MarleyzLegacy

I am close to 400 lbs. I use to bike all the time when i was under 300lbs. Time fot away from me. I am trying to get back in shape and would love nothing more then to bike again. I use to do between 11 to 30 miles on a flat service. Nothing like trail riding. I am done some searching but it is hard to find a bike online that says what weight limit the back frame can support. Many is not an issue, but i dont wan to spend more than 1k. Something very strong and durable, lots of gears, and good brakes. Something i can also customize to me liking.

10 Wheels

Moved from Fitting.

dagray

Many mountain bikes will work for you (I wouldn't spend the money for one with "Full suspension") I have a Raleigh Talus 29er that has front fork suspension that can be locked out. Cost on this was under $700.00 (I bought my oldest son one too).

But road bikes are also an option as I started on a Raleigh Revenio 2.0 and put a back wheel with a higher spoke count, and I currently ride an Orbea Orca that is mostly stock (tires, rear cassette, saddle, chain have been upgraded).

The Raleigh Revenio run around $1000.00 and the Orbea cost more, but the Raleigh is aluminum frame carbon fork where the Orbea is carbon everything. I started riding at 406 pounds and now am at 360 pounds.

Good luck to you

MRT2

You still have your old bike? What was/is it?

MarleyzLegacy

Thank you for the info! Good job man, keep it up!

MarleyzLegacy

It was a schwinn. I gave it to my dad. He had the exact same bike. The frame cracked around the seat. That is more what i am afraid of. Should i go with a carbon frame? Just want something basic. Strong frame and wheels. I can always get the side handlebars later too. I am also 5'11.

oddjob2

At the weight of two riders, I'd doubt a carbon frame would hold up for you. Stick to steel, vintage preferred. A Worksman industrial bike might be suitable or a 1990's Trek, Schwinn, Giant, or Specialized chromoly frame. You will most likely need to upgrade the rims to tandem rims as well.

corwin1968

If you are willing to go used, the sky is literally, the limit.

I would suggest looking into and researching a Surly Troll/Ogre/Karate Monkey and if they seem like something that will work, look for a used version with gears (I say that because KM's mostly come as single-speeds). Any modern steel MTB frameset is going to be sufficient if you are just riding and not abusing it. Focus on really good wheels and go with fatter tires. In my opinion, 40mm tires is the bare minimum for a 400 lb rider unless you are riding completely smooth pavement. 50mm is better but it gets harder to find really good tires in that size.

I weigh a little over 400 lbs and I ride a Surly Karate Monkey. I bought a bare frame/fork/headset and installed my own components, including custom built wheels (Velocity Dyad rims). I'm currently running Schwalbe 40mm Dureme tires because that's what I have on hand but I plan to eventually buy a set of 50mm Schwalbe Marathon Supremes or 50 or 55mm Schwalbe Big Apples. Really good tires are really expensive.

In this photo, it's set up as a single-speed but it's currently in a 1x9 configuration and could easily be converted to whatever drivetrain I want. It also now has a rear brake.

dagray

I will have to disagree with this. the Orbea Orca does very well for those of us who have the "weight of two riders"... heck even at my prime weight of 250 (which I haven't seen for some years as I am now down to 360) one could be said to be the "weight of two riders".. That said if the bike doesn't have a posted weight limit then go ride it and have fun. I have been riding my Orbea (all carbon fiber as in frame, fork, seat post, bars) on the factory 32 spoke wheels with no issue for a year (well it will be a year at the end of January) and only have had to replace one spoke and the chain (the chain was due to me mis-shifting).

Bianchi, Orbea, Fuji, Trek all make carbon fiber bikes that would work well for a clyde, and I am sure other manufacturers do too.

shelbyfv

I think your best bet is to go to a bike shop, tell them your budget and get the bike they recommend. There isn't a lot of difference in bikes from different brands at a given price point. Anyway, with a new bike from a shop, you'll get a warranty. You will probably need that as you are likely to break spokes. And you won't have to worry if your frame cracks. As mentioned, you are about twice the weight of people most bikes are designed for. You will be glad you have a warranty. A carbon bike makes no sense for you as carbon bikes exist to save weight. Obviously irrelevant here, no need to spend that money, get better components instead. Good luck and I hope you find cycling enjoyable! edit- BTW, that Surly Corwin posted looks ideal but perhaps above your budget. I'll second his opinion on fatter tires.

dagray

yes and no to saving weight. the couple pounds of weight I saved by going from the Raleigh Revenio 2.0 (Soras 9 speed) to the Orbea Orca (105 10 speed) was phenomenal in improving my riding experience (I would agree if one were trying to shave ounces), and the carbon bikes sometimes have better components or at least components that operate more smoothly; remember slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.

You are correct that carbon isn't for everyone, and you are correct that the original poster should go to a bike shop and try out bikes on rides of at least 10 miles so he gets a feel for them.

Carbon is a viable option as is steel, aluminum, titanium for those of us over a certain weight point. No I wouldn't advice carbon wheels I would go 32-36 spoke wheels (mine are 32 spoke), and I would recommend tubeless tires (no pinch flats).

oddjob2

https://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdale...ght-limit.html

https://forums.roadbikereview.com/bik...es-329303.html

dagray

And this proves what exactly? I am 360 pounds at 6 foot three inches now and ride an Orbea Orca in 60cm frame and have had no issues in a year of riding. In fact I was 390 pounds when I bought the Orbea.

Yes some bikes have weight "limits", but that is more to protect them in case someone litigates against them. The Orbea is actually designed for us bigger folk by the shape of the tubes and the fact that if the frame flexes top to bottom too much at the factory Orbea throws out the frame.

I trust my bike shop and they are the ones who suggested the Orbea to me after I spent four months on an aluminum Raleigh with carbon fork. In fact when I went to buy a new back wheel for the Raleigh the bike shop owner kept trying to tell me the 28 spoke count wheel was overbuilt and would work, to which my reply was "Steve, I can't come in here every 25-50 miles to have you true the wheel. I am fat, and it is okay to refer to me as such." Steve set me up with a 32 spoke deep V aluminum wheel and I have had no troubles with it. He recommended the Orbea as it sat in his shop and the conversation about weight limits was at the front of our discussion. I have broken one chain on the Orbea due to a mis-shift on my part, and I have broken one spoke, but the factory 32 spoke wheels have held up remarkably. In fact I have gone from a 700x25 Continental tire to a tubless 700x23 Schwalbe One and the ride is terrific. In fact as of today I have 881 miles on the Orbea which is a mix of road miles and smart trainer miles, and 351 miles in four months on the Raleigh.

oddjob2

A. I didn't quote nor look up Orbea.
B. 60 hours of riding on a bike proves nothing about the bike's durability over the long haul

fietsbob

Maybe Reverse History ,,, heavy Duty Steel Industrial strength Cruiser (like NY USA Made Worksman) Then, like the 'Repack Kids ,
now old farts like Me , modified by adding gears better brakes,

and then Starting from scratch & Building Frames (Richey. Fisher Breeze Potts, Etc.)

IDK what brands The OP can Test ride LBS Here has sold Trek For decades , Specialized is sales territory for a different town ..

PDX Metro, being Half the population in the State has most brands and a bike shop on every other block.

bikemig 

I'd find a used mountain bike on craigslist. You can get a high end bike for not a lot of money. Then have shop build you some stout wheels.

Alternatively the surlys are a good choice; personally I'd get the troll.

dim

seen a few of these Chinese fat bikes recently on ebay UK .... they seem to sell for pretty cheap and shipping cost is cheap

not sure of the build quality etc but from the pics, they look ok ....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26-9-speed-Disc-Brakes-manganese-steel-brazing-bicycle-fat-tire-beach-bike-/331733709832?hash=item4d3cdeb408:gLEAAOSwNyFWcESb

bikemig 

The fat bike idea is good. Talk about some stout wheels and tires. And the fun quotient appears to be high from the smiles I've seen on people riding them. Both Nashbar and Bikes Direct have them as reasonable prices if the OP is OK with doing his own work.

stevel610 

I like the idea of an older no suspension mountain bike or touring bike and then get a new set of wheels. Maybe something like Rhyno-Lite rims either 26" or 700c for a couple hundred bucks. Then go ride. If you can find a bike with disc mounts, it might benefit you, particularly in front.

Good Luck.

Midtown

Not sure where OP lives-- would be a good idea to put where you live OP that way we can sometimes find something on your local CL for you--but check out a used Surly Pugsley, or Ice Cream Truck.

DWhitworth

This x 1 million. Any modern frame will be strong enough, it is the wheels that need upgrading at the higher rider weights. I only have 1000 miles on my carbon bike so I don't know how it will last over a super long time, but it rides better and flexes less than the aluminum clyde approved Sectuer (which has 3000 miles when stolen) so I am not terribly worried.

DaveW
350# currently, have been closer to and over 400# in my riding "career"(3 years )

wvridgerider

I have to agree with the Karate Monkey. You can get the frame for under 500 and build the way you need to. I weigh 285 and ride single track, I am not easy on it either. Had it for three years and it is holding up well. Stay away from front suspension unless you ride off road. Get the rigid fork with it and cut the steerer where you need it, you can always lower the stem as you loose weight.

Arvadaman

High budget:

Surly Troll built out as a rigid. 36-hole, 26 inch wheels.

Low budget:

Early 90's rigid, steel framed mountain bike. 36-hole, 26 inch wheels.

MarleyzLegacy

Live in Wesley Chapel florida

MarleyzLegacy

Thank you everyone for the feed back. Doing research on everything. Again, i am riding a completely smooth flat service. Just want a strong frame, and it looks like good "fat" tires with more spokes. I dont want to get too technical. I will be riding on a 11 mile bike path. No cars allowed.