I live in the middle of nowhere I could see myself cycling a LOT more just to run regular errands.

I biked a LOT in my teens following rehab on my right knee. I used to regularly commute to work (6 miles each way) before I had a car. I still occasionally commuted on my bike when the weather was good... I have no idea how many miles I put on my bike during those years, but it was just a department store bike... and after her boyfriend took the shifters completely apart and "rebuilt" them, I gave it to my roommate when I was 18 - she didn't have a car and needed it sooo much more than I did. I really missed it though... but by the time I really started to think about another bike (maybe a year or so later?), I was pregnant with my oldest kid and money was tight, so it was just not a priority. When he was about 5 months old I bought a Kelty and we hiked a lot though.. so I definitely didn't feel like all I did was sit around all day on the sofa. We bought him his first bike just before he turned 3, and within 6 months, he was riding it all over the house, so we took the training wheels off to stop him. Exactly one week later he was still riding it all over the house.. with NO training wheels. He was just 3 years and, 4 months old.

A few months after that I bought myself another department store bike and rode it a few times.. never really quite got the bug then, but I got pregnant shortly after, and the bike really wasn't suited for what I wanted to do, so it pretty much sat in our barn unused... by the time I was interested in riding it again I got pregnant with our 3rd child, so it sat still. When I pulled it out a few months ago, nothing on it worked, and I realized how unhappy I had been with it anyways..so I started thinking about buying another bike. I rode DH's department store MTB a few times.. and it was enough to let me know that his bike definitely wouldn't work for me, so I googled bike fit, and opened pandora's box..... I instantly doubled my bike budget, and set out to learn more about what I was getting into... and that was that.. lol

I already want to either get my DH a better bike, or by myself a road bike and give him my hybrid.... his bike sucks, and I think he'd enjoy himself more if he wasn't struggling on a bike that doesn't really fit and makes it more work to ride than it should be.

jodz1984

07-13-2009, 02:42 AM

for me it started when i was riding to tin-pin bowling and a teenager and my husband was trying to beat me and they couldn't. so i went into the two LBS that we have in town and enquired about road bikes, then got on ebay and bought myself a nice full carbon fibe bike that had hardly been ridden for the basically the same price as they said they'd sell me a decent road bike. so a week went after i got them to check over it for me to learn how to change gears and ride the thing and then i went on a easy "beginner" 30km bike ride with the shop's group, 47kms later i got home, stuffed of course, and i was hooked. i haven't looked back since, although it has only been about 4 months. i am extremely suprised what 4 months can do for someone cycling. i am constantly been asked by ppl i haven't ridden with before if i race. next year i will be starting to do road racing and in september i'll be doing track cycling. amazing the transformation just from beating a couple of guys while riding somewhere on my mountain bike.

kenyonchris

07-13-2009, 05:25 AM

Did doctors figure out what caused the stroke? :confused: Glad you're around!
.

Not really. They did a better job figuring out what DIDN'T cause it. They did a zillion tests on me for everything possible, and kept me on Lovenox, which I injected into my stomach, until they had everything ruled out (I didn't do well on warfarin, the usual blood thinner). Finally, it got chalked up to a "migraine induced stroke", even though I did not have migraines. 200 vials of blood (208, to be exact), one year, 25 lbs, lots of curse words and frustration, and one marriage later, I was back to "normal". It was the first time I have ever been physically sidelined beyond injuries...and it was the worst thing to happen to me. My husband could not deal with the walking, drugged skeleton I was, and I couldn't help it...I was drugged. Yuch.

My neurologist wanted me to be on Topamax forever, it suppresses migraines. But it made me into an idiot (uh, dopamax). It curbs appetite, so I never ate. It kept my heart rate at 155 max, so exercising became a go till I passed out process. UGH. I finally decided that I would stay on the aspirin, lose the Topamax...I would rather risk it.

Cycling became my out. I would pedal, stop, pedal, stop. Thank goodness for it!

Aggie_Ama

07-13-2009, 05:54 AM

My neurologist wanted me to be on Topamax forever, it suppresses migraines. But it made me into an idiot (uh, dopamax). It curbs appetite, so I never ate. It kept my heart rate at 155 max, so exercising became a go till I passed out process. UGH. I finally decided that I would stay on the aspirin, lose the Topamax...I would rather risk it.

Cycling became my out. I would pedal, stop, pedal, stop. Thank goodness for it!

Topamax is evil. I felt tingly when they put me on it for my tremors and go paranoid that maybe I was actually having tremors because I had MS. Then my neurologist assured me when I got off the Topamx I would feel alright. :p

Grits

07-13-2009, 06:29 AM

7 years ago a friend invited me to go on a Woman Tours ride of the NC Outer Banks. I did a lot of riding to prepare for that (on a WAY too big mountain bike, LOL). I bought the Terry Classic I rode on the tour, but still didn't ride much at home except to train for the other tour I went on a couple of years later.

Last summer I joined a group of friends who have started riding, got a new road bike after about a month, and have been riding ever since. I rode a little over 1500 miles in my first year. We have added more riders to the group now, including a few guys, and we ride 4 times a week and are preparing for various charity rides and tours between us. I love it, although I am still on my quest for the perfect saddle.

nolemom

07-13-2009, 06:33 AM

Lakerider, I kept thinking that my mileage was too high. Figured it out this morning when I let a friend borrow my older bike this morning. The computer was set on kilometers.:o So......my revised total is 7781. My DH kept telling me something wasn't adding up right with my numbers. I'm still very happy with the mileage, but at least now it is honest.

pfunk12

07-13-2009, 07:55 AM

I was a serious competitive runner for years. I developed back issues that got worse over time. I had an MRI last July that scared me enough to make the sad (smart) decision to stop running. I started cycling full-time last summer. It keeps me healthy, happy and sane. :)

sfa

07-13-2009, 08:13 AM

I'm on my third go-around with cycling. First was when I was a kid and pretty much rode my bike everywhere. Second was when I was right out of college and spent a year touring Europe by bike. That decision was made almost on a whim--I was applying for grant funding to pursue an individual project. My project was recreating the travels of a 15th century female pilgrim who, at the age of 40, up and left her husband and 15 kids and spent a large portion of the rest of her life on pilgrimage. She did it mostly on donkey/horse, so I figured a bicycle was the 20th century equivalent, so I threw that into the grant proposal. Once I was awarded the grant I then had to figure out exactly what was involved in touring by bike! This was long before the wonders of the internet made research like that easy--I pretty much figured most things out on my own as I went along. I came back from that year and kept cycling a bit, but not in any serious way, and then I fell into the adult black hole of job/kids/house responsibilities and stopped cycling altogether for years. Last year I pulled my old touring bike out of storage and got it in working order again so that I could commute to work and ride just for fun, which is still mostly what I do, although I was talked into signing up for a triathlon, so I'm doing that too. I'm not much enjoying the training though, so I doubt I'll sign up for another one after this one is over. I don't like being on my bike and thinking "gotta push harder" when I'm passing beautiful scenery! I'm still a tourist at heart.

Sarah

lo123

07-13-2009, 08:35 AM

I got into cycling almost exactly 4 months ago. So, I'm a major newbie.

I've had psoriatic arthrits (similar to rheumatoid) for about 10 years now, and I let my activity level go way down from being a high school and college athlete to doing nothing. Between 2004 and 2008, I was massively flared up and could hardly get around. I needed a cane pretty frequently to be able to walk more than a very short distance. I started doing water aerobics in 2007, and my instructor persuaded my to try her spin class. By September 2008, I didn't need my cane any more and my range of motion in my worst joints was significantly better. I was able to decrease my prednisone (HUGE win), and I felt the best I had in years.
I really liked spin and what was going on with my body and got my hubby into the class and he loved it as well. We decided if we liked spin that much, how much better would it be outside on a real bike? So, in March we both got Specialized TriCross bikes so we could ride on the road and on trails near our house. On June 6, I did a 75 mile charity ride and averaged 17 mph over the ride time. I'm riding between 60 and 90 miles a week now and itching to get a real road bike. I'm officially hooked.

Norse

07-13-2009, 08:38 AM

I spent a lot of time on my bike as a kid but then kind of let it go and did more running. In my early 20's I had knee surgery and the doc told me "No more running." He suggested walking/hiking, swimming or biking instead. I did a fair amount of walking and hiking but not anything with biking until I was studing for the bar exam and needed more exercise and a better stress outlet. Went and bought a Trek mountain bike and rode that thing all over (anything to avoid studying :D).

Met DP and her dad was into charity rides. We did our first MS-150 with him. I, on my mountain bike. The pain! After that, bought a hybrid which I got much use out of for a few years and then of course, I wanted to go faster and I was more involved in biking so, I bought my 1st road bike. I still have the hybrid plus a third bike (mountain bike was sold to my brother) and I ride all the time now. I just love it!

anabanana

07-13-2009, 08:46 AM

Well, I've always loved bike riding!

As a child growing up in a small town in Florida, I used to ride to school, the beach and to my friends' house. It was how I got around. I always loved it and was never afraid of traffic. Once I got married, my husband and I got bikes and would ride around first alone and then with the kids. When we moved to Georgia, we started mountain biking. I didn't do it all the time though. In the meantime, my husband began mountain biking with some friends and did a few races. He was seriously into it now. He always wanted me to do it with him. I finally got into cycling (seriously) last year. I got my first road bike for my birthday in 2007 but rode maybe once a week. Then last November I started Weight Watchers because I had gained a lot of weight. So I decided what a great way to exercise than to do something I really love and I can do it with my husband! I got a new mountain bike this April... it's absolutely beautiful. And for mother's day my husband upgraded my road bike... it's also beautiful. Yes... he spoils me when it comes to anything having to do with cycling. I ride 4 to 5 times a week. I'm in great shape now and have lost over 40 lbs.

I did my first group ride yesterday (the Hospitality Highway Century in Atlanta, GA). I've always been scared to ride with a bunch of people. I loved it! I did 61 miles and felt great.

I know I'll be 70 years old and riding along side my husband. :D
It's a great way to spend quality time together. It also keeps me in shape and healthy.

kenyonchris

07-13-2009, 08:57 AM

Topamax is evil. I felt tingly when they put me on it for my tremors and go paranoid that maybe I was actually having tremors because I had MS. Then my neurologist assured me when I got off the Topamx I would feel alright. :p

It IS evil. It made me, literally, stupid. Apparently it affects the language part of the brain. Suddenly, I couldn't write or spell...and I am a creative writing major! And yes, I was very tingly too until I got used to it...I was on 50 mg a day. I was scared to stop it because of the stroke (it seemed like the lesser of two evils) but finally decided I would rather live one good day than five Topamax ones. And I wanted back on the bike.

MM_QFC!

07-13-2009, 08:59 AM

Like others who've already posted, I rode my bike all over as a kid, but only did some infrequent and very recreational riding - went with friends on the local trail out to the brewpub, then asked how we were getting the bikes home! :D
AIDS took my brother's life in 1995 and in 1997, I heard about, then volunteered to help on a fundraising ride for AIDS community service organizations in the Northwest. It was about 4 months before the ride: a 4-day, 50 miles a day ride from Vancouver, B.C. back to Seattle (those of you in the area may guess that it was NOT a straight, flat route!) and I rolled my heavy hybrid out of my garage and pedaled around my neighborhood. I surprised myself by even entertaining thoughts of riding it, but kept thinking about it and made the decision as a way to honor my brother's life and legacy in a unique and significant way.
Cut to 2009 and I've been riding for the same reason ever since:to end AIDS in our world. Over 25k miles and more importantly, $110k raised so that someday soon, we can end this pandemic.
Last year, for the first time I was grounded (injured by a car) and, while I couldn't ride, I could still help out, so I drove a support vehicle across NY state all week.
This year, I'm back in the saddle again, training to ride from NYC - DC in September.
Tailwinds!
Mary

skhill

07-13-2009, 09:05 AM

My one year anniversary of starting to ride again was this last weekend, too! I pulled out my old piece o'crap bike from a big-box store, and started down the road. At the time, I had been doing as much of my life on foot as I could, for exercise and to save on gas, and I saw the bike as a way to speed up my trips and extend the car-free range. Then I realized how fun it is....

Now I have 2 bikes, I routinely ride more miles in a week than I drive, and I've dropped almost 20 more pounds and I'm in the best shape of my life... And on top of that, it's absolutely liberating to get around town under my own power. I've also gotten to know (and love) my neighborhood and city and the surrounding rural areas better than ever.

On the downside, now I'm known at church as the crazy bike lady. Just because I turned up at a MLK event with panniers full of home-baked desserts on a morning with a negative wind chill.... Why not?

Loraura

07-13-2009, 09:15 AM

Spin class at the gym is what got me started. I loved it so much. After a few months I thought to myself "I could do this on a real bike!"

And so it began!

I cancelled my gym membership many months ago. Don't need it! My gym is outside my front door now.

leathela

07-13-2009, 09:21 AM

I've recently (in the past several months) gotten back into riding. I used to love riding when I was younger (especially mountain biking...living in a *very* hilly and wooded area of Upstate New York, I had the optimal location), but gradually allowed it to fall by the wayside when I became more interested in cross-country running. Ten years later, I'm an avid runner who has unfortunately been sidelined by a recurring hamstring injury. My sports physician has made it very clear that, for the next year, I cannot run my typical mileage, at my typical pace. At first this news was extremely disheartening, as I've always identified myself as a runner. One very good thing came out of my doctor's prescription, though: I've rediscovered my love of cycling. I haven't owned a bike in years (I stuck pretty much exclusively to spinning), and recently bought a Specialized Myka Pro, which I love. I think I may want to get a dedicated road bike at some point, too--I'm looking at Dolce. In any event, what got me (back) into biking was a mandatory hiatus from running. And in some very strange, completely unanticipated way, I'm happier than I've been in a long time! Biking is not only a wonderful means of maintaining and increasing your fitness, it's also incredibly fun. I see myself staying with it for the rest of my life.

WindingRoad

07-13-2009, 09:24 AM

Life Crisis. Yeah that's what prompted me to start riding. I had ended an eleven year relationship, become very unhealthy and was at the jumping off point pretty much. Not to mention I had just moved to a large city and wasn't comfortable with that yet, see I'm from a very small town, people scary. Ironically by some twist of fate, I ended up in a bike shop. It was the same bike shop I went to as a kid with my mom and dad so there was always the 'happy' effect when I went there. I was just skulking around the showroom floor and reminiscing in my mind when the owner approached me and started asking me about what I wanted. I had no idea but somehow I ended up trying out a Giant OCR3 road bike. I rode in around the parking lot and it was strange how quickly I felt at home on that bike. Guess it reminded me of my old twelve speed Rally I had when I was a kid. Whatever it was it made me happy when I rode it. It was expensive for me at the time so I had to make a few payments before it was officially mine to take home. I came to 'visit' it and ride it around the parking lot a few times in the meantime. They probably thought I was completely mad thinking about this now :D. I finally paid it off and brought it home. I think I stared at it in the living room for the first three days because it looked so cool, LOL. Somewhere along the journey I discovered this new thing called "group rides". After battling the urge to chicken out as I had done numerous other times, one morning I actually went to one of these rides and met some really nice people. I rode that bike over 2,000 miles the summer of 2006 on group rides and had so much fun, made new friends and got in incredible shape. It truly was one of the greatest times in my life. I had regained my physique, my courage and a social life. I'm very grateful for the nice people in my local cycling club they have no idea what they did for me that summer. ;)

jobob

07-13-2009, 12:18 PM

I started riding sometime in 2002 (although I used to bike a lot in junior high & high school, mainly just to get around though, before I got my drivers license. :cool:).

My husband and I were both seriously overweight (I still have a picture from 2002 that I use to remind ourselves just how fat we had become - aack!). So along with watching our diets we decided we’d start biking, so we both bought hybrid bikes.

We're fortunate enough to have a great place to bike. We live near the Alameda Creek Trail, a multi-use trail that runs along both sides of Alameda Creek from the Niles District in Fremont to the San Francisco Bay near the Dumbarton Bridge. It’s a paved trail on one side, and mostly dirt trail on the other. Near the bay end, the paved side connects to a paved trail that goes around Coyote Hills Park, with a few very gentle climbs (and one optional short yet steep climb).

I was so timid at first that more often than not we rode on the unpaved side of the AC Trail - all those fast racer guys & girls whizzing by really frightened me! :o After a while I got used to riding on the “scary” paved side, though.

We were really enjoying going out on rides together. And the Alameda Creek Trail was a really nice ride. There were a couple of parks along the trail -- Quarry Park was a fave -- and we’d pack some sandwiches and make a day of it. Heck we did some 20 mile rides sometimes !

Boy in the beginning we were really huffing and puffing over those hills in Coyote Hills Park! (Lee more so than me. He had a lot more weight to lug around :D) Yeah, I get a chuckle when I ride over those hills nowadays -- they're now molehills instead of mountains

Lee really took to this riding thing, much more than I. He managed to lose about 50 pounds -- not just from the riding of course, but it sure helped. :) Over time he got a couple of used bikes (one a Bridgestone RB-2) and started toodling around a lot more.

In the fall of 2003 Lee started lusting over a road bike called a Romulus built by a company called Rivendell. We both thought it cost a ridiculous amount of money -- $1400 for a bicycle?!?! Get real! :o -- but all the riding Lee was doing was really doing wonders for him, he was losing lots of weight and getting fit, and he really enjoyed it, and if the Romuus would keep him interested in biking then I thought it would be well worth the money.

So, at my urging (some may say nagging!) Lee bought himself a Romulus. And he really took to it. So now we’d go out, he riding his Romulus and me riding my clunky hybrid. Which was still OK, but then I got thinking, wouldn’t it be cool to go on longer rides?

I tried his Romulus (we're about the same height) and it was really creepy for me at first but then I started to really like riding it. And I started thinking of getting a road bike of my own. :cool:

Right around then I came across a notice for a training ride program for women put on by a local cycling club, intended to improve mechanical and road riding skills and to build endurance for longer rides, culminating in the Cinderella Century, an all-women’s metric century in our area.

Oh, and I also came across TE around then. Here’s my very first post on TE.
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=842
It's kind of fun reading the replies - little did I know what I was getting myself into. :D

Soon thereafter I bought myself a Romulus just like Lee’s (thanks in very large part to the urging from my new TE friends ;) )

I met snap and mellissam on that Cinderella Training Series, and, mostly through TE, I met a lot of other great folks on rides in my area (you’ve seen the list on the other thread :D) and made lots of friendships that have continued on to this day.

And thanks in large part to the support and encouragement of those friends and you folks on TE, I'm a much stronger rider today and I still really love to ride.

Cheers, gang! :cool:

maillotpois

07-13-2009, 12:56 PM

What a fun thread!

I started riding in January 2001 (after years of spinning and riding a MTB a bit). My husband and I signed up to do a century with TNT. I'd done 3 marathons with them, and am a terrible runner and honestly I really don't much like running. My husband had ridden in college, etc., but he was seriously out of shape. (He got into a LOT better shape a few years after we started riding.)

When I started riding I was amazed that I wasn't always last anymore like I was as a runner (at least I wasn't always last til the first time I did the Death Ride a year later :rolleyes: ). I never considered myself an athlete til I started riding a bike. I stink at ball sports and was in remedial PE when I was in elementary school (that's back when they had funding for that sort of thing.) Now I definitely consider myself an endurance athlete. I started coaching the TNT century program in 2002, and have been coaching the Death Ride for TNT for about 4 years now. I really enjoy seeing other people exceed their endurance cycling expectations.

Veronica

07-13-2009, 01:49 PM

In 1988 or so Thom said, "Let's get mountain bikes." So we did. We did lots of 20 - 30 mile rides down near San Diego, some road, some off road.

Then in 1990 Thom got of the Marines and we moved up to the Bay area. After one HORRIBLE ride at Henry Coe I decided I didn't much like off road riding. I don't remember what made it so horrible. I know it was hot, sandy, the parts that weren't sandy were above my ability. So we soon put slicks on the mountain bikes. We did lots of road rides in the Sunnyvale, Los Gatos, Saratoga area and eventually did a self supported tour from Sunnyvale to Santa Barbara in 1993. That was awesome and I want to do it again.

Then in 1994 we bought a house and stopped riding. We needed to do things around the house. We didn't feel like the riding around here was great. It didn't help that I had a beer bottle thrown at me. And I HATE beer. :D So the bikes sat in the garage. We got into woodworking and sailing.

For some reason the school year of 2000-2001 really stressed me out. It wasn't my kids. It was changes in the district and the various committees I was on. I think I gained nearly 20 pounds in that school year. I ate chocolate constantly. In June of 2001 I weighed 180 pounds and could not fit into my size 12 clothes. Being a 12 was okay. I was in my mid thirties, married, carrying some extra weight was no big deal. But size 14 in my head meant I was fat. By the end of 2001 I had lost about 25 pounds by doing Spin classes and swimming. At work I only ate what I brought. The chocolate on the school secretary's desk was off limits.

Somewhere in there we got a postcard from TNT advertising tri training. I tried to talk Thom into it, but six years in the Marines really soured him on running. But they also talked about different century rides, so we decided to do one - America's Most Beautiful Ride around Lake Tahoe. We did it on our own, not part of TNT, on our mountain bikes with slick tires. We got passed by a tandem, pulling a trailer with a cooler on the ride. So we got a tandem. Then I decided I wanted to commute to work, so I got a single. Then Thom got a single. Then we started riding the mountain bikes again. There is great mountain biking just three miles from our house at Black Diamond. I still haven't been back to Henry Coe - I need to.

At the end of 2005 I decided to do doubles. I did 3 in 2006 and 3 in 2007. The last one left with an overuse injury that it took me nearly 6 months to get worked out. My right leg still has some issues. I'd missed doing some of the doubles I wanted to do, so I decided I'd do a HIM tri instead and go for an R-12 award. Around the 9th 200K I was feeling pretty burnt out and I barely rode before #10. I tried twice for 10 in December. I was actually really relieved when I didn't finish number 10 on Dec. 31. That meant I didn't have to do 11 and 12.

I haven't been riding much since then. I want riding to be fun again, not something I HAVE to do. I'm finding that place again. :) My rides up Diablo have been fun, look at the scenery, not hammer to the top events. I'm really excited about our upcoming trip to Vermont.

Veronica

GLC1968

07-13-2009, 02:21 PM

This is a really cool thread!

This is my story:

I occasionally borrowed my roommate's mountain bike in college. It was this taxi cab yellow Trek and every time someone new came to our room, they would comment on it. Not too many people had fancy Trek mountain bikes in Maine in 1987! Anyway, after college, I bought my own. It was a Nashbar bike back when they had a real brick and mortar store and no internet business. I rode that bike as my all-around bike, but I don't know that I ever took it out on real trails until I moved to the Poconos in the mid-90s. We would do some trail riding, but I decided that I really didn't like the bike all that much. I traded it for some skis! Then I spent $900 (an ungodly amount of money for a bicycle ;)) on a Specialized Rockhopper. All of a sudden, I loved riding trails. My boyfriend would come down from Boston and we'd spend all weekend riding (with my dog running along side). I still have that Specialized. I love that bike! It still has its original tires!

Then I moved to FL where I met and married my husband. He liked mountain biking, so I tried it (swamp biking)with him a few times, but really didn't like it. It was too hot, too muggy, too swampy...cypress roots are painful...The bike proceeded to become a dust collector.

Fast foward another 7 years and we move to NC. By then, I was already heavy into fitness and weight lifting. I hated cardio, but figured out that it was because cardio HURT. Custom orthodics didn't help. Getting off my feet and onto a road bike did though! My OB/Gyn had just lost like 85 lbs by taking up biking, so he totally talked me into it (knowing that I still had 10 lbs I wanted to lose and my feet were literally giving out on me). One 15 mile ride on the rolling hills in my area and I was instantly hooked. That was in July of 2005 (four years ago next week!).

My husband bought his first road bike a week later. I immediately signed up for the local MS150 with a group from my office. After having a blast on our first 35 mile group training ride, my husband signed up too. The following summer, we did our first two century rides. The summer after that, we started climbing mountains in NC (which was one of my original biking goals).

Then we moved here to Oregon and bought a mini-farm. Biking has fallen off pretty drastically as we are constantly swamped with getting our house/farm/garden, etc up and running. My hope is that by next summer, we have a better handle on it and can start training for some good rides again. I really want to do the Crater Lake Century in 2010!

Veronica

07-13-2009, 02:53 PM

Where did you go to school in Maine?

Veronica

maillotpois

07-13-2009, 02:59 PM

Where did you go to school in Maine?

Veronica

Yeah, really - where?

I was at Bowdoin 1985 - 89.

GLC1968

07-13-2009, 03:04 PM

Bates - 86 - 90 :)

Ann G

07-13-2009, 03:08 PM

I biked around as a kid, like the rest of you. When I was in grad school, the bike shop in town had a moving sale, and I got a good Raliegh Super Course Mk II. I enjoyed it, but my back and rear would kill me after about an hour. The town where I was living was an overnight town for RAGBRAI in 2002, and I hosted a friend and a couple of his buddies. I made lasagna and opened up a bottle of Robert Mondavi merlot, and we had a great time. In the morning, I got up with the late risers, and rode along the RAGBRAI route for the next 8 miles. It was great bike riding weather. The later risers tend to have the goofiest attire. They strap beanie babies and ears of corn to their helmets, wear Mardi Gras beads and feather boas. One team wears ballet tutus over their bike shorts. I really enjoyed the nuttiness of the late risers. At the point where I was going to turn around, there was a church fundraiser serving breakfast in a farmyard. The smell of bacon and coffee was in the air. I sat at a picnic table and envied the riders who were actually doing RAGBRAI. I pretended for a few minutes that I wasn't going to turn around and go home.

At that point I was 51 years old. I knew that I'd never be able to begin to do the kind of distances that are a part of RAGBRAI on that bike, but I'd heard that recumbents are more comfortable. I did some internet research, test rode some, and bought one a few weeks after that. Around Thanksgiving some people in the office did a group weight-loss incentive, and I decided to join them. I started being more careful about what I ate. Over Christmas vacation I started lifting weights, and I started walking like I was the one who invented walking. I talked to somebody who runs a charter service during RAGBRAI and signed up with that group. By the time RAGBRAI started, I had lost 35 pounds. I had 3 goals for myself. First, to actually last the whole week and not have to be rescued by my husband if the whole thing turned out to be a terrible experience. Second, to make it across Iowa under my own steam and not ride the sag wagon. Third, to ride up as many hills as possible, and not walk up the hills. It was a hilly route that year, but I managed to ride the whole route, and only walked up one hill, so I met 2 goals and nearly met the third. RAGBRAI is a little adventure. By the end of the week, I was thinking, darn, only one more day to go.

I've traded up in recumbents twice. I'm 58, and my 7th RAGBRAI starts next Sunday. It's another hilly route, but I've decided that there are no hills that I can't walk up if I have to.

andtckrtoo

07-13-2009, 03:09 PM

This is a cool thread! Thank you for starting it!

Veronica - I know why you hate Henry Coe Park - we did Search and Rescue training there one time and there is no flat in that park. It's hot, dusty and either straight up or straight down. I've hiked several 14,000 foot peaks, but I never hiked the elevation changes I did in Coe. Wow. I'd love to see your reaction to it now.

I got into cycling 12 years ago when I turned 32. I was very heavy and a smoker, and had just separated from my then husband. I decided that I may as well cut all the excess baggage from my life, and I quit smoking and bought myself a very low end mountain bike (Trek 320). The LBS I bought it from had training rides for anyone who bought their bikes, but I was so out of shape that I was too embarrassed to go with them. Instead I started riding the lower half of the trails - the reasonably flat parts. For two months I rode those and dropped a lot of weight and got all of the smoke out of my system. Then one day I was back in the shop getting something fixed and one of the guys (man was he a cutie) told me that I simply had to join them for a ride. That night I did, and I struggled up the big hills and had all sorts of difficulties on the technical stuff and freaked out on the rim trail, but I had the time of my life. I went back every night and practiced until I could conquer the things which scared me. By then I had met a lot of other riders and started going on rides all over El Paso, Texas and New Mexico. Then I ended up moving to Maryland and did not have the mountain bike trails as readily accessible. So I bought a road bike, signed up for a century ride, met some wonderful people and had a great time. I've since learned that while there can be some hard core cyclists who wouldn't give me the time of day, the cycling community for the most part is a warm and incredibly friendly group. I love it. I'm now in California. I got my DH into mountain biking, then we stopped riding for a bit and took up running and hiking. But now, I'm back in the saddle and enjoying every minute.

maillotpois

07-13-2009, 03:20 PM

Bates - 86 - 90 :)

So close! Funny. small world.

GLC1968

07-13-2009, 03:31 PM

Very small world - it seems to get smaller as I age, too!

Oh, and that roommate of mine with the Trek? Yeah, she was from Marin County. ;)

Veronica

07-13-2009, 03:40 PM

So funny. If I had stayed to go to school in Maine, I probably would have ended up at Bates, Bowdoin or Colby. But I just had to get away at that point in my life. I'd have been class of '89 like MP.

Yeah, Thom and I have been thinking we needed to go back to Henry Coe. It's amazing what a little strength and confidence will do for you. :cool:

Veronica

PamNY

07-14-2009, 05:09 AM

I bike because it's fun. I thought it would be a good social outlet, too, but the group rides I've observed don't look safe.

hirakukibou

07-14-2009, 05:36 AM

I am 47 years old and had never been an athlete, until now. Growing up I was more interested in poetry than sports. I was a member of the literary club in high school snubbing anything as physical as football or running. However, I knew, a year ago, when I fell in love with David that a lot more exercise would come into my life. What I didn’t know was that it would change me profoundly. David is an avid cyclist and has been for twenty some odd years. I was an avid couch potato without the slightest interest in anything that could be called exercise. But, I liked being with him and he was on the bike.

I remember the first time I rode from Arlington to Bedford on the Minuteman Bike Trail. I had to stop at every large rock to rest and catch my breath. When my energy flagged and my pedaling slowed, he would come up behind me and rest his hand on the small of my back and give me a push. I needed those pushes, like the small child on the swing who can’t quite get going. I made it to Bedford and back. That was three and a half years ago.

Since then, I have cycled about 15,000 miles. I own six bikes. I work teaching bicycle riding at The Bicycle Riding School. I am a ride leader with the NEBC Women's Ride. I ride with two clubs. I have done the Harbor to the Bay AID charity ride twice and will do it this year as well. It is a 125 miles in one day. I do a lot of my own wrenching. I am learning to build wheels. Our apartment looks like a bike shop -- we have no kitchen table but instead have a work stand. I have lost weight and am more fit than I was in high school. My life has been consumed by all things bicycle. It has a life of its own and I have made it my own. Now, I can't imagine my life without cycling.

Crankin

07-14-2009, 05:46 AM

My DH and younger son got me into cycling. I had really enjoyed riding as an early adolescent and rode everywhere on my 3 speed Raleigh, on some tough hills, too. I loved it because as far as other sports went, I am a total failure. I was in remedial PE as a HS sophomore and I have horrible eye hand coordination. Don't like competition too much, either! But, when I was in remedial PE, I found out that I like fitness oriented stuff and I have good endurance. This was in 1969, when individual sports were not popular and there wasn't much out there for girls.
I rode until I moved to Miami and no one rode or walked. I had a couple of cheap bikes, later, in AZ (5, 10 speed Univegas) in grad school and when I was first married, but I never rode more than 5-10 miles. I distinctly remember riding the *wrong way* down Rural Rd. between Elliot and Chandler Blvd. in south Tempe, and having a bad experience with a car, and never riding again for a long time.
In the meantime, I got into aerobics/step and became an instructor. Basically, after 10 years, I got burned out, and while I still went to classes, it was in a half hearted way. I started gaining weight, my cholesterol went up, and I wasn't feeling too good about myself. During this time, my son started running and then mountain biking, in 1999. MY DH bought a mountain bike and started going with my son. I had been encouraging my DH to do something because he was getting FAT and the tennis he played wasn't helping. When my son signed up to go on a 3 week tour from MA to Maine, Vermont and back, we bought him a road bike. As a surprise, my DH bought a road bike while he was gone and started going out to practice riding before my son came back. I didn't know my DH had ridden as a kid, like 50-70 mile rides. Well, my son came back from that trip a riding monster... he went out and did a century with a group of adults the week he came back! He started racing that fall and pretty soon my DH couldn't keep up with him.
Around this time I got serious about losing weight and started walking and seriously going to aerobics again. In the fall of 2000 my DH refit his mountain bike for me and bought me shorts and a jersey. He took me out on a 6 mile ride where he had to push me up a small hill with the back of his hand. Even though I was humiliated, I was hooked. After all, I was supposed to be the fit one! I rode that bike for 2 years and in September 2002, I bought an entry level Cannondale road bike. My son (and by this time we had our German exchange student living with us, who was also a racer) went out with me at 6 AM on a Sunday and taught me to use my clipless pedals!
Pretty much I haven't looked back since. I'm on my 3d road bike and also have a hybrid and mountain bike. I became a bike trip leader for AMC, but I have kept that to a minimum, since I was starting to burn out on that, too. My DH has mellowed a bit and we ride together all of the time, even though he is faster than me. Our goal is to ride off into the sunset on our bikes when we die...

crazycanuck

07-14-2009, 06:12 AM

Sorry for the long post :o

(I think I had a bike when I lived in Edmonton but not sure what it was..I wasn't into cycling but certainly remember cycling to work in the early parts of winter.)

I think it was 2004...We were living in Auckland & I had a trip planned to visit family back in Canada & knew I wouldn't have a job when i returned. Anywho, ventured back & upon return to NZ, I suggested to Ian, I'd like to buy a bike. We were both overweight & oddly enough the gym that we were members at moved & I wanted something else. So, we bought cheap bikes as we had no idea if we'd enjoy it or love it. We started cycling to work & thought we'd die when we had to cycle 10km. Ended up discovering Woodhill in Auckland (fairly new then) & of course Rotovegas :cool:, sparking our love affair with dirt..:cool:

Crap bikes were stolen(someone did us a huge favour!!!) & ended up with new bikes that were too big (we didn't have a clue at the time..). We were transferred to Perth a year later. We are heavily involved in the mtn bike community & have a good crew of friends who do dirt as well.

We've gone from couch slobs to riders active in mtb club races, enduros, 6hr & 12hr events.

Road doesn't do it for us-great training tool for dirt though!

I've attached an old photo from 2002(prior to cycling & getting my thyroid under control) & one from our quick visit to NZ last christmas. Ian often opens old photos such as the first one i've posted to stop me from whining about my weight.

sundial

07-14-2009, 10:07 AM

CC, your story is inspirational. :)

I went through stages of exercise as a kid. I lived near canals so I explored them by bike. Later I turned to running--it was the thing to do according to Jim Fixx. Then aerobics was the hot trend. Then weight training. As I got older and my knee joint continued to deteriorate my orthos encouraged me to swim or cycle. I picked the latter. I bought a mtb and slicks and rode my heart out. Then I became intrigued by the reviews of a Terry bike and bought one with the money I saved from my first real job. The rest, as they say, is history.

arielmoon

07-14-2009, 11:17 AM

I started riding in May of 2008 at age 40 and I have ridden over 3,000 miles. My BF got me to join him on his old Trek 2300 (Well, first he let me ride his Madone for 2 rides to get me interested) and I bought my Madone not quite a year ago.

I had a 10 speed as a kid and rode my bike everywhere until I learned to drive. I was too involved with team sports and riding horses to consider keeping up with it.

I am glad I was re-introduced to it!

indigoiis

07-14-2009, 11:28 AM

My husband used to ride both mountain and road but had shelved both bikes in the attic of our garage. He also suffered(ers) from depression. After I quit smoking (in 03) and then drinking (in 04) I pulled my old freebie junker bike out of the garage and started riding to get healthy again. Once I started riding with the lbs he took notice and started to ride again. His depression, while not completely in remission, has been lessened by his return to riding. I could kiss Ernesto Colnago.

TrekTheKaty

07-14-2009, 02:06 PM

At 30, I was overweight. Although I'd never been athletic, I took up running to get in shape. After a few years of slow marathons and half-marathons, I hurt my back. Chiropractor said to pick a new sport! My sister had just started riding after digging a bike out of the dumpster. I took my old hybrid around the block and discovered it didn't aggravate my back. DH was relieved--he'd done a lot of riding and had tried to get me started while we were dating. The rest is history--3 years and counting..........

Fontinalis

07-20-2009, 02:15 PM

The invisible insuline is what they call exercise. My family has a history of diabetes, and I didn't want to become diabetic. So, I was doing 30 to 45 minutes of laps daily for two years. Never missed a day. And I looooooved it. But I was afraid that if I didn't do something else to exercise daily, I would start to either be bored, or get tired of it eventually. So I decided to get back on a bike after ... 32 years. I am turning 50 this year, and had not rode a bike since I was 18. I started by doing some stationary bike. That lasted a whole .. two weeks. Now THAT is boring. lol Bought a bike in mid March (that is winter snow storm season where I live) and had to wait until late April to ride it outdoors. And I have used my bike for a daily commute every day since. It is pure blissful rides morning and nights, a commute in the city. A mix of bike paths, shared roads, park, back alleys, parkings. And it just pure sheer joy and fun fun fun.

Trigress

07-21-2009, 02:49 AM

Well, I've always hated cycling, ever since I was a kid and did it out of lack of alternative transport. But I never liked it.

I've never liked any endurance sport, really, being a sprinter I prefer exercise like weight training, martial arts and so on. However, a bit of stamina never was a bad thing, and after reading an article in Elle (:eek: I know) I began running. Or jogging, really. And I loved it! So much in fact that I contracted the inevitable runner's knee. It came and went repeatedly, and I began looking for alternative workouts, and cycling was the most obvious, fulfilling my criteria of possible to do outdoors and good endurance training. It took me quite some time though, as I truly did hate cycling. But I'd tried triathlon and loved it, despite the horrid cycling leg, and I decided to buy a new bike. I was going to buy an MTB, but then out of the blue my cousin told me that he had a friend who imported road bikes and that he could get one cheap for me. Nine months and a lot of oatmeal later I was the proud owner of a bright red Italian carbon road bike and I have never looked back. This was in 2005, I've sorted out my runner's knee by now, done two half ironmen and are about to really take the plunge - I want to let the little sprinter in me come out and get to those mass sprints!

My DH is a road cyclist, I don't think he ever imagined how fond I would become of both cycling and my little red bike, or that I would join a cycling club and even become a referee!

pinkbikes

07-21-2009, 05:18 AM

I grew up in a small seaside town and rode my bike to school and generally get around. Then I was sent away to boarding school and riding stopped. I immersed myself in waterpolo and martial arts with a bit of middle distance running thrown in.

I got more serious about the martial arts and was at university and training for my second dan when I injured my inner thigh. No - not doing a high flying kick or anything serious - but doing the cancan in the lounge room with my dad horsing around!:o:o Needless to say, with the stupidity of youth, I kept rushing back into training and re-injuring the offending thigh, so returned to swimming to stay fit while I recuperated.

Somebody noticed I was a pretty decent swimmer and thrust a leaflet for an all women's triathlon at me and suggested I enter. This was 1983 and triathlon was pretty much in its infancy here. I borrowed my cousin's old Peugot 10speed which was too big for both of us, trained for a few weeks and gave it a lash. A lifetime love affair with the triathlon was born and I never returned to martial arts.

I bought my first road bike in 1984 and still have it to this day. My first date with DH was a ride on our road bikes in 1986. We continued to ride in many triathlons over the years, sometimes as an individual and sometimes in teams. While we were paying off a huge mortgage with monstrous interest rates in the late 80s cycling was our entertainment, our exercise, and our social life with our friends.

We dabbled in early mountain bikes and hybrids around the time we eased out of triathlons and then had our DD. I carted her around on the back of my rigid MTB and then on a trailgater behind the hybrid as she grew, but it was mainly social. I put on weight and took up tapdancing.

Once a year (regardless of how fat I was) I pulled down the beloved roadie and competed in the corporate triathlon. It is a shortcourse tri where teams of three each do a full tri as a relay. I could always pump out a pretty good swim and then slide backward through the field doing ok on the bike and crap in the run!:p I suffered terrible bike envy (as much as I loved mine) looking at all the beautiful new machinery. But I would convince myself there was no point buying a new one if I only used it for three months of the year to train and ride in the little tri.

A couple of years ago, I put in a stirling effort, lost 10kg and put a bit of extra effort into training and then kept riding after the tri was over and really was enjoying it. A bit of money came my way for filling in for my boss at work and I decided to buy a new roadie. I spent a few weeks agonising over specs and eventually bought my Shogun Ninja, which is a boring but nice, 105 equipped bike with carbon fork, seatpost and seat stays, and it was "a bargain as long as you like black" since it was about to be last year's stock! I have ridden it and loved it immensely and DD has her beady little eyes fixed on it with hopes that she will grow into it soon!:D

Of course this opened the biking floodgates at our house once more. DH followed me out of the store the day I picked it up with a MTB to ride in our local forest. Shortly afterward I bought a MTB so I could ride with him. We discovered a whole new bunch of friends and connected within our neighbourhood through riding in the forest 1km from our door! Other roadie friends joined us in the forest and we started doing a few endurance MTB races.

I bought a better MTB!:eek: DH had bought and sold two in this time!:eek: We decided to try cycle touring and bought a tandem so DD could join us!:eek: DH decided it was time for him to re-discover road biking, so he bought a used Giant TCR to ride.:eek: He loved it but wanted something more touring-style, so bought another relaxed roadie.:eek: DD started to ride in the forest with us, so we sold her cheapie girlie department store bike and bought her a little Trek MTB.:confused::confused: It's just gotten out of hand. I have now done the bike leg for a couple of olympic distance triathlons for a team and really have the bug for a nice 40km TT, so would like a nicer roadie! Maybe when DD grows into that current roadie!:D

Riding is now back to being a HUGE part of our lives as individuals (we each have our own circles for individual rides) and as a family. We even manage to get the odd ride in as a couple too!:) Touring on a tandem with DD has a been very special and has helped us communicate very well as she enters that tricky time of adolescence.

I have used cycling to increase my circle of friends within my colleagues at work (even got the boss onto a MTB, into a race and tore skin off him) because there just seems to be something about engineers and bikes that go well together! I even take a bike to work to ride around town to meetings. It clears my head and I just enjoy the feel of freedom (however brief) immensely. I love bikes. I love the way they feel, the way they make me feel, and I can see myself riding them forever given the choice!:)

Hub

07-24-2009, 12:30 PM

Lance- by proxy-

He inspired my brother - Pscyclepath- who introduced me to Lance (at least the books & such).

Jen72

07-25-2009, 08:26 PM

I started cycling July 3, 2009, three weeks ago. I just turned 37 and I'm way overweight, high blood pressure, scared of becoming diabetic, and sick of it all. In addition I moved to Washington not long ago and haven't really made any friends.

My aunt and I joined weight watchers and started walking on the Centennial Trail nightly as I looked at the cyclist speeding by me I thought about how much fun I had as a kid riding my bike and pretty soon I was eaten up with the idea of getting myself a bike. After some trial and error I ended up with a Specialized Dolce and I love it. In the short time I've put over 300 miles on my bike and climbing. I cycle at least 15 miles a day now and today I rode 26 miles which is the most I've ridden in one day. I've lost 10 lbs and my weekly weight loss is picking up speed.

I'm having so much fun now and feel so dang good everyday. I can't see myself going back to the lethargic lifestyle I had before. I'm thinking I can reach my goal weight in about 7-8 months. I feel a freedom now in not letting food take control of my life. It's an addiction for me that I'm working on and getting better all the time. I made a sign to put on the Fridge saying nothing tastes as good as being thin as a reminder and it works. I really just want to be healthy, look good again, have more self confidence instead of always being so shy, and feel strong. I really can't get over how much fun I'm having now.:p

BabyBlueNTulsa

07-26-2009, 11:51 AM

A very good friend, who is over 40 yrs my senior, got me interested in sports. First it was running (which I no longer do b/c of my back), and then cycling.

By the way.. I will be 40 in a month! My buddy STILL rides!

nerdgirl

06-09-2010, 10:21 PM

My boyfriend got me into mountain biking :)

He really wanted to share his passion with me. I had a lot of reservations because I was 39 at the time, I have allergies, severe asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. It seemed like the most completely wrong sport for me! But I've always been an adrenaline junkie, and tend to do things people tell me I can't do because of my health, just to prove them wrong. ;)

All it took was following him downhill once, like 10 minutes into the ride, and I was sooooo hooked! It was a rough road healthwise, and he has been the most patient and awesome teacher. Here it is a year later, I'm healthier, happier, and I've progressed by leaps and bounds to where I'm really finding my way towards aggressive riding (you know, jumps, drops, rocks, etc.)

Oh yeah, and I still have the best mountain biking shred buddy ever-- my boyfriend :D

Lesley_x

06-10-2010, 01:40 AM

I got diagnosed with an autoimmune condition a couple of years ago causing fatigue + joint pain. One day I got fed up and decided I needed to take up some form of exercise to combat it, as it was getting the better of me. I tried running but my knees and feet couldn't handle it, so I figured cycling was a good low impact sport to try.

A very expensive venture but very worthwhile.

I also want to get fit and lose weight, but these are secondary to improving my health.

Lakerider

05-11-2011, 06:20 PM

Everytime I start out on a bike ride I say, "This is so cool!"
:)

VeganBikeChick

05-11-2011, 10:38 PM

I had a 10 speed when I was a kid but barely rode it, my neighborhood was very hilly and even then didn't want to expend energy ;P.

However, when my dream of moving to Australia came true in February 2010, I wanted a way to get back and forth to work without walking long distances (and not having a car/not knowing public transit), so I bought a bike in the States and brought it with me. That really got me into cycling, although I only did short distances there.

I moved back to the US in August 2010 and have been craving a bike ever since (sold my old bike in Oz), so finally got one at the beginning of last month. And the continuous rain has done nothing to motivate me to get out there. Maybe if there's some sun in August? ;)

Velocivixen

05-11-2011, 11:31 PM

I was the last of 5 much older siblings and I wanted a bike for a long time. But we were poor. One day in the 5th grade I came home and my parent had purchased a "boys" used bike which was dark purple with a black banana seat and a lot of big silver handle bars and a rear "slick" racing tire. I LOVED it! It was my excape, my freedom, my entertainment, my adventure to neighborhoods far away from where I was from. At age 13 my older sister had purchased a brand new Schwinn Le Tour 10 speed road bike and didn't like it, so my mother bought it from her for me to have. I rode it to and from school every day for about 6 years! No lights, no fenders, no helmet or waterproof clothes (this was in 1977). I rode that bike until my early 20's when it was stolen. I then bought a used 1960's era Schwinn that weighed a ton and only one speed with coaster brakes. I rode that until I was 25 or so. I got a car so riding was no longer needed for transportation. Three inappropriate (for me) bikes later I now have a 6 month old Trek FX 7.3 WSD and I LOVE it! I've ridden my current bike more in the past 6 months than I rode my last 3 bikes all together. I'm already hankering for a road bike. Riding makes me feel free and alive. It takes me away from everything and I can breathe...and smell...and see with a different clarity. Hard to explain. It's my fun and my adventure.