Questions from an overweight beginner

[Bianchi Babe]

Hi Momcat:

Do your friends have any cycling experience? The reason I ask is because that doesn't sound like to long of a ride for a beginner. My first ride was about 15 miles on a really old decrepit funky bike with little or no breaks and very little gear shifts as they weren't working. Sometimes people get scared off by the sound of the number. When I hear 35 miles I think that sounds like a lot. Yet I've done it and if it had been flat it would have been a cinch. As it was though, it was pretty challenging for me because of the steep hills. Maybe you could ask your friends to ride with you for as long as they can and they might surprise themselves. I wish I had some friends who were interested in cycling so that I had someone to ride with. I tried to start a cycling club but only one person signed up and she was pretty old and dealing with a lot of health problems so she decided that she wasn't in my league and changed her mind about riding. I really miss riding when I'm not doing it like now. I've been suffering with a long bout of bronchitis and I haven't been okayed to do any exercise yet. Just in my dreams! I hope you can find someone to ride with you but if not you can think about me and I'll think about you when we're riding and we'll have company mentally. How's that?

[Veronica]

I hope you feel better soon BianchiBabe.

Veronica

[momcat]

Bianchi,

Bronchitis is what usually kills my fall riding, but I don't get it until October. I hope you feel better soon. I'll join you in spirit.

I have told my friends that I thought they'd surprise themselves by the amount that they could ride and the first mile or so is the worst!

Later,

Momcat

[Bianchi Babe]

Dear Momcat & Veronica:

Thank you for the well wishes.

[kimba]

Hey BB-
I was able to lose almost 40 pounds by cycling last year! And I still got more than a few to go! So don't worry!
A couple of things I noticed.
My legs felt weak at first. So- and don't laugh- I would cycle around the block- just around the block - sometimes as fast as I could go. Sometimes trying to stand up all the way.
I rode to the coffee shop in the morning, I rode when I came home from work at night.
When I went to friends' to babysit their cat- for a week-I took the bike, parked the car and commuted. Went EVERYWHERE by bike.There was this one mama hill outside the apartment- I couldn't make it at first- but by the time I left- I conquered that sucker! (cue "Rocky" theme) I'd deliberately ride a long distance- knowing I had to ride back, and couldn't wuss out...
It didn't take long, I felt the muscle building almost immediately!
In additon- I dranks LOTS of water...no soft drinks or sugary drinks. Keep hydrated.
And I changed how I ate- I thought I ate nutritious meals before..
but:
I started eating smaller meals 4 -5 times a day.
Lean meat - grilled on a George Foreman grill- lots of salads -
I found I did poorly eating potatoes, better if I ate rice- but best if I ate pasta.
I ate enough to not be hungry. And I still had snackie stuff- If I craved chocolate- I ate it. Maybe not a whole bar- maybe a few squares to kill the craving. Yogurt, soy beverage, fresh fruit.
I started yoga - which REALLY helped with the muscles and flexibilty.
And when I was riding- I didn't feel like I lost weight that day- but curiously the next day- I'd feell- lighter somehow.
I went down 2 sizes in a month...
and don't get suckered into the pounds loss myth- you might be building muscle- and muscle is heavier than fat. so- look at it this way- not- I lost X number of pounds- but my pants are looser, I FEEL better, I can pedal standing up for 5 minutes as oppsed to 2... so look for the REAL progress--
you'll do it!

Good luck!

Kimba

oh yeah- and you could try a ladies seat with an anatomical cut out. You can find Lemond ones on Ebay for 7 bucks - it's worth a try. I love mine- and it is so comfortable . 2 hour rides- 2 and a half- no problem...

[Bianchi Babe]

Hi Kimba:

Thanks for your words of encouragement. I haven't been riding for about three weeks because I've had a really bad case of bronchitis. Not quite over it but tomorrow I'm going to try and go for a short ride. Maybe 15 miles. I think I need to start over on building up my strength after having been down and out for the past 3 wks. I think I must have a really strange body though because I never lost any weight cycling and my clothes never began to fit better. But I'm really bad at drinking fluids. I've really tried the last five days to drink water. I'm hoping the six lbs. I lost by being sick will stay off and then I'll only need to lose six more to be at a decent weight, 7 if I want my perfect idea of weight.

So when you buy a saddle off of ebay is it already worn? I've never been to the ebay site. If someone else breaks in the saddle is it going to fit you as good as one you've broken in yourself?

[kimba]

Originally posted by Bianchi Babe
Hi Kimba:

So when you buy a saddle off of ebay is it already worn? I've never been to the ebay site. If someone else breaks in the saddle is it going to fit you as good as one you've broken in yourself?

The one I got was brand new still in the package..
It was a Lemond one...
There are lots on Ebay right now- I just got a Terry Liberator Molto for my husband- has a bit more padding for more of a touring type of ride- but still the cutout - for 11 bucks.
The same guy has more Terry Liberators for women- leather and Kevlar!! for a starting bid of 9.99-
if you do your homework you can get some great deals!!!

Kimba

[missliz]

So who has all these Terry saddle closeouts? I got some Terry shorts, new in the package, for twenty bucks- Ultimate Chamois, stretch ultrasuede, neat old forays into fashion. Love them!
I do a lot of Ebay, and some stuff is peoples icky old junk and a lot of it is brand new. From what I've seen in saddles, a lot of them were ridden two or three times and the seller hated it and wants to liquidate it. You can get a good deal on high end stuff, but it's a crap shoot, decide what you want and it may or may not come along.
Contemporary saddles don't break in- they wear out. What seems like a break in is more you adjusting to the saddle, and I wouldn't buy anything with many miles somebody else put on it. Stick to dealers at first while you learn Ebay- it's a giant flea market with it's own little tricks.

And B Babe- stay off the scale. It isn't going to budge for weeks while your metabolism sparks up and you build muscle. You may even go up while the muscle builds and the body fat stays the same. So just don't worry about it, just go ride. If you can't leave it alone, get your percent body fat checked and worry over that instead. Read Covert Bailey on exercise and nutrition.
Have you had a pneumonia vax? It helps enormously with things like bronchitis and sinusitis, both of which tend to run together. And get the flu shot, too. I used to get all that stuff, the vaccines helped. Vitamins are helpful too.

missliz

[kimba]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by missliz
[B]So who has all these Terry saddle closeouts? I got some Terry shorts, new in the package, for twenty bucks- Ultimate Chamois, stretch ultrasuede, neat old forays into fashion. Love them!
I do a lot of Ebay, and some stuff is peoples icky old junk and a lot of it is brand new.

I hope I'm not breaking any rules here so I'm not gonna put up a link-
but try
doctor_sox (Terry)
and
eDiscount bike ( Lemond)

I've been very happy with the stuff I've gotten. New- not used...

some nice primal wear too

Kimba

[Bianchi Babe]

Thanks for the info Kimba.

[Bianchi Babe]

Nice to hear from you Miz Liz. I appreciate your info too. No, I haven't had a pneumonia vax. I always get flu vax though since I nearly died from the flu one year. I've gotten flu shots ever since but they aren't offered until later on in the year. I was surprised to get bronchitis so early in the year, well I guess its actually late in the year technically. I feel much better now. Although I have to admit my attempt this weekend on my bike did not go well. I really thought I was better and set off on my bike with my husband following me. He said I surprised him by keeping up a fast pace for someone who was recovering. But after only four miles I barely had the strength to pull over to the side of the road and be sick. It was not a pretty sight and I felt miserable about it. Hope no one saw. I am going to try again tomorrow though. How long before I retain my former strength and ability?

[missliz]

Your husband should be telling you how to train by heartrate. You probably don't need a monitor yet, but if you're heaving you've probably blown up (maxed your heart's endurance level). Go read Covert Bailey. Do a search at Amazon. Besides, every body rides 'till they heave. You've tossed your cookies, you've had a cycling rite of passage. Next you get to learn to blow snot rockets without ticking off the rest of the group, and maybe get some road rash. Sports are physical- if you want to be an athlete, well, it's just as "earthy" (read gross) as having babies. Get over it. You're out in public with your butt in spandex and you care if some stranger saw you heave? I assure you they didn't care, even if they actually noticed.
Now, when you can puke while still spinning, that's impressive. Somebody will notice that! Like the rider behind you.

You've been really sick. Listen to your body. If you're heaving after only four miles, you're still sick. Why does a stranger a thousand miles away have to tell you this? Go out and power walk for a few days. Ride the trainer in front of the TV.

If you get this ill all the time, and you haven't been given pnumo vax, your MD is not doing his/her job. You also need blood work before and after to check your immune system, it's called titers, and there's probably something else up. And no, I don't know what. My own respiratory problems turned out to be driven by a whole set of other things, including allergy.


Lizzy

[kimba]

Hey BB-

I went mountain biking on the weekend- the first time really that I went singletrack through the woods in the rain and mud!
I had a great time!- though my bruises are coming up today!
I missed out on the cameraderie of the rides- I was hoping to meet a bunch of people from my area- THAT didn't happen- but I think I did pretty well on the trail- made a lot of hills, learned some technique-
thought I was gonna die ( speeding down wet slick muddy hills with crappy sidepull brakes on my poor old hybris/commuter bike...)

but I have some pics- and here's a link.
If you are worried about being overweight-look at me- and I've lost 40 pounds...
but I felt pretty good-
screaming through the muddy trails on my poor old bike at age 47-
and- you'll notice the shoes?
I won the on Ebay- got a great deal- when I got them I also got a bag of screw on things and a wrench.
Well- apparently they were mud spikes. I know ALL about them now.
But I did notice a differnce - the other shoes I wore while cycling were like a lowcut hiking shoe- but I was worried that the pedal "teeth" would eventually rip the sole...I got these ones - they are bike/hike shoes- and I noticed that even in the wet muddy conditions my feet never came off the pedals- they really did make a difference!!!
I also know my frame is okay for road stuff- but way too big for me for mountain biking...
so have a look- and laugh...but I did have a great time!

Kimba
my first mountain biking experience

[missliz]

Ha! I have that exact same bike bag from the ebike folks- but I put on the shoulder strap and use it as a purse.
The big picture wouldn't load- what are you riding? A hybrid? It looks like a Mt beast. You may just need to lower the seat a schkooch. I ride a Zaskar and the fit is the same as my road racing bike, just different seat height and style.
A tip- Leave the bag home next time, use your pockets and the Camels Back pockets if you have one. Bags are the devil to clean after a day in mud. So are fenders. You need to know this because the dirt is a welcome ride, and you'll be back- no cars! And the muscle it'll make on you will burn off fat even faster.
I learned to hop at 38, so you can be a WOMBAT yet.

Lizzy

[kimba]

Hey Missliz!

Originally posted by missliz
Ha! I have that exact same bike bag from the ebike folks- but I put on the shoulder strap and use it as a purse.
Yeah- I love those guys! They have GREAT stuff...
I have gotten a lot from them - can't beat the prices- and the stuff is excellent! I like the bag in that I can go touring, get off the bike and sling it over my shoulder- it's easy on, easy off.

The big picture wouldn't load- what are you riding? A hybrid? It looks like a Mt beast. You may just need to lower the seat a schkooch. I ride a Zaskar and the fit is the same as my road racing bike, just different seat height and style.

More like a hybrid- it has a diamond frame. My seat is down to the crossbar now - so when I put my feet down to steady the bike, and I'm on a hill- I'm riding the rail as it were.
Trust me- I need a smaller frame.
I've got one coming - just I'm building it so slow that I can afford it.That one is a 20 inch- the new one is 16.

A tip- Leave the bag home next time, use your pockets and the Camels Back pockets if you have one.
Yeah- I figured that one out pretty quick! It had the camera in it though- that's the only reason I brought it.

Bags are the devil to clean after a day in mud. So are fenders.
Fortunately the fenders kept the bag clean.
The fenders are there because I used this bike to commute with when I lived in Vancouver. It rains everyday there- you need fenders. As soon as I got to the site, I realized that this bike just wasn't right for what I was about to do. It will stay as my commute bike - I'm upgrading the components and putting slicks on it...
and the new bike- that'll be my mountain beast.
You need to know this because the dirt is a welcome ride, and you'll be back- no cars! And the muscle it'll make on you will burn off fat even faster.
I learned to hop at 38, so you can be a WOMBAT yet.

Yeah- I am looking forward to the next foray into DIRT! And- my metabolism is revved so I know I'm burning fat at a faster rate.
A WOMBAT??? That'd be FINE thanks!

Kimba

Lizzy