Hybrid bike suggestions for very overweight chap

bigblip

Hi,

This is my first post here and my first time asking for bike buying advice so apologies if I make any daft newbie mistakes. I wasn't sure whether this should go in the road bike or MTB forum as both seem to have posts regarding hybrids.

I'm a moderately active, 22 stone, 6'1", size 12 shoe (I read somewhere that this might be important!) chap and I'm looking for a bike to help me train for and complete a challenge I've been set (300 mile ride, Camberley to Newcastle over 5 days).

At this time I am quite capable of doing a more modest 20 to 25 miles in one session and the furthest I have cycled in one go was around 35 miles. I average around 13 mph. Luckily the challenge isn't until next year so I have time to get up to scratch. It isn't a race and there will be other less nimble people taking part as well. I'm committed to significantly lowering my weight and improving my overall fitness and cycling has always been the type of exercise I get on best with (jogging puts too much strain on a weak knee and the gym fills me with horror).

I am concerned, though, that I might need a specialist bike to handle my weight. I have a budget of up to £1000, including accessories such as panniers (I already own cycle clothing, safety gear, lights etc), but I don't want to spend all that money if I am going to buckle the frame or break the pedals in the first few days! Ideally I will buy something that I can grow (or rather shrink) into and that will still suit me when I am a trim 15 stone (!).

The bike I am keenest on is http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/hybrid/product/review-boardman-hybrid-team-11-44565. Is this a sensible choice?

Any other recommendations or pointers as to things I need to consider before committing?

Thanks in advance of your advice.

Ian . . .

The Rookie

Any reason why a Hybrid? The Boardman hybrids are effectively a road bike (what we used to call a racing bike) with the frame adjusted for use with flat bars, so would you be better off with a road bike? A CX bike is also one to consider, slightly longer than a road bike (still have dropped bars) for comfort and a bit 'burlier' they will also use/accept wider tyres making them a little more comfortable.

At 22 Stone any decent quality modern bike will cope fine.

Some inspiration for you and to show how modern bikes cope, Gary used to post in the commuter section when he first started on his journey for advice.
http://theamazing39stonecyclist.wordpress.com/

benpinnick

That is a great bike, and a great choice for you, but do look around, as others also do that style. I have a Cube SL cross which is similar and I love it. Definitely take the advice of the reviewer in your link though and go for some 35mm tyres, as those will be uncomfy and prone to pinching on rougher (even road) use.

Good luck!

bigblip

Thanks for the very useful replies.

The Beginner wrote:

Any reason why a Hybrid?

Only really because there are a good number of tracks and bridleways near me, also the Basingstoke Canal, which I often cycle along. I assumed a hybrid would be more appropriate to a wider range of surfaces.

The Beginner wrote:

At 22 Stone any decent quality modern bike will cope fine.

I'm delighted to hear that! I read somewhere on the Halfords website that their bikes are only rated up to 20 stone (I think). I guess that's just to cover themselves.

The Beginner wrote:

Some inspiration for you

Now that IS inspirational. I've obviously so far only dipped into such a huge blog but there's enough in there to keep me going, I think. All that in under 5 years - and over 4 stone in the first four months? 'Encouraging' doesn't nearly cover it!

benpinnick wrote:

but do look around

Absolutely. I have done a little research already (it's how I found this excellent site) and come up with a few options. One of the features on my list was disk brakes - I wanted something that will effectively and rapidly slow my huge carcass down as I career down some of the hills near here!

Thanks again. Any other suggestions for specific bikes will be very welcome.

The Rookie

For what you say a CX bike would be ideal (they are designed for offroad use of worse than you describe) they also come with fatter tyres as suggested by Ben, but ONLY if you are comfortabe on one, I think there i now a Boardman CX (cyclocross). Dont get too hung up on disc brakes, they are nice, but rim brakes will happily lift the rear wheel on most bikes, you can't slow any quicker then!

Halfords covering themselves......

Gary's story is great.....ironic as some of us put him forward as a torch bearer (given the legacy they were trying to sell and how Gary would be a god example of what could be done) but he didn't get picked.

bigblip

I'll certainly take a look at CX bikes, and point well taken about disc brakes! Thanks again.

mcnultycop

I don't really know about hybrids, but I started cycling again at 24 stone and my hardtail was great (2009 Trek 4500) . The only issues I had were the QR seat post slipping down (I just had to tighten it with an allen key slightly) and pinch punctures (resolved with a track pump, I only had a mini pump and it was difficult to get the higher pressures in). The owner of the LBS was great and really helpful at the time, and said they'd be no issues with my weight on the frame.

bigblip

How is the weight now, mcnultycop? A couple of years ago I lost 2.5 stone in about 6 months, through cycling every day (5 to 20 miles) but then I got swamped with a lot of overseas work and put it all back on again at the hotel bar :-(

Really want to get into a long term plan now - even if I could get down to 15 stone I'd be quite happy. I'm not necessarily aiming to be skinny.

mcnultycop

18ish stone now. 15 is my target too but I'm doing a lot of weights as opposed to just cycling. I do actually find that the weights have been the most help (big compound lifts). I've had a slip the last month or so and let some weight creep back on, but I'm back on it now.

Good luck with it and stick at it, I feel brilliant now at 18 stone. I'm looking forward to being another 3 stone lighter so I can get up hills quicker.

bigblip

Good man! Not a fan of gym related stuff but I am beginning to wonder if it might be a means to an end to hit my target weight quicker, then focus on maintaining that weight. I felt so much better when I got down to 19 stone the year before last. Looking forward to that feeling again. Cheers.

mcnultycop

However you choose to train, weight loss comes down mainly to what you eat.

The Rookie

Business travel is a killer, I once put on 8lbs in a week......now I stick to just one beer a night and only come back aboutr 2lb heaveir than when I go which I shed in a day or two.

Cycling to work lost me a stone in about 5 weeks with no change in diet, now I maintain just over 12st at 5'10".

bigblip

I've just done a month in a one-man show at the Edinburgh Fringe - lost a stone. Came home and immediately went on a cruise with my wife. Put the stone back on - plus another 9lbs - in ONE WEEK! I do need to regulate my food and booze intake, but I don't plan on giving anything up - just cutting down.

apreading

mcnultycop wrote:

However you choose to train, weight loss comes down mainly to what you eat.

Not true - nett weight loss/gain comes down to what goes in minus what you burn off or excrete. Change this ratio and it will affect your weight.

bigblip

Perhaps I should excrete more . . . ;-)

apreading

I bought this exact Boardman Hybrid team this time last year when I was just shy of 18stone. One year and 3500 miles later and I am just shy of 14stone - in fact just about all of the weight loss was in the first 6 months of that, since when I have relaxed my food regime a little, but kept the exercise regime going.

The Boardman has been ace - it has coped with everything and I still love riding it as much as the day I bought it.

For anything off tarmac I would look at bigger tyres though - I have ridden canal towpath a couple of times on the standard 28s and it is not great. The frame will certainly take 32s and possibly 35s but may not take those at the same time as mudguards. I have stuck with the 28s but at a slightly lower pressure than some roadies would like as it makes the ride so much better over our harsh roads in Berkshire.

Back in May I did the Asthma UK Beach to Beach ride - 140 miles over 2 days and I never felt I would have been better with a 'proper' road bike - I was just as fast (or faster) than many of those on road bikes. The really odd people where the ones in full cycle team branded lycra and carbon bikes etc that I kept overtaking! Nothing wrong with a hybrid in my opinion - unless you are going to use the drops on a road bike then a hybrid will put the brake levers in a better position for you. I know at 18 stone I wasnt comfortable getting down onto drop bars because of my stomach but even now I wouldnt have the same issues, I still prefer flat bars (albeit with bar ends for variety).

apreading

bigblip wrote:

Perhaps I should excrete more . . . ;-)

A good dose of gastro-entiritis would be great for weight loss...!

I did actually read that Victorian women used to deliberately get a tapeworm for weight loss and when it had done the trick they drank a cocktail that killed it and so they could excrete it!

mcnultycop

apreading wrote:

mcnultycop wrote:

However you choose to train, weight loss comes down mainly to what you eat.

Not true - nett weight loss/gain comes down to what goes in minus what you burn off or excrete. Change this ratio and it will affect your weight.

I may have oversimplified what I meant. What you say is substantially correct, but diet is the key to losing weight combined with suitable training.

bigblip

apreading wrote:

A good dose of gastro-entiritis would be great for weight loss...!

Ha! Actually, a few years back I was working in India and I deliberately threw myself in harm's way by eating food from street vendors, drinking water from taps etc, in the hope of enjoying a rapid weight loss facilitator. Sadly, I have an iron constitution and it all came to nought!

Back on topic, I live in Yateley, not far from you (assuming the 'reading' in apreading means the town, of course). Out of interest, did you go to Halfords in Reading (who I believe are a Boardman specialist centre)? Good experience? I'm not at all au fait with the mechanics of bikes (well, of anything actually) so I really will need to lean on an expert for anything beyond pumping the tyres!

The Rookie

In India right now, some of the people I work with get ill worryingly often, I've been ill twice (this is my 45th trip).....drinking tap water though is seriously dangerous, we had one guy on oral AND intravenous anti-biotics after accidentaly drinking some!

apreading

bigblip wrote:

did you go to Halfords in Reading (who I believe are a Boardman specialist centre)? Good experience? I'm not at all au fait with the mechanics of bikes (well, of anything actually) so I really will need to lean on an expert for anything beyond pumping the tyres!

Not sure I qualify as an expert, but have learned loads off trial and error, youtube and others help on here.

I got mine from Winnersh, but that was simply because they had stock when I wanted it (while an offer was on). They were fine - wouldnt rave about them or slate them. The pedals had been put on with absolutely no grease on the threads though, so were hard to get off on day 1 (to fit my SPDs) - I dread to think if I had ridden on them for 6 months how they would have come off. They were extremely good when I noticed a crack in the forks after a week - no arguements, the manager was really good. They had to order some new ones as they didnt have the right size in stock, arrived quickly, they cut them to length, fitted them and got me back up and running.

I dont think they have to do much to assemble the bikes - fit the handlebars and pedals and I think that is about it.

Thing is, doesnt matter which Halfords you go to - some have a guy who is an enthusiast and pretty good but it may not be him that assembles your bike, could be the saturday boy... Its a bit pot luck but if you are worried take the bike to another bike shop and get them to check it.

benpinnick

bigblip wrote:

Back on topic, I live in Yateley,

If you want to test a Cube Cross SL, Im only in Crowthorne, you're welcome to come round and have a test ride....

agg25

Def sounds like you need a CX bike. Hybrids usually come designed for road use only with skinny (28mm or so) tyres, cyclocross tyres have more grip offroad, would be more comfortable and are still quite quick.

Puggy73

I bought a Carrera Vengeance from Halfords last year with the aim of losing weight at 23 stone, held me up fine on canals and paths, ended up using a gym round the corner from my work to lose weight though but weekend cycles became more and more enjoyable as the weight went down. Knobbly tires suck for road riding though but i guess you'll burn more calories with them.

Would also like the 2nd the view of Diet is the easiest thing to regulate whilst trying to lose weight, yes you can burn more than you eat but it's much easier to control your diet with moderate exercise especially whilst unfit. I kept myself to below 2000 cals a day whilst trying to burn an additional 600+ cals from gym work, and it dropped off me.

Slamma

If you're looking at Boardmans you should consider this http://www.boardmanbikes.com/mtb/ht_teamr.html

Really good spec, more capable off-road and if you get the MTB bug chuck on a set of knobbly tyres & a decent hydraulic fork and you've got a properly good hardtail. Good luck with the trip to Newcastle, 22 st is lightweight up there...!

The Rookie

Err NO.

The Urban has a different frame....the rigid forks are not suspension corrected, so you can't put suspension forks on it...... worst advice I've heard since the last newbie on here suggested it!

Slamma

Boardmans own website say the HT Team has exactly the same frame as the HT Team which is equipped with 120mm travel Recons?

bigblip

Thanks to all for suggestions, and to benpinnick for the kind offer of a test ride.

In fact, I have now made my choice, based partly on the fact that I already own a middle of the road bike that I have quite happily used on the towpaths etc for a few years without a hitch. I was originally going to sell the old bike but I've decided to keep it for the trails and get something a little more road-focussed. I have a backache problem with dropped handlebars which I don't have with flat handlebars (and like apreading I also find the position uncomfortable with my ample beer gut!). I'm sure that would subside over time but I'm only ever going to do this for leisure and fitness so I decided against a pure road bike and plumped for a hybrid.

In the end I went for the more expensive Boardman Hybrid Pro. With the BCA Halfords discount voucher I got £100 knocked off the price, still more than I budgeted for, but hey ho. I have bought the bike with all stock fittings. As I am no expert I thought I would see what the standard bike is like before identifying which bits I might want to upgrade (saddle, tyres and pedals being the obvious candidates - bar ends and even a tri-bar were also suggested by friends who have some touring experience).

I pick it up tomorrow and will be happy to report back with my first impressions in a week or so.

Many thanks again for all the advice.

chez_m356

Slamma wrote:

Boardmans own website say the HT Team has exactly the same frame as the HT Team which is equipped with 120mm travel Recons?

no it doesn't, the team R has different length head tubes and is 70 degrees over the 69 degrees of the others, saying that it does say this on the Team R page"XC/Trail geometry designed for 120mm travel forks"

The Rookie

Indeed, and adding 120mm forks will slacken that off quite a lot.

benpinnick

The biggest issue is actually seat tube angle. The forks would slacken the steepish head angle to something quite trail friendly, but the seat tube angle would slacken alot, making the bike wheelie happy uphill. You could compensate with a zero layback seat post, but then you'll need a longer stem to give you room.... it goes on.