Fat girl cycling

Hello and welcome. Well done on getting an MTB. You'll have loads of fun. I don't know where you live, but I live in rural England and have found the cycling community very friendly. Here there are different groups of cyclists... the serious road riders, the not so serious road riders, the mountain bikers, the leisure cyclists, the touring cyclists.... but generally most are friendly, wave when passing etc. I've never been heckled by other cyclists.

You'll be fine. One of my dearest friends is heavy, but loves cycling. I've ridden several hundred miles with her over the last couple of years, both alone and in organized group rides and I've yet to hear one peep from even the fittest, skinniest, carbon frame riding, spandex wearing roadie. We do a lot of riding on a popular mix use trail, and, at worst, people just ride past her. At best, they're friendly and encouraging.

Welcome!

Congrats on getting a bike!!!! You will love the feel of kicking it while enjoying the scenery!

Awesome! You will do great!

I have never seen anyone on a bike be heckled or laughed at (unless they were deliberately clowning around for attention). In my experience, the biking community and even other fitness enthusiasts are very friendly. I am reeaally slow (runners can pass me uphill), have to stop a lot, and practically fall over every time I stop (need to work on that), but no one has ever been even the slightest bit unkind to me. I know several cyclists, including my husband, and all of them are very supportive of any person starting to ride. I think at worst, you will have some people ignore you when they pass you rather than saying hello.

My advice is just focus on yourself. Make sure your bike is properly adjusted for you. Take water. If anyone tries to offer you advice, take it because they are trying to help you improve. Let faster people pass you. Always be friendly to anyone you see (my husband pointed out once how important this is for hiking and biking because people you smiled at and said hi to may be more inclined to help if you get in trouble). Most importantly, have fun!

I used to worry about this too, but I've never had anyone make negative comments when I bike or run. If anything, I've had people stop to offer help when I've had a flat or had an issue with my saddle (seat). Which bike did you buy?

I've heard some nasty comments when I started jogging in the community. Generally from some snot nosed kid driving by. Best advice is to remember you are lapping everyone on the couch. In the warmer weather there are generally several people out on my route. My favs are the ones who have the jiggly bellies waving back to me. I know they, like me, are out there to be better. I always wave and keep going. I'm grateful for everyone out there that struggles along the way. There's a gal I pass every now and again going to opposite direction on roller blades. I think I need them now. Best of luck to you on your journey. Remember it's not about the common folks who you will never see again, but about the person looking back at you in the mirror everyday. Keep your focus and you.

peleroja wrote: »

Hecklers might happen, but it has nothing to do with you. For example, I heard some teenagers yell something with "fatty" in it to me just last weekend on a run. I'm 5'4" and about 118 pounds. Some people just do dumb stuff like that for no discernible reason and it reflects solely on their mental abilities, not your body or actions.

I think that's important. It seems like women are more likely to get heckled, and I've had people yell things at me out of moving cars a lot while running. I usually can't understand them. I doubt it's my weight as same thing happened when I was much thinner. More about them than you. I bet all the cyclists are thinking, "good for her!"

Well done on getting that bike and making a better life for YOU. If people laugh or heckle (what kind of person does this?!) that's THEIR problem. You just keep peddling away.

blues4miles wrote: »

peleroja wrote: »

Hecklers might happen, but it has nothing to do with you. For example, I heard some teenagers yell something with "fatty" in it to me just last weekend on a run. I'm 5'4" and about 118 pounds. Some people just do dumb stuff like that for no discernible reason and it reflects solely on their mental abilities, not your body or actions.

I think that's important. It seems like women are more likely to get heckled, and I've had people yell things at me out of moving cars a lot while running. I usually can't understand them. I doubt it's my weight as same thing happened when I was much thinner. More about them than you. I bet all the cyclists are thinking, "good for her!"

Same here. When I was road cycling sometimes you get riff-raff kids in their crappy little cars driving by and shouting something and thinking they're dead cool etc, but it's the kind of harassment that sadly some men think is okay to subject some women to. At the time I was 125lb and it had nothing to do with weight, they were just a-holes.

Yeah, heckling happens to cyclists (and runners and basically anyone doing public physical activity) no matter what they weigh. Heck, I just got heckled 2 weeks ago! Focus on riding, having fun and if anyone says anything negative, well, sucks that they're such a miserable person that can't handle your awesomeness.

Get on your new bike, get some good music going and do not pay one thought to any stupid person that would dare to heckle you!
I hope you enjoy it, focus on the positive and I hope you have fun!

If your really worried about it just ride your bike and you'll be thinner. then you'll have nothing to worry about. You'll be having so much fun you'll be too busy to worry about it anyway. I just got my new bike and I am not one bit worried about other people's Ideas about a 60 year old slightly overweight stroke survivor riding a bike so why should you worry about what people think? just go have fun and get healthy.