As Newbie As You Can Get!

[TheKimCat]

Please consider this post as an opportunity for you to boost your karma, bless your dharma, and basically pass on cycling wisdom that has been passed on to you!

That said.....

Hi! I'm Kim.

I'm very overweight. I'm very very tired of feeling this way. I'm only 43, I've never been athletic, but I don't want my life to be one of poor health and being sedentary in the future. I recently took a trip to the Pacific Northwest and realized that there is so much beautiful world to see and that unless I really change my body and spirit, I won't see it.

I am on the Atkins diet. And I want to bicycle.

I need a bicycle that is easy for me to handle, meaning complicated gears and awkward racing seating positions are right out, not ridiculously expensive, and has a seat that will fit a very large person.

I have not got a clue as to how to begin finding this bike. At least I found where I can acquire some plus-sized biking clothes, though!

If you have any words of wisdom to share with me, I would be so very grateful.

Thanks from my heart for sharing your time and wisdom.

All the best,

Kim
kimonthejourney@Yahoo.com

[aka_kim]

Not sure what my dharma is, do I want it blessed? Anyway, welcome to cycling. It's a wonderful sport/activity to start at any age or fitness level.

Check out "comfort" or hybrid bikes, or maybe entry-level mountain bikes. Both Trek (www.trekbikes.com) and the REI Novara (www.rei.com) lines are inexpensive with some decently built bikes. Gearing may look scary but is very easy, and you want lots of gears -- at least 21!

Don't feel intimidated when bike shopping either (you didn't say you were, but I've had a few friends, both male and female, who were terrified of bike shops). Hopefully you've got a cycling friend to come with you, but if not, don't be initimidated. Most people at bike shops are very nice and want everyone to ride -- so they'll probably be thrilled to explain it all to a newbie.

[TheKimCat]

Dharma is always good to have blessed. It's one's spirit and wisdom, one's righteousness. I think. It's hard to define. And I'm hardly any kind of Buddhist anyway.

SO, yeah, Trek bikes - I wrote them a note after looking at their bikes and asked some questions. Ditto REI. Soon, I'll pop in a bike store.

I'll certainly try to be open minded about shifting gears. It just seems skeeery!

Thanks for the encouragement and links. It's good to know that I'll be on the street/trail with some very nice women .....soon.

Anyone else got words for a Newbie?

Thanks and be well!

Kim

[jmh45]

for making the decision and taking steps to alter a lifestyle that is no longer right for you. i too am very new to the world of bicycles, and it can be very intimidating-even frustrating. i have been very lucky, but have done alot of reading, test rides, etc.. i have a cannondale mountain bike which is a hard-tail, but i opted for a thudbuster seatpost which helps ALOT!! i also am getting into recumbents- they are great for anyone in any condition- much lower to the ground-translation-not so far to fall- and you will fall-if you are riding hard. it is alot of fun, but you really need to make sure that the bike you purchase is high quality. i don't want to insult you or imply anything but the rans tailwind holds up to 275lbs- from what i have read. see www.rans.com- the bike is fairly affordable as recumbents go and the seats are very wide and unbelievably comfortable-even on longer rides. these bikes are easily fitted with upgrades that will allow you to keep up with and even pass people on upright bikes-it is a cool feeling. i am hoping to build up my speed eventually also-right now I am just enjoying getting my heart rate up, sweating and focusing on riding instead of normal every-day stresses. I wish you the best in your search and keep us posted on what you decide on- congrats again...
=) jmh45

[TheKimCat]

You know, when I saw a recumbent bike lately, when I was visiting Seattle and on a trip up to the Olympic peninsula, I thought - "that might make a lot of sense for me". It would hold The Bottom. And it looks so natural. Plus, even at my present state of unfitness, my legs are still strong.

And darling, you were anything but insulting when offering that information. As for my weight. You're right on the money and even a little under. That's the sad state of affairs. But not for much longer!

I have looked up some information on that - and gone to the RANS link that you offered, and I think this is rather cool.

[jmh45]

the researching is a great place to start- it can be very intimidating to go into a bike shop and be a newbie and try to get good information from someone who has never been in your shoes- and probably never will be because they are built differently. I am one of those people who is built pretty low to the ground and not pencil thin- the good German genes-so when I first started looking it was hard to find a bike shop with a woman working there, much less a woman who I felt comfortable talking to- kinda like going into THE GAP at the mall and trying to find a pair of comfortable jeans when you are not built like the models the clothes are designed for.
i am glad you were able to find some information on that link- you could also check out the www.bentrideronline.com site- specifically for recumbents- very helpful-there is alot of good information about bike specs, different manufactures, prices, used bike for sale, etc... it is nice to get the female perspective on these message boards thoug- something that i could have appreciated when I was first getting into bikes- which wasn't all that long ago- in fact- one day while i was in a local bike shop i referred a girl who was in there to the team estrogen site after we started talking about how hard it is to find women specific stuff.
very cool to hear you are getting good info and keep on trying- keep me posted-
jmh45

[waterlilli]

congratulations on your new lifestyle! The more knowledge you get before going to the shop, the better. Shops do not know everything (if anything) You need to research and find what works for you based on your needs not what the shop tells you. You will find all kinds of women here on the boards and we all have different riding styles. This is an awesome place to get started and everyone is very helpful. You may want to repost this in the general so more people see it, good luck!:D

[Marilyn Baxter]

I'm not so much a newbie as I was a while ago, but ... "just do it" is a good place to start. I decided to buy a bike three years ago on a Sunday. There was only one bike shop open in town, and I bought the first bike I tried. It just felt so wonderful to be riding again after a twenty-year hiatus. I took the bike on small rides through the State Park that summer. The next year I signed up for the Bon-Ton Roulet which is a seven day tour with hills and camping, and supported (that means they transport the camping gear and provide nourishing food and rest stops). It was grueling and I was not at all in shape. But I finished without using the support (SAG) wagon. I was ecstatic!! I went on the Bon-Ton Roulet again this year, this time with my daughter who is 29. We both had a fun time, even in the rain most of the time. I had strived to be in better shape this year, but alas caught pneumonia three weeks before the tour. But my doctor said "Go!" and I did. I had one sore knee and fell on my handlebars once when I went off the edge of the road shoulder, but I never felt so alive! I don't know whether I bought the right bike, or the right helmet, but I did have the advice of the bicycle shop owner and I haven't regretted any of it. Just get going on any bike, and it will tell you what you need to learn!