Piggy on wheels?

Hi guys! I am so new to this forum I still am in diapers!

I am an old fart bicycle lover who needs a new bike and haven't ridden in three years. I don't know what to do about my lardy 300 lb butt but do have a nice LARGE seat and handlebars that rise up a bit, on my $15 Goodwill bike I got about three years back. It is a road bike, narrow tires but two years out in the weather and it's toast.

Now what? I plan to ride the Jordan River Parkway and bike friendly streets of downtown Salt Lake city. How do I know what bike to buy? I am 5'4" and short legged and am afraid a WalMart bike will kill me or else I'll kill/break it. I plan to keep the wonderful "elephant" seat and upright handlebars from my trashed bike, but I am afraid of banging my you-know-what:D on the stem of any new bike when dismounting. Any advice?
I'm afraid if I go into a bike show I will come out with a $300 bike I'll never like riding and my hubby will kill me.

How about an electra townie. www.electrabike.com. They have low seats and upright handlebars and you can put your feet down. Check out the ladies models.
There are also other bikes that have step through frames. I'd stay away from Wal-mart type bikes. In my opinion its throwing money away and you want to test ride any bike and get fitted properly at an LBS. Good luck on your search and have fun.

Hey there!

I am down the road in Orem. There are a few of us Utahns here on the board.

I have a terrific road bike, an beloved rigid MTB but W A N T an Electra Townie (can I have too many bikes?? NO). It is by far the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden. My neighbor has one and he lets me ride it.

Bingham Cyclery has them and I am not sure who else in the area does.

Hi Surlygirl and Lifesgreat

I found a cruiser that has a heavy wide frame and is aluminum so light I can pick it up all by myself to load. It has a deep stepthrough frame and was so affordable. Now, if the weather would get back to warmer temps, I can ride it. Decided not to invest too much initially and to get something simple that I don't have to worry about shifting. Thanks so much for the advice. Sure are a bunch of neat gals in this forum!

Hey - congrats on your new bike! I'm adding my hopes to yours that biking becomes (or continues to be) an enjoyable part of your life.

Welcome to the forums!

--- Denise

mmelindas, welcome to TE. Yep, there are a great group o' gals here. Enjoy your new ride. We look forward to watching your tagline gradualy change to "fast old fart on two wheels" :D

Oh, whenever you feel up to it surf on over to the "getting to know you" thread so you can meet all of us and we get to meet you and....

the cruiser sounds beeyoooteeeful...you gotta helmet with that baby right?

mmelindas, I also want to wish you much luck with your new bike and may you have many happy, enjoyable riding miles beginning very soon :)

Congrats on your new bike!! I hope the both of you have a long and lasting relationship!! and: like Trek said - cruise on over to the getting to know you thread is you have some time.

hi and welcome from me too!

I have to say... I also used to be a slow old fart... notice the term "used to be"! :D Enjoy your ride... and I agree... be SURE to wear a helmet! :)

Hey you wonderful friendly people!

Wow such supportive comments, I really appreciate them. Yes, helmet and me are inseparable of course.

I don't need ANOTHER concussion to reduce my peanut brain to peanut butter. (fall was NOT bike related - I tried to make a left turn in Denver traffic where there was NO left turn and got creamed by a land rover and a minivan head on. Don't even remember it, but am fine now, that was 2001.)

Hubby transferred my cushy "elephant butt seat" over to the new Lajolla cruiser and it has the new quick release basket in front for me to haul all my stuff (bee antivenom, water bottle, pump, munchies, etc) and we can't get the handgrips off, so are working on switching them out for the cushy foam ones on the old 18 speed. But....I haven't even taken my first ride!

The weather here is a bit cold, unusual snowy weather for this time of year, so my beloved and brand spanking new, metal flake blue LaJolla stays under the tarp still.

I can't wait to try to ride it. Am not used to the one speeds and foot brake so I have to retrain my brain not to look for the now-nonexistant hand brakes and to use the foot one ---EEEK!! I loved to ride bikes as a youngster and did ride my 18speed a little the year we got it, but then hubby went into trucking and I was on the road with him, so no biking then.

Now, he's out of trucking and available to ride with me or jog beside me, is the way he plans it. My son comes home on March 30th from a two year mission in Brazil and he will probably use my hubby's bike and join me on rides.

I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT! There's another whole person inside this fat body trying to get out - a desperate athletic me! I know riding will help strengthen my legs so I can walk more and help me to lose weight, so that's what I'm trying to do. Keep cheering me on!!

Love to all you biker gals out there, Melinda

melinda... I'm cheering you on!!! several people here have lost substantial weight thru cycling... mary is one... she is just doing amazing... my brother also lost 1/2 (yes half) his body weight thru changing his diet and cycling...

I'm a lifetime weight watcher too... 11 yrs ago I was about 70lbs heavier... have kept it off all these years and can't believe I can now say I'm an athlete!

you go!!! I know you can do it... I'm excited to hear about your first ride... :)

Hi there!
I say get two bikes---
road bike for sweet weather
mountain bike for any weather. Double your fun

You go girl! I've heard cycling in Utah is excellent, especially mountain biking.
Warning---cycling is addictive (but in a good way).
ENJOY

Hey guys (gals I mean) THANKS THANKS THANKS for the info and support. I am so looking forward to talking to all of you. I looked at the "getting to know you" and have bookmarked a ton of sites from those posts. I hope to get photos up soon!

Yes, if I lose half my weight my hubby would lose his mind!! I do hope to do it, healthily of course. I lost 90 lbs in 2001 (pre accident) and went from 321 lbs and couldn't walk a block nor climb stairs more than once a day to being able to power walk three miles and feeling terrific!

I know I want to become addicted to biking!! I know there's a skinny athletic 62 year old beauty inside this aging, overweight body. I don't want to hurt anymore, fibromyalgia is killing my life and if I can drop 150 lbs in the next two years, I'd be amazing again.

Thanks for all the supportive comments!

Loving you and eager to ride, Melinda:D

Melinda, I look forward to watching your journey. You're going to do amazing things. Thank you for sharing it with us. :)