[email protected] (George) wrote:
> I had a gastric bypass last July and have gone from 450lbs to my
> current weight of 382lbs. I am interested in buying a bike so that I
> can enjoy the warm weather and get some exercise. Are there any bikes
> (reasonably priced if possible) that can handle my weight? Specific
> brands/models or personal experience would be great.
I am in the 400 lb. class, give or take, and I've put a lot of miles
on a lot of bikes, as Carl pointed out.
You must decide whether you are going to ride a little, and you just
want a bike that will withstand a bit of easy cruising, or whether you
are going to rack up some serious or adventuresome miles and therefore
need a heavy-duty ride.
The first category of bike can be bought at any bike shop (from the
"comfort" or "mountain bike" categories), with some intelligent
upgrades to the saddle and wheels a cost-effective measure to increase
comfort and reduce maintenance. For the second type of bike, the
heavy-duty kind, you should have special tandem-type wheels
custom-built, and consider using a tubular welded cromoly steel crank.
36-spoke wheels (rather than 32-spoke) are a good idea, and should be
tensioned and stress-relieved by hand by an experienced wheelbuilder.
Trying to get by with the marginally built wheels that work OK for
most folk will have you returning to your bike dealer with annoying
frequency to have them "trued" (straightened). If you go so far as to
have custom wheels built, have the builder use 48-spoke hubs and rims
for the utmost in durability.
Try to find a bike that uses an ISIS or other tubular-axle crank, as
the ordinary square-taper type is apt to break if you get too athletic
with it. Worry about this when you buy, so you won't have to worry
about it every time you ride. Better yet would be to use a BMX-type
cromoly crank with an adapter spider. Here are examples:
http://www.danscomp.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?action=DETAIL&item=451050
http://profileracing.com/loader.php?load=shop&productid=67
Narrow saddles have become the fashion for most bikes, and those which
come standard on bikes in the "comfort" category usually don't pass
muster under a lot of weight. One readily available exception is the
stock saddle from Electra:
<http://www.electrabike.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=EP&Category_Code=SE>
Although you may have to fool around with the springs to make them
stay put, the shell and padding are very intelligently designed and
well worth the effort to find. A local hardware or bolt supply can
furnish you with a stack of large-diameter rubber washers to
substitute for the coil springs for a hassle-free solution.
If you are willing to invest a chunk of money for the best big-guy
saddle available, the English-made Brooks B90/3 is it. Accept no
substitutes, as they say:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/saddles/brooks-b90-3.html
Be careful when buying a bike that is equipped with a suspension fork.
Although a suspension fork increases rider comfort, and saves the
front wheel and other parts from some of the beating they would
otherwise receive, not all of them can be tuned to work properly under
your weight. Be sure that the fork can be made to work for you before
you buy, or else just get a bike with a rigid steel fork.
Another issue to consider is frame size. You'll want to minimize
seatpost extension, to prevent bending. Also, you will need to limit
the amount of weight you carry on your hands, so you'll have to have
the bars somewhat above the level of the seat. Both these factors
will put you on a bigger frame than what most bikemongers will first
suggest. It's better to get a frame that's "too big" for you, and
substitute a shorter-than normal handlebar stem, than to cope with the
ramifications of a fashionably too-small frame. Find a bike with a
sloping top tube that's tall enough to give you just an inch or so of
crotch clearance. That will get your handlebars up where you need
them without resorting to long, flexible stems or weak high-rise bars.
Swap the stem for a shorty if the forward reach is too much--stems
come as short as 50mm these days, and shorter equals stiffer. If you
are much taller than average, you might be best served by a BMX
handlebar (7-8" tall and reinforced) and stem in place of the stock
items.
Many bike dealers are going to want to put you on a bike that has disc
brakes, because they have a reputation for increased stopping power
over rim brakes. My experience tells me that disc brakes have good
lever response, but that the best rim brakes will usually stop you
harder if you are a super-heavyweight. This matters if there are
steep hills where you live. Also, disc brake front wheels are dished,
making them quite a bit weaker than regular front wheels of similar
construction. Use linear-pull brakes with booster arches and high
quality pads if braking is important in your particular circumstances.
Kona's "Hoss" is built for big riders and priced reasonably:
http://konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_hoss.cfm
The German manufacturer Schauff makes what is probably the best
off-the-shelf bike for a heavy rider ("weight allowance 200kg"), but
finding an importer could be a real problem:
<http://schauff.de/schauff2002.de/index.php?language=e&action=fahrrad&typ=XXL%2FXXS&jahr=2004&id=227>
Best of luck!
Chalo Colina
