Advice for larger cyclist

DavidSurgenor

Hi,

I am 6'6" and weigh about 22st and have been commuting about 3.5 miles each way a day for about 6 months on a 15 year old mountain bike. I am looking at getting a new bike when my company finally get the cycle to work scheme sorted and was wondering what people would recommend.

I like the mountain bike I have but find the gearing too low, on the flat I am flat out (leg spinning rather than leg power) at about 18 mph, but down some of the hills I can hit about 30mph but can't spin my legs fast enough to keep the speed up when I get back onto the flat. Would a road bike be better for me as all the commute is on road? My concern would be my sheer bulk and the stability of the thinner tyres.

I would be looking at spending up to about 750 on a bike.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Yours

David

nicklouse

David have a read of this topic

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4422383

tstegers

You can get a road bike that handle your bulk/power. I am 1.94m, about 6.4, and I weighed about 130kg when I started cycling. A 24inch Reynolds 531c Raleigh flexed dangerously if I went round corners quickly when I started cycling. I was advised to forget steel as a frame material. I switched to a 61cm Cannondale and the bike went in the direction it was pointed in without the alaming deviations of the Raleigh. I fitted some Spinergy rev X wheels because they did not have spokes. I couldn't do more than a few miles before the wheels on the Raleigh went out of true. After I broke the Spinergys I bought some wheels from Pete Matthews. I expect you will have similar problems with 700c wheels. I would advise Mavic Ceramic rims well built on good hubs. The bad news here is there won't be much change out of £350.

Within 18 months my weight was down ro 95kg and I sheared the Shimano BB axle and broke the Cannondale frame in the same incident. I have been through six frames since. I have been unable to get so much as a creak out of the two carbon Treks I have had. If you only want to spend around £750 I'd advise you to try ebay. A cosmetically suspect 62cm carbon Trek with a good set of wheels will bring a smile to your face for years. I think such a bike will probably help you shed about 5st. That might make it worth doubling your budget.

The Lunch

While not quite your stature (6'2" & 16st) I - likewise - went looking for something a bit sturdier after the SECOND frame (this time, a Muddy Fox) snapped under me (think two unicycles and you're not far wrong).

I bought the biggest Specialised (made by Americans - lots of *big* Americans) hybrid I could (Crossroads) with 27" wheels and an extended seat post. With extras it came to less than half your budget BUT as a London commuter I half-expect theft so don't over-spend.

DavidSurgenor

Thanks for the input, I went to dales cycles at the weekend and had a chat with one for their sales folk. They suggested that if I wanted a road bike as long as I went for something like the specialised tricross with its slightly thicker and more robust wheels I should be ok.

Unfortunately it has to be a new bike as I will be getting it through the cycle to work scheme.

So I think next time I am in dales I will try both the Specialised and the Scott sportster to see which will be best suited.

Thanks again for the input.

Yours

David