Originally Posted by
scarleton .
About the gearing, it is when I am in the 30~33 MPH range that I run out. I am going down that hill and want to be able to pumpt a bit harder, faster to get the speed to get up the next hill and... I simply cannot make my legs spin any faster. Even back in the day when I was in a lot better shape, I didn't have it in me
The other, actually biggest issue I have, is how noisy the bike is. It is the main crank that makes all the noise.
I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure it is getting loose. After I got the bike back from the shop, they said they repacked the crank. At the time, it only made a sound when I pressed down with my right leg, now it is both. I simply want a quite ride. With my size, could I get that with a better crank, or is my size going to mess with anything steal bike because of the flex in steal?
Currently I am in dreaming mode, so I am not too concerned about money. I figure once I have an idea of what is really going to work best for me, then I can focus on finding the funds. Thus, because of my size, I am thinking that maybe the best thing to do is go with a titanium frame. Thoughts?
Originally Posted by
oldbobcat .
Maybe you just need a set of bulletproof wheels for the old Fox, then. Your local shop can find or make them for you. Or maybe a new mountain bike with 29" wheels will do it. The big wheels will roll better under your weight and as the price point approaches mid-range, the stock wheels get remarkably strong.
Regarding gearing, you probably don't want to hear this, but learning to turn the cranks faster is a cheap solution and it's better for your legs and heart. Mountain bike gearing really shouldn't run out til you're doing about 30. The problem with trying to change mountain bike gearing beyond getting different cassettes for the rear wheel is that frame geometry and front derailleur installation are pretty closely tied to a maximum chain ring size of 44 t.
Or maybe alfeng can show you how to build exactly what you want in your own garage.
Originally Posted by
scarleton .
I am looking for a new bike and it doesn't seem like there is one out that fits what I want. I am a BIG guy, 6'4" and 320lb. I have not road much in the last 10 years (hence the 320 lb), but am back out on the road and loving it! I am riding between 50 and 100 miles a week right now on the road.
I am currently riding my 1990 Moody Fox mountain bike. All my riding is on black top, so I have the tires that are slicks in the middle, tread on the sides for turning in grass and mud.
The most important thing that I LOVE about my bike and simply do NOT want to give up and am willing to give anything else up to keep this: big wide tires so I don't have to care about what I ride over, rocks, pot holes, who knows what.
I don't do real good at paying attention to that type of thing. I rode with some friends the other week who had touring bikes. They where always calling out road hazards to each other. I simply don't think/ride that way, I cycle for fun, first and foremost. Having to worry about the road every second takes away from the enjoyment, and flat tires would make it not fun very fast!
The two things I hate about my bike is:
- Cheap components: I had the bike tuned up in the spring and each time I pressed down on the right peddle, it makes a sound, now a few hundred miles later, my 320lb pressing down on the crank, it makes a sound with both sides. It is slowly driving me crazy!
- Going down hill, the bike isn't geared as high as I would like it.
My two big concerns are having big tires, but a bike strong enough to deal with my size and not get the crank out of alignment. Can I do that with simply put nicer components on the bike, or is there give in the steal frame?
What bikes out there can hold my size and allow me to not worry about the road? Any suggestions?
Sam
FIRST, the gearing will possibly be the easiest
problem to resolve ...
It may be presumptive, but since upgrades/updates were not mentioned, the smallest cog on the rear wheel's cluster is probably a 13t ...
- the easiest solution is to buy a new rear wheel & install an appropriate 7-or-8-speed Cassette
- just be sure that the new Cassette has an 11t smallest cog
- choose a Cassette whose largest Cog matches the largest Cog you use-or-wish-you-had
- if [COLOR= rgb(24, 24, 24)]you are handy + can follow instructions which are readily available on-line, then you may want to opt to re-lace the current rim on a replacement hub ... [/COLOR]
- [COLOR= rgb(24, 24, 24)]O[/COLOR][COLOR= rgb(24, 24, 24)]R, lace up a new wheel from scratch!! [/COLOR]
FYI. A pair of 9-speed Shimano Deore shifters should only set you back about $30 +/- ...
The difference between a 9-speed LX Cassette & a 7-or-8-speed Cassette probably won't be more than $10 ...
A 9-speed Shimano rear derailleur (
I recommend XT, SLX, or LX) will be $40+ ... but, try your current rear derailleur first BECAUSE it may work with the 9-speed shifters.
If you buy the components off of eBay, you will pay considerably less than if you buy the components at your LBS.
Even if the largest Chainring on your crank only has 42t, you will have increased the so-called "gear inches" by a considerable amount after you transition to a rear cluster which has an 11t Cog ... and, if (as I suspect would be the case due to the bike's vintage) your crank's outer Chainring has more teeth, then you will probably be
good-to-go for the descents ...
THAT SQUEAKY CRANKSET. You may
not need to replace your crankset ...
If you have a crank puller ([COLOR= rgb(169, 169, 169)]and, you/everyone should have one if they have an "older" bike unless their vintage crankset has self-extracting bolts[/COLOR]), then remove, GREASE & RE-INSTALL ...
OR ... remove the crank & shim the tapers with either the foil from a used disposable aluminum (pie!) pan-or-equivalent OR some thin brass foil-or-stock ... brass foil is better than aluminum foil.
AND, ADD GREASE!!!
For some ([COLOR= rgb(128, 128, 128)]misguided[/COLOR]) reason, a few years ago someone decided that tapered BBs should not be greased ... and, others parroted that advice ... I feel that to be be wrong thinking ... and, I
throw-caution-to-the-wind & continue to grease the square tapers on my square taper Campagnolo and square taper Shimano BBs ...
- the possible problem with greasing the tapers is that a ham-fisted person may over-tighten the crank onto the BB tapers which would then result in VERY DIFFICULT removal of the crank arms.
If you want to change the crankset, then ANY Road Triple
should be able to clear the chainstays on a vintage steel frame OR (of course) any MTB triple.
While the Chainrings of a Road Double will probably clear the stays, due to your height it will probably be beneficial to have a crankset with a slightly wider Q-Factor (the distance between the outside of the crank arms) even if you end up removing the Granny chainring.
FWIW. The ONLY cranks which I would not recommend are those which use ISIS BBs & GXP Cranksets ... they can certainly work well, but I would avoid the former (
based on FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE) because the quality control on the BBs was iffy & I think it may still be possible to get a lemon from "old stock" ... and, the latter just because at some point in time (
if not already!?!), the asymmetrical spindle diameter will become an "orphan" as far as acquiring replacement cups (yes, yes, you can buy the appropriate cartridge bearings separately & install them in the BB cups) ... that is, the
critical mass is probably with Shimano and therefore the safest option for the consumer ...
- consequently, I suggest that if you opt for a replacement Crankset that you choose either a Shimano Hollowtech II crankset & BB or an FSA MegaExo crankset & BB ...
- the fore mentioned FSA & Shimano external BBs are interchangeable ... some people feel that the FSA BBs do not last as long ... that may indeed be the case BECAUSE the Shimano bearings are shrouded by an additional "lip" which is absent from the FSA's cups OR it could something else OR an incorrect perception ... Campagnolo's bearings, by comparison, are OPEN-to-the-World ..
- and, Campagnolo expects the cyclist to ensure that the inner face of the cartridge bearing is well slathered with grease
With that information under your belt, if you feel a new bike is in your future, then I concur that a
29er (
700c wheels which typically have FAT 700x53 or 700x58 tires) whose top tube + stem have an equal combined dimension as the top tube + stem
of your current bike IF you don't want the new bike to feel significantly different when you are in-the-saddle on your current bike ...
- at 6'4", an XL frame is probably in our future ...
- you may-or-may-not need to adjust the reach by using a shorter-or-longer stem
Now, on the DIY front, a wheel with 700x42 (
aka "Hybrid) tires will probably fit in your current bike's frame ...
There is supposed to be a 700x48 (
1.9) tire out there which probably is the equivalent size as your current "slick" tire.
Now,
oldbobcat was undoubtedly joking when he suggested that I instruct you on modifying your current bike for use with a
29er tires due to the lengthy discourse which would follow (
vs. the lengthy preceding exposition!?!) ...
- unfortunately, I have yet to see a "stock" 26er frame which had clearance for a 700x53 tire. the 700x48 might fit ... a 700x42 will probably fit ... a 700x32 will definitely fit
- so, while amending a 26er MTB frame to use 700x53 tires might be possible, it would require a welding/brazing torch + the willingness to do some cold forging on the chainstays --- the work of a framebuilder-OR-comparable ...
Modifying an old Hardtail which normally uses 26" wheels for use with up to 700x32 tires is child's play (IMO) ... but, THAT is not an area of immediate discussion.
The frame of an off-the-shelf "Hybrid" bike which comes with 700c wheels may-or-may-not be able to accommodate 700x53 tires ...
- a Rigid Hybrid Fork can accommodate 700x53 tires
- a Hybrid with a don't-waste-the-money-on-it Suspension Fork probably cannot handle 700x53 tire, but who knows?
THAT was a ponderous way of saying that YOU really need to decide on the maximum tire size that you know-or-think-you-may-want-to-use in the future when selecting any possible replacement.
If you want a bike with a front suspension, then a
29er Hardtail with a Suspension Fork should be on your shopping list ...
Otherwise, a 29er Hardtail with a Rigid Fork will be the better option, particularly if you are riding on pavement and/or surfaces which are not particularly demanding ...
- I believe that most 29er Hardtails which have Rigid Forks have forks which are "suspension corrected" so that retrofitting with a Suspension Fork is mostly a matter of doling out more money ...
- A Suspension Fork will add at least 2 lbs to the bike's front end over the weight of a Rigid Fork ... that's dead weight if your riding environment doesn't need it.
BTW. I vote "No" on the Titanium frame for you ... a Titanium frame will probably have more flex than a Steel or Aluminum Alloy frame will experience.