In the world of competitive cycling, there is a certain image that often comes to mind: lean, wiry athletes in skin-tight kits, weighing about as much as a light breeze. But if you find yourself lining up for a crit in the Midwest or jumping into a high-intensity race in Crit City on Zwift, you might encounter a different kind of powerhouse.
Meet Charles Givens—a self-described diesel, a grandfather, and a man whose journey from 400 pounds to the heat of the peloton is nothing short of legendary.
Awakened By a Broken Ankle
For thirty years, Charles lived the life of a dedicated IT dude in Springfield, Missouri. Like many in the industry, the sedentary nature of the job, combined with the stresses of raising two kids, saw his weight steadily climb. Despite being an active gym rat who spent years playing indoor soccer, Charles was always a big guy. By the time he was approaching his 50th birthday, that big guy persona had reached critical mass: he weighed over 400 pounds.
The turning point didn’t come from a doctor’s office or a New Year’s resolution. It came from a set of stairs. In 2010, just as he was turning 50, Charles fell down the steps and broke his ankle. “It didn’t heal right,” Charles recalls. “I knew I had to get this weight off”.
That injury was an awakening. He realized that if he didn’t make a radical change, the next decade of his life would be defined by limited mobility and declining health. He had ridden bikes a bit in the early 2000s, but it was time to take it seriously.
The 20 mph Benchmark
The initial weight loss was a grind, but Charles found that he actually enjoyed the time spent on two wheels. A few years into his journey, around age 52 or 53, he decided to test his mettle. He wasn’t just riding for leisure anymore; being a competitive guy, he wanted to see if he could compete.
He signed up for his first time trial. He set a goal of averaging 20 mph. If he could maintain that average speed in the TT, he would try racing the following year.
Boom! He hit the mark.
Getting “Blown Up” and Loving It
True to his word, Charles entered his first Criterium the following season. At the time, he had dropped down to 250 pounds—an incredible feat, yet still far from a typical racer’s weight.
The race was another wake-up call. “I got my butt kicked,” Charles admits with a laugh. He got blown up early, unable to maintain the blistering pace of the pack. But instead of being discouraged, he was hooked. He loved the intensity, the tactics, and the sheer adrenaline of the sport. He realized that to truly compete, he needed to take his training—and his weight loss—to the next level.
The Zwift Era Begins
One of the catalysts for Charles’ transformation was the Hotter’N Hell Hundred ride in Texas. There, he met a coach who helped guide him through the winter months. The coach introduced him to a platform that would change his life: Zwift.
Charles joined the Zwift community in 2017. It was the perfect match for his gym rat mentality. He could do structured workouts, join a racing team, and compete at any time of day, regardless of the Missouri weather.
Weight Loss Milestones
With the help of his coach and the data-driven environment of Zwift, Charles began ratcheting it up. He realized he was still taking in too many calories for his activity level, so he tightened his nutrition and leaned into the Zwift workouts.
The results were staggering:
- Starting Weight: 400+ lbs
- First Crit Weight: 250 lbs
- Summer Racing Weight: 215 lbs
- Lowest Weight: 195 lbs
By age 61, Charles was a different man. He was finishing in the top 15 of regional races in fields of 50 riders. He had earned his Cat 4 racing license and was proving that big guys could do more than just hold a wheel—they could lead the pack.
Training as a Diesel
Charles embraces his identity as a big guy cyclist. “I am not your typical racer, think a little bigger,” he says. “210 pounds is a great weight for me, so if I bump you it might hurt… LOL.”
His training setup is built for a diesel powerhouse. He uses a Saris platform to add motion to his indoor rides, making the experience more realistic and engaging. His philosophy is simple: you get out of Zwift what you put into it.
His routine is grueling:
- IRL Cycling: Dawn Patrol – Every Wednesday and Friday at 5:30 AM, Charles joins a group of about 40 riders for high-intensity training.
- Gym Work: He maintains his gym rat roots, adjusting his lifting schedule around his rides.
- Zwift Racing: He spends 3-4 days a week on the platform, even in the summer, with a particular love for the fast-paced action of Crit City.
In races, Charles plays to his strengths. He knows he’s not a mountain climber, but on the flats and through the technical corners, he’s a force to be reckoned with. He works on closing gaps, navigating the wind, and shooting the pocket in the final corners.
The Reset and the 2026 Comeback
Life, as it often does, threw a few more hurdles in Charles’ path. Last year, he was forced to take a break due to a combination of “bad signals”—a crash, equipment failures, and significant medical issues.
But the spirit that took him from 400 pounds to a competitive racer didn’t stay down for long. Now at age 61 (and looking toward the 2026 season), Charles is in the middle of a reset. He is getting his body back in shape, targeting a return to racing in June. “I have had many challenges along the way and still do, but love to ride,” Charles says. “The last year I have just been riding with no real purpose except points and levels. In the next week or so, I will be starting my workouts again”.
Racing For the Moment
When asked about his best feeling on a bike, Charles doesn’t talk about the scale or the power meter. He talks about the moment.
For him, it’s the sensation of hitting a corner while racing, laying the bike down with competitors right on his hip, and hearing the crowd cheer them on. It’s a feeling of pure, unadulterated life—a feeling that was nearly lost on those stairs in 2010.
Thanks, Charles, for sharing your story. Maybe we’ll bump into each other one day… hopefully not in an IRL crit, though! Ride on.
Follow Charles on Zwift at: Charles Givens6158
Inspiring story, Charles! Love seeing how your hard work and passion for both indoor and outdoor cycling has brought you so many benefits. Cool action shots too. Thanks for writing this piece, Kevin.
lots of sympathy, as I did the same thing, bad ankle break on two stairs. Wasn’t 400 lbs.
a question: what bike did he get at even 250 lbs? At 235-245 I’ve been running against bikes that set 240-270 as the maximum load, including the bike.
Trek Domane is 275# for aluminum or carbon fiber, i imagine most bikes in that ‘class’ are very similar. I don’t think its a hard and fast 275 either where the bike is going to be fine at 274 but explode into a million pieces at 276.
I figured if I got on a 245 lbs limit Roubaix, it wouldn’t be an instant critical failure, but inopted for an Endurace AllRoad with a 270ish limit.
id be concerned about wear on carbon fiber wheels with the added weight.
Fantastic article Kevin.. I really enjoyed reading that and Charles has a really motivational story. Congrats to the both of you 😃
I’ll always remember being at Unbound 50mi, near the end, rolling over hills, riding a little with a guy who was 300-400lbs, and he just nuked me on every descent just by coasting. At 5’6″ and probably about 140lbs back then I could catch him by pushing hard to roll off the descent up the start of the next hill, but eventually I just couldn’t keep up, he carried so much momentum and gravity accelerated him on those downhills so much faster, and he was just chilling, bumping tunes, not even pushing hard. That’s always made me think about the physics of weight and how it shapes rider style. Great to read an article that dabbles in that.
How exactly do you “follow” someone on Zwift?
On the Zwift Connect app, you find their profile and hit Follow.
Nice story. I’m bigger too but not as big as him. I’m more fireplug at best but more like Pillsbury dough boy. One year I did manage to do a local time trial route (Wolf Creek in SW Virginia) out and back again with an overall on-the-road time of 20 mph for the entire ride which is a little over 40 miles. That was my goal and I did hit it. I find it funny he had the same goal. However, about 10 years on, I’m 195 now and that’s down from 210. Back then I was about 175 on that date I think. The knees ache more and I get less sleep. At 63, I don’t plan on racing but I do plan on getting in longer rides, with my only goal this year to go from Tupper Lake, NY to Long Lake, NY and back – again around 40 miles roughly. If I feel well, on the way back, which is nicely downhill for about 1/2 the return trip, I want to see if I can make that as close to 20 mph average as possible but mostly, I just want to make the whole 40 without killing myself, which I haven’t been able to do for 5 or more years. It’s a constant struggle. If I make it back to 185 lbs. I figure I’ll be good for going the route and enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Adirondacks the week before July 4th.
At 5′ 10″ I was moderately fast but never enjoyed the ego tussle with the racers I met. At my best I could keep up with some but not the serious ones. Some always wanted to race to a stop sign and would gleefully go into the intersection without stopping. Idiots. But the real trick for me racing is not to overdo it at the start – which is easy – but still not drop off the first group. So far, I’ve never been able to manage that. Too out of shape.
I went to see if I could follow Mr. Givens on Zwift, but as it turns out, I’m already following him! Maybe I could do some very low level racing on there? The problem egos should be more easy to ignore. For me, it’s really more about the experience (especially outside) and testing myself. Though, I admit, when I was at my lightest (165) it was very fun to go uphill. Now, it… hurts.
It’s very encouraging that he demonstrated that making some health related choices allows one to enjoy the outcome of those choices. One can experience a very positive self-reinforcing outcome.
Reminds me of Owen Pedz who I have found to be particularly inspiring with his Ironman competitions.