Overweight issues

[kimct]

Oh, ok Denise...there goes that hope that maybe you're near me. I'd love to have a riding buddy that's near my skill level! Hubby doesn't help cause he just leaves me in his dust, I get mad and that's the end of that!

Susan, sounds like alot of fun! I'll have to look on the Trek website to see what kind of bikes those are...hehe...I'm such a bike newb! The only one I know is Bianchi, and that's cause I have my sights set on one, much, much later on down the road!

Won't even let myself go bike shopping till I'm close to having the money to get one.

Word of caution though...if you have a chance, try on the hydration packs before you buy! Look into one that fits around your waist/hips because the backpack type ones may make your back too hot! I don't have one, but I carry a small backpack when I ride to keep cell phone, water and all that good stuff in...haven't gotten any bike bags or bottle cages yet...and my back is usually soaked when I'm done.

Good luck with the decision!

Kim

[Pachyderm]

Just thought I would share my experiences from the weekend.

I went into my local bike shop. They only sell mountain-bikes and hybrids and mine is a Trek 1000 racer so I didn't hold out much hope of any help, but the next nearest shop is 20 miles away, and I don't yet feel quite up to cycling a 40 mile round trip. Anyway, I went in there to ask about stem-extenders, or anything that could be done to reduce the reach to the handlebars. One of the guys in the shop just kept trying to get me to buy a new hybrid, despite my insistence that I couldn't afford a new bike, and that I wanted drop handlebars. As I was begining to get irate, the manager appeared and offered his assistance. He rides road bikes, understood exactly why I wanted drops and started taking my bike apart. By turning part of the handlebar attachment upside down, he gave me another inch of height which has also made the handlebars slightly closer. He also put the handlebars back in a slightly different position (with more tilt). Now it does feel slightly better (although very strange) and he did all of this for no charge, right in the middle of the shop floor! He has restored my faith in human nature (well bike-shop assistant nature)

I also managed to ride about 6 miles on Saturday, with panier bags stuffed with dog food. All this after a 6 mile walk with the dogs earlier in the day. I am getting fitter, and I lost 3 lbs this week . I am so pleased, I just hope I can keep it up and increase my mileage. There is a fantastic 35mile on-road route I can do in this area, going through beautiful beech woods, old villages and ancient archaeological sites. I just can't wait until I am fit enough to do it.

[kimct]

Pachy, that was very nice of the owner! If only everyone in public service positions were like that, huh? Be alot less ill will I think!

Good job on your weight loss! That's really good for a week! Good luck with the rest of it!

I'm sure your mileage will increase quickly. I was really surprised how fast mine increased. I'm happy with 22 miles in one ride for a bit! Don't wanna push it...hehe.

Kim

[Brina]

sounds like a great weekend, Pachy. That lbs owner sounds wonderful. I have a similar situation around here. The local bike shop is around the corner and we have bought none of our bikes from them, but i do use them for service and for lots of accessories. They have done lots of little fixes for me over the past few years, often for no charge.

Congrats on the loss. That is awesome.

[faroe78]

. One of the guys in the shop just kept trying to get me to buy a new hybrid, despite my insistence that I couldn't afford a new bike, and that I wanted drop handlebars. As I was begining to get irate, the manager appeared and offered his assistance. He rides road bikes, understood exactly why I wanted drops and started taking my bike apart.

Sounds like the first guy was trying to be a salesman. I don't like the pushy sort, and never buy from them. Maybe he was new and trying to prove himself. The manager seems far more experienced and willing to listen, and in my opinion, that makes a good salesman. When they don't listen, I don't buy. But that manager, down the line, when I wanted to buy something bike related, I'd go to him.
I never did look at bikes today, not in the flesh. I've been surfing a bit. I am into this not driving when I don't have to, and I work tonight so I'm just puttering around the house and sleeping when I can.
But I looked at the epinions link you sent, and looked up Trek 7300 as well as 7200, and Bianchi (one guy's broke in half and they were not helpful to him) and some others. There are soooo many bikes out there. Raleigh intrigues me too. This is definitely not just going down to the shopping plaza (pre-mall) and picking out a cute Huffy sting ray with banana seat and basket with flowers on it, as I did when I was 7. Blue of course.
And I have to admit I am looking for a blue bike. The one yesterday was maroon. Eeech! Blue totally does it for me, and Trek has a 7300 in blue. Might have to go back this weekend and ask about blue. I know, I know, color should not make a difference, but a blue rig really does run better than any other color, and I just know a blue bike helmet would be safer than a green one, even though green would set off my red hair so much better. I'm being so girlie!
I'd better go lie down for a bit.
Susan

[faroe78]

BTW, Pachy, thanks for those links. I can look up not only the Trek and the K2, but also Giant, Bianchi, Schwinn, Raleigh and so forth.
Thanks again and congrats on the weight loss. Maybe in another month, I can be sending similar posts.
Susan

[latelatebloomer]

Faroe, I started riding on a Giant Cypress Hybrid. It really gave me a good start. The LBS I bought it from closed and I took it to a different shop for a tune-up.That store owner raved about what a good starter bike it was. I took her out again recently, and she's still a lot of fun.

[Pachyderm]

Faroe78, Blue is a good colour. Maroon is not good with red hair (I have red hair too!). Glad you found the links useful.

Good luck on finding your new bike

[mary9761]

Hello everyone,
It's been a long time since I've been able to post at the site, but I thought I'd WEIGH in on this subject. Some of you know my story and some of you are new to the site, but needless to say, riding a bicycle had changed my life completely.
2 years ago, I was in the hospital thinking I was having an heart attack. I'd been having shortness of breath and was to the point I couldn't hold my new grandson and breath at the same time. I would be drenched in sweat just trying to hold him or walk across the room. I don't know exactly how much I weighed because my scales didn't read that high, but I'm estimating that my 5'3" frame was carrying 350 pounds or more. The good news after much testing is/was that there was no damage to my heart. It was as healthy as it could be for someone my age [42 at the time] and weight. The doctors put me on a diabetic and cardiac diet, which I'd followed to the letter. Within a year I'd lost some weight, but I still had a long way [still do now as well] to go to be healthy.
I ran into a former teacher who was getting ready to retire after 33 years of teaching at age 56 and was as healthy if not healthier than when I knew him as my teacher. I found out that he was a cyclist. I thought about if he could ride at his age why couldn't I? I wondered about getting my old 10 speed down out of mom and dad's garage? Well, it wasn't until recently that I was finally able to get that bike from the garage, but I was riding my son's mountain bike on the MONON trail and took a chance at looking at The Bike Line in Carmel. I told them my story [hadn't ridden since my teens] had been injured in an accident falling down 13 steps in '88 and gained all my weight back that I'd lost years ago due to a back injury and depression etc. I told them I wanted to ride to get healthy again, but that the mountain bike was beating me up and making my carpal tunnel worse. I was concerned about my back and wanted to be comfortable to ride. They recommended the Navigator 50 as a comfortable bike to get me around and moving. I rode it around the parking lot and couldn't believe how much more comfortable it was than what I was on. I put in layaway explaining that I was on a fixed income and hoped to get it out in a couple months, perhaps in time for my 44th birthday that would be in a couple months. When I'd called back to check on the bike, I was told that an anonymous donor had paid for my bike. I still don't know to this day who it was, but they have changed my life in ways they will never know.
I started riding my bike everywhere, thinking I just wanted to get heathy. This was late July. In August I finally set myself a mileage goal of 500-600 miles thinking Wow, don't know if I could possibly do that in a year. I passed that mark in early September and never looked back. In October, I rode my in my first Hilly Hundred in Southern Indiana. Granted I only rode the 40 mile route on Sunday since I worked Saturday, but I finished that 40 mile ride. I'd already started riding metric centuries. I ended the year 2005 with over 2500 miles [including indoor stationary as I count them] and 8 metric centuries [62.3+ miles]
I have ridden all winter on that little Navigator in all kinds of weather here in Indianapolis. I have upgraded the headstem and added bar ends [thanks to a good friend] This brings the handlebars up for me. I have also added a rack to the back and more recently gone from the stock 1.95" tires to 1.5" inverted tread and upped my average mph. I had already been told on more than one occasion that I have far exceeded any expectations of my little bike who's been named The Little Navigator that Could and already have 2255+ miles for 2006 [again including my indoor training] and have 5 metrics and more recently my first 2 CENTURIES. Just last month I rode 101+ miles in one ride and a week ago 109 miles.
If someone had told me this time last year I would have done what I've done on and off the bike, I would have told them they were nuts. I can hardly believe it myself. I had lost 100 pounds but I'm struggling with watching 2 grandchildren now and not getting to eat as healthy as once before, but I'm not going to give up. I'm 265 right now and would like to get back to 180 like I was in the earlier pic, I should weigh less, but will be happy there. Now if I could only turn back time too, but I'm already doing that getting healthy and lighter to see my grandchildren grow up.
The first photo in this series was May 2004, second June 2005 before I started riding the last was November 2005 and 250#. I plan on eventually making that dress into a jersey. I apologize for any mistakes spelling etc in this as I've been wrestling a teething 8 month old through a good portion of it. Grandma is lucky to get any time to herself anymore.

[latelatebloomer]

Mary, so good to hear from you. I just love that someone at that bike shop decided that if you were so willing to change your life, they were willing to help you. It just makes me tear up. What wonderful (and so often anonymous) people we have on this planet.

AND, thanks for giving me confidence that I can ride my century ride this year. In the body I've got. You are really, really an awesome woman.

[KnottedYet]

Mary, you are awesome. I'm so stunned by how amazing all the women on TE are. You are inspirational. Go, Navigator!

[Bad JuJu]

Wow Mary, what a story--what an experience--what inspiration! Keep us posted on your progress!

[faroe78]

Mary,
Congrats on all the great weight loss and all you are trying to do to get healthy! I'm planning to get a bike next month. I'd do it this month, but I havet to get air conditioners for my house--it gets soooo hot here in the summer, and the 9 fans don't cut it.
That said, the next big purchase will be a bicycle. Reading your post just solidified that idea all over again!
I went to visit my family back in Iowa once, and I had gained weight, and you could just see the looks on their faces. No one said a word, but there was that "attitude", for lack of a better word, a hesitation. None of them are skinny, but I somehow felt as if I repulsed them a bit. I am doing this all for me, to be healthy etc, but also I want to see their faces when they see the new smaller me! The one that might actually look good in bike shorts!
Anyway, congratulations on a job well done! You're doing it, and you're grandkids will be proud of you.
Susan

[faroe78]

Does anyone here wear special bike clothes? How do you find them? And I mean bike clothes in what I call size Fat A--. I can't see me in spandex right now, if ever. But it seems to me, I'll want to get something with the padded crotch, so I don't kill my butt or vaginal area either one. I can just see that: "I can't come to work, my vag hurts!" "Just waddle in, Susan, we need you!"
I have T-shirts, that I think will be OK. At least they won't show every bump and roll.
Suggestions, anyone? You've been there, I haven't. YET!!
Susan

[mary9761]

I do wear bike shorts and jerseys and all of my gear except for one jersey, I made myself. I don't have chamois in any of my shorts but I do have a large comfort seat on my bike. One of the keys to comfort is NO UNDERWEAR. I thought ewww, dunno 'bout that, but every time I wear street clothes now I remember WHY. We may not look as pretty in spandex, I think I look like baby shamu most of the time myself, but comfort definitely makes the difference.
When I think there's a possibility [now that the heat is building again] of chafing I make sure I put chamois butt'r on in the creases where your saddle will make contact with your sit bones or where your legs may rub the seat. Chafing is a big problem for riders at times and this WILL make a difference. If you are having problems with excess soreness in the seat area, you may need to have your seat adjusted. There's a possibility your saddle nose is too high if you are having specifically vaginal pain, you may be putting way too much pressure on the soft tissue area. Granted we are larger so we may not be as comfortable on a road bike [I'll likely put my comfort seat on a road bike until I lose more weight and get used to the difference in HOW you sit on the bike too] but for now, I may be a slug compared to my roadie buds, but I keep peddling. Between a nearly 50# bike and 265# of rider, I'm not made for speed yet, BUT when I get on a road bike, my legs are going to be stronger for it.
Good luck