How long U been on the bike????
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Thread started by
bentstrider at 12.9.07 - 4:32 am
so far?
Myself, I rode during my junior and senior years of high school.
Then, between '01 and '04, I slacked off and went from 180lbs to 320lbs.
Salvation came in the form of a new job in '05, being right down the street from me.
First I started walking, then I bought a $15 beach cruiser a month later. It then got to the point where I was driving my Bronco less, and cycling everywhere more often. This was also the same time I decided to join the gym for upper-body/endurance training issues.
Needless to say, I was hooked on physical activity by Aug, '05 and the pounds began to drop off rapidly.
Between Aug, '05 and May '06, my waist size dropped from 46" to 33", due to an excessive amount of gym time and bicycle transportation.
So, all together, even though it seems I've been riding for years, I honestly only have a mere total of five, full years of making the metal spin.
Perhaps I'll post some "before & after" pictures in a bit.
And maybe some of before I started to shave my head on a daily basis.
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320lbs??? Holy shiet man... looking at you I would have never guessed. Major props for you. Just reading that is totally inspiring me to lose the gut.
As for myself, I've been riding a bike till my junior year in high school and just been gaining ever since. Little here... little there. I bought a mtb bike last year in May and then joined the Ridazz. I got hooked. Bought a road bike cause I wanted to go faster. Then at SFV Critical Mass sometime earlier this year... I discovered liquor stores and paper bags. I always drank beer but never on the bike rides.
Now whatever calories I'm burning is just being replaced by my Tecate "tall boys" so I guess I'm just balancing things out. I need to starting hitting the gym....
Al
digablesoul12.9.07 - 9:51 am
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im bad with dates, but i got my first bike in like 1988 or something.
i got my first bike with gears right before moving to california in 93 or 94.
i stopped riding for a few years after i snapped my bmx frame in half in 98. but then i grew some balls and got back on in 01.
ruinedbyidiots12.9.07 - 9:59 am
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In about 96' I walked into the doctors office to see if I could bring my bike in. 10' away and 2 minutes later my mountain bike vanished.
After that ... I was pretty much skating and bussing everywhere.
Until 2005 when on a trip to Japan I fell in love with a cheap chinese folding bike. I brought it back to the USA and started to get my legs.
When Brassknuckle dragged me out to Midnight Ridazz: Visions of Superstitions October 13 of last year it was on. When Tern hooked me up with a road bike it was really on.
I only have to drive when I am lugging big loads or traveling far. Which is usually 0-2 times a week.
trickmilla12.9.07 - 10:20 am
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I had a bike when I was a kid, but getting a drivers license kind of removed "bicycling as a means of getting around" from my consciousness. Then, for Christmas in 2005 my brother and sister chipped in together and got me a half-way decent hybrid, and it was a total revelation. Like,
"Why haven't I been riding a bike all these years? wtf?!! Three bikes later I still have a car, but like trickmilla its primary function now is to haul stuff and to go long distances.
lackflag12.9.07 - 12:28 pm
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I have been a human powered endurance sport nut most of my life.
I started riding a bike as an adult in 1986, while recovering from a running injury.
I immediatly fell in love with the freedom of getting to far away places without a car.
I biked to work that first week and haven't stopped yet.
Creative Thing12.9.07 - 2:02 pm
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I've been on a bike since the bike scene in LA started back in January of 07'.
Before that I was in the mid 00's yo-yo scene.
Before that I just took photos of my friends biking.
franz12.9.07 - 3:11 pm
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Creative Thing:
You are a bike champion! Bike to work week happens 52 times year for you.. Congrats!
I had a bmx when I was a kid. I learned how to ride it when my Dad dragged me up a hill, sat me on the bike, and pushed me down said hill saying, "Ok start pedaling!"
I rode bikes for transportation during most of my High School years. I think I traded the bike for CD's.
I stopped driving a car back in 2003/04. I can't remember which. I get anxiety being in a car in traffic.
In Dec. 04, I started biking to work on a mountain bike that would not die. I also rode it to get to school I beat that thing into the dirt. It got stolen outside my house early this year.
Then, Mark Edge built a bike at the Kitchen. I was soon scouring Craigslist for a cheap road bike. Found one, did the Clown Ride, and then went on the Metric with Tern.
Serious Business ever since.
I got a fixed gear last week. I'm still feeling my someone behind me, pushing me down hills saying, "OK! Start pedaling!"
NEWB31012.9.07 - 4:55 pm
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My first bike was a pink huffy with a banana seat. One Day I jumped it off a curb and cracked the frame. (mid 80's)
Off to Kmart for a lime green mtb. Discovered the dirt, fell in love.
When I lived on the westside I rode everywhere....beach, grocery stores, resturants.
Now I live in the hills and only get to use my bikes with the midnight ridazz events and I keep one at work for riding off for lunches.
LizardQueen12.9.07 - 5:10 pm
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i have been riding since 1996, and have been looking to ride with others, i did not know or ever think that I'd be riding with CM, a whole new world opened up for me, and i am totally floored at all the fun involved.
eddieboyinla12.9.07 - 5:22 pm
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Inspiration tends to come from some of the most ordinary places.
I read these accounts and listen to Don Henley's/Bruce Hornsby's "End of the Innocence".
bentstrider12.9.07 - 6:31 pm
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I've had a bicycle of some sort ever since I was in elementry school. We were never driven to school, we rode our bikes or walked.
I can't remember not having a bike.
One of my most memorable bikes was a Bianchi I bought new. It was before they had their customary blue color. The bike was made in Italy with lower grade Campy parts. Beautiful metal flake gold with chrome lugs. Alot of nice little detail work on it. I had that thing for 48 hours till it was stolen! I parked it like a dummie without locking it at my friend's house on a Sunday afternoon. I thought since there were people out washing their cars, mowing the lawn, etc, there wasn't a chance for it to get riped off. Well I was wrong, no one saw anything either!
User112.9.07 - 7:40 pm
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This past Summer marked 40 years of riding for me. Two older brothers riding made me want to keep up with them. They haven't been able to keep up with me for at least the last 30.
Jeronimo12.10.07 - 1:10 am
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I got my first bike when I was five. It was a really beautiful, purple metallic Sears bike with a bananna seat and ape hangers. The Seat was white all around the edge, and mettalic purple in the interior part of the seat....with white stich lines going across. It had white handlebar grips and chunky black platform pedals with reflectors.
In the box with the unassembled bike came a set of purple and white streamers to attach to the handlebars. I thought these were the greatest part of my bike---for about a week, until other older kids in my neighborhood started making fun of me for having streamers on my bike. My dad understood when I asked him to take them off.. And the next week, we made a fake knife with a peice of heavy sheet metal, two brass nuts with bolts and two small blocks of maple wood. But, that is another story...the one where Leon's mom told me, "God is gonna strike you down!"
I loved that metallic purple bike. It was an upgrade from a big wheel. I like one of the older kids when I rode my bike. And, the trainging wheels were never needed on this bike, because I had learned to ride a bike that belonged to a kid who lived accross the street--Donald. His bike was way too bike for me. I learned by sitting on the top tube while Donald held the bike up for me. I would lean over as far as I possibly could to push one pedal, and the shift to the other side of the bike and lean over to push the other pedal. I got pretty good at ridiing Donalds bike, but I would fall every time I tried to stop because my feet wouldn't touch the ground. At some point I figured out how to stop at a curb. This kept me from falling....
That is how I started riding bikes. I don't know how long. A long time.
tern12.10.07 - 11:02 am
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![](/images/forums/small/Sears_1197313426.jpg)
Here a bike like mine...but mine had a coaster break....and teh seat was adjusted much lower when I got it.
tern12.10.07 - 11:03 am
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I've always been into bikes. Growing up I rode many bikes such as a schwinn sting ray, mongoose bmx , redline , pk ripper, gt performer for my flatland days. My first years of college I rode daily to and from. I was riding a Balance mtb all over the place. Fell off the bike wagon for awhile then about 4 years ago I found out I was Diabebtic , type 2. So I had to get back into exersicing . I got a bad knee so I decided to ride again........... and it became a addiction for me . I was riding up to 30-40 miles a day there for awhile then I moved and slipped out of the routine. Now I ride with you guys( Midnight ridazz) and here and there on my road bike. I also ride mountain bikes with my woman ( Lizard Queen) when the weather is good . Trying to ride more often on my road bike....
Freeekeone12.10.07 - 11:08 am
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Not long enough. Almost 40 years, wanna make it another 40.
sc_nomad12.10.07 - 11:12 am
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