Firstly, this is not an attempt to cause arguments. Some ppl will hopefully twig the username and know that. I genuinely am curious about what ppl think, because I'm assuming you're all thinking one thing and getting miserable about it, and it might be you're not.
What do you think when you ride past a 'morbidly obese' person out on the trails? Yay, good on you, go for it, or **** off back to your sofa you fat knacker? Honesty welcomed. This post brought to you by a rather horrible experience at Dalby.
Option 1.
I'd probably be more intersted in the bike you were riding than how heavy you were
definitely in the 'good for you' camp
Doesn't bother me but I'm overweight!
If I had the choice then good on you.
To insult them and call them a fatso to boost my self esteem is bid childish.
Good on them for getting out and doing some exercise, whilst wondering what form their post ride snack will take! 😉
1. They may well be pushing themselves more than I am.
Neither. I would just say hiya.
Usually initially 'Jeez!'
Followed by 'Fair play'.
Fat people are more fun and generous than slim people. Falstaff on a mountain bike? Makes more sense than a serious-minded 0% fat drone on one, far more in the spirit of the sport. Ride on big man, ride on.
Good on them, coz you know it's going to be killing them.
Would people really make fun? I mean some scrotes might but normal people? I remember I'd often see an overweight guy running when I was on the way to work and was impressed he stuck at it - hope he got the results he wanted. The only time I've been a bit miffed was when an overweight chap turned up for a ride without telling me he couldn't ride up hill - did cause a few problems with the group
I carry a bit of timber myself so I'm in the 'good on you' camp.
If they're [i]really[/i] mahoosive I do feel some sympathy for the bike.
I do find the sight of obese people doing exercise a bit difficult, largely because it often looks quite painful.
That said, I'm over that initial feeling pretty quickly and am generally pleased to see someone getting out and getting stuck in.
I take it the morbidly obese person is riding or exercising?
In which case, yay, you've got to start somewhere and stomping up the climbs when you are really really that big is probably quite risky.
But yes i assume ther morbidly obese person who is exercising is doing so with the idea of becoming less obese as well as enjoying him/herself.
hmm..prey tell - you weren't subjected to a big brown crack flash were you?This post brought to you by a rather horrible experience at Dalby.
It tends to be the gluttony that irritates me about the fat, so when I see one trying to be active I think 'good on ya!', I think it's good to see anyone trying to improve their situation.
how might one pose a [b]dis[/b]honest question ?
ernie_lynch - Member
Neither. I would just say hiya.
Would you f Ernie; you'd just insult them and call them a c.
You're not prejudiced though, I'll give you that...
Personally, being completely honest; I think 'good on yer for making the effort to get healthier'.
My opinion may differ if I saw the same person sitting in a car throwing crisp packets etc out of the window.
Fat people are more fun and generous than slim people
unless you try to touch their food 🙁
Opt 1 everytime.
honest answer: I'd think "Gosh what a fatty, I wonder if their bike will break ?"
There's always some arse on the trails, you can't run your life from that. Personally I don't care who you are or what size you are, if you're out riding and not being an arse (dropping litter/intimidating people) I'll be glad to see you. People can be cruel, don't let it stop you doing what you enjoy.
People can be cruel
but what one might [b]think[/b] doesn't constitute cruelty...
Option 1, without question.
However, I am more interested in the horrible experience at Dalby 🙂
Think "good on yer" for skinny whippets to the morbidly obese, as they are the clever arses who will have the multi-tool or pump I have forgotten to take out with me when I break down. However, if they are in my way on a trail, I will think of less charitable things (fat or thin again) 😕
All we need now is for someone to post a thread asking what to do if you see a obese gypo on a bike, then we have the trifecta.
I know how hard it is to get a larger frame up a hill in comparison with a smaller frame, that probably colours my judgement. The scrawny amongst us have little experience to back up their negativity generally, though I do believe they're right to prefer slimness (on health grounds) the way they go about it needs modification.
Absolutely honest, I get a bit of a squirm at the sight of morbidly obese people, I find the sight both guiltily funny and a bit gross. My "being nice to people" instinct then kicks in and I mentally note that it's good to see people making what must be one hell of an effort to get out and about.
Generally - good on ya, unless they are squeezed into too small lycra. Then I think "Ewwww" first, and then good on ya.
All we need now is for someone to post a thread asking what to do if you see a obese [b]Muslim[/b] gypo on a bike, then we have the trifecta.
Fixed it for ya free of charge!
My "being nice to people" instinct then kicks in and I mentally note that it's good to see people making what must be one hell of an effort to get out and about.
Hmm. I consider that it's probably a much bigger challenge for them than it is for me, and therefore deserving of respect.
I'm a skinny runt and always trying to get my overweight friend out on his bike which is like taking blood from a stone. If I did manage to get him out and someone said a comment like that I'm not sure what I would do, I mean I'm not sure what I wouldn't do.
Like a fair few people, its not the size of the person, its the bike! "oh what bike/forks have they got" and a smile & a wave if they catch me checking the bike out.
The only time I have a little voice in my head is if the ass crack is showing, again I wouldn't say a thing, at least they are trying to do something about it.
I wouldn't say a word to anyone, fat or not. Now if they were a close friend, then I'd rip it to them as I'd know I'd get it back (banter).
I'm unable to ride anymore due to hip problems (only 36) yesterday a very fat person rode past on an expensive full susser as I was walking the dog, first thing I thought was "that poor bike", second thing was "how the **** can he be able to ride and I cant"
Definitely option 1.
Who gives a monkeys on weight and other stuff, especially when they're out exercising, possibly in an effort to shed a few pounds.
I hate to say it but the trail centre "community" is seriously getting too far up its own "elitist" backside. And that is my opinion from various experiences I've had around Dalby recently. The funniest one was in the Dalby Dare at the weekend, where we were giving some encouragement to the riders getting up the slab, and one rider told us in no uncertain terms to go f^%&* ourselves! 😆
Option 1. If they're on a bike and trying to lose weight, or just riding for the fun of it, then good on them.
loulo.................why did you not say hello when you passed me. 😉
i think good for them for not being sofa test pilots and for having a go
I never really recall peoples weight, although I usually notice peoples height for some reason??? 😕
Anyone I see on the trail, I always think "Good on 'em!!"
I feel a lot of respect to anyone out enjoying their bike 🙂
Option 1 as you can't knock someone for giving it a go. If it was one of my mates though, "banter" would be expected!
Wow. Consider me demiserabled. Which isn't a word but might be. Or something.
Right.
I'm the 'morbidly obese' rider in the question. I'm also female.
I ride a Marin hardtail. I ride blues at the moment though I'm trying my first red next week on a weeks holiday based entirely around riding my bike.
I wear lycra but only under other things. It hides ass cracks, and no one sees the sausage legs ;O)
Riding up hill hurts. But it's a good hurt because it's where fat is burnt and it's what I do to earn the absolute _glee_ of the downs.
My general experience of the biking community has been awesome.
A dishonest question would be one intending, as someone mentioned, to give people the opportunity to bash 'gypos', 'fatties' etc. I'm fat, I get to call myself fat. No trolling here.
Dalby. All it took was one mechanic laughing his ass off while pointing at me to ruin my day. I wanted to know peoples honest responses, and it's helped, because I can explain, perhaps, things which people didn't know or had assumed.
Mountain biking is the only thing, and will continue to be the only thing, which destresses me, gives me confidence, and most importantly saves my life. Dramatic, yes. But true also.
Thank you for your honesty. I'll sit a little taller on my bike next time I go out.
That's the French for you - stink of garlic, don't wash and are generally rude 🙂
Glad to hear you not going to let idiots stop you.
go for it!
Definately 1, will also look at the bike and be impressed thats its holding up, as most often when you see overweight people they are on halfords specials which are hardly designed for heavy people.
And BTW that mechanic is a tw*t for pointing and laughing
Thank you for your honesty. I'll sit a little taller on my bike next time I go out.
You go for it lady! Treat people how you'd like to be treated and let karma pick up the pieces!
Some people are cocks, plain and simple.
Stick with it.
I've always found us mountain bikers to be a friendly, chatty and outgoing bunch.
All one family 'us against the world and we have something special that the others don't know about' type of thing 🙂
Never happens. It always seems to be some morbidly obese person who is riding past me these days and then I am definitely in camp 2 😆
for some reason, I've never really clocked fat mountainbikers - perhaps their size is better disguised? if I see an overweight jogger though I always think 'good on them'
anyway, having skimmed through your blog, must say big respect to you: Mountain biking is a very steep learning curve, especially for females who pick it up after not having ridden for years (in my experience anyway!) - and tbh, we are a bit more self-conscious than men. I'm slim but very unfit at the moment, and it's bloody painful at times, especially when all these men are zooming past effortlessly 🙁
I reckon they deserve a very big large lump of respect bearing in mind what their legs are having to pedal uphill, as for downhill the suddenly gravity's your best mate. Also as i'm learning once you "suddenly" put on 2&1/2 stone trying to unload it is like trying to cut granite with a childs toothbrush.
Just keep going you have found something you really like doing.If that mechanic was any good on a bike he would be riding instead of being somebodies pit bitch.
Self conscious. Oh yes. Horribly so. Everyone else in baggy shorts & jerseys & me in skiing wicking base layers & combats cos nothing else will fit 🙂
It's odd, I always notice other peoples bikes before the people riding them too - curiosity. I didn't realise no one else was seeing me either. Makes me feel much better.
I removed the nationality from the mechanic. It's irrelevant. And unfortunate that the person at Glentress making horrible comments in French to his friend didn't realise my French is good enough to understand. But it's still irrelevant. Misconceptions come in all nationalities.
I removed the nationality from the mechanic. It's irrelevant. And unfortunate that the person at Glentress making horrible comments in French to his friend didn't realise my French is good enough to understand. But it's still irrelevant. Misconceptions come in all nationalities
You should have replied something back in French 🙂
The look on their face................ priceless 🙂 hee hee
Can I say "well done" for getting out there? Sounds as though it was a quite an achievement so be proud of yourself.
I can honestly say that mountain bikers are actually the least judgemental - you like riding bikes and that's all that matters. Anything else doesn't really get clocked, it's a broad church.
I always used to feel self-conscious at group rides, accompanied by my mid-life crisis bike. Everyone seemed younger than me and surely they thought I should have been at the knitting circle. There was no reason to, there are some terrific people in the mtb community.
If you're ever down South and fancy a guided tour around Swinley Forest, e-mail in profile.
Very best of luck and hang in there. 😀
Arn't most MTB overweight and middle aged?
I know I am and therefore I don't judge I just think good on ya!
(my BMI when I restarted my biking was 33.2)
Fair ****ing play is what I'd think.
I'm the first in the queue when it comes to bashing the [url= http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/fat-people-to-sue-their-own-sofas-201004272679/ ]Pastry Positive [/url] but if you're out there doing something about it and doing something that I also love then RESPECT!
Re: French - it was halfway up from Osprey to Buzzards at Glentress, you think I had breath for a retort? :O)
cinammon_girl - Thank you. I'd struggle to keep up right now, but give me a year, ok?
Tiger - What is it now if you don't mind me asking? Inspiration is _good_.
"Fair play" is what I think as well. Good on you.
It can be hard but please try not to let what other people think or say, affect the way you think about yourself, as it is your own thoughts that beat you up!
Stay positive and just think how much nicer and non-judgemental you are.
🙂
Loulouk -
My ex was a large girl, falling into the obese category at 5'4" & almost 15 stone. She bought a bike but wouldn't really try on it, the most she would do was to ride to the pub along the canal. One day i met her at the pub in tears because some lads had laughed & made hurtful comments about her size. She never touched the bike again.
The difference is, you are trying and having fun. She jacked it in and sat on the sofa feeding her face whilst obsessing about David bloody Tennant!
I'm a skinny whippet at 9.5 stone & i understand that being over 5 stone heavier than your boyfriend can/will be horrible for a woman - the difference is that even when she went to the docs for a hip problem, she dismissed his opinion because he told her it was weight related & to lose it if she wanted to see an improvement.
You are out, about & active - and that is always good to see.
Keep calm & keep pedalling 8)
Biking is the only excercise that I will do, don't like running, hate the gym and walking is for poor people who can't afford bikes and is far too slow for getting anywhere.
Good on you for getting out and don't let a couple of comments by ****s put you off. I'm no lightweight and up hills are not my favourite, however I think it helps on the downs due to gravity rather liking me...
As someone who went from morbidly obese to merely obese ( and happy ) on some of the same trails you use and has more or less given up on riding in the last 2 years reversing the journey - I say bloody good on you for getting out of the trails and enjoying it.
I'm surprised regarding the overwhelmingly positive responses on this thread - its really good to see a less judgemental side of STW.
lou- same invitation extends from me if you're ever up Glentress-way again. if you're worried about holding people back then fair enough, but I've happily dragged my brother and plenty of friends round who could only just about ride a bike.. plus, it's always fun to go riding with someone else 🙂
I just think 'good on ya'. (I'm a bit of a lardy myself but I consider myself as a 'fairly fit' lardy!)
Just read your blog too. I see a really overweight guy cycle up my road regularly, and I always feel kind of proud of him for cycling. I'm sure he gets his fair share of mean comments from the kids round here, but he keeps on going. Some people will be cruel about anything, one of my favourite retorts when I was 2.5 stone heavier until last year, was "I can go on a diet, you'll always be a tw*t" Fair enough if you're too out of breath for retorts though!
Good for you loulouk and good luck.
Edit/PS don't worry about the cycling clothing thing, the sizes are notoriously small anyway. As a 12/14 now, I'm considered Large, rather than the XL I was at 16/18, and I've never seen bike clothes in more than XL. All very shortsighted... maybe there's a gap in the market here!
My general experience of the biking community has been awesome.
There you go, why let one (or two) morons spoil your enjoyment and take heart from all the +ve comments and encouragement.
There are plenty cyclists out there, myself included, who are a million miles from being race whippets, so as long as you enjoy it who cares what other people think.
as an ex big boy* all I can say is keep going, it does get easier with time. If you enjoy yourself you won't notice how hard you exercise. Bruce lee always talked about "serious play" as the best form of training and that sums up mountain biking perfectly. You will always get nobends in any walk of life, but most "proper" bikers are decent if somewhat odd folks.
*now a weight weenie with a few body dysmorphia hangups 😕
Good effort Loulouk! Annd I reckon the best response to the idiots is just a big beaming smile that shows them how much you are enjoying riding your bike 😀 Mtbing isn't a fashion contest or image thing....except for shiny bke bits perhaps 😉 It's just about having fun, so carry on!
That said, I know it is hard to ignore other people being so rude 👿
option 1 from the OP and sorry to hear of your experiences, there really are some idiots out there. Don't let them bother you and carry on.
Tiger - What is it now if you don't mind me asking? Inspiration is _good_.
It is now into the merely overweight category!
BMI is 28.3 now (taken since December so it's a slow old grind but worth plugging away at) 😀
2 more months at the same rate and I'm into "Normal" that's something that hasn't been "Normal" for 15 years
[i]
[/i]loulouk - Member
...I'm the 'morbidly obese' rider in the question....
...All it took was one mechanic laughing his ass off while pointing at me to ruin my day....
Don't worry, you can fix your problem, but that mechanic will always be an asshole. Pity him.
Keep it up and enjoy the scenery.
All it took was one mechanic laughing his ass off while pointing at me to ruin my day.
Bar ends on riser bars ?
What do you think when you ride past a 'morbidly obese' person out on the trails? Yay, good on you, go for it, or **** off back to your sofa you fat knacker?
neither, I'd generally just say "thanks" (for letting me pass) or "hello".
A person, who by their own definition is 'morbidly obese', comes on STW, asks for honest opinions, reads them, and then says that they feel lifted by the responses?
Jeeze, that takes some courage. Fair play. This forum needs more folk like you, and less of the prejudiced idiots. I hope you'll be a regular fixture on here from now on, and part of the 'community'.
Excellent! Good this.
Jeeze, that takes some courage.
Only if you're bothered what a bunch of random strangers on an internet forum think.
Well, it seems that Loulouk does. So, yes, she's got some courage.
Unlike you, what is a nasty, hateful, heartless bastard who has no feelings for anything or anyone. In place of your heart, is a lump of cold, hard stone.
Well, it seems that Loulouk does.
Well she needs to WTFU and not worry about the opinions of inconsequential people. Either on forums, or on the trails.
That's a TopTip that is 💡
I think she is. She's out there riding her bike, in spite of other people's insensitivity. Getting over it and getting on with things. Nice one.
Now, you, on the other hand; No-one wants to see you out on a bike, because that black hole of a 'heart' of yours sucks up all joy from anyone around you. Flowers wilt and die, children are reduced to tears, and the sun disappears, plunging the World into darkness. Your not allowed near dairy cattle, lest you turn the milk.
I am willing to help you return to the land of happiness and joy, however. Come, take my hand, and let us dance once more into the light....
[img] 
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Don't try to touch my bottom though you dirty bastard. I know your type.
Now, you, on the other hand; No-one wants to see you out on a bike....
But everyone enjoys seeing a circus midget on a bike.
When you coming down to Leith Hill next ?
Marvellous. Have a go at someone for their size, eh? Nice. Cos, that's sensitive, eh? 🙁
i was at Holmbury Hill last Saturday. The new end bit of BKB is brilliant! Proper fast berms. And they were doing free ice-cream and milkshakes at the shop in Peaslake. Dunno when we're coming down again though. Depends on my driver's licence status... 😯
Loulouuk - Don't know if you've seen the [url= http://theamazing39stonecyclist.wordpress.com/ ]Amazing Shrinking Gaz[/url] on another fora, but his blog may be of some interest to you.
Andy
(ernie_lynch) - Bar ends on riser bars ? 😆