Heavy rider looking for a new bike..

too slow to go

I have ~£1000 to spend on a new bike for longer rides and a sportive later in the year. My current weight is ~115kg :oops:

I was about to click buy on this... http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mekk-2g-poggio-p25-ultegra/ but then noticed that the wheels are unofficially rated at a max of 95kg

Is that weight rating just a guideline or would the bike crumble under my mighty mass

Any advice on a new bike? will my first choice be ok untill i drop the weight or should i be looking at other bikes? if so what do you recommend?

I currently ride a btwin sport1 so anything over £500 will be an upgrade.

Spudboy

If it were me at that price (and I'm 6ft 4 and similar weight) I would be looking for a quality alu frame and some handbuilt wheels. Check out Specialized and Bianchi. At £1k you can get a nice bike, sell the stock wheels and invest in handbuilts that will last you years and ride great. Most importantly get down to the local dealer and try them for size. Fit is everything. Enjoy the shopping!

too slow to go

Thanks for the advice. There's a guy in Glasgow that builds wheels with a good reputation.. think I'll go down that route.

wishitwasallflat

Spudboy wrote:

If it were me at that price (and I'm 6ft 4 and similar weight) I would be looking for a quality alu frame and some handbuilt wheels. Check out Specialized and Bianchi. At £1k you can get a nice bike, sell the stock wheels and invest in handbuilts that will last you years and ride great. Most importantly get down to the local dealer and try them for size. Fit is everything. Enjoy the shopping!

I'm same (ish) weight as you OP and ride a Specialized Sectuer - had no end of trouble with the OEm wheels and several warranty replacements and decided to get handbuilt 36h and they are a revelation such that I don't think I would ever go back to factory built. Contrary to a bullsh77t article in C+ last year Spesh do not have any weight limit on their frames - only limit is on some select carbon components - so +1 to Spudboy's advice. At that price a nice Al frame - sell the OEM wheels unused on here and get 36h handbuilt = perfect for us big lads!

gimpl

Hi
I'm 6'4" and was the same weight when I started last year on a regular Giant Rapid 4. Had no issues with the wheels at all. I'm now getting on for 2 stone lighter and on a carbon Defy 1.

At you budget you could also try an Aluminium Defy 1 - pretty bomb proof if you ask me.

carrock

or you could buy a cyclocrosser- bombproof wheels and ideal for towpaths and light offroading

markhewitt1978

too slow to go wrote:

I have ~£1000 to spend on a new bike for longer rides and a sportive later in the year. My current weight is ~115kg :oops:

I was about to click buy on this... http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mekk-2g-poggio-p25-ultegra/ but then noticed that the wheels are unofficially rated at a max of 95kg

Is that weight rating just a guideline or would the bike crumble under my mighty mass

Any advice on a new bike? will my first choice be ok untill i drop the weight or should i be looking at other bikes? if so what do you recommend?

I currently ride a btwin sport1 so anything over £500 will be an upgrade.

Trek state that the maximum weight for all their bikes is 125kg, so that's fine!
For £1,000 I would say go for a Trek Domane 2.0, very comfortable ride. Or better still if you could stretch to the Domane 4.0 which is carbon for £1,500 - most LBS will give at least a 10% discount on that.

The main thing to look for is good brakes, as road brakes are mostly designed to brake a light rider on a light bike, they are notoriously poor if the bike or rider is heavy. So that might be the first thing you'd want to upgrade.

I hope cycling helps you lose a bit weight, but it's not easy! I'm currently 85kg, whereas I should be more like 70kg for my height!