[Closed] An honest question, hopefully honest answers

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 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]

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] [/img]

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 ? 😆

I always notice other peoples bikes before the people riding them too

Since acquiring my Orange Alpine I know what it is like to be a well endowed woman wearing a low cut top. Why don't men ever see "me"? 😆

Btw, I'm in the fair play, "hello", or probably not even noticing camp.

I can't keep up with you all, too many words. 🙂
I'll go check out the other blog, Tiger, nice work. Seriously. Slow and steady is where I'm at too - I'm losing inches and putting on weight but I prodded my forearm the other day and found a weird lump - it's muscle! 🙂
At the moment the only person I ride with is my OH, cos I hate people waiting at the tops of hills for me, but that'll change, I'm already fitter than I was.
It doesn't take balls to ask an opinion and listen to it. Mountain bikers en masse can be quite...intimidating is not the right word, but walking past the Hub a few weeks ago is perhaps one of the hardest things I've ever done, far harder than getting up the hill. You assume people are judging you - all I've seen in this thread is a lack of judgements, instead there are a few harsh but fair comments, and mostly kindness and thoughtfulness. If the same ratio exists on the trails, I know I can stop worrying about everyone else and work on getting my ass up the hill faster and more efficiently.
Honestly, this question has been bugging the hell out of me for months. I'm damn glad I asked.

It doesn't take balls to ask an opinion and listen to it. Mountain bikers en masse can be quite...intimidating is not the right word

Stupid? 😉

Honest answer? I struggle with a mere circa 20kg of excess weight. I look at them and emphasise and think good on you- you have MORE will power than I do.

The ones that sneer, give odd looks etc were brought up with bad parents.

The ones that sneer, give odd looks etc were brought up with bad parents.

🙄

My parents taught/corrected me as child on how I should behave towards others.

A child says something, you don't correct the comment. What happens?

Given my height and weight I fall in the obese catagory, I love it when people point and laugh just before I procede to rip their legs off on the climbs and then I wait for them so I can terrorise them on the descent. 😀

Lou, I think have told you before if some one gives you crap/make you feel bad, you need to use [url=

Famous Windmill [/url] 🙂 got you keys use em...

seriously, I would never give anyone crap for anything on the trail (except people being ignorant ie when you say hi they just ignore you etc...)

Lou you need to get out with me and suzie i think we are going to do gisburn soon if you fancy it 🙂

Given that I'm carrying a little 'excess'* I'd probably ask if they have a spare iced bun.
Seriously if they're proper exercising good on em. If they've bought a 'rig' so they they look cool as they eat their MacD's then lard@rse.

Some chick I used to work with who was in imminent risk of being bed bound category said she wouldn't swim cos she would look stupid.
I think that she was just worried greenpeace wouldn't let her get out...

*Understatement of the year.

Just had a flick through your Blog Lou. Very good. Your sketches made me proper belly laff.

[img] [/img]

😆 😆