# Fat Guy in the Heat



## chipkost

Fairly new here and just making a post to introduce myself and tell my story.

I am just starting to ride. Weight loss, conditioning and an improvement in health/life are what I am after. I live in the Waco area and it is hot. I managed to ride for an hour and covered almost 9 miles ever other day. I ride an old Trek Navigator 200, it is not a road bike but it is paid for. I also weigh 290 lbs. I tend to ride from around 7pm. to 8pm. It is hot then but the humidity is at its lowest and believe it or not I actually almost enjoy the ride. I can not wait for cooler temperatures so I can really enjoy the rides. An hour is right at my limit right now.


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## pedalruns

Congrats on getting into riding! I've been riding for, well years... 20+ I was in horrible shape when I started years ago and had a horrible lifestyle... And I'm still fitter now than I was at 25. 

This kind of heat makes it hard to ride, so take it easy.. The mornings are the best time to ride now, stay hydrated. The cooler temps will help alot. 

Good luck!


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## MerlinAma

chipkost;3512253.. said:


> .....I am just starting to ride. Weight loss, conditioning and an improvement in health/life are what I am after.........


You've got to start somewhere. And you have!

At some time you'll need to consider what to do when weather is too bad. Either get your own indoor trainer or get access to spin bikes at a gym. I have my own trainer and have used it more this summer than ever before because of the intense heat. So think about that in the future. Yes you can ride for an hour outdoors in the heat, but you will likely get a more effective workout indoors.

Stay acclimated to the heat though. You can't stay under air conditioning all week (including trainer rides) and survive weekend rides in the hot sun.

The good news is you'll be able to ride all winter when many other people are snowed in.


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## xrayjay

Keep us posted on your progress. You'll be surprised at your progress over the next few months just by riding and improving your diet.


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## chipkost

Oh I have cut back on portion size and snacking. The soft drinks are pretty much history too. We will see if the weight gets lost. I am hoping it does.


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## teoteoteo

Congrats, keep up the hard work. Keep hydrated, heat is killer right now so do what you can manage. Maybe try a morning ride on your off day and add a little distance. Cool story from Actor Ethan Suplee who lost 200 pounds just riding his bike. I had the pleasure of getting to know him, he just loves it. Says it saved his life. 


Ethan Suplee Downsizes | Rapha


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## Hooben

That is so awesome, keep it up. If you get the chance, try riding at 7AM and you'll feel a little better maybe getting a little more out of your ride since it's cooler. Thanks for sharing and make sure to update us. I love to hear about cycling success.


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## weenfreek

I live in Houston, and I can only presume your weather is worse than ours. But to the point, here are some tips from a beginner like myself:

Go early in the am. It's cooler. I tend to ride about 7ish or earlier, so right as the sun is peeking up. Indoor trainers kinda suck IMO, and i get way too distracted to use them any more than occasionally.

Don't forget to hydrate. If you have any sort of hair smooshed under that helmet, you are getting hotter than you think. Think Camelbaks if possible... I like to fill mine and mostly freeze it the night before. Better to have too much water than not enough, and this way it stays cool on your back. Plus i'm not coordinated enough to drink from the cage bottle when riding around the park.

Friends keep you motivated. Even if you find someone to ride with once a week that is going to be awesome and patient, do it. No excuses when you are messing with someone else's plans too.

Set a goal. An event is a good way to start once you are comfortable riding more than an hour or 2. Plus you get tshirts. I'm lame and do so many things for the t-shirt/sticker/jersey

 I am a total fat-bot, but I've lost a bunch of weight (somewhere around 30lbs), just by adding cycling and working out to my week. It just takes time.


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## RodJ

If you're riding an hour every other day in this damn heat, then my hat is off to you. That's really good. 
Can you imagine how great we're going to feel when we get our first cool front??? My God, we'll feel like we can ride to Texarkana and back! lol

Glad to hear someone is out doing it the right way - enjoying it. Good luck in your health endeavors, too. Next year from now, we will be younger than we are today.


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## chipkost

I teach school here in Texas, so I am unable to ride in the AM on weekdays. I was able to get out saturday morning about 8:30 and rode for an hour. It was cooler but a little windy here so the ride was not all that much easier for me. At 288 lbs. I have a lot of surface area to catch the wind and it really slows me. The hills are getting a little easier for me. I even added a little "sprint" in there, about 100 yards to a mailbox. I was (and still am) in bad shape from lack of exercise. I was only able to get out 3 times last week due to school duties like "meet the teacher". BTW....I teach 8th graders Science if anyone cares.

I hope this week to change my route and am going to try to ride for a little longer time. Maybe up to 1.5 hours. I carry a cell phone so if I cant handle it, I will call for the wife to come pick me up. 

later on and good riding.


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## cmg

try to make riding fun, change the route every so often, you don't have to maintain an average speed everytime you ride, explore your neck of the woods. drink plenty of gatorade. the heat will last for at least another month.


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## nonsleepingjon

chipkost said:


> I am just starting to ride. Weight loss, conditioning and an improvement in health/life are what I am after. I live in the Waco area and it is hot. I managed to ride for an hour and covered almost 9 miles ever other day. I ride an old Trek Navigator 200, it is not a road bike but it is paid for. I also weigh 290 lbs. I tend to ride from around 7pm. to 8pm. It is hot then but the humidity is at its lowest and believe it or not I actually almost enjoy the ride. I can not wait for cooler temperatures so I can really enjoy the rides. An hour is right at my limit right now.


Don't worry about what type of bike you ride. Just ride it and have fun. You may get some guff from "real" cyclists because you aren't riding a "real" bike or wearing the right clothes or some other silly elitist hang up, but what matters is that you're having fun and getting exercise. Cooler weather will (hopefully) be here soon and that will help tremendously. If you are comfortable riding for an hour, stick to that for now. No reason to get heat stroke.

Are there showers at the school gym? You might be able to commute to work. One of my teachers in high school rode in fairly frequently. Even if you don't have access to showers, check out the commuting and touring forum for lots of ideas on how to ride to work, get cleaned up for the day, and all the other details that go in to a successful commute.

Good luck, and keep at it.


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## chipkost

Thanks to everyone for all the support, hints, tips and suggestions. I really appreciate everything you all have said. I will hang in there. It looks like we get a temperature break next week....only in the low to mid 90's. Thanks again.


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## chipkost

Okay ya'll said to keep you updated. The cooler weather is NICE. Too bad the days are getting shorter. I am down to 285lbs now and am looking at getting my first road bike. I posted the following question in the beginner section but since you all tend to be from Texas I thought I'd post it in here too. BTW I am in the Waco area if that helps.

I am looking at buying my first road bike. The bike shop I went to suggested a Specialized Secteur because of my weight (285 lbs and 50 years old) and because I want to eventually ride for extend lengths of time ( 2 or more hours). I test road one and like it and also tested a allez and did not like it since it did not sit upright as much ( my belly was more comfortable on the secteur lol)

My question is:

Do I get the Secteur triple or the Secteur Sport Compact?

The triple has shiimano 2300 components, 8 speeds with a 13x26 cassette

The sport has sora front and tiagra rear derailleurs with 9 speeds and a 12x25 cassette.

I am big and very out of shape. There are some hills in my area that are going to be trouble at first.

Would I benefit from the lower gearing on the triple at first? probably.
Will I wish I had the compact after I lose weight and get back into shape? probably.

How much better are the Sora/Tiagra components than the 2300's? the price difference is only $50 more for the compact.

What do you all recommend I do with this decision?

thanks for your help.


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## cycmike

Sorry I don't have enough experience to make a serious recommendation. I would say get the littlest front ring and the biggest rear cog you can get for the hills starting out. If that's the triple set, then okay. After you ride a while, and I hope you ride for years to come, you can change it up to fit your advanced needs. You are going to learn so much in the coming year.

I ride with a big guy, around 270. He's been riding faithfully around 80 to 100 miles a week for a couple three years and he is very fit. He can climb with me and keep up on the flats...he used to pull all of us all the time until he learned about drafting recently. We had a lot of fun with that! He rides a Trek Modone 5.2, which really isn't fitted for a guy his size, but its holding him up. (He did wear out his crank bearings after about 600 miles.)

Great going for you. Keep it up!


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## davcruz

Not from Texas, but I saw your post and decided to put my opinion here for you.

Get the compact 9 speed setup. You can change the cassette for less than $50 if you find you really need a slightly lower gear, however a 12-25 with a compact crank gives a nice low ratio.

Keep up the riding. I am a clyde also at 248, 6' 2" today. I was in the 265 range when I got back on the bike 3 years ago. I have been as low as 225 in that time period, it tends to depend on my travel schedule (no riding and eating out while traveling).


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## pedalruns

Chipkost... Good to hear your report. The Sora/Tiagra is a little better than the 2300 and you should have plenty of gears with a compact 9 speed setup and a bigger cassette on the bike, like davcruz said.. But reguardless... all bikes ride and the main thing is to ride whichever. And learn to use the gears, instead of mashing one or two gears... try to keep a constant cadance (80-90) it is much more efficient and easy on the knees. Whichever way you go, congrats.. 

The weather is getting nice now.. Today was perfect. Continued good luck.


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## teoteoteo

Maybe also talk to the shop about the wheels on the bike. More of a worry in my mind than the durability of the drivetrain. I have built some nice bikes for bigger riders including a former NFL linemen that started at 285 and went to 225. They had more to spend but no matter what budget get the best wheels you can and also see how big of a tire you can get on the bike. It will help you to run a wider tire to start, the bike likely has a 23 or 25, you may even start with a 28mm if you can.


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## PlatyPius

I'd recommend the 9 speed Sora bike with a compact over the triple 2300.

I agree with teoteoteo on the wheels also.


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## chipkost

Well I went with the Secteur Triple. I made the right choice. My first ride was good BUT there were places on my route that I had to use the 30 chain ring and the 26 rear gear. If I had gotten the compact, I would have had to have stopped. I really am out of shape. I was able to increase my average speed by over 2mph over my trek navigator and next ride hope it is more since I felt like crap when I went for the 1st ride. MY BUTT IS SORE!! I know that will eventually get better.

Thanks to everyone for all the advice.


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## pedalruns

chipkost said:


> Well I went with the Secteur Triple. I made the right choice. My first ride was good BUT there were places on my route that I had to use the 30 chain ring and the 26 rear gear. If I had gotten the compact, I would have had to have stopped. I really am out of shape. I was able to increase my average speed by over 2mph over my trek navigator and next ride hope it is more since I felt like crap when I went for the 1st ride. MY BUTT IS SORE!! I know that will eventually get better.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for all the advice.


Congrats!! And your butt will get better with time.. Make sure you have a good pair of cycling shorts and give it time for your body to adjust to the new position. 

Happy riding!


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## cmg

the comment by pedalruns is accurate "And learn to use the gears, instead of mashing one or two gears... try to keep a constant cadance (80-90) it is much more efficient and easy on the knees. " the idea is to spin at as high a cadence as possible. over time you will develop the ability to adjust your spinning to go over any terrain. It takes less effort to climb while spinning then to mash a bigger gear and your knees will thank you for it. have fun.


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## weenfreek

chipkost said:


> Well I went with the Secteur Triple. I made the right choice. My first ride was good BUT there were places on my route that I had to use the 30 chain ring and the 26 rear gear. If I had gotten the compact, I would have had to have stopped. I really am out of shape. I was able to increase my average speed by over 2mph over my trek navigator and next ride hope it is more since I felt like crap when I went for the 1st ride. MY BUTT IS SORE!! I know that will eventually get better.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for all the advice.


One of my friends got the sectour triple and is in your same situation. I will say, he HAULS A** and LOVES that bike. We've done some rides with some small, steep hills and since he was previously a mountain biker (still is really) he's comfortable shifting and flies right past me :/


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## Danger Mouse

Lots of water/sports drink. I'd suggest staying away from sports drinks with lots of sugar in them. Don't forget lots of sun screen, even on cloudy days you need sun screen. Bug spray comes in handy, especially on those evening rides.


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## dallas_mike

chipkost said:


> Fairly new here and just making a post to introduce myself and tell my story.
> 
> I am just starting to ride. Weight loss, conditioning and an improvement in health/life are what I am after. I live in the Waco area and it is hot. I managed to ride for an hour and covered almost 9 miles ever other day. I ride an old Trek Navigator 200, it is not a road bike but it is paid for.  I also weigh 290 lbs. I tend to ride from around 7pm. to 8pm. It is hot then but the humidity is at its lowest and believe it or not I actually almost enjoy the ride. I can not wait for cooler temperatures so I can really enjoy the rides. An hour is right at my limit right now.


Dec. 09 I tipped the scale at 308, down from 328. By August 2010 I weiged 163.
I would go out in 106 degree weather and come back at 2 hours later at 155.
Ride hard, ride in the heat, and ride long. I trained on zero carbs and forced myself to go as hard as I could. Today, I only consume carbs when I am riding. Not before. No carb loading.
I check in today at 168 with 4% body fat. I recommend Scivation Extend to protect your lean muscle while you are exercising. I also recommend whey protein isolate. I take in 200g a day of protein. As you lose weight, riding becomes easier. Do not be a slacker, get after it, work on getting faster, and riding longer. The one thing that helped me the most, and I still follow this rule today, pick your attacks carefully. Do not waste your energy seeing how fast you can go down a hill. My attacks are going up hill. On three rides this year, I had the same general comment "man I wish I could climb like you". When I started, there was a hill near my house that I could make it up, going 4 mph. Today it is 17 mph. My attack starts about 25% into the incline and from there it a progressive acceleration to the top. You are carrying alot of extra weight, and if you keep racing up hills, when you get lighter it will be a whole lot easier. Also your cardio health will improve dramatically. 
Set your mind to it and it can be done. I will tell you this, people treat you differently when you are in shape. I will never go back. Do not judge a person by their looks, judge them by their actions.


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## cmg

"The one thing that helped me the most, and I still follow this rule today, pick your attacks carefully. Do not waste your energy seeing how fast you can go down a hill. My attacks are going up hill." 

my attacks are near the top, if i can muster it, then drop the cassette and spin on the decend. It' much easier to add speed going down hill. The trick is to increase speed as you approach the rollers, small inclines with lots of cadence going in, much easier to maintain speed.


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## dallas_mike

cmg said:


> "The one thing that helped me the most, and I still follow this rule today, pick your attacks carefully. Do not waste your energy seeing how fast you can go down a hill. My attacks are going up hill."
> 
> my attacks are near the top, if i can muster it, then drop the cassette and spin on the decend. It' much easier to add speed going down hill. The trick is to increase speed as you approach the rollers, small inclines with lots of cadence going in, much easier to maintain speed.


Good advice. I kind of follow that. I try to gain speed quickly going down the hill and then I back off. I never pedal all the way down a hill. I get up to a speed that I am comfortable with for the following hill. I use that momentum to partially carry me up the next hill. Just as I am slowing down that is when I get into the attack. From there it is an acceleration contest to the top and over.


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## chipkost

Sorry I posted out of order.


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## chipkost

Update:

Thanks to all who have given me advice and encouragement. It means a lot to me.

Well here is my latest update. It has been a month since I got my new bike. I have ridden 96 miles. I started with shorter trips of 8 to 9 miles and the last 4 trips have been 15.2 miles. My speed is increasing as is my stamina. I am taking fewer breaks. The cooler temperature could have some to do with this but I like to think I am getting in better shape. The hills that used to be really hard are only hard now. My numbness is going away, I attribute this to toughening up.

My weight bothers me some. It really is not coming off like I thought it would. I am stuck it seems between 284 and 286 from day to day. I was really out of shape and had very poor muscle tone. Could it be that the fat is just being replaced by muscle for now? I know my clothes are fitting looser. I have tightened up the belt and my shirts fit a bit better, not so tight. Oh well I am going to just keep on riding and see what happens. I really look forward to being able to go out and ride. I found a new route that is about 20 miles. I will try it next week end. I think I will it has more flat.

On the bike. I am very gad I went with the triple not the compact. I use the smaller chainring up front going up an incline. I am able to use the middle chainring on the flats. I shift gears as I need to. Some hills require the lowest gear combo's I have. I shift to them and pedal away. My cadence seems to naturally hover in the 75 to 90 range. 80 seems most comfortable to me.

I rode this past Saturday, the outside temp was 41. I was cold at first (legs in particular) but was sweatiing away when it ended 1 hour and 20 minutes later with an 11.4 mph average. I was wearing cycling shorts and a underarmor type short sleeve shirt.

btw my average speed is going up too.From a little over 8 in August to 11.4 this Saturday.


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## cycmike

Great going! Sounds like you are making progress. Do you feel any better overall? I know that after I ride, I feel terrific the rest of the day and into the next. 

The fact that your clothes fit differently is evidence of progress. I believe that, as muscle weighs more than fat, you will tend to gain if you are putting on muscle. The weight loss will come slowly if you are doing it right, and will stay off as long as you keep up the behaviors which promote that. Stay positive! In time, it will happen. 

With every turn of the crank, you are moving in a positive direction. Keep going! And keep the updates coming....


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## pedalruns

Congrats on your progress! Keep at it... and I wouldn't weigh myself everyday.. to much variables day to day.. Eat a proper diet and exercise and I think like cycmike said if you are doing it the right way the weight may come off a little more slowly than a 'fad' diet... IMO it is important to make a life style change with healthy exercise (something you enjoy and can continue long term) as well as your diet. Then the changes will keep coming. 

Good luck and keep cycling!!


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## camping biker

That is awesome. Cycling is great for your health and mind. Don't let anybody pick on you if you are overweight but not letting it stop you from exercising and improving your life. I think a lot of bicyclists will welcome you and help you fix your gear if you need help. I live 150miles from Waco now but I have mtn biked in the Waco Cameron Park before. It is AWESOME! 

I am skinny, but out of shape, kind of bogged down with parenting, and kind of bummed out about some things in my life. I use a technique to get out of the house and ride more often: Find a place very close to home, that is measured by your bike or car at 1/2 mile, preferably with a short climb in there. Ride laps on it. It is very easy to ride MUCH farther than you expected if you have only 1/2 mile to go back to the start, and only a couple minutes to the comforts of home if you need to use the phone, eat a snack, or get some hydration fresh from the fridge and cool down. It can get boring, but if you feel good you can just get in a longer ride by taking off and going another route. 

My wife is big and got frustrated in her attempt to lose weight before. She got the lap band, but it is really hard on her (can't eat rice, bread, any fried foods, nuts, etc, and throws up a lot). I keep telling her she has to eat more greens and move around more, that one can't just excercise for a few months and expect years of metabolism to change. I keep inviting her on easy rides or hikes, and hoping she will catch on. 

I am 100% pro meat believe me,but I have heard of lot of people losing weight by eating more turkey instead of red meat, and eating lots of beans. It fills you up adn gives protein, but the fats in beans are better than fats in lots of empty carbs, and beans can go in so many foods. I like turkey a lot, it makes me feel better to eat a lot, and it is not too expensive as steaks and chops. 

Here is from the Lance Armstrong website Lose Weight By Eating Beans | LIVESTRONG.COM



chipkost said:


> Fairly new here and just making a post to introduce myself and tell my story.
> 
> I am just starting to ride. Weight loss, conditioning and an improvement in health/life are what I am after. I live in the Waco area and it is hot. I managed to ride for an hour and covered almost 9 miles ever other day. I ride an old Trek Navigator 200, it is not a road bike but it is paid for. I also weigh 290 lbs. I tend to ride from around 7pm. to 8pm. It is hot then but the humidity is at its lowest and believe it or not I actually almost enjoy the ride. I can not wait for cooler temperatures so I can really enjoy the rides. An hour is right at my limit right now.


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