Meet Gertrude. Gertrude is a Raleigh Urban 2, recently inherited from one of my Dads who decided she wasn't the most suitable bike for him either. She's quite simply the worst bike for someone of my size, and to say the least, we have issues (I'd quite happily abandon her for a nice Dutch/town bike). However, I really do adore cycling and so we deal with it. This is my first bike for about 8 years (!) (I did have one more recently that got stolen after my first cycle ride, sob) and I'm getting used to urban cycling. Where I grew up most places I needed to go could be reached without going on busy roads, or roads at all in fact, so I'm a very nervous urban cyclist. Also, Yorkshire is very hilly, particularly compared with Surrey, so much harder to cycle around! However, I'm definitely enjoying it so far.
One thing I've noticed about cycling as a fatty is that I seem to inspire a lot of pretty horrible comments. Just cycling up the road to Headingley village this afternoon, I got hooted at and also someone shouted that they felt sorry for my bike. I'm trying not to get too angry/sad/affected by these comments, but something about the last stung me. I'm happy with my fat, and I'm happy to be active again. When someone makes that sort of comment at me, it makes me feel like they want me locked away somewhere - out of sight, out of mind. Does my weight deny me the right to be active, to be outside, to be in view by others? I sometimes wonder this myself especially given how hard it is to find reasonably priced cycling shorts, and other activewear above a size 20, generally.
Anyway, I won't stop cycling, and I won't make my body invisible for those it offends.
I also didn't really come to post about this either. I wanted to show off my latest ebay score! This navy/white summer dress was £5.19 excluding postage. It's really fitted with a pleated skirt and sweetheart neckline, really well tailored given that it's from George and generally speaking plus size tailoring is pretty awful. I'm looking forward to teaming it with a cardi in the autumn.
Dress, £5.19 from Ebay (originally by George at ASDA)
Belt, vintage (pilfered from my old shop)
Shoes, ancient flats £22 New Look.
