Can you please help a large newb???????

[dgregory57]

Welcome Berbes.

I am 370ish and I have over 3000 miles on a Giant Sedona DX weighing between 370 and 300 (and back up since my riding diminished). Most major manufacturers have similar bikes that should do the job.

Over at bikeforums.net they have a subforum for Clydesdales (a term for us 200+ pound riders) and there are a lot of good recommendations for good bikes. Some of them already suggested here.

Hard tail mountain bikes are popular, like the HardRock (?) Also touring bikes as some have suggested specific models above.

The wheels are the bane of the clydesdale. run away from low spoke count wheels. Strong 32 spoke wheels are Ok, strong 36 spoke count wheels are better.

I also ride a 1986 Schwinn Voyageur touring bike that I have had built with modern road components including 27" wheels that I had built on modern hubs with 36 spokes and Sun CR-18 rims. I went with 27" wheels to stay with the cantilever brakes the bike came with.

Spend some time in the saddle and you will get addicted to it.

Good luck!

By the way, what part of the world are you located in? Riding partners can be a big help!

 

[garage sale GT]

Honestly, no offense, but ...

can the ****.

What the hell was "not worth suing" supposed to be taken to mean in your earlier comment?!?

Based on the way YOU are using the English language, YOU are amongst only a handful of people who apparently are anticipating suing a bike manufacturer or frame builder ... so, "you must be planning to defraud a manufacturer, right?" OR, is it that you feel the Universe is trying to victimize you?!?

If you think a framebuilder's OR manufacturer's only incentive for not producing a reasonable product is to avoid litigation, well ...

Talk about someone with their panties in a bunch!

SHEESH!

OK, I got it. You only read the word "suing".

 

[garage sale GT]

BTW. I didn't say you were to stupid to stop using freewheels, but haven't you lamented/complained about them in the past (on a vintage Peugeot you bought used, or was that someone else?)?

While freewheels work, they certainly have their limitations ...

AND, like a lot of things, a freewheel (or, any other component) can wear out OR simply stop functioning properly due to neglect ...

Why are your panties in a bunch over all of this?

The Peugeot was used gently for a hundred miles or so, then given away due to being too small.

My fws didn't wear out and when i thought they might, I rebuilt them.

The axles bent.

Mark my words fellow clydesdales. If you have a lot of strength or weight you will soon toast a fw rear hub's axle.

 

[coolrunnin]

If I am not mistaken, Trek Bikes do not have a weight limit. Check with your LBS as they can be more specific and validate what I heard at my bike shop. While not quite that heavy, I have am 200cm tall and needed to be sure I wouldn't break something while riding.

 

[threaded]

The Peugeot was used gently for a hundred miles or so, then given away due to being too small.

My fws didn't wear out and when i thought they might, I rebuilt them.

The axles bent.

Mark my words fellow clydesdales. If you have a lot of strength or weight you will soon toast a fw rear hub's axle.

I do that too, although my speciality is to snap the crank spindles/axle. And I've learned to replace the rear hub axle at the same time as a preventative measure.

 

[garage sale GT]

If you crack a component such as an axle or crank spindle, and a portion of the cracked surface appears smooth, then it was a fatigue failure. Periodic replacement is good prevention.

Some of the lower end bikes I have had came with solid 3/8" axles instead of hollow 10mm axles. Those were made from lower grade steel and would bend instead of break. Then the bearing cones got misaligned and would soon be pitted from the excessive load.

 

[p38lightning]

How about a hard tail 29er(MT bike with 700 size wheels), if you're looking into a new bike. Since most good quality MT bike wheels use double eyelet rims, high spoke counts, and good spokes, they should be able to handle your weight, under normal riding conditions. I'd avoid jumps and "urban blasting" for the next 100lbs or so. Expect more maintenance as others have already said.

 

[garage sale GT]

Of course a regular 26" would be even stronger but would have marginally higher rolling resistance with the same kind of tire. Not sure if they are a good deal less $$$ or if you can just get lower end models in the 26".