Too heavy for a road bike???

xterra
xterra Posts: 117
edited October 2010 in Road beginners
Hi everyone,
I decided to get a MTB to help to start to lose some weight. I am just under 17 stone (lost nearly a stone now!!) Anyway the MTB is great but i have now got a road bike too (the cycling bug has bitten) and try and do some longer rides at the weekend.
I was really enjoying myself until i have been told that road bikes and wheels are only suitable and safe for riders under 16 stone!!!
Is this correct - am i in danger?? I am continuing to ride (and limiting the pies :D ) - hopefully the more i ride the quicker ill get below this magic weight?? but in seriousness am i putting myself and others at danger for riding a road bike and what will happen

Comments

  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Some bikes and wheels do have weight limits, especially wheels, but the majority of mass produced bikes have none, or at least one that is quite high.

    My TT bike has a 120kg weight limit, and my road bike has none at all.

    At 17 stone, you'll be fine on loads of bikes.
  • xterra
    xterra Posts: 117
    thanks - my bike is a boardman team comp, so hopefully being mass produced is ok :-)
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    Almost any frame will be okay apart from super light competitive frames.
    The only concern may be if your wheels have a low spoke count. I am no expert ( :shock: ) but I would guess that you want at least 28 at the back.

    Hopefully someone will come in with an accurate spoke requirement.
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    The frame should be fine, but I'd check the rating on the wheels.

    My brother is 15 stone, and bought a Bianchi Via Nirone about 8weeks ago. He's already trashed the rear wheel. Apparently this was down to his size and, being an ex rugby boy, his leg strength.

    He's had a set of Mavic Open Pro rims built onto Hope Pro3 hubs, £300 I think for the set. He's been mashing them for a couple of weks now with no problems.
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  • mattward1979
    mattward1979 Posts: 692
    I was a tad under 17st when I got my Roadie, and I havent had a single problem that relates to my weight on the bike.

    *Firmly grabs some Wood for luck!*

    My only suggestion would be to look for a bike that has a high spoke count on the rear.
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  • xterra
    xterra Posts: 117
    Jake151 wrote:
    You will be fine with your Boardman, a guy at the club is 17 Stone and rides a carbon allez on stock wheels and hes fine.

    Its when you start spending 4k+ and specialist wheels you have to start worrying but your fine for the moment.

    Cheers Jake/All

    ill leave the 4k racing whippet bike as a treat when i get to 14stone, well 15! - ok when i can afford a set of Zipps lol :wink:
  • Butterd2
    Butterd2 Posts: 937
    Was 17.5st when I got my Roadie, no probs. Broke Mavis Aksium freehub but that was power not weight you'll be fine - enjoy!
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  • Down the Road
    Down the Road Posts: 949
    Hoy 16 st+ Rides a road bike 4 training

    Big Magnus was 15st in RACE trim

    Both will produce more power than you so you will be fine. Might need a good pair of wheels is the only thing
    Racing is life - everything else is just waiting
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 358
    As with everyone else it's the wheels that are the issue and the back on mainly.

    I'm over 20st(not by much mind) and i've struggled with rear wheels staying true and breaking spokes so i've had a wheel built. OPen Pro CD rim on 105 hub with DT swiss DB spokes of which there are 32. It's now done about 250 miles and is still as true as the day I bought it and I no longer worry about them to the point I would find 5 miles loops around home I could do laps on so if it went wrong I was within walking distance of home!
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  • xterra
    xterra Posts: 117
    chunkytfg, is it expensive to have a wheel custom made/built?? i dont want to run the risk of all the gear no idea lol...although some bits and pieces these days look the biz...


    and to all - thank you for your guidance - a better back wheel is my next stop :-)
  • RetroSi
    RetroSi Posts: 8
    I certainly wouldn't worry, I've been cycling over 40 years now & have been & seen some very heavy people riding with no ill effect. I use to be over 16.5 stone on a set of 23 year old Mavic 28 spoke rims & Campag C Record hubs & never did they go out of true.

    The only time I've seen a problem was at a fun fair when this bunch of lads came by larking around, one on saddle, handle bars, one sideways on top tube & one either side with a foot balancing on very edge of bottom rear stay & they went for some distance & it was only because they went over a pot hole that the rear wheel collapsed. :shock:

    I mean there must have been at least 60 stone in wieght honestly, very funny too. :lol:
    Thankfully no one was hurt.
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 358
    xterra wrote:
    chunkytfg, is it expensive to have a wheel custom made/built?? i dont want to run the risk of all the gear no idea lol...although some bits and pieces these days look the biz...


    and to all - thank you for your guidance - a better back wheel is my next stop :-)

    I paid £153 for the wheel with no tyre, tube or cassette.

    Think I could have possibly got it cheaper but not by much and using your local bike shop is always recommended for ease of sorting things if stuff goes wrong sometime down the line IMO
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    if you use irrational measures to measure me, expect me to behave irrationally to measure up
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    You can get a decent handbuilt rear wheel for £75 or a pair for £120 at Spa Cycles, something like a Rigida Chrina 32 hole on Sora or Tiagra hub. They build these for tourers so a well up to the task. You can of course spend a lot more, but these would be plenty good enough. Spa Cycles have a great rep too. If you are really worried you can opt for 36 spokes at the same price!
  • Wheelspinner
    Wheelspinner Posts: 6,559
    RetroSi wrote:
    The only time I've seen a problem was at a fun fair when this bunch of lads came by larking around, one on saddle, handle bars, one sideways on top tube & one either side with a foot balancing on very edge of bottom rear stay & they went for some distance & it was only because they went over a pot hole that the rear wheel collapsed. :shock:

    I mean there must have been at least 60 stone in wieght honestly, very funny too. :lol:
    Thankfully no one was hurt.

    It would have been MUCH funnier if someone did get hurt. It always is, as long as it's someone else on the receiving end! :lol:
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  • spinndrift
    spinndrift Posts: 185
    The crap some people come out with :roll:

    I'm 18.5 stone now and not had any issues - depending on my rides I use the stock Alex wheels which have never gone out of true or my old school cosmics which I have broken the odd spoke on.
    Cheers

    Andy
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  • Steve_F
    Steve_F Posts: 682
    I've varied between 15.5 and 17 stone, no problem on the original wheels on either road bike and no problem with the Mavic Ksyriums that replaced them.

    If I was you I wouldn't worry about it unless something happens to the wheel. Wheels are a very good upgrade but at your weight I wouldn't be bothering to rush out to buy something only because it's stronger.
    Current steed is a '07 Carrera Banshee X
    + cheap road/commuting bike
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    spinndrift wrote:
    The crap some people come out with :roll:
    For the sake of clarity - which bit was the crap?
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 358
    alfablue wrote:
    spinndrift wrote:
    The crap some people come out with
    For the sake of clarity - which bit was the crap?

    Yeah i'd appreciate come clarity also if you wouldnt mind
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  • slowondefy2
    slowondefy2 Posts: 348
    xterra wrote:
    I was really enjoying myself until i have been told that road bikes and wheels are only suitable and safe for riders under 16 stone!!!

    I assume spinndrift was referring to this part, from the OP. Every subsequent comment seems to suggest weight isn't an issue (within reason).
  • spinndrift
    spinndrift Posts: 185
    For clarification I meant the bit of the op highlighted by slowondefy2

    Is like to know who gave that advice - hopefully not LBS.

    Sorry for any confusion.
    Cheers

    Andy
    Cyclist, Massage Therapist & Ice Cream Genius
    Andrew Creer Massage
  • xterra
    xterra Posts: 117
    everyone will be glad to hear it wasnt a LBS - it was brought up in discussion about setting rear shock levels on MTB's for rider weight or riding style with a group of mates :)

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