Shimano R550 and rider weight
- Thread starter WrxAnt
- Start date
Hey RDK,
Definitely from Melbourne so thus know KGs all too well.
Got quite a few of them.
I'm currently 99kgs ( was 110kgs 6 weeks ago!) and I'm still shedding weight.
As I'm really getting into riding more I wanted to buy a new bike as I tackle longer distances and more frequent riding and the bike that has cause my eye has R550s.
Thanks for the responses guys.
Cheers
Ant
Definitely from Melbourne so thus know KGs all too well.
Got quite a few of them.
I'm currently 99kgs ( was 110kgs 6 weeks ago!) and I'm still shedding weight.
As I'm really getting into riding more I wanted to buy a new bike as I tackle longer distances and more frequent riding and the bike that has cause my eye has R550s.
Thanks for the responses guys.
Cheers
Ant
I'm 90kg and I've put about 1500km on my (rear) R550. It's gone out of true twice but I've been able to true it perfectly by tightening a total of three spokes so far. It is a pain in the neck to true these wheels, as ordinary spoke keys won't fit the very large nipples. I've been using a small shifter to turn the nipples, but it is very awkward, as the nipples are on the hub and all very close together.
My wheel still pings every time I go hard or stand out of the saddle, but I am loathe to fiddle around tightening looser spokes while it is still perfectly true.
No spoke breakages so far, unlike my last two rear wheels.
My wheel still pings every time I go hard or stand out of the saddle, but I am loathe to fiddle around tightening looser spokes while it is still perfectly true.
No spoke breakages so far, unlike my last two rear wheels.
WrxAnt said:
just a quick word of advice from a fellow big rider ( I range from 97 to 92kg)
I have been through the whole wheel thing over the years and the simple truth is that you will be much harder on them than the lightweight riders...
try and get your wheels made up that are heavily spoked (32 to 36) with a strong durable rim (cxp33 perhaps) you will find you have no problems if you go this way about it
Trust me...I have wrecked to many pairs over the years and now only get them made up....the "boutique wheels" will not last
Just a minor point: while you may decide to stick on a heavy-duty rear wheel, any standard front wheel will do. An R550 front would certainly be OK. A 36 or even 32 spoke front wheel would be overkill. I think that that the desire to have a matched "wheelset" is unnecessary. Neither of my bikes have matching front and rear wheels.
Hi Guys,
Thanks for the responses.
Dropped another kg since my last post, down to 98.
At the moment I'm still riding my hybrid and getting kms on the dial so to speak.
On roads I know that are smooth as a babys buttock I'll use my road bike (when it arrives), but for all other roads (until I get < 90kgs) i'll be riding the hyrbid.
That will obviously provide me with more incentive to keep the training up and stick to the diet.
Would fitting 25mm tyres provide any 'insurance' if any of 22mm tyres?
If I find I'm having issues with the wheel I'm sure I can get an Alex DA22 rim fitted quite cheaply until I get into better shape.
Cheers
Ant
Thanks for the responses.
Dropped another kg since my last post, down to 98.
At the moment I'm still riding my hybrid and getting kms on the dial so to speak.
On roads I know that are smooth as a babys buttock I'll use my road bike (when it arrives), but for all other roads (until I get < 90kgs) i'll be riding the hyrbid.
That will obviously provide me with more incentive to keep the training up and stick to the diet.
Would fitting 25mm tyres provide any 'insurance' if any of 22mm tyres?
If I find I'm having issues with the wheel I'm sure I can get an Alex DA22 rim fitted quite cheaply until I get into better shape.
Cheers
Ant
This story is similar to mine, 3 years ago I was 101 kgs, & not ridden a bike for 30 years now 78 kgs.WrxAnt said:
I thought I would ride my hybrid periodically to save some Ks on my new flat bar R550 wheelled (faultless in 2500 ks over rough roads) roadie but find it hard to swap from bike to bike.
Other than having 170 cranks on the H & 175s on the FBRB I find it near on impossable to ride out of the saddle due to the diff in Q factor when I swap bikes. I almost feel like I will fall off unless I take it easy.
Maybe others ,you included, will not suffer my problem but my hybrid is now just furniture in the shed.
Yes I think 25s could be 'insurance' as they are around 3mm higher than 23s giving you a little more 'give' also do not go to max pressure which also helps.
Good to see you have the 'bug' & wish you well on your weight reduction.
artemidorus said:
Oops... didn't read the thread closely.
At 79 kg (OK... maybe 81 at times) I would... my point (didn't come across well) is that at my heavy weight I ride these wheels for winter training (I don't go easy on them) and they're staying perfectly true.
Having not owned a bike since i used to cruise to high school on one (about 13 years ago), I got a bike that came with the R550 wheelset. Within 3-4 months I had busted 3 spokes, and the wheel was out of true again, so I decided to go with a handbuilt 32 spoke wheel option. Most of the time i was probably between 80-85kgs, and riding about 100-200kms a week, at some sort of recreation/training/commuting intensity (not racing).
One of my mates has the exact same bike with the same wheelset. He was doing a similar amount of k's, has probably done about 3500km total now on them and they haven't missed a beat - still rolling true. He probably weighs 85-95 kg, and has a much bulkier build.
The point of all this? Probably no point, except that there might be other issues that come into play about wheel reliability other than rider weight.
Ash
One of my mates has the exact same bike with the same wheelset. He was doing a similar amount of k's, has probably done about 3500km total now on them and they haven't missed a beat - still rolling true. He probably weighs 85-95 kg, and has a much bulkier build.
The point of all this? Probably no point, except that there might be other issues that come into play about wheel reliability other than rider weight.
Ash
I think you have hit the nail on the head!!a5hi5m said:
It is apparent than some riders regardless of their weight will be harder on wheels than others.
e.g. A 75kg rider who plants their butt on the saddle & rides over potholes etc has a greater chance of compromising a wheels integrity than say a 90kg rider who spots the hazard & transferes weight to the pedals, then bends the knees to ride "lightly" over the hazard.
Get my drift?
Im 78 kgs & it is a reflex action that I instantly lift weight from the saddle as the front wheel hits a bump even if I have not spotted the bump.
The longer you ride I think the easier it is to ride "lightly"
Just an update - I broke a drive side spoke nipple this morning as I was climbing a steep hill out of the saddle. The wheel, as one would predict, I suppose, has gone well out of true and is unrideable. 2000-2500km, I'm not sure exactly.artemidorus said:
I'll fix this and put it on the GF's bike. That's the third rear wheel I've broken - 36 spoke deep V wheel coming up for me!
Hey artemidorus,
That sounds like a real bummer mate!!!
So far I've only done around 400kms or so since getting my bike 2.5 weeks ago and they've been fine .. .fingers crossed.
I must admit every time I hit a major bump i'm out of the saddle, knees bent but I still cringe!!!
I'm still loosing weight so hopefully the load is lessened as time goes on.
I'm also only running 85-90psi rather than the 110-130 psi that the tyres/tubes can handle.
Cheers
Ant
That sounds like a real bummer mate!!!
So far I've only done around 400kms or so since getting my bike 2.5 weeks ago and they've been fine .. .fingers crossed.
I must admit every time I hit a major bump i'm out of the saddle, knees bent but I still cringe!!!
I'm still loosing weight so hopefully the load is lessened as time goes on.
I'm also only running 85-90psi rather than the 110-130 psi that the tyres/tubes can handle.
Cheers
Ant
I used 23mm exclusively, on bumpy concrete slab roads. Is your rear wheel pinging at all, Rob?robalert said:
