$2,000 budget-head spinning from all the variety and opinions-you can cause more!

[DwightMack]

Hello,

I'm a fat person. Muscular and fat. American Football lineman fat. I weigh 235lbs (107KG) with broad shoulders and big thick limbs. I will never have a cyclist's physique even when I lose the next 45lbs. (190lbs is my goal and where my doctor wants me. I've lost 37 to date). I have a football player's shape and that doesn't change regardless of the fat around my middle. I would like a bike that I don't look like a circus bear strapped to a tricycle.

I ride an entry level Giant Defy that has been good to me. I look like a giant on my Giant, but I will ride it until it falls apart because it got me into cycling and I love it. I've logged 1,300 plus miles so far this year up from 500 miles last year. This is my second season riding.

I have a budget of $2,000 to spend on a road bike and I'm looking for input. I know carbon is all the rage, but I know steel is also a good choice. Because of my body weight I don't think a 15lb weight difference in the frame is going to be huge when it comes to performance for me.

I rode a 335 mile ride this past weekend on my aluminum frame and did fine. I am sore but I did it.

I have been told to look at Salsa Colossal or Salsa Titanium bikes.
I have looked at Trek Domane and ridden it-not bad truly.
I have ridden Raleigh and liked it OK
I have seen and will ride Friday a Canondale Synapse and Specialized Tarmac (and another model that is more touring).

I would like to have at least Shimano 105 components, undecided on frame. As I said weight probably doesn't matter on the frame so it is a toss up, and I would like something that will withstand aggressive climbing and not rattle me off of my seat. I am status conscious due to riding with some racers once a week but that is more about me getting comfortable with my self than impressing others. I'd rather not buy a bike that says "cheapskate", but am big enough (literally and emotionally) to handle it regardless. There is a part of me that wants that "Trek" label, but not enough to miss out on more bike for the same amount of money.

Are there other heavy cyclists out there that have had good luck with a particular brand/style?

Are Salsa or Allcity legitimate options over a Trek, Canondale, Specialized, or Raleigh? Would you consider a Fuji? Why or why not?

Thanks for any help.

 

[tottenham21]

Hi there, I'm also a bigger than normal bloke, was 270 when I started cycling 3 years ago up to 3 weeks ago I was 238 and still eating like a pig till I decided enough is enough plus it helped me that I also just had inguinal hernia surgery so as of 1 week ago I decided to eat right and no carbs whatsoever and my weight just keeps dropping now as of this morning I'm 223 and plan on getting down to 200 or less within next 2 months, my wife has said to me as soon as I drop to the 200 pounds mark she will drive me herself to the LBS to buy me my dream carbon frame bike so you can imagine my motivation, I'm limiting myself to a bike no more than $3,400 my choices are Bianchi, Wilier, Colnago or Ridley....good luck with your goals and hopefully you will find a nice bike that you can love & will ride hard as nails.

 

[AyeYo]

Originally Posted by DwightMack
I would like a bike that I don't look like a circus bear strapped to a tricycle.

What you need to accomplish this is a bike that doesn't have compact geometry or at least not something with the new, extreme compact geometry that has become so popular this year. If not a steel bike, at least something that will be the same shape as a steel bike.

I'd check out the CAAD10 Ultegra.

http://www.cannondale.com/2014/bikes/road/elite-road/caad10/caad10-3-ultegra-31846

Not only is it a great bike, surprsingly light and nice riding for an aluminum frame, but because of the more aggressive tube angle, it looks bigger than a stupid sloped top tube bike of the same size.

If you want carbon, the SuperEvo is a good option, but you're dropping down to 105 components to offset the upgraded frame.

http://www.cannondale.com/2014/bikes/road/elite-road/supersix-evo/supersix-evo-5-105-31799


Scott and Felt have also managed to stay away from the non-traditional frame shape fad, so also consider the Addict, Foil, and F-series. And there's aboslutely nothing wrong with Fuji bikes. No one is going to look down on you for riding any of the mentioned brands. $2000 is above the point at which you need to worry about crappy bikes.

 

[oldbobcat]

Salsa and AllCity are niche brands, and if the niches they hit are speaking to you I'd give them serious consideration. I just popped over to the All-City site, and Mr. Pink is telling me he could be a lot of fun for getting lost on dirt roads in the foothills. I'm digging the steel frame and fork with trad road geometry--not "endurance" but not modern racing, just room for fatter tires and a little more wheelbase. And the fatter wheels and tires. And the nice steel fork with a real brazed crown. And the thoughtful (value-oriented but very functional) component selection. I was expecting to be a little disappointed and now I'm impressed. You might very well find these bikes quite nifty for handling your heft. You'd find steel and titanium frames to be quite different from the carbon frames you've been trying, though.

Regarding the CAAD10, I dig Cannondales, especially the "race" frames (CAAD10 and SuperSix), but I'm not sure these are the right bikes for you.

In the Fuji line, the Roubaix frame has proven to be a reliable, value-oriented workhorse for sport riders and beginning racers. I'd be concerned about the wheels, though, as Fuji tends to hit price points by scrimping here.

In the Raleigh line, I really dig the Revenio as a nice all-around sport bike with good value. I tried a Revenio 1.0, carbon frame with Ultegra Di2, and loved it. The handling and ride said this is a go-anywhere, go-all-day kind of bike. The frame was more impressive than the Di2.

The ride of Trek's Domane, especially under the saddle, is truly awesomely smooth, but the handling felt vague and slow to me. Definitely not my cuppa tea. I'd like it better with a steeper head tube.

Another bike along the lines of the Revenio is Felt's Z-series. Generally, I find the handling of "endurance" bikes kind of vague, sloppy, and remote, but the Revenio and Z are more like slightly relaxed race bikes. The responsiveness of the Felt is a bit sharper.

I haven't ridden Scott's Solace yet, but if it has any of the good traits of the Foil, Addict, and CR1, it should be pretty sweet. I'm not too crazy about the rear brake behind the bottom bracket, though. I've ridden considerable miles on a CR1, and it hits a sweet spot at the racier end of the "endurance" spectrum--quick, neutral handling, snappy acceleration, and a ride that keeps you informed without kicking your butt. I like this bike a lot. It's probably my personal favorite in the category of "bikes I recommend for DwightMack." Foils and Addicts are truly awesome, too, but I think the serious race handling and cockpit geometry would be counter-productive to your needs. Scotts fit a little large. With Scott, if you find yourself between sizes, seriously consider the smaller one.