What's new in the world of Bikes

Interbike, the largest bicycle trade show in the world, was held a couple weeks ago in Las Vegas. I went for the third time, and as always, came away brimming with ideas and contacts and very sore feet. It was great.

People have asked me if the cycling industry is waking up to the fact that big people want to bike, too. To look at the glass as part full, I’d say that there are more people aware than there were three years ago, but there is still a lot of room for growth.

I did run into one company that makes an interesting tricycle that holds 400 pounds, but it retails for $3500.00. Knowing what I know about making strong, custom-built bicycles, I must say that this is not an unreasonable amount, but I also know that spending that much for a tricycle is beyond the means or desire of most people. Other than that I didn’t see much that would work for you, my customers.

On the plus side, I did meet lots of people who love what we’re doing with Super Sized Cycles, and were eager to contribute in ways that they could. For example…

There’s a new website that’s being created, called www.RentABikeNow.com. Its purpose is to create a network of bike rental sites all over the North America, where travelers can easily “order up” the kind of bike they want, so they can bike while away. I spoke to Scott Carothers, their VP, and encouraged him to encourage the shops that sign up to purchase a couple of our Zize Bikes. How many of us, with size concerns, would even think of renting a bike? Let’s let RentABikeNow.com know we want options—send them an email requesting bikes for big people!

I also spoke quite a bit with Kit Vogel from www.Bikefit.com. Kit has an MS in Biomechanics/Human Movement & Performance and has completed her clinical doctorate in Physical Therapy—she really knows her stuff! We discussed special needs for big people and biking, and I’m happy to report that the key points Kit brought up are addressed in our Zize Bikes! If you live near Woodinville, WA, take advantage of the great resource you have in Bikefit!

A lot more happened, and I’ll share the interesting stuff in an ongoing manner in my blog and newsletters. Until then, keep cycling!

Enlightened article

Yesterday I was reading the NY Times on line (my favorite way to get the news) and saw this excellent article about bodies. The author actually questions whether the craze to be a skinny person is necessary and healthful. Not only does she question it, but apparently many people are doing the same. I put it on my site, because I think it's so promising. You can read it here.

What's great is that it is possible that the mainstream is beginning to understand what a lot of us know--you don't have to be thin to be healthy. Many heavy people are very healthy, and if the world around us was built to support our weight, we'd be even healthier.

Imagine a world where you don't have to go to a specialty store to find a bike or a pair of pants that fit. Imagine going into any establishment knowing that they have chairs that will be at least size-appropriate, if not comfortable. Imagine traveling knowing that you don't have to worry about getting bruises from squeezing into a too-small seat or asking the tiny steward for a seat belt extender. Imagine a world where what counts is that we're people, not that we're fat people.

In this world I'd bet a lot of the diseases that are associated with being fat would miraculously no longer be associated with it. In this world the social stigma and stresses of being the wrong size wouldn't exist. We'd all be satisfied with ourselves, so our bodies wouldn't have to cry out for attention in the form of diseases.

I'm not suggesting that those of us who are unhealthy and feel unhappy stay where we are. What I am suggesting is living the Zize life. Zize is size with Attitude, and as more of us do our part to keep the attitude positive, healthy, and active, more people will see that fat IS beautiful. Or at least healthy.

Bike MIrrors

I recently went for a ride with a group of friends, including one who has all sorts of doodads on her bike. As this woman is a serious cyclist, I know she doesn't put on anything more than essential. (This comes from being part of the "light is better" biker mentality.) I was interested in the gadgets she had, and watched how she used them.

Her side view mirror was used frequently. She used it to see if cars were coming up behind us, as they don't always make enough noise to alert you.

She also kept track of her co-riders --making sure we could keep up with her, as she set the pace.

Watching her use the mirror I realized that craning my neck sideways and glimpsing over my shoulder was not practicing safe riding, so I decided that it was time to stop procrastinating and find a good mirror.

So which Mirror?

I consulted my Bike Guru, Tim Mathewson. Tim has designed bikes for me and walks me through all of the technical aspects of this business. He knows his stuff.

Tim didn't hesitate. He immediately told me that the best mirror to get is the Mirrycle. He likes it because it adjusts all different ways, and folds up for transportation. I like it because I can clearly see what's coming up behind me, and I feel much safer now that I don't have to try to do any gymnastics to see if a car's coming.

I've added it to our inventory, so check it out here. Let's all keep riding, and ride safely!

Have fun,

Joan

Why do it?

Running this business is both a joy and a challenge.

I'm growing this business organically. (Which, in case you may not be aware of this business lingo, means all the money I make goes right back into the business, gradually pushing things bigger and bigger.) This is the challenge part.

The JOY part is what I thrive on, and fortunately, there's tons of it pouring in to me on a regular basis. During the last 12 hours, here's what happened.

My husband and I went to our favorite store, Costco, and after stocking up on bananas, avacados, and space heaters (this IS Costco!) we decided to grab a lite dinner. While there, we ran into a former colleague of mine with her husband, and we ate all our hotdogs together. At their prodding, I was telling them about Super Sized Cycles (okay, it didn't really take any prodding), and a man at the next table interrupted and said he recognized me from when I was on TV a while ago (here's the video.) We ended up talking for another half hour.

This morning there were two emails from people who wrote to tell me why they were excited about Super Sized Cycles.


One student from NY writes, "I suffer from congenital degenerative arthrosis or, also called osteoarthritis. I am almost 28 and am enrolled full time at school. I am heavy and it makes my problems worse. I have much upper body pain because the degeneration has targeted my shoulders now and I am dependent on my arms to keep me from falling out of my seat on the city buses. It will be sooooo nice to just ride to school in relative comfort and leave the buses out of my life forever." Makes me smile to know that I can help this person move beyond the limits that had been imposed.

I also received this note awesome this morning.

"Hi!
i just came across a comment you made on someones blog once upon a time,
and then went onto your website to check it out!
And I felt inspired to say I think what you are doing is fabulous!
I am a very big fan of cycling!
Weight wise I am slim but I really hate the attitudes that are sometimes
directed at overweight people.
I think it's great that you are helping people feel more comfortable
getting on a bike.
Some see cycling as something that only uber fit Lycra wearing folks do,
and everything that breaks that down, and makes cycling more accessible,
is to be applauded.
'Cos the bicycle is everyone's friend!!!"

These two notes, and my encounters last night, sum up the joy piece. How can I not love contributing to the world in such a way the people actually can see and feel instant results from what I help them get?

I am grateful. Thanks to all of you.

great ezine article

Check out this wonderful article about the fitness benefits of biking. I don't even know this writer, but I want to! She thinks just like I do--biking is the way to go. Riding your bike is the most wonderful fitness tool, and I'm glad to hear somebody else talk about it!

Speaking of talking about it, life has been VERY busy lately, and thus my written thoughts have been, ahem.... limited. Hope you're not waiting for me with baited breath.

The last of our 4 children have left home (with a bit of nudging on our part), and my husband and I decided it was time to downsize. We just spent two weeks and much money getting our house ready to go on the market, and we accomplished an amazing transformation in a minimum time. (Just don't count my new grey hairs and the fact that I haven't ridden my bike in 2 weeks.)

I'm sharing this because if anyone is looking for a beautiful 4 bedroom home in the new suburb of Burlington, VT, have we got the house for you! You can check it out here. We have NO idea where we're going. It has to be in the US and relatively near an airport hub, but those are the only requirements. PLEASE, send ideas! We tend to like a little less winter (than Vermont's 5-6 months of it), smaller cities, and a beautiful environment. Oh, and since I'm asking, it would help if there were lots of awesome bike trails around.

Today I'm getting out for a ride--it's gorgeous outside. Keep pedaling!

Break the Cycle of Depression with Cycling

This article was written by Susan Fernandes, who has over 20 years assisting people as a Registered Nurse. Susan was kind enough to allow me to share her article as one more way to show that biking is awesome!
___________________________________________________________________________

In the United States, approximately 18.8 million people are affected by depression. That’s approximately 9.5% of our adult population. Of those suffering from depression, about 80 % are not currently being treated.

What is the definition of depression?

· Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods.

· True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interferes with everyday life for an extended period of time, usually more than 2 weeks.

Depression may run in families. This can be due to your genes (inherited), learned behavior (environmental), or both. If you are predisposed to depression due to your genetic makeup, you are more likely to experience depression when a stressful or unhappy life event occurs.

What can trigger depression?

· Alcohol or drug abuse

· Childhood events like abuse or neglect

· Chronic stress

· Death of a friend or relative

· Disappointment at home, work, or school (in teens, this may be breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, failing a class, or parents divorcing)

· Drugs such as sedatives and high blood pressure medications

· Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), cancer, or hepatitis

· Nutritional deficiencies (such as a lack of folate and omega-3 fatty acids)

· Overly negative thoughts about one's self and life, self blame, and ineffective social problem solving skills

· Prolonged pain or having a major illness

· Sleeping problems

· Social isolation (common in the elderly)

· Post Partum (after giving birth)

So as you can see, depression can be triggered by many conditions/events. The purpose of this article is not to diagnose or to suggest any treatments for depression, that is for you to discuss with your physician, but I do want to explain how activity can be a natural mood elevator.

It is not uncommon that when we feel depressed (sad, blue, down in the dumps), mentally and physically we slow down. We don’t want to do anything. It is extremely hard to get motivated. And unfortunately, the less we do, the less we want to do, and then the more we fell depressed. It is a self perpetuating cycle. How do I know this? I’ve lived it. In fact it is something that I still fall prey to at times. So, how can we break this self-defeating, non productive cycle?

Doctors and scientists continue to debate about the different chemicals and hormones that affect our moods and sense of well-being. Some believe that it is a release of “endorphins” by the pituitary gland that lessens the feeling of depression, while others believe it is the serotonin and serotonin uptake receptors that do the trick. Either way, all agree that moderate exercise, 30 minutes/3 times a week, can decrease our feelings of sadness and depression. In fact, it is documented that regular exercise as described can be as effective as many prescribed anti-depressants and work more quickly. If you are currently on medication for depression, I do not recommend that you stop taking it. Instead, continue with your current prescribed plan of medical treatment, but add exercise. Stopping or changing any medication is only at your doctor’s recommendation, but let her/him know about your change in activity and how it makes you feel, and let them decide.

Keep in mind, at times motivation can be a big obstacle, and it is at those times you have to force yourself to just “do it!” My personal preference for exercising is riding a bike. I’m not the most disciplined person, so the flexibility of choosing when I ride suits my personality and schedule. Also as a “plus-size” woman with knee problems, riding a bike is low impact and easy on my joints. In fact, it is a recommended type of exercise for those with arthritis. I admit, I was concerned about a regular bike being able to support my weight, so I did an online search and found www.supersizedcycles.com. They have bicycles and tricycles, and motorized bikes, and they are able to custom make bikes to your specifications. Now I can get out, have fun exercising, and feel better mentally, emotionally, and physically. Oh, and by the way, I still take my medication, but I’m feeling so much better, and I’m even losing weight! As they say, “There is no time like the present, “so decide today, that you won’t be held captive by your own inactivity. Get out there and get moving - you will be glad that you did.

Keep on pedaling!

people waking up

I like to know what's going on in the world of big people biking, so i subscribe to a google service that tells me when articles come up that talk about this. I got such an email this morning. I linked to the blog it identified, and found--gasp!--a reasonable person with a reasonable grasp on the ways to deal with obesity.

As anyone who visits this site regularly understands, we are not about weight loss. It IS a possible side effect from riding bikes, but the main purpose of www.SuperSizedCycles.com is to just get everyone who wants to out on a bike. And since big people don't have choices, that's who we're aiming to help.

Take a look at the blog at http://justwilliams.wordpress.com/2008/07/08/cycling-and-obesity/#comment-127, and then let me know what you think.

Let's keep those wheels and minds spinning!

good eats

My youngest daughter is home from college, and all of a sudden she’s become Rachel Ray Jr. As a child only very, very moderately interested in cooking she suddenly is making these amazing meals once or twice a day. We are eating like kings!

This, of course, makes one wonder if this is going to have a less-than-desired effect on the waistline. What seems to be happening instead is that what she’s cooking is so good that it fills me up and I’m not so busy grazing between meals. I’ve always thought that if I could just NOT snack my body would look a whole lot different, but when you grab a tiny lunch, by 3:00 your stomach is begging for more. With these amazing, complete meals, I’m totally satisfied until 5 or 6 hours later. It’s great!

Right now it’s 1:50 PM, and Natasha’s busy in the kitchen. She’s making lunch. (Okay, one downfall on having a college kid cook your meals—you can toss any kind of a traditional schedule out the window). It smells spicy and grilly and YUMMY. I wish she’d hurry up… wow—my wishes are powerful! Just as I was writing that she brought me in a beautiful pita sandwich stuffed with grilled beef and peppers and onions. Delish !

Okay, ENOUGH about food! I’m hoping this storm that’s threatening will pass soon, so I can go out for a little ride. I’ve been so busy with work lately that I barely look up from my desk. I’m trying to make a concerted effort to get a ride in once a day. It will help when my husband gets home (he’s been away spending a couple of weeks with his mother)—he loves to be outside and will request bike rides regularly, so I can’t get so caught up with builders and financials and answering customers’ questions and fulfilling orders that I forget why I’m doing this—cause I love to bike!

All those reasons I just listed are also why I’ve been forgetting to blog. Another thing to put on my list of to- dos. I’m off to tackle a new project.

Wii Fit for us?

I have been hearing a lot about Wii Fit, and spent some time this morning checking it out. It seems like an awesome product, and I plan to purchase one as soon as I can find one (I understand they're in very short supply, but I don't know this for sure, as I haven't looked...yet.) Seems like a great rainy day choice .

The question, as it tends to, came up: "is this strong enough for me?" I found technical forums on the Nintendo site, and looked up "weight." Apparently, you can use the Wii Fit if you weigh about 340 or less. Better than 200 to 225 (a la bikes), but not up to snuff. I decided to write the folks at Nintendo a letter asking them to up the ante, so to speak. If you want to help make fun options available for ALL people, send them a note, too!

Have a great day!

Hitting Bottom--Literally

I have a rather embarassing experience to share. Actually, TWO rather embarassing experiences to share. I've decided to write about them because there is something I've learned from them. So, here we go--in a period of 8 days, I fell off my bike twice! Me--the bike goddess (excuse the total lack of modesty, but really, I don't know a lot of people who spend as much time thinking, talking about, riding, selling, breathing bikes as I do lately). First, let me tell you that I'm fine. I scraped my legs up a bit, but otherwise am fine.

I was thinking about WHY I fell, though. I mean, come on, I know how to ride. And I'm very cautious, follow all the rules, etc. Here's the cause--both times I was really tired. Too tired to be riding, but I was riding nonetheless. The second reason is that, because I was so tired, I was not as alert as I usually am, and both times I fell when I was stopping the bike. I was on my seat, which is quite high, as I'm 5'11", and instead of sliding off the seat and putting my feet on the ground, I keeled over. (graceful, I know....)

This going down the hard way got me thinking about my customers--the things I do for you all! I wasn't scared off from riding because of my falls, but I imagine that many new riders might be. So I was wondering what I could do to prevent this from happening to others.

Thinking about this, the beauty of the Time of Your Life design really hit home. That bike is designed so that the rider can touch the ground while seated on the saddle. So, if you're tired and not paying attention, and you come to a stop, your feet touch bottom when you put them down--and your butt doesn't need to. Or you're feeling a little wobbly--you can touch the ground. Stopping to chat with a neighbor--you can sit on your bike while you visit--you don't need to just straddle it. I have my choice of bikes (hey, it's one of the perks of making and selling them!), and neither time was I riding the Time of Your Life.

So a word to the wise--be sure to pay attention not only when riding, but also when stopping and starting. Start with your saddle down low as you begin biking, so that you feel safe while you're on the bike. The ideal position for riding comfort and power is with your leg almost fully extended, but it may take a while to get there. And (Joan!) if it's a new season of riding for you, you can always lower the seat a bit while you readjust to riding.

Happy trails to all!