265lb Ride - Advice Needed

[tecster]

Good evening folks,

Well I'm Rob, newbie here - I am 6'2 right around 265lbs and I am looking to get into cycling for weight loss/cardio, running was just too rough on my body and I think I'd enjoy riding two wheels more then running. I'm on a super tight budget, I just bought my first house. I am looking to stay under $400.00 if possible, I searched on BikeIsland (please don't shoot me, I'm new!) and found a Windsor Wellington 1.0 for $280.00. My concern is my weight, am I going to have issues with tires/rims - I'm not looking to spend money right out of the gate on the bike. Constructive suggestions are welcome, thanks!


Rob

 

[maydog]

There is no problem with Bike Island, I have made a few purchases from them. They are responsive to emails if you have direct questions to them.

The bike should have no issues with your weight. The wheels are usually the weakest point - no name wheels tend to not be built the best. On paper, the wheels should be strong with 36 spokes each. You will want to check them for even tension during assembly and probably after a few rides. Uneven spoke tension will eventually lead to premature spoke breakage.

Tension is easy to check, just find a quiet place and pluck the spokes. The spokes on the front wheel should all make the same tone more or less. On the rear, the left side (non-cassette) spokes will have a lower tension than the right - so they will have a lower tone. If a few spokes are loose, tighten them up with a spoke wrench. Do not use a pliers as this will damage the nipple. In a pinch you may be able to use an adjustable wrench to get a few turns of the nipple.

The price on the Wellington is just a few $ less than the price at Bikes Direct - you may want to check them out to see if there is something you like more. Another option is the used market - 3 of my bikes were purchased under $400 and have served me well.

 

[tecster]

Originally Posted by maydog .

There is no problem with Bike Island, I have made a few purchases from them. They are responsive to emails if you have direct questions to them.

The bike should have no issues with your weight. The wheels are usually the weakest point - no name wheels tend to not be built the best. On paper, the wheels should be strong with 36 spokes each. You will want to check them for even tension during assembly and probably after a few rides. Uneven spoke tension will eventually lead to premature spoke breakage.

Tension is easy to check, just find a quiet place and pluck the spokes. The spokes on the front wheel should all make the same tone more or less. On the rear, the left side (non-cassette) spokes will have a lower tension than the right - so they will have a lower tone. If a few spokes are loose, tighten them up with a spoke wrench. Do not use a pliers as this will damage the nipple. In a pinch you may be able to use an adjustable wrench to get a few turns of the nipple.

The price on the Wellington is just a few $ less than the price at Bikes Direct - you may want to check them out to see if there is something you like more. Another option is the used market - 3 of my bikes were purchased under $400 and have served me well.


Ah thank you very very much! I will most likely pay the local shop to assemble, I've never done a bike assembly, I will actually be heading down there tomorrow just to get properly sized and see what they have - hopefully no one takes offense to this but I'd rather pay a Mom & Pop Bike Shop who is local an extra $50-100 just to keep them in business.

[COLOR= rgb(51, 51, 51)]Ah thank you very very much! I will most likely pay the local shop to assemble, I've never done a bike assembly, I will actually be heading down there tomorrow just to get properly sized and see what they have - hopefully no one takes offense to this but I'd rather pay a Mom & Pop Bike Shop who is local an extra $50-100 just to keep them in business. [/COLOR]

 

[bigperm]

Craigslist is always a good start as well and you can ride and see the bike.