Big guy looking for some help/advice (noobie)

Addicks11

I'm seeking some expert advice from experienced cyclists.

I'll start with my main purpose of taking up cycling which is to loose weight & increase my fitness levels. Currently I weigh around 130-135kg & looking to get down to around 90kg which I know is going to take some doing but with a good mixture of healthy eating & exercise I feel it's very achievable over time.

I'm looking at starting to commute to & from work which is 6 miles each way, then going for a ride on my days off & slowly start to increase my mileage. Most of my riding will be on road but with the occasional off road when I'm not at work due to living close to the peak district & some lovely national parks. Off road will be nothing metal so no need for a MTB, mainly cycle paths & trials. When out doing these rides I would ideally like to take one of my kids with me (1 year or 3 year old) so ideally need a bike that will be able to have a child seat attached.

After looking at all the different type of bikes available I have narrowed it down to either a touring or cyclocross but would one of these be best?

I have listed a few bikes to consider but fully open to suggestions as long as they do not cost a fortune.

https://www.evanscycles.com/norco-thres ... e-EV277746

https://www.evanscycles.com/kona-jake-2 ... e-EV291528

https://www.evanscycles.com/trek-crocke ... e-EV251342

https://www.evanscycles.com/genesis-tou ... e-EV289587

https://www.evanscycles.com/dawes-coast ... e-EV238305

kajjal

Most bike manufacturers list maximum rider weight on their websites for bikes which will help steer you away from weaker, lightweight bikes. Cx or gravel bikes are stronger due to being designed to go off road.

I weight 100kg and based on my experience choose a bike which takes wider tyres and also has decent hydraulic disc brakes. The wider tyres will support your weight better and provide a smoother ride, especially if you go off road. My bike is fine for me with 28mm or bigger tyres. Off road in the summer i fit 33mm tyres which handle anything i throw at them. As you lose weight you can fit smaller tyres as needed.

I find rim brakes provide very poor braking, especially in the wet due to my weight. Hydraulic disc brakes have alot more power and control, plus are unaffected by the wet.

Also make sure the rear gears on the bike are 11-32 to give you plenty of hill climbing gears.

Appart from that buy a bike that fits you well and you like the look of as it will make you want to ride it.

simono5

Good luck with the weight loss just started a similar journey.

Thigh_burn

All those bikes are in the region of £1000 and for that you'll get a perfectly good ride. From a quick glance they all look pretty decent for what you're after.

But it was just a quick glance and as Kajjal says above, I'd really focus on hydraulic disc brakes and something that can take wider tyres.

As someone who is on a similar journey to you, but I think slightly further along can I take the liberty of adding a few more non-bike bits of advice:

- get a bike computer and sign up to Strava to see how you're doing. It keeps you honest and most of all it's great as you improve. It's not an essential piece of kit, but I found it made my riding better and I think my weightloss easier, as I was able to track my cadence and distance so accurately.
- weight loss is all about the type of food you eat. For me, it was about upping protein and reducing carbs. Myfitnesspal was a big help.
- I've combined cycling with strength and conditioning. There are lots of people on here who will tell you not to do S&C as muscle adds weight. But I love my S&C work and am never going to be a mountain goat on a bike. It's been a delight swapping fat with muscle. Even if it means the scales aren't quite as low as they might otherwise be.

Good luck.

Addicks11

Kajjal wrote:

Also make sure the rear gears on the bike are 11-32 to give you plenty of hill climbing gears.

This is why I came here for advice as I would of never known about this!

simono5 wrote:

Good luck with the weight loss just started a similar journey.

Cheers buddy! Hope you are getting on well & you reach your goal!

Thigh_burn wrote:

But it was just a quick glance and as Kajjal says above, I'd really focus on hydraulic disc brakes and something that can take wider tyres.

As someone who is on a similar journey to you, but I think slightly further along can I take the liberty of adding a few more non-bike bits of advice:

- get a bike computer and sign up to Strava to see how you're doing. It keeps you honest and most of all it's great as you improve. It's not an essential piece of kit, but I found it made my riding better and I think my weightloss easier, as I was able to track my cadence and distance so accurately.
- weight loss is all about the type of food you eat. For me, it was about upping protein and reducing carbs. Myfitnesspal was a big help.

I have made sure that all the bikes I'm looking at have disc brakes as I've read that they are best for heavier riders.

Can you recommend any good bike computers? I have used myfitnesspal in the past & will be using it more frequently from now on.

yiannism

I actually think that a trekking bike is more suitable for your needs than a road bike, more relaxed geometry, strong frames and the front suspension can help you to go to a dirt roads, and will come cheaper too. You will not find a lot of fans of that kind of bike, but i started with one as an overweight bad shape and i was driving it for almost 1.5 year.

imafatman

Big rider here, started at 146kg this year and now down to 130kg when I picked up a new road bike.}

Whatever you do.... make sure you take a few test rides to get a feel between the differences. I tried several cyclocross bikes but I did not like the aggressive position. After trying 6-7 bikes out I eventually came across the Genesis Croix de Fer and it just felt right for me. All bikes basically look the same but they ride very very differently.

One thing I will say, none of the stock bikes had particularly stiff wheels. At this weight it's the first thing to go. I wouldn't replace them from the start but it's worth keeping at the back of your mind you may need to replace them in the future.

A basic bike fit is a very good idea. I paid £65 and the guy came to my bike shop and set me up on the trainer - eventually getting my seat height, setback and handlebar positions perfect. Best money I ever spent because my bike is so comfortable now I can do 100km rides and not feel any back pain.

If you are considering a Genesis bike I would suggest looking at the Croix de Fer 20 if you can stretch. It has rack mounts and is slightly lighter than the Tour de Fer, also comes with Tiagra and Hyrdaulic brakes which imo are worthwhile improvements.

https://www.evanscycles.com/genesis-cro ... e-EV289582

geryben

Agree. Better buy trekking bike.