Bigger than Clydesdale looking for first road bike

4xlbiking

Hello everyone!
I'm 187 tall / 130kg, inseam 91cm, and looking to buy my first road bike/ gravel-adventurer. Don't be mistaken by my Clydesdale "specs" I enjoy long rides (60 - 90 - 117km) and do it regularly on my current hybrid with spd pedals, averaging 19-23,5km/h on the flats. Nevertheless, I'm lost in bike jungle... Want to get a first road bike and would like an opinion. I've been riding on the road and hard gravel paths with occasional single tracks to get to beautiful views. My somewhat limited budget points me into buying a bike that can do it all. So I'm torn between these:

1) Specialized Diverge Elite
2) ROSE Team DX-Cross 2000 MB (https://www.rosebikes.se/bike/rose-team-dx-cross-2000-mb/aid:2658328)
3) Specialized Sequoia Elite (Ugly as heck in greenish-like color, but nice specs)
4) Kona Jake the Snake 2016.
5) Crescent Zepto expert 2017. (http://www.crescent.se/cyklar/cyclocross/zepto-expert-gb-20-vxl/)

Btw: I need plenty of gears for hills around my area. But also a comfortable bike with a more upright position. I'm thinking of "french schooling" it and going for a big size, since I'm somewhat tall, but also having another bike fit just for it (had one done for my hybrid and it worked wonders!)

If any of you has any other recommendation/suggestion/another brand, please feel free to say it. Thank you so much!

4xlbiking

Really guys, I ride at my own risk Just wondering if anyone could pitch some advice or has any experience with these bikes. I'm conscious of the wheel changes and number of spokes, I can costumize that at ROSE and the Crescent bike already comes with plenty (albeit it is the heaviest of them all - but not a concern for me).
It seems that I can get more value with the ROSE or the Kona, though...

964cup

Giant Anyroad? Upright position, 136kg rider weight limit, not expensive.

Hinaultscrapcousin

I'd be looking at the Cotic Escapade for the type of riding it sounds like you want to do:

http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/new_escapade

Either get the frame and build it up or pick one of the options, fantastic bikes.

shortfall

Although not quite in your league I'm 6'5" and 17 stone. I got a handbuilt titanium but you could equally get steel for a significant saving. All told it can actually work out cheaper than buying off the peg and you'll have something that fits you perfectly and will likely last a lifetime. What's your budget?

andy9964

I'd consider budgeting for some wheels. At 97kg, I was breaking spokes on my CAADX rear wheel. I bought a pair of handbuilt wheels - Archetype rims, Sapim race spokes and Hope hubs, and two years later, the rear is only around 1mm out of true, despite having a rear mech/hanger incident sending it crashing into the spokes

mrb123

As above, I'd consider doing a build rather than getting something off the peg.

Get a tough steel frame that fits you - something like a Genesis Croix de Fer. Then get some sturdy handbuilt wheels and you can pick and choose all the other components to suit.

timothyw

I'm similar in size, whatever you get, make sure you have warranty coverage (and that you are within any published weight limits for the kit). Second hand is not cost effective when you've killed as many frames as I have.

Secondly, make sure you budget for a strong handbuilt wheelset, or at the very least some wheel tlc - if the bike you go for comes with say 32 spoke wheels, you should be able to get decent life out of them by taking them while new to a competent wheelbuilder to be stress relieved and retensioned.

The Giant Anyroad is a decent shout from what you've described.

I haven't done thousands of miles on them yet, but the Rose own-brand 36 spoke wheelsets seems well built and certainly strong for the money.

cycleclinic

as mentioned above wheels. The OP is heavy enough that many wheelsets fitted to many bikes will not last too long.

I would also look a good steel frame over alloy as fatigue will be less of an issue with steel. A croix der fer was going to be my suggestion too. There are other in the mold though.

DeVlaeminck

I would also look for some decent brakes - if disc then hydro and set up and bedded in properly - semi hydro may be ok if working perfectly. Your weight is going to take more stopping than a 10 stone weakling once you get some speed up. Croix de Fer is not a bad shout - I have one and I do find it a bit of a tank but it certainly seems pretty rugged and that impression is backed up by it surviving a 4x4 running into the back of it and the frame surviving with only a bent mech hanger.

964cup

I had a Croix de Fer - tough, but awfully lumbering - none of the joy of steel and all of the weight. It was a good workhorse commuter but I don't miss it. It also wouldn't be my choice for the sort of adventure riding the OP describes, as it lacks tyre clearance and isn't that compliant. I'd say this is more of a Giant Anyroad / GT Grade kind of thing - or, I suppose, a custom Huntsman from Forty Four - but I expect that might blow the budget. Very cool, though, his gravel bikes, even allowing for his frankly weird handlebar preference. I suppose Talbot might be persuaded to do something similar on this side of the pond.

wishitwasallflat

I was considerably bigger than you when I started and wish I had known then never to use anything but good handbuilt 32F 36 Rear wheels. Personally I would go for spesh as their lifetime frame warranty is cast iron. I had a secteur that cracked and it was replaced quickly with no hassle. Diverge is the current equivalent bike and if you find a spesh concept store you can get a loan for a test ride. I had mine for a week before buying.

4xlbiking

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

I'd be looking at the Cotic Escapade for the type of riding it sounds like you want to do:

http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/new_escapade

Either get the frame and build it up or pick one of the options, fantastic bikes.

Hi there! Just checked their homepage - yes, they are fantastic! And, that's exactly the kind of riding I do (saw the video). Will be looking more into it! Thanks!

4xlbiking

wishitwasallflat wrote:

I was considerably bigger than you when I started and wish I had known then never to use anything but good handbuilt 32F 36 Rear wheels. Personally I would go for spesh as their lifetime frame warranty is cast iron. I had a secteur that cracked and it was replaced quickly with no hassle. Diverge is the current equivalent bike and if you find a spesh concept store you can get a loan for a test ride. I had mine for a week before buying.

Thanks! What are your thoughts on diverge carbon fork?

Hinaultscrapcousin

4xlbiking wrote:

Hinaultscrapcousin wrote:

I'd be looking at the Cotic Escapade for the type of riding it sounds like you want to do:

http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/new_escapade

Either get the frame and build it up or pick one of the options, fantastic bikes.

Hi there! Just checked their homepage - yes, they are fantastic! And, that's exactly the kind of riding I do (saw the video). Will be looking more into it! Thanks!

No worries. Worthwhile giving them a ring if you have questions, they are a great company to deal with.

The spec won't be as good as you'll get on a big brand bike but it's the frame and, especially in your case, the wheels that are important.

4xlbiking

Shortfall wrote:

Although not quite in your league I'm 6'5" and 17 stone. I got a handbuilt titanium but you could equally get steel for a significant saving. All told it can actually work out cheaper than buying off the peg and you'll have something that fits you perfectly and will likely last a lifetime. What's your budget?

Seems to be the way to go, though a boost on the current budget might be necessary! Currently under the 1500 GBP mark.

4xlbiking

964Cup wrote:

I had a Croix de Fer - tough, but awfully lumbering - none of the joy of steel and all of the weight. It was a good workhorse commuter but I don't miss it. It also wouldn't be my choice for the sort of adventure riding the OP describes, as it lacks tyre clearance and isn't that compliant. I'd say this is more of a Giant Anyroad / GT Grade kind of thing - or, I suppose, a custom Huntsman from Forty Four - but I expect that might blow the budget. Very cool, though, his gravel bikes, even allowing for his frankly weird handlebar preference. I suppose Talbot might be persuaded to do something similar on this side of the pond.

Boy, that 44 website will be having more visits! Any idea of the price tag for the huntsman? Will also check Talbot now.