SEVEN bicycle questions

I am considering a SEVEN brand bicycle. Does anyone have any experience with them? do you like them
or not? Any other bikes i should be considering if i am looking at SEVEN? I weigh 230 pounds (six
feet five inches), so I want a frame that is strong with a strong warantee. No aluminum frames for
me thanks.

Thanks Matt

 

>I am considering a SEVEN brand bicycle. Does anyone have any experience with them? do you like them
>or not? Any other bikes i should be considering if i am looking at SEVEN? I weigh 230 pounds (six
>feet five inches), so I want a frame that is strong with a strong warantee. No aluminum frames for
>me thanks.

That was only three bicycle questions.

My answers are no, yes, and are you buying.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

>That was only three bicycle questions.
>
>My answers are no, yes, and are you buying.

My three: no, yes, yes B

 

"Brink" wrote:

> I am considering a SEVEN brand bicycle. Does anyone have any experience with them? do you like
> them or not? Any other bikes i should be considering if i am looking at SEVEN? I weigh 230 pounds
> (six feet five inches), so I want a frame that is strong with a strong warantee. No aluminum
> frames for me thanks.

As always, bike selection depends on your intended use (which you haven't mentioned). As a big guy,
you are right to be more concerned about durability than light weight. But are you looking to race?
Do fast paceline rides? Moderate club rides? Touring?

Sevens are expensive bikes. If cost is no object, you should definitely consider them. But don't
expect a proportional relationship between price and performance. It's not about the bike.

BTW, some of the stouter aluminum bikes might be very suitable for someone your size.

Art Harris

 

> That was only three bicycle questions.
>
> My answers are no, yes, and are you buying

I am trying to figure out if i should buy or not. I am leaning to yes i am buying.

 

>I am considering a SEVEN brand bicycle. Does anyone have any experience with them? do you like them
>or not? Any other bikes i should be considering if i am looking at SEVEN? I weigh 230 pounds (six
>feet five inches), so I want a frame that is strong with a strong warantee. No aluminum frames for
>me thanks.
>
>Thanks Matt

Sevens are good bikes and expensive. If you are interested in a Seven, then you should already have
some serious mileage under your belt so that you know exactly what you want in the way of fit.

Regarding aluminum frame: An properly designed aluminum frame is actually optimal for a big
guy. A fat tube aluminum frame should be stiffer and stronger than a titanium or steel frame of
equal weight.

Depends on where you live, but a custom frame from a small builder like Bill Holland might be a
better bet since you are a big fellow and definitely need a stiff frame.

jon isaacs

 

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
(Brink) wrote:

> >
> > That was only three bicycle questions.
> >
> > My answers are no, yes, and are you buying
>
> I am trying to figure out if i should buy or not. I am leaning to yes i am buying.

The big advantage of getting a Seven is that it can be custom fitted. I ride with a few Sevens in
our group, and they are great bikes. I have a Moots - also a titanium frame.

Lose 35lbs any way you can or you will puy serious stress on the frame and then yourself. One Seven
dealer told me..²not for 200lbs+ riders when I was looking.

YMMV.

PS: $5500 for frame and setup will certainly lighten your wallet..

--
³Freedom Is a Light for Which Many Have Died in Darkness³

- Tomb of the unknown - American Revolution

 

"Harris" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "Brink" wrote:
>
> > I am considering a SEVEN brand bicycle. Does anyone have any experience with them? do you like
> > them or not? Any other bikes i should be considering if i am looking at SEVEN? I weigh 230
> > pounds (six feet five inches), so I want a frame that is strong with a strong warantee. No
> > aluminum frames for me thanks.
>
> As always, bike selection depends on your intended use (which you haven't mentioned). As a big
> guy, you are right to be more concerned about durability than light weight. But are you looking to
> race?Do fast paceline rides? Moderate club rides? Touring?

i am going to probably be mainly interested in moderate club rides to start with will hopefully lead
to fast paceline rides. I still am not interested in aluminum though

brink

>
> Sevens are expensive bikes. If cost is no object, you should definitely consider them. But don't
> expect a proportional relationship between price and performance. It's not about the bike.
>
> BTW, some of the stouter aluminum bikes might be very suitable for someone your size.
>
> Art Harris

 

Brink, I mentioned in another thread that I recently test rode a Seven Axiom Ti, Serotta Legend Ti, and Independent Fabrication Ti Crown Jewel -- and all of them were extraordinary rides that delivered everything I could ever want from a bike: mountain-goat climbing ability, ride-on-rails descending, and mind-boggling cornering that occurs almost telepathically.

I ended up getting the Indy Fab bike, but not because I thought the Seven had any flaws.

I would call (or email) Seven and ask them what they think about a frame with your weight. I know they make a model called the Alaris that's particularly suited for Clydesdales.

 

H. M. Leary <[email protected]> wrote:
: Lose 35lbs any way you can or you will puy serious stress on the frame and then yourself. One
: Seven dealer told me..not for 200lbs+ riders when I was looking.

check out the straight gauge alaris (road) or muse (cyclocross/touring) for that weight (or for
loaded touring w/ the muse). seven is better known for their light weight bikes but they are more
than capable of making bikes for clydesdales or other uses. i've had a muse with s&s couplers for a
while and put on 5600 miles of loaded touring last summer. love the bike, no problems. a good
all-rounder.

http://www.visi.com/~reuteler/images/sevencross-side.jpg
http://www.visi.com/~reuteler/images/seven-side.jpg
http://www.visi.com/~reuteler/touring/2002/calicoast5.jpg

: PS: $5500 for frame and setup will certainly lighten your wallet..

as i recall the alaris/muse are around $2,000 for the frame. as jon said tho i wouldn't do it unless
you're in a position to get the most of of it (you've ridden enuf to know the fit & what you want).
put a lot of effort into the interview and pre-build process and you'll get a lot out of it.
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

"Brink" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am considering a SEVEN brand bicycle. Does anyone have any experience with them? do you like
> them or not? Any other bikes i should be considering if i am looking at SEVEN?

My little sister just bought one, because her boyfriend told her to. A lot of guys in my club have
them, Seven is a local shop. They seem to be a mid-life crisis bike for the well-heeled, cheaper
guys go Litespeed.

> I weigh 230 pounds (six feet five inches), so I want a frame that is strong with a strong
> warantee. No aluminum frames for me thanks.

I'm the same weight and 6'10" and have ridden my aluminum Cannondale probably 5K mi/yr * 4 yr, seems
to be doing OK, ditto for a large friend on a Klein. Aluminum makes great large frames, it's really
the perfect material.

A friend had his Specialized frame replaced with a better one after a chainstay corroded and failed,
it was 5-10 years old. Now that was a great warrantee!

 

"H. M. Leary" <[email protected]>
> Lose 35lbs any way you can or you will puy serious stress on the frame and
then
> yourself. One Seven dealer told me..²not for 200lbs+ riders when I was
looking.

Lets see... 6 foot 5 inches tall and 195 lbs? The guy would look like he's near death.

hth

 

"Peter Cole" wrote:

> They seem to be a mid-life crisis bike for the well-heeled, cheaper guys go Litespeed.

LOL! There was once a Country Western song called "Middle Age Crazy" about such things...

Art Harris

 

"Golightly F." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "H. M. Leary" <[email protected]>
> > Lose 35lbs any way you can or you will puy serious stress on the frame and
> then
> > yourself. One Seven dealer told me..²not for 200lbs+ riders when I was
> looking.
>
> Lets see... 6 foot 5 inches tall and 195 lbs? The guy would look like he's near death.

Actually, I'm his weight and 5" taller. My BMI is close to overweight. I'd guess my ideal weight
would be around 210.

 

"Golightly F." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "H. M. Leary" <[email protected]>
> > Lose 35lbs any way you can or you will puy serious stress on the frame and
> then
> > yourself. One Seven dealer told me..²not for 200lbs+ riders when I was
> looking.
>
> Lets see... 6 foot 5 inches tall and 195 lbs? The guy would look like he's near death.

Actually, I'm his weight and 5" taller. My BMI is close to overweight. I'd guess my ideal weight
would be around 210.

 

In article <[email protected]>, David Reuteler <[email protected]> wrote:

> H. M. Leary <[email protected]> wrote:
> : Lose 35lbs any way you can or you will puy serious stress on the frame and then yourself. One
> : Seven dealer told me..not for 200lbs+ riders when I was looking.
>
> check out the straight gauge alaris (road) or muse (cyclocross/touring) for that weight (or for
> loaded touring w/ the muse). seven is better known for their light weight bikes but they are more
> than capable of making bikes for clydesdales or other uses. i've had a muse with s&s couplers for
> a while and put on 5600 miles of loaded touring last summer. love the bike, no problems. a good
> all-rounder.
>
> http://www.visi.com/~reuteler/images/sevencross-side.jpg
> http://www.visi.com/~reuteler/images/seven-side.jpg
> http://www.visi.com/~reuteler/touring/2002/calicoast5.jpg
>
> : PS: $5500 for frame and setup will certainly lighten your wallet..
>
> as i recall the alaris/muse are around $2,000 for the frame. as jon said tho i wouldn't do it
> unless you're in a position to get the most of of it (you've ridden enuf to know the fit & what
> you want). put a lot of effort into the interview and pre-build process and you'll get a lot
> out of it.

As I tried to say, they are great frames. I have never seen anyone riding just a frame, however.
Don,t you need a fork, wheels, gears, pedals and such??

Maybe I shouldn¹t post before I ride.

I did see a rider on a Seven. He is about 6¹4² maybe 190lbs. Went by me in a hurry, but did pass
a greeting.

HAND

--
³Freedom Is a Light for Which Many Have Died in Darkness³

- Tomb of the unknown - American Revolution

 

H. M. Leary <[email protected]> wrote:
:> : PS: $5500 for frame and setup will certainly lighten your wallet..
:>
: As I tried to say, they are great frames. I have never seen anyone riding just a
:
: frame, however. Don,t you need a fork, wheels, gears, pedals and such??

$5500 - $2000 = $3500 will buy you a lot of fork, wheels and components. their steel frames are
$1600. $5500 would be at the high end even for a seven.

i was responding mostly to the comment by the person you mentioned that they're no good for people
over 200 pounds. probably true for the fru-fru ultra-butted stupid light stuff they make but they'll
make ya one plenty good for 230 pounds.
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

[email protected] (Brink) wrote:

> I am considering a SEVEN brand bicycle. Does anyone have any experience with them?

No, although I interrogated them when I was shopping around for a custom frame.

> do you like them or not?

I decided they weren't for me. More on that further down.

> Any other bikes i should be considering if i am looking at SEVEN? I weigh 230 pounds (six feet
> five inches), so I want a frame that is strong with a strong warantee.

I'm 6 feet 8 and weighed about 300 lbs when I commissioned my custom bike. I was a bit concerned
when I talked to Seven that they did not appear to truly customize a frame; rather they were
willing to change a few elements of their production geometry formula and to spec different gauge
tubing as available. They were clearly not willing to match the bike's length and tubing diameters
to the proportions of the frame size. (Most "custom" builders are not willling to do this either.)
I was unconvinced I would be able to obtain a sufficiently stiff frame to make the endeavor worth
the money.

As to warranty, this is one area where major manufacturers are able to exceed the level of support
offered by a smaller builder. Some have even offered reduced-price replacement for crashed or
otherwise user-damaged frames. Talk to your LBS about this issue as they will be the ones
representing you to the manufacturer.

> No aluminum frames for me thanks.

My best-fitting and best-riding bike other than my custom, and my longest-lasting bike *by far* is a
68.5cm Cannondale touring frame ca. 1990. It's toted me tens of thousands of miles from when I was a
very fast and vigorous rider to the present time when I weigh over 350 lbs. and ride over horribly
broken streets. While I know of no similarly sturdy frame made in such a tall size any more, I
completely agree with Jon Isaacs's assessment that a stout aluminum frame can be the best possible
solution for a large, strong rider. If you should come across a custom builder willing and able to
make you an aluminum frame with appropriately hefty tubing, you would do well to consider it.

Chalo Colina

 

>While I know of no similarly sturdy frame made in such a tall size any more, I completely agree
>with Jon Isaacs's assessment that a stout aluminum frame can be the best possible solution for a
>large, strong rider.

The old Cannondale frames were certainly stout. The choice of aluminum is just simple engineering.
It makes sense for the same reason they use aluminum in airplanes, it is light, strong and has the
same specific strengh and modulus as Ti or steel. But geometric factors make it stronger. Certainly
Ti is considered a space age material but it is mostly used to replace steel where something hard
is needed.

jon isaacs

 

"Peter Cole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "Golightly F." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > "H. M. Leary" <[email protected]>
> > > Lose 35lbs any way you can or you will puy serious stress on the frame and
> then
> > > yourself. One Seven dealer told me..2not for 200lbs+ riders when I was
> > looking.
> >
> > Lets see... 6 foot 5 inches tall and 195 lbs? The guy would look like he's near death.
>
> Actually, I'm his weight and 5" taller. My BMI is close to overweight. I'd guess my ideal weight
> would be around 210.

In order to put the weight to rest I post the following. I am only 16% body fat. This is in the
healthful range of body fat percentage for men. I do not intend to lose any weight. I lift weights
somewhat, so the muscle mass on my body must be more that the 6' 10'' poster.

Seven cycles do make some bikes that are not listed for people over 200 pounds (alta, odonata,
odonata steel). They also make bikes for people of any weight (axiom, alaris, axiom steel). these
frames have a lifetime guarantee, so my weight will not be an issue on them.

Matt