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I've ridden 880 miles in the past 3 months. No rides over 28 miles, but frequent 5-15 milers, often not even out of the neighborhood. But in south Florida I never see a hill. Some of those mountain passes in the video would kill me. It's on my bucket list to do Florida to Maine, and Florida to California some day. I would love to do riding vacations in Ireland and/or Scotland.
Big American bike ride, 2023
https://www.bigamericanbikeride.com...cOb-NSseEf2_lokj77X6FN3hPutPTIIUXYEliIu2BWi8U
When I was in my 20s I rode many century rides, 100 miles in a day. I rode the Hilly Hundred (a two day ride) every year in Bloomington, and the one day "Nashville 90". Then I also lots of centuries in northern Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and elsewhere.
As I have gotten older, 57 now, several aspects of distance riding got way worse: back pain, neck pain, butt pain, wrist pain, knee pain. So my riding became less and less and less.
Fast forward to November 2018 and I was at my highest weight ever. Coming off back fusion surgery. Before that, neck fusion surgery. Osteoarthritis in one knee pretty bad, other knee soon to follow. Pre-diabetic. I committed then to low calorie/ low carb dieting and walking. I lost 80 lbs. Then I was kind of stalled out. I wanted to ride bikes, but the back. neck, knees, and butt wouldn't take it.
So I invested in one of these guys, a catrike 559 recumbent trike:
Damn what a blast this trike it. It's like being 8 again and getting a go-kart. After a few weeks to get "recumbent legs" I was up to speed and found that I can ride 30 miles @ 13 mph without a stop and not have any pain at all. More comfy than the best recliner. Not great for hills since you can't stand on the pedals, a little slower than a good road bike, but in every other aspect it is a blast.
I think I could ride centuries every day, if I had the time.
I am no longer morbidly obese, or even obese, not just "overweight" by BMI and looking to shed that label by 2021 and be in the "normal BMI" range. Clothes went from 3XL to 2XL to XL. Hopefully just L, soon.
It's been quite a journey so far.
My initial weight gain was metabolically driven, thyroid hormone levels almost nonexistent.
Trikes run about 10lbs heavier than regular bikes and quite a bit more expensive since the market is so small. Mine new costs a little over 3K bit I got it used. Wide gearing, 30 speed in fact, helps keep up. You can get fat tires on most models, so gravel roads aren't a killer, but tons of hills are. Unless you get a 20in rear wheel, which then hurts your flats speed. It is flat here so I wanted 26 in rear wheel, didn't care if I had suspension/ shocks, which would add 1K, and I wanted it to fold so I could take it places.