Comfy bike for fatty

[Firm Button]

so, I failed at my last attempt to get into cycling and loose weight. Basically it was so uncomfortable seat wise and suspension wise(ie it had none) I just can't use it at my current weight of 22stone.

So, I am looking at trying may be a hybrid bike? With comfy seat and suspension slick tyres and light to boot.

What is out there? Forget money for now, is there anything out there that may get me back in the saddle?

Ta

Steve

 

[vickster]

The suspension will add weight so that's at odd with the light bike. It also makes riding on roads harder work

I'd suggest you go along to your local bike shop and see what they suggest, also take a look at the carrera subway range in Halfords, not the lightest but strong, no too costly, you can add some slicker tyres and easy to sell on once you've lost the weight and want something sportier

Saddle wise, get some padded shorts (there is a brand called Fat Lad at the Back which does larger sizes), and resist the temptation to go for a gel cover as those are more likely to chafe. Make sure the bike is set up right so as to best distribute your weight through hands feet and bum, the contact points

Good luck with the cycling

 

[Dave7]

I agree with Vickster with just one 'proviso'.
Do you know what type of cycling you will be doing ?..............if e.g. it will be rough paths then front suspension only may be a good thing---I certainly find it useful on certain stretches of path I go on. If you do decide on suspension make sure you get one that can be 'locked off' as (as Vickster says) it does make it harder on normal roads as it abosrbs a lot of your energy.
But go for it........I got a friend into cycling in April/May. At first he could manage just 5/10 miles..........now he is enjoying 40/50 milers with me and I struggle to keep up with him on the hills.

 

[vickster]

I assumed roads as he wants slick tyres

 

[Saluki]

to CC. Great advice from @vickster . Suspension weighs a ton, is pants on the road and makes cycling so much harder work.
+1 on the Subway, as they are as tough as old boots, those bikes. They look nice too.

If you want a bit of inspiration, look no further than Gaz, one of our members who kept a great blog My husband read this and was greatly inspired and has gone right down to about 94kg now and should still be losing but he's hit a plateau. He is riding a Carbon Boardman Roadie nowadays, as his treat for being light enough to have one.

Looking forward to reading about your cycling and how you are getting on. There is a weight watchers thread on here (nothing to do with WW, the company) where we, who are watching our weight and trying to lose some, go and chat and give each other a boost.

 

[midlife]

Best of luck . Just remember that riding the bike increases fitness and all that, but to lose weight you also need to eat fewer calories.

Shaun

 

[Pale Rider]

Losing weight is 90 per cent diet.

So you could lose plenty by eating properly without bothering about a bike.

However, attacking the problem at both ends is a great idea.

It should also motivate you, because the lighter you get, the easier - and more comfortable - the cycling will become.

This is all good, because you can go further, a bit faster, and the hills will be less daunting.

 

[Dave7]

I assumed roads as he wants slick tyres

yes......not disagreeing with you. I'm just suggesting to the OP that he weighs up the type of cycling he may wish to do before jumping in. If it IS road only then forget the suspension idea.

 

[scouserinlondon]

+1 for the Halfords subway, great first bike and cheap enough. My advice would be to get one of these, second hand even better. And ride the arse off it. If you eat right and get a few miles in you'll see results quickly. Then you can fork out more for a better bike as a reward for shedding some timber. Plus by then you'll know whether cycling is your thing so you can justify a bigger expenditure to yourself/any live-in bank manager.

 

[ColinJ]

Fit the biggest tyres you can squeeze in. Pneumatic tyres can be a very effective, cheap and lightweight form of suspension if you get the pressures right. It might be a problem if you lower the pressures too much at your weight because you might start getting pinch punctures, but I did ok when I was 17 stone by watching where I was going and avoiding potholes and other obstacles with sharp edges (kerbs etc.).

 

[shouldbeinbed]

+1 to tyres, it may seem counter intuitive to smooth slick rolling along but as a comfort accessory not a lot beats a nice fat tyre not pumped up to its maximum.

 

[Andrew_P]

To a certain extent comfort comes with miles, if I have been laid off cycling for a long while its pretty uncomfortable getting back in the saddle and something you work your way though. Definely avoid suspension and get something solid that can take your weight with 30mm+ tyres. Forget light bikes, one they might have an upper weight limit plus at the moment it won't make a blind bit of difference to how easy it will be to get up a hill, sorry!

 

[ColinJ]

[QUOTE 3821811, member: 259"]Whichever bike you get:

• Get some grease on your saddle contact bits - Sudocrem, vaseline, anything that lubricates.
• Get some 'proper' cycling shorts - you don't need to get bib shorts, you can get 'knicks' with a decent chamois.

I have a good friend who is your weight and he goes a lot further and faster than me and I'm not much more than half his weight![/QUOTE]
PS Do not take the words 'grease' and 'anything' literally - I don't think something normally used for lubricating high pressure pumps in industry would really suit your undercarriage!

 

[Saluki]

PS Do not take the words 'grease' and 'anything' literally - I don't think something normally used for lubricating high pressure pumps in industry would really suit your undercarriage!

I was thinking 'not copperslip, please don't use copperslip'

 

[Bicykell]

Losing weight is 90 per cent diet.

Well....I lost 2 stone in 4 months by cycling and being more careful about what I eat and drink rather than embarking on a strict diet. However, that was off 14 stone, so if you have 22 to go at, I am not qualified to advise, other than to say

Go you.

I started with a mile on a borrowed bike. Then two. A week later I thought I was going well at 5. Then I bought a Specialized Sirrus Sport, which was a big enough financial commitment to keep me at it.
I found that after a month the miles I could ride rose exponentially. Suddenly I was doing 10, then 15, then, unbelievably, 20, 30, and 40 miles. The feeling you get, of achievement and exhilaration, makes you feel that anything is possible. The self satisfied smirk when you get on the scales - and it's muscle, not fat.

If I could offer you anything in the way of advice, it's to enjoy cycling. Don't turn it into a chore. It's fabulous. Be a little patient, obey your arse when it it wants to stop, it'll be ok again in the morning!

Oh, one more thing - the answer to your question. Ride loads and loads of bikes. Torment bike shops. One will say "it's me. You've found me."

The very best of luck