Male, 32, 5ft 9, 230 pounds
Bike:
https://www.cannondale.com/en-us/bikes/mountain/trail-bikes/trail/trail-6 (large)
Ive been watching mountain biking videos for awhile now. I absolutely love them. I've lived vicariously through The Singletrack Sampler, Seth, and Skillz with Phil.
The downhill trails look like a blast and just being out in nature instead of stuck to my computer is; literally, a breath of fresh air. I live in NC so some popular points arent too far from me. (4-5 hours) I've never been on any trails mostly due to me being so out of shape.
Don't want to sound too whiney, I know it's a process, I'm just struggling to stay encouraged. The trail seems so far away from my skill/endurance level. I know I need to take it slow, and build the skills. Ive been trying to ride around my neighborhood about 35 min at least 3 times a week. I'd love to get that up to everyday and an hour.
I can't help but think that it's not going to happen with starting at this age and dealing with this weight on top of that. I've never been one too into fitness, just naturally was less weight but those years caught up to me (and my wife's delicious cooking!)
I know this isn't a fitness channel, I'm just asking for some tips and tricks for a new rider who dreams to make a trip to Whistler one day and get stoked. I thought about buying a Echelon ex-5 as well to use to get in shape and build muscle.
TL/DR Help I'm obese, but want to ride.
Edit: I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who took time out of their day to encourage and comment. I'd lie if I said I didn't get a little emotional. "The climb" is hard. It sucks, and at times feels like you're never going to get to the top. The urge to quit and pressure to take the easy route is tempting, but thanks to a community like you who say the view from the top is worth it and to keep trucking I will push forward. I may need a tow every now again though so I'm going to be leaning on you a bit! Haha.
by Its_Husk
26 Comments
I think it feels totally exhausting riding at first especially climbs, but I think if you keep going for 15 minutes and get your heart rate up, it becomes much more enjoyable
Just take it one day at a time man. Eventually you’ll be at the top of a trail in Whistler thinking back to this day. Remember how you feel now and use it to push yourself to never feel this way again. You’ve got it mate.
Sounds like you’re already making progress! Use apps like Trailforks and see what’s in your area. Just keep showing up and learning, and making progress.
> Ive been trying to ride around my neighborhood about 35 min at least 3 times a week. I’d love to get that up to everyday and an hour.
Killing it bother! I’m not sure about the weight loss, but you’re going to be getting a lot better at biking if you keep this up.
Look — mountain biking is a hard adventure sport with plenty of risk. Unless you were born with a golden helmet on your head its time consuming to break into — especially if you are going to base your expectations on what riding looks like out in the West from some very experience (and professional) riders.
I picked up mountain biking in my late 20s after scoring a really dope Enduro for free (that’s another story). I’m fit, I’m an experienced adventure sports person, and my friends were all good riders. It still sucked! Riding up hill is just really shitty. It always sucks. We would make jokes about how we thought there were no hills (we were doing downhill).
Something I might suggest is looking up a local trail system — I hear there are plenty in NC. Get out there and work on some trails — it’s a good workout, gives back, and you’ll learn more about the trails available out there.
Your fitness is increasing right now. Just keep that train rolling
> I live in NC so some popular points arent too far from me. (4-5 hours)
there’s no parks close to you?
Do you know how many guys I see literally walking their DH bikes up the climb trails at our local mountain just for some descents? Metric shit-loads. Nobody cares if you have to walk your bike or have a rest on the side of the trail.
I say give’r man. Pick a local Blue enduro or DH trail. Take your time getting to the top of the climb. Then have a big rest when you get there.
Then, take your time going down and work your way up to speed after many more times on the trail.
Don’t be discouraged. It can take years to build the skills and confidence of the guys you mention.
I’m going to get a lot of hate and/or downvotes for this (probably), but can you seen any way to getting an e-bike?
It’ll make riding so much more fun that you’ll want to do it more, and because you get to go fast everywhere, you end up absolutely hammering it so you get fitter anyway. Then eventually you’ll get to the point where you don’t need one, and boom, there you are 😁
Remember that those videos are showing literally near-world-class athletes only at their absolute best; the video-worthy stuff.
Watching them is like watching a pro basketball player in a dunk competition, or a pro snowboarder perfectly hitting a trick and getting discouraged when you think about what it’ll take to do the same.
Ride, and enjoy the ride, whatever it is. Fitness comes with time. Skill comes with time and practice. But don’t measure yourself against highlight reels from pros; that’s a path for almost guaranteed disappointment and a fast track to injury.
Find your niche, enjoy it, and have fun.
It takes time my man and just getting out there consistently is the biggest hurdle. Shit, I’m in decent shape, I’ve been mountain biking for over 9 years and I still take breaks or walk my bike up a trail at the start of every season until my cardio comes back.
Ain’t no shame and realistically no one is going to give you shit for it or even judge you. If you’re enjoying the hobby then keep at it.
Stop feeling sorry for your self nobody down for self pity. Ok now that we got that out of the way.
The hardest part of your ride is getting from the couch to the front door with your bike. Even for the fittest people getting out the door is hard.
I went from 240 is down to 194 all through diet and 303 rides and 5000km
You got this if you want it here is my chin line before and after (5 years apart)
https://preview.redd.it/yb99n725y3cd1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=305cbef3a8dae093f4a561c493963e2a8b0c61da
Don’t worry about “parks” or anything like that.Find a trail system where the locals ride.
Where I live anyway, most places have something like a loop trail that circles all the more technical stuff. Usually more flowy and avoiding any very steep terrain.
One of my regular places has a 4.5 mile loop from which you can access all the tough stuff. Sometimes when I just feel like getting in a casual ride I’ll just do the loop. I bang it out in like a half hour.
It’s a solid little work out. Gets my heart pumping and works out arms legs and core.
Just get that bike on dirt, wherever you can. You’ll be amazed how fast to make progress.
After a hip resurfacing and about 5 years off, I decided I couldn’t stand not mountain biking. I was never very good at it, never watched videos or had any instruction, I just went out to have fun.
I started with a 1mi road out and back. Did that a few times a week. Then doubled up for 4 miles, did that. Kept increasing. Now I can ride for about 3 hours pretty well.
I attended a mountain biking clinic in Copper Harbor, MI early this summer which was 2.5 days or drills, riding, climbing. I didn’t think I’d make it but I did.
So, you’re more capable than you think and it’s all about progression. Stick with it and you’ll make slow incremental progress towards whatever your goals are.
Grabbing a cheap stationary bike made a huge difference for me. Hopping on it every day accelerated my fitness quite a bit. It’s easier than gearing up and riding around the neighborhood. And there are some relatively cheap bikes you can link to Zwift with auto resistance and tons of training plans.
Ride like a kid. A kid will hop a curb over and over until it’s perfect, make jumps off a tiny mound, etc.
Practice turning in figure 8’s in your back yard.
Every minute on the bike counts for comfort and skill.
32 is very young in the grand scheme of things.
Follow my channel lol, I’m an older rider (49) and try and to make the focus of my videos “If I can ride it, you can ride it!”
May not be as cool as watching Phil or Alex fly down a mountain at warp speed, but it’s more relatable to how most riders actually ride!
Hey dude,
Honestly, you will benefit so much from reshaping your relationship with exercise.
I don’t always get to ride, but I love my life in a way that gives me ample opportunities and options to train. The training is its own reward in terms of my performance on the bike and in my life.
The first thing that helps is having a group of supportive people who will create the desire to show up and try.
For me that was a CrossFit gym my friends own.
CrossFit has its own problems. My friends gyms mostly has clientele like yourself who want a supportive group to help them along.
If you can start and then stay active you will be able to capitalize on any trips you take to ride.
Good luck!
100 pushups…100 situps…30-50 lunges a day…..at worst…every other day. You’ll be amazed…and are you anywhere near riveter bike park or a pump track… Sometimes switching it up does wonders for things.
Since you didn’t mention diet, aside from your wife’s delicious cooking lol, I’m going to suggest simple calorie counting to go along with your rides. Sticking to an exercise schedule(and gradually increasing time/mileage) along with diet will help a ton. Once you start losing weight, gaining endurance and also leg muscles, it becomes much more enjoyable. However, it never gets “easy” to go uphill, but you get faster!
It sounds like you’re already on a good path forward as long as you stick to it. Whenever I’m getting burned out on an uphill, I just sing Dory’s “Just keep swimming” in my head from Finding Nemo, it helps sometimes lol.
Edit: Also make sure you’re seat height allows full leg extension. Here’s a guide:
[https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/set-mountain-bike-seat-height-important/](https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/set-mountain-bike-seat-height-important/)
As a rider with a handful of years on you, I’d consider adding in some strength training to your normal biking. It will help you feel better overall and will certainly accelerate your progress on the bike itself.
I added lifting (twice a weekish) about 9 months ago and I have seen a lot of gains. Don’t forget your core!
Dude I couldn’t ride my bike home from the shop when I got it because I was so out of shape. Literally less than a half mile, the shop is on the corner of my neighborhood… Talk about fucking embarrassing. But everyone starts somewhere, it’s ok to suck.
For me, I found an awesome out and back trail that just goes up a hill and down it. It didn’t matter if I made it to the top, I went up as high as I could and coasted down when my legs gave out. Each time I made it just a little bit higher up that hill. Eventually I was crushing it up the hill.
It just takes practice and time. You got this!
It’s a bit different but I just finished rehabbing a knee injury, what kept me motivated was being able to test my progress every week.
It could be helpful to find something each week that you find a bit difficult and set a challenge that you can see your progress. Maybe it’s trying to make it through a trail without putting your foot down, climbing a hill without a break, balancing on a curb, or trying to do a wheelie for a bit longer. It keeps it fun and let’s you see your progress.
Good luck with your MTB journey.
My friend did it in his late 40s. Took him 2-3 years to get on top of his diet but once he did the weight disappeared because he was riding often (sometimes just practicing wheelies up hills in his neighbourhood after work). He’s pretty darn fit these days and he can ride most technical tracks (just not the bigger jumps and features). He also mentions that being in better shape makes him feel great off as well as on the bike. Idk if this makes you feel any better. He started slow but ended up coming along way. It’s totally doable if you want it enough.
Edit: he found it really hard at first but it got easier
I know some fat guys that absolutely crush endurance rides. Get a smaller chainring and a heart rate monitor. Some of them use cardarine even though I wouldn’t recommend it but it does help them ride longer and they are apparently comfortable with the potential long term risk.
Anyway be kind to yourself. You can get there with time.
I got back into riding this spring. The first few big rides were absolutely killer on my legs and I couldn’t catch my breath ever, it felt like I’d never be able to climb anything.
Now I can ride most anywhere and feel great after a couple months of riding. One thing I do is ride a 5 mile loop on the road near my house. It’s roughly 1k feet of elevation climb and descent so I think that has significantly helped me so that when I do go ride on the trails I have the stamina and vo2 capacity(?) to ride and enjoy the trails.
From my understanding, doing high intensity intervals is what will help you increase your vo2 max, and extended zone 2 riding is what will help your endurance, there’s tons of reliable information online though, you should figure out what you want to improve specifically, then see what kind of training will be the most impactful.
Your weight/height is not out of the ordinary, I know a couple people who do DH and some XC racing that are pretty heavy, but have more endurance than most people I know.
EDIT: Also, if you can sucker a friend into buying a bike, it makes it easier to get out the door when you have another person either pressuring you or that you’d let down if you bailed on. It also makes climbing easier for me cause usually we are having a conversation that’s distracting.
Fire roads with lots of ups and downs. It’s oodles better than pavement for entertainment value, and it gets you a quick step away from a trail if you feel like it. Push yourself until you throw up if you have to. It’s been my process on and off over the years.
Man, I get where you are coming from.
Don’t buy the static bike. Not unless you want somewhere new to hang your clothes at least.
Instead carry on doing what you are* by getting out regularly. Your 30 minute rides are actually amazing for fitness because you can fit them in almost any time. You can also use the for gains too.
Pick a route you can do in 30 minutes at a comfortable pace. The sort of pace where you can ride without getting heavily out of breath but still break a sweat. Do it once to be sure. Couple of days later do the same route but after ten minutes push yourself to go faster.. but for a minute.. then ease back off again. Do this a five times. Then finish your ride at the easier pace again. This is a very rough starter for interval training and it can help you build fitness a great deal.
On your ‘off days’ don’t stay off the bike. Go out into the yard and just practice riding as slow as you can. Get to the point where you are almost stationary in a track stand. Then watch a couple of videos on how to track stand and learn it. You could do a few minutes each day and get better.
Start looking around where you live. You don’t need to find actual graded trails, just little things that you might be able to ride down. Hop off kerbs. Learn to lift the front wheel. Learn a bunny hop. Find a pump track, go ride it. Then learn how to ride it better.
You don’t need to drive 4+ hours to have a good time on your bike, it’s almost guaranteed there will things locally you can use to build some skills without just doing boring pavement loops. Channel what it felt like to be a kid learning new things, it feels great btw.
The key is show up. Start. If you are still reading this you have wasted possible bike time. Go ride!