Anyone ever tried inspiring an overweight middle aged bloke to give cycling a proper try.

[gb155]

I spoke to someone the other day who said they 'were too unfit to exercise'

Amazing

I said that for YEARS

 

[swampyseifer]

shoot him a link to my blog?

Might work ?

Worked on me

 

[gb155]

Worked on me

really ? way cool

 

[MattHB]

really ? way cool

And me

 

[gb155]

And me

Awesome !!!!

 

[vernon]

Didn't work for me.

There again I chose not to try.

'Do more miles - eat more pies' are my mots justes.

I get a lot of miles and pies in I can tell you.

 

[vernon]

Whereas cycling is one of the few forms of exercise you can take sitting down.

You can do swimming lying down.

 

[Michael Halliday]

That's how I see it, if you're going to take up cycling, you'll find it yourself. Why do we need to encourage anyone? We'll come across as weirdo cycling evangelists, it's not for everyone!

Thing is I AM a weirdo cycling evangelist. At least in the eyes of some, that's simply because I want to see more people ditching their cars for short journeys and use their own steam, whether that be cycling or walking. Knew a bloke once who was heading up an environmental initiative at his work and was very passionate about the task. At the same time he would happily jump into hi 2 litre Mondeo and drive to the local shop (5 mins walk) to pick up a few small items. Worse than that he would even drive an extra two miles to get something that was forgotten in the main weekly shop because that item would be a few pence cheaper than the local convenience store. The mind boggles at the mentality.
I have to go to work tomorrow night at 10pm and finish at 6 in the morning, I could take the car but it's only a few miles so it's either bike or foot depending on my mood.

As for any comments about lycra clad weirdo's, most of the guys in our social circle avoid lycra for their Saturday morning ride preferring more relaxed attire.

 

[Michael Halliday]

I said that for YEARS

Emailed the link, I'll have to have a good read myself later. it's worth noting that i took up cycling about 22 years ago to get me out of the pub and stop my weight from rocketing. I ended up doing a few things i never thought I'd do and never looked back since

 

[screenman]

Why is someone called a name for owning a car?

 

[Michael Halliday]

I've got about half a dozen midlle aged men cycling. It takes patience, slow sure starts to build confidence, small milestones to tick-off. Nice easy circular routes help. Most cyclist I know are too self-interested to take the time and gentle pace to accompany newbies. Our Freewheeling group has taken many more froma few miles on a BSO to hundred milers. All done with gentle perseverance and a few like-minded souls ... who believe every new cyclist is a triumph.

Fortunately I'm one of the ones who can give some time to others, kind of makes me feel a bit better about myself if I can help someone else. If I want to eat up the miles or burn off some energy I can often jump on the bike when most people are tied to a desk.

 

[Michael Halliday]

Why is someone called a name for owning a car?

Is someone being called a name for owning a car? haven't spotted that in this thread. In case what I've said about ditching the car has been misinterpreted then I don't mean ditch it completely, just cut down reliance on it. I have a car, I have an advanced driving licence, I use my car when appropriate but i prefer to walk/cycle when I can as it's more beneficial to me and the world I share with everyone else.

 

[screenman]

Post number 18.

 

[DCLane]

shoot him a link to my blog?

Might work ?

Also worked for me (read April's Cycling Active interview!) - and decided 'I can do that too'.

Since 'that' has cost me over £2k so far since March plus the cost of a new wardrobe, where do I send the bill?

 

[Michael Halliday]

Post number 18.

That's one specific type of car, not cars in general. It's also the type of car generally, but not always, owned purely as a status symbol or driven by yummy mummies who think the world is too dangerous to walk their kids to school, so comment number 18 is, in my view, completely valid but by that i don't mean all owners of this type of car are complete tossers, some of them can be saved from themselves. Other status symbols are available as are other derogatory labels.