mairj40

I have a Cyclepro mountain bike from the 90's. I used to ride a minimum of 20 miles a day. However, life happened, and I haven't ridden it in years. I have gained a lot of weight over the years and I want to get back into riding to get back into some sort of shape. I'm currently running about 275 to 280 pounds. I'm afraid my poor old bike won't support my extra poundage I am hauling around these days. Any suggestions on what to do? I really don't want to buy a new bike if I don't have to. I've always loved my bike, and hate the thought of getting something different.

curbtender

Cyclepro made some stout bikes. Make sure you have good tires and go wear it out...

Ghazmh

It should be fine.

Kedosto

New tubes, lube the chain, make sure the brakes work... ride it. Try not to crash.


-Kedosto

livedarklions

Simple question -- what do you have to lose? The bike will let you know if it isn't up to it.

Be patient with yourself however. Riding when you have gotten heavier is probably a bit different from what you remember. Been there, it was very hard until I took the weight back off.

_ForceD_

I concur. A sturdy steel frame should do just fine. Since the bike has sat unused for a longtime...perhaps it would be prudent to take it into a reputable bike shop just for a tune-up, and to make sure all systems are safe for riding (wheel bearings, chain, steering, brakes, etc).

Dan

mairj40

Thanks everyone. I was mainly worried about the wheels bending or collapsing. Lol.

alcjphil

Pump up the tires. If they hold air, go out and ride it. If you are out of shape you won't be able to go fast enough to get into much trouble. Wheels will not suddenly collapse, they will give you some warning, if they bend, the brakes will rub on the rims and slow you down. Just ride, if you enjoy it before your bike starts to let you down you will know if it is time to buy a better one

dedhed

Check to make sure there are no loose spokes

Bigbus

Ditto on that! I've pulled out bikes at estate sales that have been sitting in the backs of garages for years and it always seems like the spokes are now loose. Defies logic, but it's common. Check em and then ride em! Just remember you need to work back up to where you used to be physically. Good Luck

jlmonte

May I suggest you check out the forum for Clydesdale(s) and Athena(s) : https://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdal...-200-lb-91-kg/


As I remember from high school physics, Force equal mass times acceleration (F=ma), As a Clydesdale myself, I noticed my acceleration tends to increase when my mass decreases. Unless you're down hill mountain biking


Happy riding.

Ironfish653

'90s MTBs are pretty tough. Unless you're doing technical trail work, you're not going to overload anything.

Probably ok to start riding as-is, but wouldn't hurt to get it checked over. 'Haven't ridden in years' can mean a lot of different things; 5-10 years, in a dry garage is a lot different than 15-20 in a dirt-floored shed.

Tires and tubes will be the wild card / weak link, since rubber can and will break down over time / conditions. Also, if your bike has knobbies on it, and you're just riding bike paths / around town, a pair of low-profile touring / urban tires can make the bike a lot more pleasant on hard surfaces.

edscott.

275 lbs? You really should also look into what you are eating as well and get rid of that extra weight. Although in flat terrain, your body weight does not affect your rolling capacity too much, riding a bike will be much more fun if you lose that extra fat, especially when you come upon a hill.

mairj40

Thanks for that. I know all that. I have been working with my doctor, and watching what I eat. Without going into my full medical history, I have certain health issues that make it difficult to lose weight just through my diet.

mairj40

Very cool. I'll check out that link. Thanks!

Maelochs

I have been waiting for everyone to weigh in ... no sense repeating everything ... except this. I would recommend having the bike looked over, or at least the wheels. I know from experience a lot of people don't pay any attention to spoke tension, and when one gets loose, it stresses the rest, and when one breaks, others might too ... takes a lot of the fun out of riding. Particularly since you are a fellow clyde ... we put a lot of stress on wheels. A properly tensioned wheel can withstand a lot, but a wheel which hasn't been maintained in years---if ever---might be fine--or might be the first point of failure.

At the very least, run a screwdriver or something around all te spokes, like playing a harp. All the spokes should ring with about the same sound. if some are high and some sound flat, you are looking at a wheel potentially ready to self-destruct the first time you hit a pothole.

edscott.

Obesity is currently becoming an epidemic in North America. Much of which is due to high salt, high fat, high sugar processed foods which are pushed into our faces just about everywhere. But not all overweight is due to these environmental factors. Genetics also has a lot to do. Some people are genetically disposed. And this has a valid reason.

Throughout time famines come and go. One strategy nature has concocted for the survival of the human race is the propensity of certain individuals to gain weight. When the famine comes around, those with an excessive amount of fat stored in their bodies have a much better chance of survival than those with a "healthy" body mass index.

Since a famine in North America has not occurred in recent memory, nor is there prospect of one happening any time soon, this genetic advantage becomes a disadvantage. If your are in the genetic situation, you could probably try fasting (under a doctor's supervision, of course) but let's face it, that's unlikely.

Another option is to burn away the fat on your bike. For this it is paramount that you use a heart rate monitor and stay under 70% of your maximum heart rate. This ensures you will be burning fat. Besides that, you should not overexert your heart until you give it a bit of more space to expand and contract.

I have a couple friends in this weight gain genetic disposition. One started losing weight after reaching 265 lbs. The other threw in the towel and is now close to 350 lbs. Funny enough, the 350 lbs. fellow has normal cholesterol levels and is not diabetic Go figure.

If your target is to lose weight, just don't give up.Weigh yourself every day (a margin of plus, minus 2 lbs is normal), preferable on a scale which can also estimate your fat and muscle percentage. And stay away from sugary beverages and other junk food religiously. I(t goes without saying that you follow your doctor's advice on a balanced diet.

Dirt Farmer

Can we leave the fat lecturing out? The guy just wants to ride.

MNebiker

It's well worth your time and money to invest in a basic tune-up and safety check at a good bike shop.

I had many people bring in their old favorite bikes because they wanted to get back into riding. Some were OK, but others had lots of issues: cracked tires, glazed & hard brake pads, rusted cables, stiff and sticky derailleurs, rims out of true, etc.

Get it checked, made safe and enjoy being back on two wheels.