Biking Noob / Large Sized



dukejs

New Member
Sep 20, 2015
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Hello all,

Needing some guidance. Will start with very short background.

I am a tall guy, 6'5", and ... big boned lol. I was at 380 and now I am down to 325. Also 42 years old. Diabetic (but thanks to low carb eating I am 100% diet controlled). Long story short I have been looking into a hobby I could dive into that would help me get fit. And when I say dive into, I am going to be hardcore serious about it and hopefully become addicted to fitness.

When I was a teenager I used to love biking everywhere... not just around the block but for miles.Taking a 20 mile round trip bike ride on a Saturday was common for me way back then (I know that isn't a long ride to most of you, but it seems impossible to me currently). But that was a long time ago. For years I have been a computer geek full time, at work and at home, and I need to get my fitness in order before I wake up in my mid 50's half dead.

I need advice though. On a good entry level bike for a large man such as myself, and the best gear (helmet, clothing, etc). How to start riding properly. Things to think about and pitfalls to avoid.

Thanks in advance for any and all help,

Best regards.

Duke
 
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FWIW. I recommend any rider who is over 6'3" tall consider an XtraLarge Hardtail 29er frame/bike BECAUSE it will have the longest, off-the-shelf top tube (62cm, AFAIK) ...

If you will only be riding on pavement, then a RIGID fork is the more economical option which should shave hundreds off the MSRP.

An XL 29er which is NOS should be available for a pretty reasonable price ...

2015 models are NOS as of roughly July 1st ... I would pay no more than 80% of MSRP.

A 2014 should be only 75%-or-less of MSRP ...

A 2013 should only be 65%-or-less of MSRP ...

et cetera.

BTW. If a shop has a NOS, XL 29er then they are probably sucking wind on it & should be willing to let it go for closer to what they paid for it than not.

Raleigh had (or, has) a Single Speed 29er which retailed for around $600+ the last time I looked at it (which was a long time ago -- I haven't looked in several years because when I was interested, my LBS wasn't intersted in discounting it even though it was what I considered to be NOS at the time AND I subsequently figured out that one of my older frames could handle 29er/622-53 tires in case the spirit moved me to ride on logging roads which is all I wanted that tire size for ... you can mount thinner tires in a 29er frame, but you generally cannot mount fatter tires in most Road frames) ... it was designed to be convertible to their multi-geared 29er because it had a replaceable rear dropout which could be exchanged for one with a derailleur hanger ... if you were to buy THAT, then you would want to concurrently buy the alternate rear dropout with the hanger. I mention the Raleigh XXIX because you can use its Single Speed as a base, target price.

With THAT in mind, an XL Hybrid with a Rigid fork is another consideration ... but, Hybrids tend to be equipped with lower end components and often seem to have low-end suspension forks which are better suited for juvenile (lighter) riders who are riding on lightly pot-holed bike paths ...

IMO, any BELL or GIRO helmet that fits your noggin which has more than a dozen vents is probably your best option for a helmet.

Brooks saddles may eventually be something to consider -- they require periodic maintenance BUT will last a lifetime if minimal maintenance is performed ...

The standard BROOKS B17 saddle is wider than the typical "plastic" saddle which you will find on most bikes which are sold in bike shops ... it may-or-may-not be worth considering ...

The BROOKS B67 saddle is probably the widest, sprung saddle (the dual-rail B66 was frequently used on the earliest mountain bikes).