Fat Girl on a Bike

[ACiveE]

I just wanted to cheer you on a bit!! I was almost your exact height and weight about two years ago...5'5" and 256lbs. I'm down nearly 90lbs now. Size 24 to a size 10/12. It's a constant battle but it is something that you CAN do and cycling is a great way to get started. Finding a great LBS is a good thing, but TE has been the best resource I've found. I'm not a big poster, but I'm a big reader and searcher. It's quite inspirational. Goooood luck with riding!!

[Eden]

I think the craigslist thing is one of those little internet versions of an urban legend. Someone wrote it to be funny and it gets copied and spread around. It's probably been posted to every city's CL site and dozens of message boards by now....... (kind of like the bikini waxing story - which even if total fiction is still hilarious)

For kicks I went and read the Yelp reviews on RecycledCycles. The dissatisfied people were not racer types (and many of the guys who work there race themselves so they don't have an anti-racer attitude) - they tended to be newbies, largely women, who wanted a whole lot more customer service than you get there. They do tend to leave you alone if you don't ask for things. Someone complained about not being greeted when she walked into the shop and attributed it to them being racist, sexist and classist...... Sorry, nope everyone gets the same treatment. It's a busy shop and they prefer to let you do your own thing until you ask and yes there often is a wait for someone who is free.

Of course some folks were also disgruntled about the very thing the rant talked about - they walked in wanting an impossible bike and were peeved when it couldn't be provided.... (I want a classic steel road bike, it has to fit like a glove and I only want to spend $200.....)

I like Recycled and I shop there relatively often. They built my winter wheels too. I personally prefer to be left alone until I ask for assistance. Really I've probably been to most Seattle area shops at least once.... Depends on what I need.

[KnottedYet]

Let's do a "Schnitzles' New Bike" slow cruise ride!

If you're not sure you could ride a mile, how about driving your bike to Log Boom Park and meeting up with a few of us for a 1 or 2 mile ride on the Burke Gilman?

We can putt-putt on the trail, ooh and ahhh over your new bike (whatever you get), and if something problematic pops up as you ride someone among us could probably address it.

Of course, this means you'd have to let us know once you've bought the bike and tell us some times and days that work for you.

The BG is pretty flat and wide near Log Boom, and there is a really good long straight bit just south of Log Boom which is good for putt-putting. People can see riders from a good distance off and avoid them. (blind corners suck when you are just cruising!)