I recently had a reel go fairly viral, racking up 1.2 million views on Instagram and 30,000 shares. The reel (see below) opens with “I’m a fat cyclist, of course I’m huffing and puffing up all the hills” and continues on to poke fun at my lack of well-fitting cycling clothes, proclivity towards always having more than enough snacks, and love of absolutely bombing downhills.
While the intent of this reel was to entertain by leaning on some familiar stereotypes, I also hoped it would bring attention to the very real challenges bigger bodied riders face and the assumptions folks make about us. It was clear from the response that I had hit a nerve, as comment after comment rolled in from other large bodied riders chiming in with their experiences.
