copswithguns

I feel kinda foolish because I bought a Specialized Expedition Sport a month ago to get back into biking. Now, I'm finding myself "outgrowing" it. I find myself wanting to go faster and farther, and while the Expedition is a great comfort bike, I want something more aggressive. I was in my LBS last week looking at an Allez and the guy at the shop pointed out the Secteur with its carbon fork.

Question is whether or not it, or the wheels more specifically, can handle my weight. I'm 6'1" and was at 320lbs only 2 weeks ago. I'm now already down to 312 and falling, thanks to solid dieting and consistent time on the Expedition (100 miles done in 15 days).

The tires on the bike are 25c and 32h wheels. I know more holes and spokes are better, but is it necessary, especially since I'm going continue to drop weight? I need more speed and more distance. Unless I'm doing hills, I can easily go 15-20 miles but feel like I could be doing it faster

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/secteur

jsigone

just ride them til you have problems and save up for some custom builts later. Those will range from $300-700 pending what hubs you go with ie Shimano 105s to Chris Kings.


test ride both allez and the Secteur to see which feels better.

ill.clyde

The quick and easy answer is, 32h wheels will be a great starting point for you on this bike.

Ride them, ride them hard and put lots of miles on them.

Then, in 6-12 months, after more weight loss and better fitness, buy some nicer, lighter wheels as a reward for your hard work.

Worth asking your LBS though if they'll consider a trade or trade in or something to that effect, if you absolutely don't want to keep the Expedition. It's only been a month, but you'll definitely take a depreciation hit. Still might be worth asking.


And for others who may read this, PARTICULARLY those considering a hybrid/recreational bike ... please note, the OP has ridden this bike for a MONTH and is already looking at a racier bike. THIS is exactly why I rarely support the idea of hybrids/rec bikes and why I pretty much loathe them on the whole.

Black wallnut 

As a clyde that has had wheel problems I'll give you different advice. At minimum make sure the shop properly tensions the wheels before you purchase the bike and then check at 100 and 200 miles. I really enjoyed my Secteur but had to upgrade the rear wheel after a few months, although Specialized no longer uses the same wheels that came on mine. I'm having much better luck with the wheels that came on my Roubiax.

I also believe in the correct number of bikes is one more than you own now. A comfort bike that you can mount racks on can make a great around town errand bike.

copswithguns

Well I feel a bit better about it now. I'm looking to buy the Secteur in the next month or so. I will talk to the LBS about a trade-for-store credit and make sure they tension the wheels for me. The LBS I use is really great and they have several awards from the Better Business Bureau and I'm sure they can set it up just fine for me.

Wish I had just bought a road bike in the first place! It's frustrating to be on a downhill cranking at high gear and being topped out at 20 MPH.

ill.clyde

Welcome to the madness

contango 

Just how low is the gearing on your existing bike?

My mountain bike has a 44-32-22 triple paired to a 9-speed 11-34 cassette and I've often got that into the 30s while still not spinning out in the top gears. I think the highest I've ever got it was 38mph down a long hill and I still had another gear to go.

contango 

Unless you're really unhappy with what you've got, or you've got bucketloads of cash to throw around, I'd suggest you stick with what you've got and get stronger on it, then get a new bike as a reward when your weight hits a certain point (maybe 250?).

I bought my mountain bike when I weighed about 280-290 or so (I only rarely weighed myself so don't know just how high it went), and rode it for two years before I bought a Specialized Tricross. During those two years the rides I was doing went from 3-4 miles to regularly covering 30-40 miles, and included covering 150 miles in two days (twice) and a one-day run of 110 miles.

The reason I'd urge caution is partly to save you money now, partly to avoid the mentality that looks to upgrade the bike when there's usually more to be gained by upgrading the rider, and partly to give you more time to consider just what it is that you want out of your bike. It would be a shame to buy your Expedition, then barely a month later buy a Secteur, only to ride for another six months and decide what you want is an all-out fast bike.

dpicare26

The Allez should also have carbon forks. In case that was the deal breaker for you. I love my Allez. I'm also a heavier rider @ 220ish. haven't had any spoke problems. I've put about 1,500miles on the Allez.

FrenchFit 

Your objective is to go faster? Really? Like keeping up with roadies avg. 20mph for 40 miles on your new Secteur? Although I admit to having my bout with n+1 disease the way I'd would look at it now is once I'd get routine metric centuries on my Expedition, avg. 13-15mph, then it's time to look for a fast bike. Respectfully, I think you are jumping a step if your real objective is to get bike fit, loose weight. And, that Expedition, with rear racks, would be a fun bike to keep long term, grocery getter, great for MUPs and tourist riding in the city.

I have fast bikes in my stable but they don't get nearly as much routine work as my slower bikes.

copswithguns

Mine are 42/34/24.

copswithguns

I see your point, but in fairness, I have always had strong legs. My quads are huge and I've always had more endurance in my legs than most people I've biked with.

FrenchFit 

I don't think it's about leg strength, not if we are talking about general fitness. Can you hop on your bike this afternoon and do 60m r/t, no drama/no prep, no 8 hr march of death? Just a suggestion that this might be a better goal than - going nowhere faster.

copswithguns

60m r/t?

contango 

What cassette do you have? If your smallest cog is bigger than 11t you can swap out the cassette and increase the gearing. A 42/11 gear should get you well into the 20s without spinning wildly. Swapping out the cassette will be way cheaper than a new bike and give you chance to build up your endurance before forking out for another one.

You mentioned in your OP that you can do 15-20 miles but want to be able to do it faster. If you can do 20 miles at an average of 15-20mph perhaps look to hold the average for 30 miles, or 40 miles, etc.

When I rode my mountain bike I used to try and average 15mph for as long as I was moving, and unless there were big hills or congested areas on shared paths I usually could, at least over the distances I normally covered on it. I pushed myself to go faster on the MTB, then thought about a faster bike.

Obviously it's your money and your decision. If you want to throw cash around before losing weight you could have some custom wheels made up for you, or buy a stand and build wheels for yourself.

FrenchFit 

60 miles round trip, a decent measure of bike fitness. My 59yo wife and I did 45m r/t Saturday, road back with some booty from the Farmers' Market, went to the gym afterwards, out to drinks & dinner that night. No drama. She's lost 125 pounds, but she's not looking for a faster bike.

All that said, if you heart yearns for something fast and sleek, enjoy. My FC custom wheeled, carbon flex wing saddled speedster looks absolutely fantastic hanging in my garage.

copswithguns

I have no doubt I could do 30-40 r/t, And I may try it this weekend. I would actually like to get into some group rides and I don't think my current bike would allow for that.

fietsbob

You can always do a Take Off trade in deal for something more old school with 36 spokes at Point of sale..

Or even a 32 front 36 rear.. let the shop keep the Boutique low spole count ones.


drop by the shop occasionally, for touch up truing is the best way to make wheels last ..

copswithguns

Well I'm 310 as of this morning, so I'm thinking by the time I get the scratch together for the new bike, which will take about a month or so, I'll be making good progress towards my weight loss. I come home tired from work and STILL want to go ride at night. I just can't stop.

ill.clyde

PhotoJoe 

You know a new bike is only going to make this worse, right?

ill.clyde

shhh!!!!!!

copswithguns

Only if I'm doing it right. Haha.

copswithguns

Now I'm wondering if I should go triple chainring or double. I live in a very hilly area. It's not uncommon for me to climb 250+ feet of elevation in a 1-2 mile stretch, depending on where I ride.

10 Wheels

Go triple....nice to have the low gears when you need them.